Look no further for the perfect homemade caramel popcorn recipe! I’ve been testing this one for a while now, and have finally cracked the code for the best caramel popcorn.
It’s buttery, sweet, and crispy, just like it should be. This recipe will show you how to make homemade caramel for popcorn, and how to add it to freshly popped corn so that it doesn’t get soggy or soft as some other methods will.
You can also make caramel corn with microwave popcorn or air-popped corn.
If you’re a huge popcorn fan like I am, make sure to check out my homemade kettle corn recipe too!
And if ooey, gooey caramel is your favorite, make my stuffed Chocolate Caramel Cookies!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Need an extra special movie night snack? Check out my Movie Theatre Muddy Buddies recipe next!
Ingredients In Homemade Caramel Popcorn
Here’s what you need to make this sweet and crunchy snack: Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Popcorn: You’ll need 10 cups of popped corn, or ⅓ cup of popcorn kernels cooked with 2 tablespoons of oil. Instructions for popping corn on the stove are in the recipe card for you. Butter: I use unsalted butter to make caramel, and add my own salt instead. This way I can control how much salt is in my snack.Brown Sugar and Light Corn Syrup: These two sugars are cooked with the butter to create a richly flavored homemade caramel for popcorn that has the perfect texture. Vanilla Extract: A little bit goes a long way to making sweet things taste amazing!Baking Soda: This is the fun part! Add baking soda to the caramel will cause it to foam up. This aerates the candy so that it’s light and easy to coat your popcorn kernels with.
How To Make Caramel Popcorn
Recipe Tips
Take out any unpopped kernels. You don’t want to be biting into your perfect caramel popcorn and hurt your teeth on a kernel! Take a minute to sort through the bowl of popcorn and remove those first. If you are going to use microwave popcorn, be sure to use a brand that has minimal added ingredients or flavors. Pay attention! You want to simmer the sugar mixture for exactly 4 minutes, so set a timer. It’s also very important that you don’t stir it while it’s simmering. Candy-making can be tricky, but if you follow the instructions, you’ll be amazed at what you can make!Add extra flavor: Try a bit of ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice in the caramel mixture to give your homemade caramel corn a warm, festive feel. If you want your popcorn covered more thickly with caramel, simply reduce the amount of popcorn you are using to 6-8 cups instead of 10.
How to Store Homemade Caramel Popcorn
I dare you to try to keep this easy homemade caramel popcorn in your house for more than a day! It disappears very quickly when I make it. It’s best when enjoyed right away, but homemade caramel corn can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days if needed. This easy homemade caramel popcorn recipe is so delicious! I hope you’re going to make it right away, but if not, be sure to Pin the recipe for later. © Little Sunny Kitchen
