Everyone will love this homemade caramel popcorn recipe. It is buttery, rich, and crispy. It is better than any store-bought caramel popcorn and it can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your house!

 

Have you ever walked through a movie theater and smelled caramel popcorn? I like caramel popcorn but I feel like too many times the flavor is too strong and it’s too chewy. I like my caramel popcorn to taste like caramel and be crisp and crunchy!

 

This recipe will make a recipe for caramel popcorn that will be a huge hit! And this recipe is so easy that you don’t even need a thermometer!!

 

I have spent a lot of time baking and cooking but for some reason when there is a recipe that needs a candy thermometer – I really mess up the recipe. 

 

I either cook it too long or not long enough. So you know that means it’s either really chewy or crispy. Neither option is good for your teeth. 

 

So anytime that I can make a recipe that tastes amazing and doesn’t use a candy thermometer – it’s going to be one of my favorite recipes. 

 

And caramel and toffee flavors are my favorite. Both require a thermometer so I usually leave those recipes up to the really good bakers. 

 

But no worries…this recipe doesn’t use a thermometer and you will get the most delicious crispy, caramel-flavored popcorn. Your kids will be begging for family movie night every weekend! 

 

And 1 more tip – always use real butter any time you bake anything! The flavor is so much better!

 

So click here for a printable version of the recipe and get ready to serve the best caramel popcorn to your family for family movie night. 

 

 

Caramel Popcorn Recipe

• 1-cup sugar
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ½ TSP salt
• 1 TSP vanilla extract
• ½ TSP baking soda
• 2 (3-oz) packages microwave popcorn, popped (16 cups)

 

Instructions:

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Remove mixture from heat and stir in baking soda.

 

*Tip – Use your 1/2 cup measuring cup to measure the sugar than the corn syrup – it’s 1 less thing to wash!*

 

 

 

 

Place half of the popcorn in 2 lightly greased shallow baking pans. (Or use 1 giant baking pan.) Pour sugar mixture evenly over popcorn; stir well with a lightly greased spatula.

Bake at 250 for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes, with your spatula making sure you get the mixture off the bottom of the pan. Spread on wax paper to cool, breaking apart large clumps as the mixture cools. Store in airtight containers.

 

See how easy that is! The worst part is going to stir it every 15 minutes but I think that is what makes this popcorn so delicious!

 

If you have any leftovers you can store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days – but in my house – this delicious popcorn doesn’t last that long! 

 

 

Yield: 8

Easy Caramel Popcorn Recipe

Print

This is the easiest and most delicious caramel popcorn you will make!

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ½ TSP salt
• 1 TSP vanilla extract
• ½ TSP baking soda
• 2 (3-oz) packages microwave popcorn, popped (16 cups)

Instructions

1. Stir together the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
2. Remove mixture from heat and stir in baking soda. *Tip – Use your 1/2 cup measuring cup to measure the sugar than the corn syrup – it’s 1 less thing to wash!*
3. Place half of the popcorn in 2 lightly greased shallow baking pans. (Or use 1 giant baking pan.)
4. Try to remove all the un-popped kernels you can find. Pour sugar mixture evenly over popcorn; stir well with a lightly greased spatula.
5. Bake at 250 for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes, with your spatula making sure you get the mixture off the bottom of the pan.
6. Spread on wax paper to cool, breaking apart large clumps as
   the mixture cools. Store in airtight containers.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

 

 

Here are a few more of my popcorn recipes:

You can try this recipe for Kettle Corn or the 2 yummy options below!

 

Confetti Popcorn

 

Caramel Pretzel Popcorn {Sweet N Salty Popcorn}