The Best Caramel Corn Recipe (2024)

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By Lynette Rice | Published November 3, 2017 | 16 Comments

The BEST homemade caramel corn recipe! I’ll show you how to make caramel corn that’s perfect as a snack or made for gifts. Yummy!

My husband and I have been on the hunt for the best caramel corn recipe for awhile. We’ve been making caramel corn for years but always found it that was a bit chewy at the end, which is not exactly what we were looking for. We finally found the this caramel corn recipe that’s easy and leaves a crunch!

If you’re looking for a great appetizer for the big game, this is a perfect fit! If you’re looking for the perfect homemade gift to take to neighbors during the holidays, I would recommend puppy chow or this recipe I’m sharing today! It was a huge hit at our house and so much fun to make. It does take a bit of time, but the results are delicious! This is one of those appetizers that’s great for kids and adults alike. My niece liked it so much I think she ate half of it!

The Best Caramel Corn Recipe

To make the homemade caramel corn recipe you’ll need the following ingredients.

4 quarts popped corn (1/2 cup un-popped)
1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup corn syrup
1/2 Cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and pop the popcorn. About 1/2 of a cup of un-popped popcorn makes 4 quarts of popped popcorn. (Say that 10 times fast.) Place the popped popcorn into two 13×9 pans and put them into the preheated oven. I use the disposable pans for easy clean up.

Mix the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly. Bring it to a boil. Allow it to boil for 5 minutes without stirring.

Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Mix well. The baking soda makes it foam. Just stir quickly and be ready to ladle onto your popped popcorn.

Pour the caramel syrup over warm popcorn. I did it one ladle at a time. Once I added one scoopful, my husband would then stir the popcorn to evenly coat it. We added another scoopful, tossed the popcorn, another scoopful, tossed the popcorn. This really is easiest with two people, a scooper and a tosser. 🙂

Bake the caramel covered corn for 45 minutes in the 250 degree Fahrenheit oven. Toss the popcorn every 10 minutes.

Remove the caramel corn from the oven and spread onto a layer of foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Let cool and enjoy! What I love about this recipe is the fact that it’s not chewy. The caramel corn gives a nice light sweet texture that’s crunchy. You can add nuts if you want to add another dimension of flavor! Enjoy!

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Created by: Lynette Rice

The Best Caramel Corn Recipe

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

▢ 4 quarts popped corn
▢ 1 Cup brown sugar
▢ 1/2 Cup corn syrup
▢ 1/2 Cup butter
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250˚ F.
Pop the popcorn and place into tins. Place the tins into the oven.
Mix the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly. Bring it to a boil. Let it boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Mix well.
Pour syrup over warm popcorn.
Bake the caramel covered corn for 45 minutes in the 250˚ F oven. Toss the popcorn every 10 minutes.
Remove the caramel corn from the oven and spread onto a layer of foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Let cool.

Notes

For ease, pour one ladle at a time when pouring the syrup over the warmed popcorn. Once I added one scoopful, my husband would then stir the popcorn to evenly coat it. We added another scoopful, tossed the popcorn, another scoopful, tossed the popcorn. This really is easiest with two people. A scooper and a tosser. 🙂

Nutrition

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Comments & Reviews

Sheila says
December 2, 2023

I cook longer than recommended because I want my caramel corn crisp. But it’s lovely! And so easy! I made 5 gallons a few years ago.
Reply
Cathy says
March 5, 2017

This was Amazing! I have made it twice and definitely need a tosser. Only problem is it keeps disappearing.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Reply
See Also
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- Lynette says
  March 6, 2017
  Glad you enjoyed it Cathy!
  Reply
Heather Brown says
October 31, 2015

This came out amazingly well! Thank you for the recipe.
One quick tip – I buy the foil pans at Costco in bulk. (similar to the ones in your photo) If you take an extra pan and place it on top of the pan containing the un-coated popcorn and the caramel you pour on top- invert it so it creates a lid – you can shake it like crazy. Coats perfectly and much easier than stirring. Just make sure you hold the seam tightly as you shake.
Thanks for the perfect Halloween snack to share!
Reply
- Lynette says
  November 8, 2015
  Great idea! I’m totally trying that the next time.
  Reply
Jordan says
February 23, 2014
Hi, i just want to comment for those, like me who didn’t know. you need 1/2 cup of kernals to get 4quarts of popped corn. so excited to make this! i have been SEARCHING for ever! 🙂
Reply
Kristen @ Joyfullythriving says
January 15, 2014
I grew up with my Mom’s caramel corn, which is a very similar recipe. It is indeed delicious! I love caramel corn!
Reply
Tonya says
January 15, 2014
Lynette,
I have a caramel corn recipe that you make in the microwave using a brown paper bag. It is wonderful and a lot less work. Please let me know and I can email you this recipe if you are interested. Thanks, Tonya
Reply
- Laura says
  January 17, 2014
  Hi Tonya – I am interested in it!!! 🙂
  Reply
  - sheila soper says
    December 6, 2019
    hi Tonya, i wouldcould not findit again.an love yor recipe for carmel.please send email. found your coment on siply simple.she has great sight also.i found yor site one time and could not find it again.happy to find you again.web sigt would be welcme >THANKS BUNCHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Reply
- Lynette says
  January 17, 2014
  Tonya, I would love that recipe. It sounds very interesting. 🙂 You can email me at cleverlysimple@gmail.com
  Reply
  - Kim Gieber says
    December 3, 2020
    My first try at caramel corn. Would love to have the microwave recipe also if
    still available.
    Thank you.
    Kim
    Reply
- Allison says
  January 17, 2014
  I never even thought about making my own caramel popcorn, but I’ve been craving it constantly recently. This recipe looks amazing, but a little time-consuming. Tonya, I’m interested in your brown paper bag recipe as well! Please send it along if you don’t mind (allison.m.healy AT gmail DOT com). Thanks!
  Reply
  - Therese Dwyer says
    December 12, 2016
    I’ve made this it’s wonderful but I use plain microwave popcorn than each bag gets strained to remove Unpopped corn than kept in a roasting pan in oven to keep warm while making sauce after I pour the sauce I add peanuts any kind that way it sticks instead sinking to bottom of pa finish with above instructions
    Reply
    - Therese Dwyer says
      December 12, 2016
      When using vanilla if you can use Madagascar vanilla what a difference in taste wow
      Reply
- Laura Hayungs says
  January 22, 2024
  T please send this recipe I like to make alternate kinds of treats for all the diets! Thanks in advance
  Reply

