Cracker Jack is a classic American snack that has been enjoyed by generations. Its unique combination of peanuts, popcorn, and caramel coating has made it a favorite among people of all ages. While the original Cracker Jack recipe is a closely guarded secret, there are many copycat recipes available online that come pretty close to the real thing. If you are looking to satisfy your Cracker Jack craving without breaking the bank, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you with the best recipe to cook your own clone of Cracker Jack at home. So gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and let's get started!
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
CLONE OF A CRACKER JACK®
This peanutty, caramelly popcorn recipe tastes close to the original. It's very easy to prepare at home and makes great gifts! For a thicker coating of caramel, reduce the popped popcorn to 10 cups.
Provided by themoodyfoodie
Categories Desserts Candy Recipes Popcorn Candy Recipes
Time 1h35m
Yield 11
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
- Spread popcorn in the bottom of a large, deep roasting pan. Sprinkle peanuts over the popcorn.
- Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar and butter are melted and sauce is thick and caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour caramel sauce over the popcorn and peanuts and stir to coat popcorn and peanuts completely, scooping any peanuts and caramel that fall to the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until caramel and popcorn are crisped, about 45 minutes. Turn popcorn out in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 348.7 calories, Carbohydrate 37.4 g, Cholesterol 27.8 mg, Fat 21.8 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 4.4 g, SaturatedFat 8.4 g, Sodium 313.8 mg, Sugar 26.3 g
CLONE OF A CRACKER JACK®
This peanutty, caramelly popcorn recipe tastes close to the original. It's very easy to prepare at home and makes great gifts! For a thicker coating of caramel, reduce the popped popcorn to 10 cups.
Provided by themoodyfoodie
Categories Popcorn Candy
Time 1h35m
Yield 11
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
- Spread popcorn in the bottom of a large, deep roasting pan. Sprinkle peanuts over the popcorn.
- Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar and butter are melted and sauce is thick and caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour caramel sauce over the popcorn and peanuts and stir to coat popcorn and peanuts completely, scooping any peanuts and caramel that fall to the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until caramel and popcorn are crisped, about 45 minutes. Turn popcorn out in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 348.7 calories, Carbohydrate 37.4 g, Cholesterol 27.8 mg, Fat 21.8 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 4.4 g, SaturatedFat 8.4 g, Sodium 313.8 mg, Sugar 26.3 g
CLONE OF A CRACKER JACK®
This peanutty, caramelly popcorn recipe tastes close to the original. It's very easy to prepare at home and makes great gifts! For a thicker coating of caramel, reduce the popped popcorn to 10 cups.
Provided by themoodyfoodie
Categories Popcorn Candy
Time 1h35m
Yield 11
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
- Spread popcorn in the bottom of a large, deep roasting pan. Sprinkle peanuts over the popcorn.
- Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar and butter are melted and sauce is thick and caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour caramel sauce over the popcorn and peanuts and stir to coat popcorn and peanuts completely, scooping any peanuts and caramel that fall to the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until caramel and popcorn are crisped, about 45 minutes. Turn popcorn out in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 348.7 calories, Carbohydrate 37.4 g, Cholesterol 27.8 mg, Fat 21.8 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 4.4 g, SaturatedFat 8.4 g, Sodium 313.8 mg, Sugar 26.3 g
HOMEMADE CRACKER JACK
A salty-sweet, caramel-coated popcorn often eaten at baseball games, Cracker Jack is one of the many well-known confections from Chicago. While molasses-covered popcorn was already popular in the Northeast, the creation of Cracker Jack's special formula is credited to German brothers Frederick William and Louis Rueckheim. Besides coming up with the signature combination of popcorn, molasses and peanuts, they even devised a special package to keep it fresh and crisp. By the late 1800s, the snack was so loved that their company was producing four-and-a-half tons a day. This homemade version is best enjoyed the day it's made, though it will keep for up to three days in an airtight container. Use large, red-skinned peanuts in this recipe if you can find them, as the skins lend a pleasant bitterness that works well with the molasses-caramel coating.
Provided by Samantha Seneviratne
Categories candies
Time 45m
Yield About 16 cups
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat oven to 250 degrees and grease two large rimmed baking sheets with neutral oil.
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons neutral oil and 2 kernels to a large pot. Cover and heat over medium. Once you hear those first two kernels pop, add the remaining kernels, cover and cook, shaking occasionally, until the popping slows down, about 4 to 6 minutes. You should hear a few seconds of silence between pops. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer the popcorn to a large, heatproof bowl and discard any unpopped kernels. Add the peanuts to the popcorn and toss to combine. Set the vanilla and baking soda near the stove for easy access.
- In a small saucepan, stir the butter, brown sugar, molasses and salt over medium until the butter melts. Once the butter has melted, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and cook the mixture, undisturbed, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.
- Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will become foamy. Immediately pour it over the popcorn and use a wooden spoon to coat it evenly.
- Spread the popcorn out onto the two prepared baking sheets. Bake until the mixture is dry, about 20 to 25 minutes, tossing occasionally. The mixture will dry out as it cools but may still be slightly sticky. Sprinkle with a bit more salt, to taste.
- Let the popcorn cool completely. It's best enjoyed the day it's cooked, but you can also store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
CRACKER JACK - COPYCAT
This recipe has never failed me. The popcorn turns out sweet, buttery and very crispy. If you want caramel corn, just use light corn syrup instead of dark.
Provided by Chilicat
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 55m
Yield 2 quarts
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Mix popcorn and peanuts in a large bowl or roasting pan. Keep warm in a 250°F oven.
- Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir in sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla.
- Quickly pour over warm popcorn while tossing until well coated. Spread in a shallow baking pan or roasting pan.
- Bake at 250°F for 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes. Make sure every piece of popcorn has been moved around on the bottom.
- Remove from oven and turn out onto foil to let cool.
- Store in a tightly covered container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1717.5, Fat 101.8, SaturatedFat 36.9, Cholesterol 122, Sodium 1195, Carbohydrate 187.8, Fiber 15.1, Sugar 121.6, Protein 33.9
Tips:
- Choose the right popcorn. Not all popcorn is created equal. For Cracker Jacks, you'll want to use a popcorn that is small and has a light, fluffy texture. Avoid using popcorn that is large or has a tough texture.
- Use fresh ingredients. The fresher your ingredients, the better your Cracker Jacks will taste. Use real butter, pure vanilla extract, and fresh peanuts.
- Don't overcook the popcorn. Overcooked popcorn will be tough and chewy. Cook the popcorn according to the package directions, or until it is just starting to pop.
- Let the popcorn cool completely. Before you add the caramel mixture, let the popcorn cool completely. This will help to prevent the caramel from becoming too runny.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan. A heavy-bottomed saucepan will help to prevent the caramel from burning.
- Stir the caramel mixture constantly. Stirring the caramel mixture constantly will help to prevent it from burning and will also help to ensure that the sugar dissolves evenly.
- Add the peanuts at the end. Add the peanuts to the caramel mixture at the very end, just before you pour it over the popcorn. This will help to prevent the peanuts from getting too soft.
- Let the Cracker Jacks cool completely before serving. Let the Cracker Jacks cool completely before serving. This will help the caramel to harden and will also make the Cracker Jacks easier to eat.
Conclusion:
Cracker Jacks are a classic American snack that is enjoyed by people of all ages. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can easily make your own Cracker Jacks at home. These homemade Cracker Jacks are just as delicious as the store-bought kind, and they're a lot more fun to make. So next time you're looking for a sweet and salty snack, give this Cracker Jack recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!
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