Crispy, chewy, buttery, salty and sweet! What more could you ask for in a recipe? This Caramel Popcorn hits all the notes! With just a few ingredients you’ll have the best, freshest, caramel corn you’ve ever tasted and you’ll never go back to the bagged or microwaved variety again!
After Monday’s 5 Minute Microwave Cheddar Popcorn it was only appropriate that we follow it up with it’s delicious better half, Caramel Popcorn! Why you ask? Because…well… the most delicious popcorn creation ever is made from the amazing mix of the two! Chicago Popcorn! And so off we go to make some delicious caramel popcorn! I’d like it if there were a great easy microwave caramel popcorn recipe that tasted amazing. But really, to make a proper tasting crispy (not chewy caramel) popcorn you need to get your stovetop burner working!
Look, I know I waxed poetic about my love for the Christmas popcorn tin I used to get every year as a kid and I basically made the butter popcorn the black sheep. But that is only because it wasn’t fresh homemade butter popcorn. If you made some fresh at home with a great quality butter and kosher salt, it could very easily give these recipes a run for their money! But the sort of “butter flavor” on popcorns out there make it the black sheep of the tin and don’t get me started on all the chemicals in the microwave popcorn bags!
Want to make some delicious buttered popcorn? Here is a great recipe (well not really a recipe, just a method) for you. Take some popcorn kernels and put them in a small brown lunchbag. Turn on the microwave and let it go until the popping slows down (just like in the prepackaged stuff). Leave the bag closed and melt some butter quickly in a microwave safe bowl. Pour the butter into the bag of popcorn you just made. Close it back up and shake it! Shake, shake, shake, shake until your arms feel like they’ve worked off some of that butter we are about to eat. 😉 Now pour it into your bowl and sprinkle on a bit of kosher salt, to taste. Done! WAYYYY less expensive than the bagged stuff and infinitely more delicious! Then the most important part of the recipe…. bring some to me! 🙂
Okay back to regularly scheduled programming. We have some delicious caramel corn to make!
Place the popped popcorn into two large baking pans. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. 
Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a saucepan. 
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 3-4 minutes while stirring constantly. 
Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla.
The mixture bubble rapidly.
Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat. It is okay if the popcorn isn’t completely coated yet the oven will help us out. Bake for 45 minutes but stir the popcorn every fifteen minutes.
When it comes out of the oven, try to separate the pieces as much as you can before it cools completely. Enjoy!
Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients
- 7 quarts plain popped popcorn (about 30 cups of popped popcorn or 2 1/2 bags of microwave popcorn)
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup (I use homemade)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the popped popcorn into two large baking pans.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend.
Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 3-4 minutes while stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla.
- The mixture bubble rapidly.
- Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat.
- It is okay if the popcorn isn't completely coated yet the oven will help us out.
Bake for 45 minutes but stir the popcorn every fifteen minutes.
- When it comes out of the oven, try to separate the pieces as much as you can before it cools completely. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Adapted both in ingredients and directions from Allrecipes. The original works well too, but this version is more natural and crispier.
Want to make your own corn syrup at home? I use a homemade thick simple syrup for this instead by mixing 8 tablespoons of sugar with 2 tablespoons of hot water. This makes a half a cup of homemade corn syrup.
Dear Sabrina
Will you kindly share Garret’s Caramel Crisp Matcha popcorn recipe please, thank you.
I’ll add it to my research list. Thanks for the suggestion.
Sooo good and easy to make
This is my family’s favorite caramel popcorn recipe, and the only one I use now. I asked a friend at work what she thought I should bring for birthday treats last week and this is what she immediately requested. Thanks so much for sharing it!
How awesome! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know.
So. Good. I have to be careful how often I make this….I could eat the whole bowl! Thanks for the recipe!
Yes, it’s hard to stop once you start!
I add dry roasted peanuts to the popcorn before baking.
Such a great idea!
I wish people would only post comments after they have made the recipe!!! Such a waste of time reading “I can’t wait to try”, Sounds delicious” Really?????
So true!
So I tried to make this, followed directions exactly, but the caramel really didn’t spread well despite the oven cooking. Also, I noticed that the caramel itself had the wrong texture; almost grainy rather than smooth. Not sure if it should have been cooked longer? Taste was great though, and my coworkers ate it all up, but I was hoping to refine more before bagging for xmas gifts
I’m glad everyone still loved it. Your caramel might have been grainy because the brown sugar wasn’t melted all the way. When it’s first melting, only stir enough to blend (don’t over stir as that causes crystallization). Once it begins to boil, then stir constantly. Hopefully this helps for your next batch. Happy holidays!
This is probably a very dumb question…but do you salt and butter this popcorn before you add the caramel topping? Thanks!
No, I just included it in step 3 to save your time. 🙂 Enjoy!!
