This delicious homemade caramel corn takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish. It is so good, you’ll be making a second batch as you are eating the first. Perfect for that last minute Christmas gift, or a quick holiday dessert to take to a party.
Caramel Corn
Ingredients
- 8 cups Air popped popcorn (8 cups is the popped amount not kernels)
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- extra butter for baking dish and foil
Pop popcorn. Remove any unpopped kernels. Place popcorn in a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter on the stove top. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir until mixture comes to a boil.
Once the mixture is boiling stop stirring and let boil for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes remove from heat and mix in vanilla and baking soda.
Pour mixture over popped popcorn.
The easiest way to do this is to have someone mix while someone pours. Thoroughly mix candy mixture and popcorn until popcorn is coated.
Place in a buttered baking dish.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir and bake for another 5 minutes.
Place on buttered foil to cool.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
That looks scrumptious! I’m making all kinds of different flavors of popcorn – from ginger cashew to cinnamon-as a Christmas gift for my Gram. I’ll totally have to add caramel corn to the list!
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Mmmm, looks good. Can’t wait to try it out. Thanks!
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I’m with Nancy M, it does look beautiful, and the kids look like they’re having fun, ……. but it does look SO COLD!!! I think I’ll stay right here in Florida and enjoy a white Christmas vicariously through your photos. Merry Christmas, Toni! (love your blog by the way!)
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Mmmm. Might have to make this for New Year’s!
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Kinda like what my Grandad made for me when I was little. Did I tell you we owned a Popcorn shop?
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Why air popped corn? Do you think it would work just as well with microwave popcorn?
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How did you get my Grandma’s recipe? I’ve been making this for Christmas presents for 12 years now…always a hit.
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Mmmm, this looks incredible. Laura- awesome idea to give it as a gift!
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LOVE caramel corn! Have you tried to make it with molasses or honey instead of corn syrup? Since both dd and ds are in braces, I haven’ been keeping popcorn around.
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I have not tried using honey or molasses. I hope to try and healthify this version over time. It is definitely not healthy!
Toni
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My mom always made popcorn balls (with jello!) at Christmastime. I LOVE popcorn, and this recipe looks simply fantastic.
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Wow! Pouring the caramel corn out onto foil to cool has made this reicpe so much easier! No more using brute force to scrape the corn out of the pan. Thank you!
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Yummy! We’ve made this twice in the past two days to share with others – it’s been a hit both times! Thanks for sharing.
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We tried this and couldn’t stop eating it. This is way better than just popping a bag of popcorn. Way crispier too! I tried it again the next week and evidently cooked it too long and burned the carmel, but that isn’t detering me from trying it again. This is a very cheap snack too.
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
I know, I love this stuff! I don’t make it often because I could eat the entire tray!
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