Caramel Corn

At a glance

What stands out: Crispy, evenly crunchy, and sweet, this from-scratch caramel corn is an irresistible treat you’ll want to snack on all day long! Who knew it was this straightforward to mix caramel corn at home?!

How long it takes: 20 minutes prep, 1 hour to bake

Equipment you’ll need: saucepan, 2 large rimmed baking sheets (sheet pans)
Servings: Makes 16 (1 cup) servings

We have a lot of popcorn recipes here on Bomumo—it’s not exactly a secret that it’s our favorite snack! While peanut butter popcorn and s’mores popcorn are all fun, if you want the classic flavored popcorn recipe, this from-scratch caramel corn is it.

This caramel corn recipe is a standby you’ll ever eat. What makes it so good? It’s from-scratch! That means it’s never stale, never cloying, and you never open up the bag and realize that it’s all crushed to bits. (That’s the worst, right?)

As a bonus, from-scratch caramel corn is easier than you might think! After a lot of testing and tinkering, we've eliminated the need for a candy thermometer, which means you don’t need any special equipment and this recipe is pretty much stress-free.

From-scratch Caramel Corn

Made with love (and no preservatives). When you make your own caramel corn, you’re in control of the ingredients! That means no fillers or preservatives, and also caramel corn that’s fresher, crunchier, and more rich than store-bought.

Practically effortless. This from-scratch caramel corn recipe is straightforward! Pop the popcorn, mix the caramel, stir it all together, and bake until the caramel is dry.

The start of something rich. Use caramel corn as a base for a from-scratch snack mix with your favorite candies and nuts, or sprinkle it over ice cream for a crunchy sundae topping.

Great for gifting. Bag up this from-scratch caramel popcorn, tie it with a pretty bow, and you have an instant gift for holidays, hostesses, and party favors.

What goes in

• Popped Popcorn: Start with plain popcorn popped in a popcorn popper, on the stovetop, or in the microwave. You can also purchase popcorn.
• Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter gives you more control over the flavor. We want a little bit of salt in caramel corn, but not too much.
• Light Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar has a stronger molasses flavor, but light brown sugar is just right for this caramel corn recipe.
• Light Corn Syrup: Corn syrup is essential to make that crispy caramel coating.
• Kosher Salt: we like to use kosher salt because table salt can have a note of metallic flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for a standby flavor.
• Baking Soda: A hidden ingredient, baking soda causes a chemical reaction in the hot caramel sauce that helps the caramel harden and become brittle.

Baking Soda And Caramel Corn

Why add baking soda to caramel corn? The baking soda keeps the caramel from being sticky after baking and cooling. The result is a harder, more brittle texture, the crispy-crunchy coating that makes from-scratch caramel corn irresistible. It also helps balance the flavor and prevents the crystallization of sugar, allowing the sauce to coat the popcorn evenly.

How it comes together

Preheat your oven to 250℉ and line 2 large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the popcorn in a large mixing bowl. Remove any unpopped kernels (they will sink to the bottom of the bowl when you stir the popcorn).

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

What Is A Rolling Boil?

It means that the entire surface of the sauce has bubbles and is boiling. When you see this happening, start the timer for 5 minutes.

Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes more. Do not stir! Stirring the sugar mixture can cause the sugar to stick together and form clumps.

Remove the caramel sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda. The baking soda will cause the sauce to foam which is exactly what it’s supposed to do.

Pour the caramel sauce over the popcorn and stir until it’s evenly coated. Transfer the popcorn to the prepared baking sheets and spread it into an even layer.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let the caramel corn cool, then break into smaller pieces if necessary before storing.

Troubleshooting

Why is our caramel corn sticky? If your caramel corn turns out sticky, it may need more time in the oven to dry out. It’s also possible that the caramel was under-cooked on the stovetop.

Popcorn Options

• Hot air popper or stove top: If you’re making the popcorn yourself, ½ cup of unpopped popcorn kernels will yield about 15 cups of popped popcorn.
• Store bought: You can purchase popcorn instead of popping your own. Purchase the plain or “sea salt only” variety; a 5-ounce bag contains between 10 to 12 cups of popped popcorn.
• Microwave: If you prefer to use microwave popcorn, a 3.29-ounce bag will make about 10 cups of popped popcorn. Again, you’ll need to use a plain or sea salt variety.

Keeping leftovers

Cool caramel corn completely before storing it in an airtight storage bag or container for up to 2 weeks.

Popcorn Seasoning Mixes

If you’re a fan of popcorn, be sure to try all six of our popcorn seasoning mixes: taco, cinnamon sugar, gingerbread, Italian garlic, ranch, and chocolate. We'd have a hard time choosing our favorite!

• Yield: 16 cups
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 cups popped popcorn ( ½ cup unpopped kernels)
• ½ cup unsalted butter ( 1 stick, or 4 oz.)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

Method

1. Preheat oven to 250℉. Line 2 large, rimmed baking sheets (13 x 18 inches) with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Add popcorn to a large mixing bowl, removing any unpopped kernels. (Lightly stirring the popcorn will cause the heavier unpopped kernels to fall to the bottom of the bowl.) Set aside.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil (see note). Reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Do not stir.
4. Remove the caramel sauce from the heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda.
5. Pour the hot caramel sauce over the popcorn and stir to coat evenly. Divide the popcorn evenly between the baking sheets and spread it into an even layer.
6. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool. Break into smaller pieces if necessary.

Notes

What is a rolling boil? It means that the entire surface of the sauce has bubbles and is boiling. When you see this happening, reduce the heat to simmer and start the timer for 5 minutes. If you use a candy thermometer, it should read about 220℉ after the sauce boils for 5 minutes.

Storage: Cool caramel corn completely. Store in an airtight storage bag or container for up to 2 weeks. Freezing is not recommended.

Popcorn options: You can use your favorite technique to pop plain popcorn for this recipe (½ cup kernels) or use bagged popcorn as a shortcut. Purchase the plain or sea salt only variety. A 5-ounce bag contains between 10 to 12 cups of popped popcorn. If you prefer microwave popcorn, a 3.29-ounce bag will make about 10 cups of popped popcorn. Purchase a plain or sea salt only variety (not buttered).