Homemade Caramel Corn
You can make caramel corn right in your own kitchen! A sweet, crunchy treat that is perfect for sharing, or not! Done in just under an hour, this is great for gift giving as well.
Servings 12 cups
Calories 194kcal
Equipment
- Popcorn air popper or large pot
Ingredients
For the popcorn:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
For the caramel sauce:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter cut into pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Get prepped
- Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and line a large baking sheet or roasting pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Make the popcorn
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup popcorn kernels and cover the pot with a lid.
- Shake the pot occasionally to prevent the popcorn from burning. When the popping slows down, remove the pot from the heat. Place in a large bowl.
Make the caramel coating
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Stir gently to combine.
- Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the mixture turns a light golden color, this should take around 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and carefully stir in 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. The mixture will bubble up.
Mix popcorn and caramel coating
- Pour the caramel sauce over the popcorn, and gently mix to coat each piece with caramel.
Bake
- Spread caramel coated popcorn on the baking sheet. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so to ensure it cooks evenly.
- Remove from the oven, and let the popcorn cool completely. The caramel will harden as it cools.
- Break it apart and store in an airtight container or serve immediately.
Notes
You can use an air popper to make your popcorn. Around ½ cup of popping corn will be needed for the full recipe, so you may need to work in batches.
You may need 2 baking sheets for this
Be super careful when working with hot sugar, it can burn you!
Ensure that the caramel corn is completely cool before storing it to prevent it from becoming soggy.
You may need 2 baking sheets for this
Be super careful when working with hot sugar, it can burn you!
Ensure that the caramel corn is completely cool before storing it to prevent it from becoming soggy.
Nutrition
Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.3mg
