Crispy Caramel Corn
Ingredients
- ¼ cvegetable oil)
(not required if air popping with a popcorn maker
- ⅓ cpopping corn)
(10 cups popcorn, note 1 for lighter caramel coverage
- 100 g7 tbsp butter
, unsalted
- 1 cbrown sugar
, packed
- ½ ccorn syrup)
, light (sub glucose, note 2 more subs
- ½ tspsalt
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- ½ tspbaking soda
Directions
Popcorn
- 1
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add a few pieces of popcorn and wait until it pops, then quickly remove.
- 2
Add remaining popcorn, elevate off stove to shake and spread corn out evenly. Cover with a lid. Once the popcorn starts popping in earnest, shake the pot gently once.
- 3
Remove from heat when the popping stops (when you can count to 3 between pops) and transfer to a (very!) large bowl. You need 10 cups of popcorn.
Caramel:
- 1
Preheat oven to 110°C/230°F.
- 2
Melt butter in a saucepaan over medium heat.
- 3
Add sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir until just combined.
- 4
When it starts to bubble, simmer for 4 minutes - DO NOT STIR!
- 5
Remove from heat then quickly whisk in vanilla and baking soda. When you stop whisking, the caramel will foam and increase in volume.
- 6
Quickly pour straight over popcorn, toss until caramel cools and starts to harden.
Baking to crisp:
- 1
Spread popcorn on 2 baking trays.
- 2
Bake for 45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes or so. Caramel will remelt for the first 2-3 tosses - tossing coats popcorn more evenly with caramel. (If using glucose or honey, bake further 15 minutes).
- 3
Remove from oven, leave to cool. Gently break into pieces and serve. Stays crisp 2 - 3 weeks!
Crispy Caramel Corn
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Ratings & Reviews
Based on 90 ratings
Rating Breakdown
About this Recipe
Craving that irresistible crunch of perfect caramel corn that stays delightfully crispy for weeks? This recipe delivers, ensuring every bite is coated in a thin, crackly layer of caramel, not a sticky mess.
The secret to this truly crispy caramel popcorn lies in a couple of clever techniques: the addition of baking soda and a baking step that thoroughly dries out the popcorn. These elements work together to create an evenly coated caramel shell that shatters beautifully, setting it apart from other recipes that yield soft or clumpy results.
Prepare for a treat that tastes like it came straight from a gourmet candy shop. Each piece of popcorn is enveloped in a rich, buttery caramel flavor with a satisfyingly crisp texture. This crispy caramel corn is surprisingly simple to achieve and yields 8 generous servings, perfect for sharing or enjoying over time. With about 210 calories per serving, it’s a delightful indulgence that’s well worth the effort.
Customization & Serving
You can easily adjust the caramel coverage to suit your preference. For a very sweet, candy-like experience with full caramel coverage on every piece, use 1/3 cup of popping corn kernels. If you prefer a "normal" coverage, similar to what you might find in many commercial caramel popcorns, use 3/4 cup of kernels. For the corn syrup, you can substitute glucose if you don't have light corn syrup on hand. Remember that vegetable oil is not needed if you're air popping your popcorn.
This delightful caramel popcorn makes an excellent dessert for any casual gathering or a fantastic homemade food gift. Package it in airtight containers for a charming, edible present that will impress friends and family.