Make the Perfect Caramelized Popcorn at Home

Craving a sweet and crunchy treat that’s perfect for movie night or snacking? Caramelized popcorn is the answer! This delicious snack combines the light, airy crunch of popcorn with a rich caramel coating. The best part? You can make it right at home with just a few simple ingredients. Follow this easy recipe to whip up a batch of irresistible caramel popcorn in no time. 

Ingredients: 

- 5 quarts popped popcorn 

- 1 cup butter 

- 2 cups brown sugar 

- ½ cup corn syrup 

- 1 teaspoon salt 

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

- ½ teaspoon baking soda 

Step-by-Step Directions 

 Step 1: Preheat the Oven & Prep the Popcorn 

First, gather all your ingredients and preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C). While the oven is warming up, place your popped popcorn in a very large bowl. Make sure the bowl is big enough for stirring, as you’ll be coating all the popcorn with caramel later. 

Step 2: Make the Caramel Sauce 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it’s melted, stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Once it reaches a boil, stop stirring and let it boil for 4 minutes. The caramel will darken and thicken as it cooks, so keep an eye on it. 

Step 3: Add Vanilla & Baking Soda 

After 4 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda. The baking soda will react with the caramel, making it lighter and giving it a smooth texture—perfect for coating your popcorn. 

Step 4: Coat the Popcorn 

Now for the fun part! Pour the hot caramel sauce in a thin stream over the popcorn while stirring continuously. This ensures the caramel coats each kernel evenly. Keep stirring until all the popcorn is well-coated and shiny. 

Step 5: Bake the Popcorn 

Divide the caramel-coated popcorn between two large, shallow baking dishes. Spread it out in an even layer to allow for uniform baking. Place the dishes in your preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Stir the popcorn every 15 minutes to ensure it doesn’t clump together and bakes evenly. 

Step 6: Cool & Enjoy 

Once the hour is up, remove the popcorn from the oven and let it cool completely. As it cools, the caramel will harden into a crunchy coating. Once it’s fully cooled, break the popcorn into pieces and it’s ready to enjoy! 

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   Tips for the Best Caramelized Popcorn 

- Use fresh popcorn: Freshly popped popcorn works best for this recipe, ensuring a light and crispy result. You can use your Andrew James Popcorn Maker to get the perfect popcorn.

- Stir often: When baking, stir the popcorn every 15 minutes to keep it from sticking together. 

- Cool completely: Make sure the popcorn cools completely before eating. This will ensure it has the perfect crunchy texture. 

  With this recipe, you’ll be able to create caramelized popcorn that’s deliciously sweet, buttery, and crunchy—perfect for snacking, gifting, or just treating yourself!