About Homemade Caramel Popcorn
Ah, fall. The time of year that’s all about crisp winds and beautiful leaves and fun holidays… and delicious snacks like this homemade caramel corn.
Or is it caramel popcorn?
When you see this caramel-coated delight at parties and fairs, what do you call it?
I have no idea if this is a “regional thing”, but growing up in Virginia, we called this caramel corn. And I never questioned this until I began to think about publishing this recipe and I couldn’t help but wonder… why? I mean, lets be honest here – this caramel coated popcorn we’re talking about, not just corn. I’d have a whole different opinion of this snack of this was just caramel covered corn.
But thankfully for all of us, this is light and fluffy popcorn we’re talking about, so why doesn’t everyone call it that?
Well, between this baffled born-and-bred southerner and the rest of the world, I have no idea. It’s moments like this were I’m glad I’m not an ambassador for the south because, bless our hearts, we do an awful lot of head-scratching things.
At least we can all agree on one thing, though:
Caramel covered popcorn is delicious.
Another thing I like about classic recipes like this is that not only is it a crowd-pleasing snack, but it’s also a great flavor to build upon, too.
Like for example, when I told my mom (who also happens to be my recipe helper & taste tester) that we’d be making caramel corn that day, she immediately perked up and asked, “With nuts?”
And this is where my mother and I differ on food and why I love having her around to help me with recipes. Because while I tend to like my eats smooth and creamy she is all about the crunch. She helps bring a little more balance to the recipes you see here.
So while I normally would have skipped the nuts, because she asked, I figured… okay. Why not. Let’s go crazy and add some peanuts. See how it goes.
(Don’t tell her I told you this, but adding the peanuts created a salty and sweet combination that was awesome.)
How long does caramel popcorn last?
When stored in an air-tight container, caramel corn should remain good for up to five days.
notes & this for this easy caramel popcorn
- I mention this in the recipe instructions, but I think it’s worth stating again: making caramel corn is easy, but it’s also very messy. Make sure you have a large baking sheet, a silicone baking mat (parchment paper will not cut it for this recipe), and wax paper on hand.
- This is also mentioned in the recipe, but adding peanuts is completely optional. However, if you do like the idea of adding a little extra flavor, I went with normal salted peanuts and loved the sweet & salty combo. You could also go with honey roasted peanuts or cashews. Even walnuts would be a good fit. For a little extra fall flair, try some dried fruit (like apples!)
- If you’re in the mood for caramel, there’s also Caramel Apple Nachos and Salted Caramel Chocolate Brownies.
More fun snack foods
How to make caramel popcorn
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – In a medium saucepan, add butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Cook and whisk until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved.
Step 2 – Quickly add vanilla, salt, and baking soda to the saucepan, then continue to whisk. The sauce will get a thick, fluffy texture and turn a much lighter shade of caramel (it’s actually pretty cool to watch!) The whole process should take about 2-4 minutes. Once sauce is ready, remove the pan from heat.
Step 3 – Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, then arrange popped popcorn on top. Pour the caramel sauce on top of the popcorn and use a spatula to toss and coat the popcorn. Be sure to work quickly so the sauce doesn’t cool and harden too early.
Step 4 – Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the caramel popcorn, tossing it every 15 minutes or so to ensure the caramel is baked on evenly.
Step 5 – Remove popcorn from the oven. Line a flat surface with wax paper and pour the finished caramel popcorn out on top. If you’re adding peanuts, pour them over the caramel popcorn and then toss to mix. Spread popcorn out in an even layer.
Step 6 – Let the caramel popcorn cool completely.
Step 7 – Enjoy!
Recipe Details
Homemade Caramel Popcorn
With a rich homemade caramel sauce drizzled over fresh popcorn, this caramel corn is sure to bring back childhood memories of carnivals and fairs!
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (parchment paper is not recommended for this). Spread popped popcorn evenly across prepared baking sheet, then set aside.
Add vanilla, salt, and baking soda to the saucepan, continuing to whisk constantly. Sauce will lighten and may rise a little in the saucepan. Once sauce has thickened and gets an almost "fluffy" texture (about 2-4 minutes; see above video for example) remove saucepan from heat.
Pour sauce over popped popcorn on prepared baking sheet, then use a spatula to toss popcorn to coat. Work quickly so that the sauce does not cool and harden. It's okay if not every piece of popcorn is covered at this stage.
