So, popcorn and I have a special relationship. My mom works for Preferred Popcorn, so I know more about the production and distribution of the stuff than I will ever need to know. A certain amount of popcorn is popped every so often during processing to ensure quality and test expansion rates (how big 100 grams of popcorn is when popped. Bigger expansion rates are higher quality). Because of this, there were always garbage bags full of popcorn that were up for grabs by employees. Needless to say, my household never wanted for popcorn, and my mom's caramel corn became one of her signature snacks for events. It was always requested, and never lasted.
In college, my mom gave me a 35 lb. bag of kernels at my request. That bag lasted until my senior year. Everyone loves popcorn, and I had the hookup for a huge supply. During Freshman year, my two best friends, Rachael and Mikel, and I woul split a huge bowl of popcorn and watch Netflix/study in what we called a "popcorn powwow" and it was awesome.
So, given my good memories surrounding this snack, I had to make this recipe when I found it on Pinterest. Even if it made a huge mess and didn't come together, it could still be pretty good, right? Well, it did come together due to my mad skillz in the kitchen. Actually, this recipe is easy, it's just like chocolate chip cookies with the extra step of popping the corn and a bit of a delicate touch when folding it in. What do they taste like? Well, the cookie kind of reminds me of a graham cracker with its buttery brown sugar base, and the crunch of the popcorn is kind of incredible. The popcorn is able to stay crunchy because the batter doesn't contain any liquid except egg and butter. It's addictive, and worth trying for the novelty alone.
A successful experiment
My first attempt at these was not bad. In movie terms, it was and wholesome family comedy that you enjoy seeing on the theater, but probably won't buy on DVD. These cookies needed some things more.
Aw yeah, now that's what I call cookies.
My second attempt was a summer blockbuster that everyone will rave about. They were awesome! The sweet chocolate and the salted caramel drizzle came together to create a product that will have your audience demanding a sequel. These little crunch bombs are ideal for Oscar parties, movie nights, slumber parties, or any time you wanna change up from the standard chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie. Can confirm that they also pair well with ice cream.
I knew these cookies needed a name more catchy than "those popcorn cookies of yours" and in keeping with the movie theme I was going for. The muses of baked good naming spoke, and I dubbed them "Blockbusters." So here's the recipe that provided my original inspiration:
Popcorn Cookies
I followed the base cookie recipe pretty closely, but trust me, the additions are what make these cookies.
Sprinkles of Kim:
-Add 1 tsp cinnamon when you add the vanilla, I have no idea why the original recipe didn't have this, it just tastes so much more complete.
-Right before the cookies go in the oven, press a few mini M&Ms into the top of each cookie, kind of like you would with monster cookies. Don't worry too much about making them evenly spaced, just put them where there's not already popcorn kernels
-Okay, now the fun part, the caramel drizzle. I snagged the recipe from here: Caramel Drizzle
And I didn't time it, I just boiled the mixture till it resembled caramel. The taste reminds me of a soft Werther's caramel.
-After drizzling the cookies (and likely making a huge mess if you're anything like me), hit each cookie with just the tiniest sprinkle of salt. It'll enhance both the popcorn and the caramel and up the sweet-and-salty factor, which is the appeal of these cookies.
I love my movies and my desserts, so I hope everyone enjoys these Blockbusters as much as I did!
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