Sweet and salty is such a classic and sought out combination. There’s just something about sweet and salty flavors coming together that compels you to keep eating. And this homemade caramel corn is the perfect example of it!
I have very fond memories of getting big Christmas tins of different flavors of popcorn, my favorite was always the caramel corn. Caramel corn is obviously something that you can make and eat year round but there’s just something so festive about it and always makes me think about the holiday’s. It’s such a treat to light Christmas tree scented candles and play Christmas music while making this recipe! It always makes my heart feel warm. ❤
Not only is making caramel corn a nice treat for yourself, it makes for a wonderful inexpensive gift! It’s so easy to make a double batch, sort it into holiday themed cellophane bags and gift them to others! Gift them to your coworkers or to guests at a Christmas party! People will definitely love you for it!
When I make this recipe I like to keep my popcorn warm in the oven. It makes it so much easier to distribute the caramel if the popcorn isn’t cold!
Ingredients + Tools:
- 12 cups of warm popcorn
- 1 stick salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt + a little more for sprinkling
- Saucepan
- Big mixing bowl
- Sheet pan
- Aluminum foil
- Cellophane bags + ties
Directions:
- Pop your corn using your preferred method, line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and transfer the popcorn to it. Keep it warm in the oven either using a keep warm feature or setting the oven’s heat as low as possible.
- Over medium high heat melt the butter down in a sauce pan. Once the butter is melted add the brown sugar, water and corn syrup. Stir frequently and bring to a full boil.
- Adjust the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes without stirring and then for another 5 stirring occasionally. Once you have a lovely smooth and deep colored caramel, turn the heat off.
- While the caramel is still hot add the salt, vanilla and baking soda stir thoroughly. Be careful there could be some splatter!
- Add the warm popcorn to a large mixing bowl and pour the hot caramel over it! Immediately mix everything together to make sure that the caramel coats each piece of popcorn at least somewhat evenly.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. While the oven is preheating, spray a little nonstick cooking spray on the same foil lined sheet pan. Transfer the caramel corn to the sheet pan.
- Once the oven is heated bake the popcorn for 10 minutes, give it a good stir to further coat the popcorn in the caramel. Bake for another 5, stir again, bake for another 5 minutes and then stir again! At this point the popcorn should be coated beautiful in the delicious glossy caramel.
- Allow the caramel corn to cool completely and then break it apart in clusters. Store in a zip lock baggie or container.
- If you’re making this into gifts add clusters of caramel corn to the cellophane baggies, give them a twirl and secure with a tie! And you’re all done! 😊
