Description
This Homemade Caramel Popcorn Recipe (without Corn Syrup) is a deliciously sweet and salty snack perfect for parties, movie nights, or a cozy fall treat. Made with simple pantry ingredients and baked to a crisp, this recipe combines freshly popped popcorn with a rich, buttery caramel coating that’s free from corn syrup, delivering a homemade twist on a classic favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (for popping kernels)
- ¼ cup popcorn kernels (approximately 8 cups once popped)
Caramel Sauce
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (1.5 sticks)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 250℉ to prepare for baking the popcorn later to crisp and set the caramel coating.
- Pop the Kernels: Heat a large pot over low heat and add the vegetable oil and popcorn kernels. Cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Shake the pot occasionally to prevent burning and promote even popping. Continue until the popping slows considerably, then remove from heat. Discard any un-popped kernels.
- Make the Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Once the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is melted, allow it to simmer gently without stirring or touching for 7 minutes. This forms the caramel sauce.
- Finish Caramel Sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the baking soda, which will cause the caramel to foam up and become lighter in texture.
- Coat Popcorn: Pour the caramel sauce evenly over the popped popcorn and mix thoroughly to coat all the kernels with the caramel.
- Bake the Popcorn: Spread the coated popcorn in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, which will crisp up the popcorn and dry out the caramel coating.
- Cool and Store: Remove the popcorn from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cooled, store the caramel popcorn in an airtight container to maintain its freshness and crispness.
Notes
- This caramel popcorn recipe is gluten free and made without corn syrup, making it a healthier alternative to traditional caramel popcorn.
- Shaking the pot while popping ensures kernels don’t burn and pop evenly.
- Allowing the caramel to simmer without stirring is crucial for achieving a smooth texture.
- Baking the coated popcorn helps to dry and crisp the caramel coating for the perfect crunchy texture.
- Store cooled popcorn in an airtight container to keep it fresh and crisp up to a week.
- This snack is great for parties, holiday gatherings, or as a sweet treat any time of year.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 253 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 218 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 46 mg
