I often find that I have to drag people to eat my baked goods. Tell someone that the cookie they were about to innocently enjoy has no wheat, dairy, or often any eggs and they look at me like I've suggested they snack on their own teeth. This recipe also takes some convincing, even for people used to eating foods made from alternative ingredients. The combination of popcorn, caramel, peanuts, and chocolate is generally enjoyed, but their combination as a cookie is something a bit different. I promise you, these are worth it. They are soft and buttery and none of the caramel sticks to your teeth like regular popcorn.
One note about popcorn: I happen to have one of those archaic popping machines taking up my very limited counter space. It doesn't work well; I bought it second hand at a garage sale; and it is a nuisance to clean, but I've never gotten rid of it and continue to use it somewhat defiantly.It often burns my corn as well, but you must studiously avoid this for these cookies! Remove any burnt bits before covering them with caramel. If you are not prone to keeping absurd kitchen tools that have only one purpose around, a bag of natural microwave popping corn or the classic stove pop version will work as well. If you would just like to eat some caramel popcorn (maybe with peanuts and chocolate thrown in), this caramel recipe will cover around three or four cups of popped corn and is totally vegan.
Makes aprox. 18 cookies.
CARAMEL POPCORN INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of popped popcorn with a tiny dab of margarine melted on and a generous smattering of table salt
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
POPCORN DIRECTIONS:
Have the popcorn ready in a bowl by your stove. Melt the margarine and add the corn syrup and brown sugar in a large sauce pan, stirring until it has dissolved. When the mixture has begun to boil stop stirring and let boil over low medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 200 degrees.
If you don't have a thermometer, don't worry. You can just watch the pot carefully and take it off the heat after about five minutes. Do not let the caramel become dark. After removing from the heat, add in the baking soda and stir until combined.
Working quickly, poor the popcorn into the caramel and stir to coat. Then, poor the mixture and all the extra caramel onto a silpat or piece of tinfoil to cool. Put the pan under hot running water right away to help with the clean up. The popcorn should be very caramel-ly. When it is cool, roughly chop up the popcorn and extra caramel bits into manageable, chocolate chip sized pieces. This is also a good time to remove any kernels that didn't pop so as not to break anyone's teeth.
COOKIE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar or agave nectar
1 egg or egg substitute
1 tbs. of canola oil, or your favorite butter substitute
dash of vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda.
1/2 cup aprox. semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
fleur de sel
COOKIE DIRECTIONS:
Either by hand or with a mixer, blend the peanut butter, canola oil, and sugar. Then add the egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Fold in the chopped caramel popcorn and chocolate. The dough will look very crumbly. To form the cookies, grab a small handful of dough and mold it into a ball, flattening it between your palms. Bake at 350 degrees for about ten to twelve minutes. The cookies will have risen a bit and be golden at the edges. Cool on the pan for five minutes and then move to a cooling rack. Before they are completely cool, sprinkle a pinch of fleur de sel on each cookie.
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