FAQs

Why is my homemade caramel corn soggy? ›

Make sure to allow your caramel corn PLENTY of time to cool before packaging it up into ziplock bags or an airtight container. Otherwise, condensation will form and the moisture will cause the popcorn to become soggy.

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How to make salted caramel popcorn Gordon Ramsay? ›

Copycat Salted Caramel Popcorn Recipe Gordon Ramsay

Baking & Spices. • 1 heaping tsp Baking soda. • 1 1/2 cup Granulated sugar. • 2 tsp Salt.
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Which caramel popcorn is best? ›

Nutrition info refers to 1 ounce, roughly ½ a cup.

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Do you put baking soda or baking powder in caramel? ›

Baking Soda: Arguably the most important ingredient! The purpose of baking soda in the caramel is to react with the acidic ingredients (brown sugar, cream of tartar, and corn syrup), which creates tiny carbon dioxide air bubbles.

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Why isn't my caramel corn shiny? ›

A granule of sugar, over-mixing, or uncooperative clumps of sea salt can turn caramel from a glossy, shiny confection into a dull grainy heap of chewy, brown sugar crystals.

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Why put egg in caramel popcorn? ›

While some people said that she added the egg to absorb extra heat, others had different views. "Whole eggs absorb excess heat so it's an easy way to regulate the temperature balance of the other ingredients," a user wrote.

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Why is my caramel popcorn not crunchy? ›

The longer you cook the syrup (the mixture of sugar and water the forms the base of the caramel sauce), the crunchier your popcorn will be. For very crunchy popcorn (my favorite!), stop cooking when you see the first wisps of smoke coming from the sugar mixture.

What thickens caramel? ›

For each cup (240 mL) of caramel sauce that you need to thicken, run 1 tbsp (14.7 mL) of cold water into a measuring cup, and slowly stir in 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Pour the cornstarch mixture into your pot caramel sauce, and stir constantly. Keep the sauce on low heat until it begins to thicken.

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How do you make Martha Stewart caramel popcorn? ›

In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring constantly. Working quickly, drizzle popcorn with sugar syrup, and toss. Spread popcorn evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden and shiny, about 40 minutes.

Why did my caramel popcorn turn out chewy? ›

Generally, the caramel will have a higher 'water activity' than the popcorn. As a result, if you leave the popcorn for a while, moisture from the caramel will migrate into the corn. This causes the popcorn to lose its 'crunch' and become soft and chewy.

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Is caramel popcorn good or bad for you? ›

While caramel-coated popcorn may be a tempting snack, its simple carbs and high sugar content can lead to spikes in blood glucose levels, increasing the risk of hyperglycemia and other health problems.

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What is the best popcorn kernels for caramel corn? ›

You could use either butterfly or mushroom popcorn for caramel corn. Mushroom might be better, however, as has a more uniform shape with a lot of surface areas for the caramel to cling to. Either variety should be easy to find online or at a grocery store.

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Is caramel corn the same as caramel popcorn? ›

Caramel corn or caramel popcorn (toffee popcorn in the UK) is a confection made of popcorn coated with a sugar or molasses based caramel candy shell that is normally less than 1mm thick. Typically a sugar solution or syrup is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a caramelized candy syrup.

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What does sodium bicarbonate do to caramel? ›

The sodium bicarbonate allows it to achieve the 'brittle' texture you are looking for in carmel corn. Without it the stage at which you stop cooking the caramel would result in a very sticky consistency.

What can I use instead of baking soda in caramel? ›

4 Clever Substitutes for Baking Soda

Baking powder. Like baking soda, baking powder is an ingredient frequently used in baking to promote rise, or leavening, of the final product. ...
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What makes caramel corn grainy? ›

Why is my Caramel Corn Grainy? Grainy caramel (or crystalized caramel) happens when the sugar crystals in the caramel seize up or cling together.