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Homemade Caramel Popcorn Recipe

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3.9 from 12 reviews

  • Author: Leila
  • Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
  • Yield: 5 quarts (about 20 servings)

Description

This delicious caramel popcorn recipe delivers a perfect balance of crunchy and chewy textures, making it an ideal treat for holidays, parties, or any special occasion. The homemade caramel coating baked onto freshly popped popcorn ensures a rich, buttery sweetness that caramel lovers will enjoy. Adjust the baking time to your preference for chewiness or crunchiness.

Ingredients

Popcorn Base

  • 5 quarts popped popcorn

Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • ½ cup corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  1. Prepare Ingredients: Gather all the ingredients. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place the popped popcorn in a very large bowl to accommodate stirring and coating.
  2. Make Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Once boiling, let it boil without stirring for 4 minutes to develop a rich caramel consistency.
  3. Finish Caramel: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla extract and baking soda carefully. This will cause the caramel to bubble and lighten slightly, creating a smooth texture.
  4. Coat Popcorn: Slowly pour the caramel in a thin stream over the popcorn while continuously stirring to ensure an even coating of the caramel on all popcorn pieces.
  5. Bake Popcorn: Divide the caramel-coated popcorn evenly between two large shallow baking dishes. Place them in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. This slow baking solidifies the caramel coating and helps prevent clumping.
  6. Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove the dishes from the oven and let the popcorn cool completely. After cooling, break into pieces and enjoy your homemade caramel popcorn!

Notes

  • For chewier popcorn, reduce the baking time slightly.
  • Use a very large bowl to avoid caramel spilling during mixing.
  • Stirring every 15 minutes during baking is essential to prevent sticking and burning.
  • Store in an airtight container to maintain freshness and crunch.
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipesbyleila.com/homemade-caramel-popcorn-recipe/