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Want a jazzed-up oatmeal cookie? These chocolate chip popcorn cookies are a salty sweet and feature caramel corn made with maple syrup.
This post was created in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. All opinions are our own.
Are you an oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip kind of cookie person? It’s a debate that has extremely passionate people on either side, we know. Here’s a jazzed up cookie that takes the best of both (and chucks the raisins because, come on!). These salty-sweet chocolate chip popcorn cookies feature caramel corn made with a glaze of maple syrup, then mixed into oatmeal cookies with a bit of chocolate chunks thrown in for good measure. Of course, feel free to customize it with any mix-ins you’d like — just no raisins, okay? Keep reading for this delicious chocolate chip popcorn cookies recipe.
Making these popcorn cookies
This popcorn cookies recipe was a chance for us to experiment with gluten-free cookie baking! It can be made gluten-free using GF oats and 1-to-1 gluten-free flour. We’re personally not gluten-free, but have several close family members and friends who are, so gluten-free recipes are “universal” in that they work for all diets.
The texture when made with gluten-free 1-to-1 flour is a bit drier and more crumbly, but either way these popcorn cookies are incredibly satisfying. Because with popcorn and chocolate, how could they not be? The addition of oats for nutrient density and the relatively small serving size also makes them a good “healthy-ish” cookie option.
PS For the record I actually like oatmeal raisin cookies, I just find chocolate chip to be superior. But that’s just me.
Related: Maple Vegan Blondies
How to make caramel corn with maple syrup
In these popcorn cookies, we’ve made a “natural” type of caramel corn using maple syrup. We make this popcorn using our standard stovetop popcorn method, and then make a caramel syrup using maple. Here’s how to make caramel corn with maple syrup:
- First, pop the popcorn on the stove. Use a large saucepan to heat the oil. To test when it’s hot enough, add one kernel of popcorn. When it pops, add the rest of the kernels and heat, shaking constantly, until all the popping has stopped, about 2 minutes total.
- Make the maple syrup glaze. Heat maple and butter in the same pan and boil it for 3 minutes until it become darker and caramel in color.
- Add the popcorn and top with salt. Add the popcorn to the syrup mixture. Top with sea salt and stir to coat.
- Dry the popcorn. To quickly dry the caramel corn, place it on a baking sheet and put it in the freezer for about 5 minutes.
Looking for cookie recipes?
Aside from these popcorn cookies, here are a few of our favorite cookie recipes:
- Chocolate Tahini Vegan No Bake Cookies
- Skillet Chocolate Chip Almond Flour Cookies
- “Bliss Bites” Healthy No-Bake Cookies
- How to Make Shortbread Cookies
- Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies
- Chai Spice Almond Snowball Cookies
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeyes
- Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
This popcorn cookies are…
Vegetarian and gluten-free, using gluten free flour.
Chocolate Chip Popcorn Cookies
Want a jazzed-up oatmeal cookie? These chocolate chip popcorn cookies are a salty sweet and feature caramel corn made with maple syrup.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil (like grapeseed or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons yellow popcorn kernels
- 1 tablespoon plus ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
- ¾ cup rolled oats (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup 60% bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- To make the caramel corn: In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat with one kernel of popcorn, covered. When the kernel pops, add the remaining kernels and cover immediately. Shake to coat the kernels with oil, and heat over medium high heat, shaking the pan every 15 seconds until the vigorous popping has stopped, about 1 ½ minutes. As soon as the popping slows down, take the saucepan off of the heat and wait for all popping to finish. Pour the popcorn onto a paper towel, then gently roll the popcorn kernels in the paper towel to break them into smaller pieces. Add the maple syrup and 1 tablespoon butter to the hot pan; it should start bubbling immediately. Stirring frequently, boil syrup for 3 minutes over medium heat until it becomes darker and caramel in color. Then turn off the heat add the larger pieces of the popcorn to the maple syrup mixture (leave the small pieces and unpopped kernels on the paper towel and discard); add the sea salt and stir to fully coat. Place the finished caramel corn in a single layer in a bowl and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden. Once hard, break up the caramel popcorn into single pieces.
- Soften 1 stick of butter to room temperature. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract for 1 minute. Then add the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt and beat on low until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and use a spatula to fold in the popcorn and chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough into balls and place onto the prepared baking sheets, making about 24 cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges and tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Loosely inspired by Smitten Kitchen via Joy the Baker
What a clever idea! looks yummy too :)
Thank you so much! Salty + sweet = winning.
Ha this recipe is so creative! I love it.. sort of like salty pretzels in cookies, but better :)