Transfer caramel popcorn to the oven and bake for a total of 45-60 minutes. At 15 minute intervals, remove baking sheet to counter and toss caramel popcorn again to coat and break up clumps, then return to oven. Repeat this 3-4 times until popcorn is evenly coated in caramel sauce and the sauce is sticky and adhered to the popcorn.
Remove caramel popcorn from oven. Prepare a flat surface by covering it with wax paper, then pour finished caramel popcorn across it. While popcorn is still warm, sprinkle peanuts on top of popcorn (optional). Use a spatula to toss and spread out caramel popcorn in an even layer to cool, breaking up any remaining clumps.
Let caramel popcorn cool at least 1 hour before eating. Caramel popcorn can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
This caramel popcorn looks absolutely amazing! Just the perfect treat for upcoming holiday get-togethers!
Thanks Demeter! And I totally agree 😀
I made this delicious treat twice –once for my family to enjoy and once to take up as a snack for my extended family Thanksgiving. It is delicious! The salted peanuts add just the right touch!
Was it a humid day? When I make seafoam candy similar to this, never make on a humid day. It’s a total flop every time. Something with the humidity keeps the candy from setting.
Help. My corn never got crispy or crunchy. Pretty soggy. What did I do wrong ?
Hey Julie! So sorry you had trouble 🙁 This recipe worked well for me, but I did have a neighbor who said she had a similar problem. I’m not sure what the cause was, but she said she cooked the popcorn for another 10 minutes and it turned out okay. I know it’s a little late for you to try that now, but do you think it would have helped? Did it seem soggy because there was too much sauce, or that the sauce was too thick? If there was too much sauce, I’d recommend adding another cup (possibly up to 2) of popcorn. If the sauce was still too sticky, maybe try cooking for 10 more mins.
Love your video!! Beautifully done! Will definitely be trying your recipe! 😉
Thank you so much Dayna! 😀
I like your recipes. I will try some of your recipes.
Thanks Florence! If you do, I’d love to hear how they turn out 😀
My popcorn was not crunchy at all, I left it in the oven almost a complete hour. I also followed the directions and took it out every 15 mins to turn. I think next time I will just increase the heat in my oven. But other than that they taste was awesome.
I thought after the fourth stirring that my caramel corn wasn’t the right consistency. I set the temperature up to 350 and set the timer for 5 minutes. Smelled burning by 3&1/2 minutes and removed it from oven. Yes, the bottom was burnt. Now it did crisp up, but I have a feeling that it would have even if I removed it after 4th stirring. From what I know about candy making, it is crucial to cook it long enough before pouring over popcorn. BTW my husband liked it burnt.
Was the popcorn in the recipe popped in a air popper? I do mine on the stove and I wonder if the soggy results are for that reason.. I have heard that air popped corn is crispier.
That’s a great suggestion Carmen – I can confirm that mine was popped in an air popper, so that might be the difference? I’ll make a note of it in the recipe, just in case.
I used a popper with oil and popcorn did crisp up.
Do you think spray with Pam and a foil throw away pan would help with clean up?
I used Reynolds non-stick foil and had no sticking issues.
Looks delicious, but yikes! Is one cup of this 1,000+ calories or is that for the whole recipe?
Was it a humid day? When I make seafoam candy similar to this, never make on a humid day. It’s a total flop every time. Something with the humidity keeps the candy from setting.
I have a simular recipe but I put mine in a large roasting pan then add carmel and stir and bake in the pan. You could even get a roasting pan from the $ store if you don’t have one.
I am super excited to make this….using my dairy-free butter, it will be totally dairy free! Usually anything ‘caramel’ has cream in it, and there is just no substitute that will work! Yeah! Thanks for offering up this yummy looking recipe!
It is possible the type of popcorn itself affects how crispy it turns out. We pop ours on the stove and prefer white popcorn, but I don’t think white popcorn would work as well for caramel corn. I think a gourmet type yellow corn that pops up big and fluffy might work better. It is just a suggestion, but playing around with the type of corn used might produce different results. This looks yummy, and I might just have to give it a go!
Looks amazing and want to share with friends. But no “print friendly” version 🙁
Can I use sugar syrup instead of corn syrup?