Country Cousin Popcorn Balls

Submitted By: Maudean Williams

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup apple juice or water
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 11/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 quarts popped corn (about 8 tablespoons unpopped kernels)
• 1 cup honey-roasted, unsalted, or salted peanuts

1 (8-ounce) package chopped dates (about 11/2 cups), optional

Instructions

Combine sugar, apple juice, syrup, butter, and salt in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove sugar from sides of pan with a wet brush. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 270º (or the soft crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Add vanilla.
Combine separately popped corn, peanuts, and dates. Pour syrup mixture over popped corn mixture; mix well. Wet or butter hands and shape into three-inch balls.