Substitute maple extract for or in addition to the vanilla.
My very similar recipe came from the Boston Globe decades ago and calls for a pinch of cream of tartar along with the soda. I use a candy thermometer and remove from heat at 218 degrees. I have been making this for decades. It never fails to please.
I love caramel corn this recipe is so easy I made it last night already gone my boyfriend loved it
Yay!! So glad you both enjoyed it!!
I made this caramel popcorn and the cheddar popcorn in double batches for my husband to take to work on Valentine’s Day. It was a huge hit and he came home with not a crumb leftover (glad I saved some at home!). I shared links to your recipes with several people who wanted to make it for themselves.
So sweet of you to share!
This recipe is so good! I just have a question about storage, what is the best way to store it and how long does it keep for?
Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I would recommend putting it in a metal tin and it should last for a few weeks if you don’t eat it all before then, lol!
I just made 40 bags of party favors from this recipe and it came out perfectly. Some tips that I found. The popcorn needs to be warm before you coat them. I put the popcorn in the pre-heated oven while I was making the coating. I bought two large aluminium pans to coat and bake the popcorn. I noticed the last batch I did using a glass 9×13 came out the best. The bottom of the aluminum pans weren’t flat and the coating kept getting caught.
I am trying this recipe today. There are so many recipes out there , the part that i m attracted to this recipe is homemade corn syrup.Will get back to you on how it turned out.
Good luck! I hope you enjoy it!
thank you for sharing. this looks simply amazing!! Would be perfect this fall!
I’ve never made homemade popcorn (but always wanted to) and I can’t believe how easy this looks. I’ll definitely be making this soon!
I was nervous the first time I tried homemade popcorn, but it was SUPER easy. Now it is all we eat.
Looks delicious and by the look of it, I think it smells and tastes delicious too
I was just thinking of caramel popcorn a while ago and this what popped up when i opened you page. I need to try this!
Great minds….! 🙂
Those look better than Cracker Jacks, which are supposedly the best caramel popcorn. I think you can give them a run for their money!
Aww how sweet, thank you!
My dad used to make caramel popcorn all the time when I was a kid. I haven’t had it in a long time.
Caramel corn brings back some fun childhood memories. This recipe sounds delicious. I love that you can use microwave popcorn!
This popcorn looks so delicious. I will have to try making some for movie night. I am sure everyone will love it.
Thanks Ann!
Carmel popcorn is always amazing. I cannot wait to try this recipe!
This sounds delicious. I love popcorn with all kinds of toppings but caramel corn is one of my favorites.
Me too!
Caramel popcorn is one of my favorite sweet treats. I haven’t made it at home yet! Yum.
Yum! That looks amazing! My hubby loves caramel popcorn! I will definitely be making this for him!
Thanks Mistee!
I am so making this tomorrow! Saving and printing and hard copy of this recipe!
Awesome! I hope you love it Allie!
I has to be amazing with that much butter right!? Oh how we love popcorn at our house!
Haha it really is!
Oooh, I am a popcorn-freak and would love this recipe. There is just something about a good batch of popcorn 🙂 thanks for sharing
My pleasure Shauna!
I love caramel popcorn. I have to try this recipe!
I made caramel popcorn with bacon and it was so good! Your recipe is much easier than mine though!
Yum!! I should totally add bacon! It makes any recipe better, haha.
Yum I love caramel popcorn, but have never made my own at home, this sounds incredible!
Love love love caramel popcorn. Your photos are divine! 🙂
Thanks Susan!
I’ll have to share this with my mom. She loves caramel popcorn!
I’ve never seen a recipe that included baking. I can’t wait to try it!
It was new to me too! But I loved the results!
I think today we’ll just be skipping dinner and heading right to the popcorn, YUM!
BOOM! That is so bad ass, I can’t even tell you. Caramel pop corn is my favorite.
Thanks!! PS I love your site!
I’ve been thinking of making caramel popcorn recently. I’m glad I saw this post! Going to be making this very soon. It looks so delicious!
I hope you love it Kathy!
I cannot WAIT to try this!!! I am such a caramel corn fan. Do you remember KarmelKorn stores from the 80s?
YES!! I Loved it!
I love this! I’m going to take this recipe and your cheddar cheese recipe and make myself a combo!
I love caramel. This looks so easy to make! I must try making this for my family!
Ohmygosh! I’m loving this recipe and thinking of getting up right now and making some – love popcorn! Great job (and I’m going back to check out your Chicago Popcorn recipe, too)!
Thanks Patricia!
I have never attempted to make caramel corn! I love it, but never really thought about making it. I might try this recipe it looks really good!
My husband loves caramel popcorn! We’ll have to try your recipe soon!
Sounds easy enough to make for the kids! I prefer making my own snacks so this is a great recipe to keep on hand.