Caramel Popcorn

Who can resist that mouthwateringly sweet, salty, buttery flavor of caramel popcorn? The perfect snack to satisfy your sweet tooth has the ideal mix of sweet and salty with gooey caramel syrup.

Makes about 14 cups of caramel popcorn

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 648kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

3 tablespoons oil
½ cup popcorn kernels
1 cup unsalted butter
1½ cups brown sugar
⅓ cup corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the kernels and close the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
Once the kernels start popping, carefully shake the pot so the kernels pop evenly and don't burn at the bottom.
If steam starts to build up, lift the lid slightly to release it.
As soon as the popping slows down, take it off the stove and let it sit for a minute, so any unpopped kernels pop.
Pour it into a large bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Once melted, stir in the sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Let it come to a boil, then allow it to simmer for 4 minutes—do not stir. Remove from the heat.
Remove from heat, then quickly whisk in the vanilla and baking soda.
The caramel will foam at this point. Quickly pour it over the popcorn, tossing until the caramel cools and starts to harden.
Spread the caramel-coated popcorn on a baking tray and bake at 250℉/120℃ for 40 minutes, carefully tossing it every 10 minutes to evenly distribute the caramel over the popcorn.
Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.

Notes

Do you enjoy sweet chewy caramel? Bake your caramel popcorn for a few minutes less, and it won't harden as much.
This dish can get pretty messy, so use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to line your tray. You want to spend more time binging Netflix and homemade caramel popcorn, not scrubbing dishes.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe

Nutrition