^[1]

^[2]Having a party this weekend? Or, maybe you want to take something you can eat to share at a party. Here’s a gluten-free recipe that would be great for a Super Bowl party, a birthday party, a homemade Valentine gift, or just a fun snack to share.

It’s not sticky like caramel corn, but it is a little crunchy, a little sweet, and a little salty. It’s gluten-free and dairy-free (lactose-free and casein-free, too!). Kids and adults are going to LOVE this. I make a big batch because it disappears so quickly.

Caramel Corn Puffs Recipe

Ingredients

12 oz. (2 pkgs) plain, unsweetened whole grain Puffed Corn ^[3]
1 Cup (2 sticks) Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
1- 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar, lightly packed
1/2 Cup Agave ^[4] or Honey
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Sea Salt, finely ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250º F.
2. Pour plain Corn Puffs ^[3] into a large roasting pan, or onto two large baking sheets with sides, and set aside.
3. In a 3- or 4-quart sauce pan, combine vegan buttery sticks, brown sugar, and agave syrup. Over medium-high heat, bring it to a boil and and let it continue to boil for 5 minutes.
4. Carefully pour in the vanilla and baking soda. This will cause it to bubble up, so watch it carefully and stir quickly.
5. Remove it from the heat and quickly pour the mixture over the corn puffs in the roasting pan. Gently stir the corn puffs so that all are covered with the caramel mixture.
6. Put the corn puffs in the oven and bake at 250º F for a total of 60 min, taking it out of the oven and stirring every 15 minutes to make sure every piece gets baked evenly.
7. After 60 minutes, remove from the oven and sprinkle sea salt on the corn puffs while they’re still warm. Stir, cool, and enjoy!

Additional Comments

• You can store this in airtight containers on the counter for a week, without losing any quality of taste. (Maybe longer, but that is as long as I can keep it on the counter without eating every last piece.)
• Make sure the puffed corn you purchase is gluten-free. Some brands may have cross-contamination warnings.
• Add some nuts, or other ingredients to make it a trail-mix ^[5] treat.

*Find more healthy snacks and recipes at Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free ^[6].
*Find more gluten-free snacks and recipes at Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker ^[7].