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Halloween Peanut Butter Monster Munch

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Ingredients
  

  • 12 cups air-popped popcorn
  • 3 cups mini-twist pretzels
  • 1 cup salted peanuts, roasted (see note)
  • 1 cup candy corn
  • 1 cup Reese’s Pieces
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp. heavy cream

Instructions
 

  • In a very large bowl, mix the popcorn, pretzels, peanuts, candy corn and Reese’s Pieces; spread out onto two large rimmed baking pans.
  • In a large saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
  • Add the honey and sugar; stir until smooth.
  • Stop stirring; allow the mixture to come to a boil; cook for about 5 minutes, tilting the pan occasionally to make sure there are no signs of burning.
  • The mixture should smell caramelized and be a bit darkened in color.
  • Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the peanut butter, salt and heavy cream.
  • Quickly drizzle the peanut butter caramel over the party mix on the sheet pans; toss to coat with two large spoons.
  • Let the party mix cool on the sheet pans; transfer to bowls for serving, breaking up any large pieces, if needed.

Notes

When it comes to the texture of the final mix, you have a bit of a flexibility with this recipe. If you want it to be crunchy and crispy, like standard caramel corn, you can cook the peanut butter caramel coating a bit longer to the hard crack stage (about 300°F on a candy thermometer).  If you want it a bit fudgier, just cook it until the soft crack stage (about 280°F on a candy thermometer). Both ways work (although I would say the hard crack would be best for putting in cute little baggies and distributing as gifts).
See completecomfortfoods.com recipe for roasting peanuts by clicking on the link below:
https://completecomfortfoods.com/how-to-roast-peanuts/