The Best Caramel Corn Recipe

This is the Best Caramel Corn Recipe on the planet! No exaggeration. Baked to keep it extra crunchy, this sweet treat is easy to make and even easier to shovel in your mouth.

You haven’t lived until you’ve had this caramel popcorn.

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Originally posted in 2014 and updated in 2016. I updated the images and added more details for making this recipe perfect every time.

This easy caramel corn is addicting

Homemade caramel corn is simple to make and a real show stopper. I have given this as teacher’s gifts, eaten it in place of birthday cake and have been accused of hoarding it for myself. If that is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

A huge part that makes this recipe so easy is there is no fooling with a candy thermometer or any of that nonsense. I will never make anything that uses one.

Needing a candy thermometer instantly makes everything seem way more complicated, doesn’t it? 

How to make Caramel Corn

Scroll down to the end of the post for a printable recipe card with full measurements and more detailed instructions.

Ingredients

The ingredients are pretty standard. And I know there is a lot of negativity surrounding corn syrup and the like. If there is one place in the world they should be, it is dessert.

Embrace it, people! Then eat some carrots to balance it out. 

• Brown sugar
• Butter
• Light corn syrup
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Popcorn
• Disposable pan

You can’t skip the baking soda! That might be a new-to-you ingredient in a basic caramel recipe but it’s worth it. It helps to create a chemical reaction that makes the caramel bake up nice and crunchy.

I don’t have a roasting pan large enough to make this recipe. And also, baked on caramel is hard to clean up. Using a disposable roasting pan keeps things super easy.

Not only does it make it easier to stir, but you can just throw it out when you are done. You’re welcome.

Directions

There are only a few steps to making this caramel corn recipe

1. Pop the popcorn

This microwave popper is awesome. To get to the 6 quarts of popcorn, you’ll need to do this in a few batches. But it makes it so easy. And it’s much easier to store than the big air popper like my mom used to use.

You could also use plain microwave popcorn (no butter or salt added). You’ll need several bags.

2. Make the caramel

Add the brown sugar, salt, corn syrup and butter to a saucepan.

The only thing hard about this recipe is remembering to watch the caramel so it doesn’t burn. I often try to do something else at the same time in the kitchen, thinking I can multi-task.

And sometimes I can. But it never works out when I am making caramel. I’m fine with burnt toast. I’m okay with burnt pizza.

But there is no place in this world for burnt caramel. Super grody.

The corn syrup helps to make a nice candy coating on the outside of the popcorn. And a candy coating is never bad.

Stir the ingredients over medium heat until melted. Stir often. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the baking soda 

After the 5 minutes of boiling, remove the pan from the heat and add the baking soda to it and stir it until it thickens. 

If your kids are old enough to be around hot molten caramel, have them help you with this. There is a fun chemical reaction when you add the baking soda to the caramel.

It foams up and grows. So cool.

4. Pour it over the popcorn 

When the caramel is fully made, pour it over the popcorn. Stir well but carefully to try to coat as much of the popcorn as you can.

Use a heat proof spatula to fold the caramel into the popcorn without breaking it. Some of the caramel will end up at the bottom of the pan so be sure to scrape that up and mix in.

5. Bake the caramel corn

The key to this caramel corn is baking it. It helps to give it the perfect crunchy texture that you will LOVE.

It bakes at 250 degrees for an hour and you stir it every 15 minutes.

This helps to keep the popcorn crispy and to dry out the caramel.

It also ensures that you can coat all of the popcorn. For the first half an hour of baking, the caramel is pliable enough to continue to coat any pieces that need it.

You guys! This caramel popcorn is crisp and buttery and perfect.

There you have it. Literally the Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! SO easy.

I know that some of you may have your own caramel corn recipe that you swear by. But yours is wrong. Mine is better.

How to keep caramel corn fresh

Let the caramel popcorn cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.

The popcorn will keep nice and crunchy for 3 days before it starts to get a little bit chewy.

The flavor is all still there, but the texture is different.

For real, if you make some, and decide to give it out to friends, they will hound you for the recipe. Which you should give them because otherwise, they’ll keep asking you to make it for them.

And you are far too lazy for that. I often give this as holiday gifts to the teachers and staff at our school. I ALWAYS include the recipe card and they are always so grateful. And it’s fun when they make it throughout the year and tell you about it.

It doesn’t even matter how you package it. I’ve handed it to friends in a ziplock bag before and their eyes light up just like if I had given it to them in a pretty little jar. Because yum.

This is a great recipe to make for parties too. It makes so much and it’s a great way to fill out a dessert table.

More Snack Recipes

Here are some more amazingly delicious snack and appetizer recipes you’ll enjoy too. 

• This Goat Cheese Appetizer Log Recipe is perfect for parties, especially like a Girl’s Night In.
• Baked Salami Chips are baked and crispy and a delicious salty treat to serve as an appetizer or a yummy snack.
• Hot Buttered Cheerios with Truffle are an unexpected snack idea that your friends will love. Did you know you could make Cheerios into junk food?!

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