Easy Homemade Caramel Corn
This easy homemade caramel corn is sweet and crunchy with the best rich, buttery caramel sauce that's irresistibile. It's perfect for snacking or gifting at the holidays!
Ingredients
- 9-10 cups popped popcorn (about 2 bags)
- 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
- ½ cup salted butter
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , use 1/2 teaspoon if popcorn is salted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Optional: flake salt, M&M's
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Spray a large bowl with non stick spray. Place 9 cups popcorn in the bowl and set aside.
- Melt 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup light corn syrup in a large heavy bottom pan. Add 1 teaspoon salt and stir until combined. Stir continually until melted.
- Bring the brown sugar mixture to a light boil. Once it is at a light boil remove the spoon and continue to cook for 4 minutes without stirring or until the caramel color deepens or reaches 240°F. Do not walk away, you don't want it to burn.
- Immediately remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Pour over popcorn in large bowl. Add another cup or two if popcorn if needed. Stir until well coated.
- Bake if desired. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dump the caramel corn on top. Spread out evenly and then baking for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and add flake sea salt if desired.
Notes
Storage: Once cooled, store in a sealed container for up to one week.
Cleaning pan: If the caramel is stuck in your pan, add hot water to it and bring it back to a boil. This will break down the sugars. Then use hot pads to dump and clean once cooled.
Nutrition
Calories: 214kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 322mg, Potassium: 57mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 254IU, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
