My recipe for a homemade version of original Moose Munch is one of the most popular recipes on my blog, so I decided to follow it up with another copycat recipe for another variety of Moose Munch - Milk Chocolate S'mores!
What is Milk Chocolate S'mores Moose Munch?
In the Harry & David version of Milk Chocolate S'mores Moose Munch, their classic caramel corn is combined with milk chocolate covered popcorn, mini marshmallows, and graham crackers. I've tried to recreate these flavors in this easy recipe so you can get your fix at home whenever you want!
What Does Milk Chocolate S'Mores Caramel Popcorn Taste Like?
This recipe combines the classic flavors of a s'more - milk chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers, with the crispy sweet goodness of caramel corn. It's the magical pairing you didn't know you were missing in your life! There's a mixture of textures here - the crunch of the caramel corn, the crisp graham crackers, the soft mini marshmallows, and the in-between crunch of the milk chocolate-covered popcorn.
What do I need to make Milk Chocolate S'mores Moose Munch?
In addition to the ingredients listed in the recipe below, there are a couple of products I recommend for making your life easier when making caramel popcorn and/or working with sticky ingredients in general:
Non-stick spatulas: These are a must have for stirring the caramel as it cooks, scraping it out of your pan, folding the ingredients together, etc. When the caramel is warm it is much less likely to stick to a silicone spatula. I own them in several shapes and sizes - this set is great - and they are invaluable!
Large Roasting Pan: These are ideal for making lasagnas or any other deep casseroles, but they are also awesome for making snack mixes like caramel corn or Chex Mix. If you don't have room in your kitchen to keep one around, you can totally use disposable aluminum versions as well, and they can be rinsed and recycled, or even reused in some cases.
... or if you want to inject a little nostalgia in your kitchen, this speckled oval roasting pan looks exactly like the one my family used to use when I was growing up. Did your mom or grandma have one, too?!
Can I Freeze Milk Chocolate S'mores Moose Munch?
The short answer: yes!! This copycat recipe can easily be frozen as long as care is taken to place it into a totally airtight container. You can even use the freezer to speed up the setting process of the caramel and chocolate, as long as you allow the mixture to first come to room temperature. You can use a tightly sealed Ziploc bag or a Tupperware container when freezing. You can keep it frozen for at least a couple of months, if not longer when kept frozen in ideal conditions. When ready to eat, just let it thaw on a counter top or, honestly, you can just eat it right out of the freezer.
Not that I've done that. Nope, not me.
I don't recommend using the refrigerator as it tends to accelerate things drying out or going stale. The freezer will help preserve the texture for when you're ready to enjoy your treat.
How Can I Customize Milk Chocolate S'mores Moose Munch Copycat?
You can add nuts (peanuts, pecans, cashews, etc...) to the caramel and popcorn mixture. You can also experiment with different kinds of chocolate - dark or semi-sweet - instead of milk chocolate. If you aren't a fan of the soft marshmallow texture, you can use the crunchier marshmallow bits that are sold for hot chocolate, or you can use cereal marshmallows for some extra color and crunch. Don't want the color? Try these white dehydrated marshmallows instead.
How Long Does This Last?
When stored in a proper airtight container at room temperature, the popcorn should retain its optimum taste and texture for at least five days (if it lasts that long, haha). If stored in the freezer in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware container, it should be good for a few months, or even longer if kept in a deep freeze.
Milk Chocolate S'mores Moose Munch Copycat
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 15 cups
Ingredients
- 12 cups popped popcorn
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 3-4 sheets graham crackers, broken into smaller pieces
- 1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips or milk chocolate melting wafers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250F. In a roasting pan, add ⅔ of the popped popcorn. Add the rest of the popcorn to a mixing bowl with the mini marshmallows.
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring together as the butter and sugar melts. Once melted and once the mixture is at a low boil, continue boiling for 2-3 minutes or, ideally, until a candy thermometer reads 285F.
- Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda, mixing well (it will look lighter and foamy).
- Allow the caramel to cool for a few minutes until still warm, but no longer hot. Don't let it cool for too long or the caramel will start to harden.
- Pour caramel over popcorn in the roasting pan and fold with a spatula until all the popcorn is coated. Bake for 60 minutes, turning every 15 minutes. During the last 15 minutes, add the graham cracker pieces and stir to get them lightly coated with the caramel.
- While the caramel corn is in the oven, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring with a non-stick spatula at the end of each time period.
- Pour the chocolate over the popcorn and marhsmallows in the mixing bowl and fold to combine.
- Turn the caramel corn out onto a large sheet of wax paper, and then turn out the chocolate popcorn and marshmallows onto the same sheet of wax paper.
- Allow to cool completely so that the chocolate and caramel has hardened. To speed up the process, allow the popcorn to come to room temperature and then close in an airtight container and place in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
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Pooja
Wow,
It looks so beautiful and yummy, I definitely try this for my son, thanks for the beautiful post