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Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 57 reviews

This homemade caramel corn recipe delivers a perfect balance of sweet, buttery caramel coating over crunchy air-popped popcorn. With an easy stovetop caramel preparation and low-temperature baking, this treat comes out irresistibly crispy and delicious, ideal for snacking or gifting.

Ingredients

Scale

Popcorn

  • 10–11 cups (about 70–75g) air-popped popcorn

Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (80g) light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C). Prepare one or two 12×17-inch baking sheets by lining them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
  2. Prepare Popcorn: Place the air-popped popcorn into the largest bowl you have, or alternatively spread it evenly on the prepared baking sheets. Both methods work fine to ensure even coating.
  3. Make Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine light brown sugar, light corn syrup, unsalted butter, salt, and cream of tartar. Stir constantly as the butter melts and the mixture comes to a simmer. Once you see bubbles forming around the edges, let it bubble without stirring for 4 minutes. The caramel temperature should reach about 234–235°F (112–113°C) if using a candy thermometer.
  4. Add Baking Soda: Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in the baking soda. The caramel mixture will bubble up and become frothy, nearly doubling in volume. Be cautious during this step as the caramel is very hot.
  5. Combine Caramel with Popcorn: Pour the frothy caramel evenly over the popcorn. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently stir to coat all the popcorn pieces. This requires patience and multiple gentle turns as the caramel begins to thicken. Once coated, spread the popcorn evenly onto the prepared baking sheets if it is not already.
  6. Bake: Place the caramel-coated popcorn in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Stir gently every 20 minutes to ensure even caramel coverage and prevent burning.
  7. Cool: Remove from the oven and allow the caramel corn to cool on the baking pan for at least 30 minutes. This cooling period hardens the caramel coating and lets you break apart any large clusters easily.
  8. Store: Once completely cooled, store the caramel corn in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks, making it a great make-ahead snack or gift option.

Notes

  • Use air-popped popcorn for the best texture and to keep the treat light.
  • You can substitute light corn syrup with honey, but the texture and shine of caramel might differ.
  • If you don’t have cream of tartar, baking soda still helps aerate the caramel; the texture might slightly vary.
  • Be careful when stirring baking soda into hot caramel as it bubbles vigorously.
  • Gentle stirring during baking prevents clumping and ensures even coating.
  • Store caramel corn in an airtight container at room temperature for maximum freshness.

Keywords: caramel corn, homemade caramel popcorn, sweet snack, caramel popcorn recipe, crunchy popcorn treat, easy caramel corn

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/homemade-caramel-corn-recipe/