Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls

A while ago we made the Peanut Butter Popcorn recipe from The Kitchn and gobbled it up.  I am a big fan of “mix-ins” with popcorn – my favorite is peanut M&M’s, and this recipe captured the peanuty goodness, plus an intense rush of caramelized sugar.  It was pretty intense and I don’t recommend eating it all in one go, but it’s a super easy snack to make with ingredients you probably have in your kitchen.

We went out to the movies last night and saw the excellent Let the Right One In at a “fancy” art-house theater in Manhattan that served $6.75 popcorn.  In a leap of frugality, I took the popcorn home and made some peanut butter popcorn balls.  Yes, I took the popcorn home.  In my huge purse.  I am not ashamed.  These balls are delicious.

Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls (adapted from The Kitchn)

Ingredients:

4 cups leftover popcorn (or follow their recipe with freshmade popcorn)
1/4 cup honey
3.5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (chunky) peanut butter (should be free of added sugar)
1/4 piece of a vanilla bean or 1/4 tsp vanilla

To Do:

1. Put popcorn in a big bowl.
2. Melt sugar and honey in a small saucepan.  If using vanilla bean, put it in the sugar/honey mixture.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Take vanilla bean out and stick it in some simple syrup if you have any in the fridge (frugal!).
3. Add the peanut butter (and if you didn’t use a vanilla bean, add the vanilla extract).  Stir until it all becomes smooth and pour over popcorn.
4. Use a spoon to coat the popcorn or put a lid on the bowl and shake it around until the popcorn is coated with the mixture.
5. Form into small balls when the mixture is still warm, but touchable (don’t burn yourself!).
6. Store in air-tight container.  Pairs well with bourbon.

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