Description

This Homemade Caramel Corn is a classic sweet and crunchy snack made by coating air-popped popcorn with a rich, buttery caramel sauce. Baked to perfection for an hour to ensure every kernel is evenly coated and crisp, this treat is perfect for movie nights, parties, or gifting. The combination of light brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter creates a smooth, glossy caramel that hardens beautifully on the popcorn, delivering a delightful balance of sweet and salty flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Popcorn

10–11 cups (about 70–75g) air-popped popcorn

Caramel Sauce

1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (80g) light corn syrup
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C) and prepare one or two 12×17-inch baking sheets by lining them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Prepare Popcorn: Place the air-popped popcorn into the largest bowl you have, or alternatively spread it evenly onto the prepared baking sheets. Both methods work well for coating.
Make Caramel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine light brown sugar, light corn syrup, unsalted butter, salt, and cream of tartar. Stir continuously as the butter melts and the mixture begins to simmer. Let it bubble around the edges and then allow it to cook without stirring for 4 minutes until it reaches 234–235°F (112–113°C) if using a candy thermometer.
Add Baking Soda: Remove the saucepan from heat and immediately stir in the baking soda. The mixture will foam up and nearly double in volume; stir gently but carefully as it will be very hot.
Coat Popcorn: Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently stir the popcorn and caramel mixture slowly to coat all the kernels evenly. Spread the coated popcorn onto the lined baking sheets if it is not already spread out.
Bake: Bake the coated popcorn at 200°F (93°C) for 1 hour, stirring gently every 20 minutes to ensure even coating and prevent burning.
Cool and Break: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the caramel corn cool on the pan for at least 30 minutes. The caramel will harden as it cools. Once cooled enough to handle, break apart any large clusters.
Store: Store the cooled caramel corn in an airtight container. It stays fresh for up to 2 weeks, making it an ideal make-ahead snack.

Notes

Use air-popped popcorn without butter or salt for the best caramel coating.
Cream of tartar helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing, making the caramel smooth.
Be extremely careful when handling hot caramel; it can cause severe burns.
Stirring periodically during baking ensures even coating and prevents burning.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature to keep it fresh and crunchy.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Category: Snack
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: caramel corn, caramel popcorn, sweet popcorn snack, homemade caramel corn, party snack, movie night snack