Caramel Popcorn Surprise

Adapted from Heather Cristo Cooks

Ingredients:

8-10 cups of air popped popcorn (or 1 bag of microwaved popcorn)

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup corn syrup

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup M&Ms

1 cup white chocolate chips

sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Spread the popcorn out on a sheet pan fitted with parchment paper.

Combine the vanilla and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a medium pot, add the butter, sugar, corn syrup and salt and heat them over medium heat. Cook and stir until everything is melted and bubbling. After mixture comes to a boil, stop stirring and let cook for another 4 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat, add the vanilla and stir until well combined. Immediately pour the caramel onto the popcorn. Stir well with a heatproof spatula.

Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.

When you remove the pan from the oven, immediately sprinkle the M&Ms over the popcorn.

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave and use a fork to drizzle it over the popcorn and M&Ms.

While the chocolate is soft, sprinkle everything with pastel sprinkles.

Let the popcorn and chocolate set up and cool. Break the popcorn into chunks and serve.