Did you know making your own caramel popcorn is super easy and only requires a few basic ingredients? This tasty treat brings together the perfect mix of buttery goodness, sweetness, and a hint of salt. You won’t be able to resist it!
Homemade Caramel Popcorn
Servings 16
Ingredients
- 8 cups of popped popcorn
- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons of corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 teaspoon of salt plus more if you like
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (about 93 degrees Celsius).
- Cover two large baking sheets with a silicone baking mat. If you only have one mat, use parchment paper for the second sheet (though a silicone mat works best).
- Spread the popped popcorn evenly on the prepared sheets and set it aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Keep stirring until the butter melts and the brown sugar dissolves, which usually takes 3-5 minutes.
- While still stirring, add the vanilla, salt, and baking soda to the caramel mixture. The baking soda will make it bubble a bit.
- Remove the saucepan from heat once the caramel thickens and gets a lighter, fluffier texture, typically in 1-2 minutes.
- Quickly pour the caramel over the popcorn and use a spatula to toss it, making sure every piece is coated.
- Put the caramel-coated popcorn in the preheated oven. Bake it in 15-minute intervals, tossing it each time, for a total of 45 minutes. Check at the 45-minute mark to ensure it’s sticky and well-coated.
- Transfer the baked caramel popcorn to the second baking sheet to cool. Use a spatula to break up any clumps.
- For salted caramel popcorn, sprinkle some coarse salt immediately.
- Once completely cooled, store the caramel popcorn in an airtight container to keep it fresh for 2-3 weeks. Enjoy!