Crunchy and sweet homemade caramel corn is studded with peanuts and makes for the best snack! Freshly popped corn, brown sugar, maple syrup, and butter come together for something truly delicious.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pop the popcorn: in a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over high heat. Add about 1/2-3/4 cup popcorn kernels and shake. Cover, and shake occasionally until popcorn is popped. Oil a large bowl and dump the popcorn in.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer, whisking often, until the mixture reads 250°F on a candy thermometer, about 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the baking soda and vanilla. Quickly pour the hot caramel over the popcorn. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the caramel into the popcorn, distributing it evenly. Stir in the peanuts, and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring and turning the popcorn with a spatula every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Gently break up the popcorn, and serve.