This classic Easy Homemade Buttery Caramel Corn recipe is quick and made without any corn syrup. It is a delicious summertime or holiday dessert everyone will go crazy over. It's buttery, sweet, salty and CRUNCHY which is the most important part of caramel popcorn.
Like my Muddy Buddies and my Christmas Crack, I love gifting this to friends and family around the holidays in festive holiday tins. It is a nice change from all those holiday cookies and perfect to bring to parties or potlucks!
Freshly popped popcorn, almonds and peanuts drizzled with a caramelized buttery sauce, this sweet snack is hands down, one of the most irresistible treats you will make.
It's perfectly crunchy and has a richer more buttery flavor than cracker jacks.
It reminds me more of that gourmet style popcorn you can only find in upscale stores packed in those fancy cylindrical tubs. But it's much less expensive!
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Why This Recipe Works
This recipe has been tested more than any other recipe on my blog. I wanted to get it just right.
And if you've ever tried making homemade caramel popcorn before, you know how it can turn wrong quickly.
I have had batches turn out either burnt, chewy, sticky, or overly sweet or a combination of these.
But I discovered a few tricks along the way that ensure you get a smooth, crunchy caramel every time.
- Use baking soda
- Bake the popcorn
- Work quickly
Make Your OWN Homemade Popcorn
When I was younger, my mother would always make homemade popcorn on the stove. She'd pull out the Orville Redenbacher and within 5 minutes, we had yummy buttery, salty popcorn ready to go for our movie!
Making your own popcorn is SO easy and also saves you A LOT of money. Plus, for this recipe, you don't want to use store-bought popcorn. You want plain, unsalted sugar-free popcorn so you have a fresh canvas to work with.
To make your own homemade popcorn, you'll need some oil and un-popped kernels to a pot set over medium-high heat. Cover with a lid or poke holes in some aluminum foil for a make-shift lid.
Then wait for all of the popping to stop. The popping is like a bell curve. It will start slow, then speed up, then slow down again. When it slows down, you'll want to turn off the heat so you do not burn your popcorn. The tricky part is making sure you pop as many kernels as possible without burning it!
Lay your homemade popcorn out onto a baking sheet and pour your luscious caramel sauce all over the plain popcorn. Toss the popcorn a bit until it is coated nicely. Then bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- Popcorn- We want to make our own popcorn when we make caramel corn so we start with a blank canvas. No store-bought, pre-salted or seasoned popcorn will work.
- Nuts- Classic caramel corn recipes use almonds and peanuts but pecans or walnuts would work too!
- Butter- This is what we need to make a caramel sauce. It should not be substituted since caramel itself is very tempermental.
- Brown Sugar- I highly suggest using brown sugar instead of granulated white sugar. It gives the caramel corn a deep molasses flavor that is out of this world good.
- Salt- We are adding salt assuming our nuts are unsalted. If you use salted nuts, simply omit the salt.
- Vanilla Extract- Vanilla adds a delicious flavor to your caramel and should not be left out.
- Vinegar & Baking Soda- Adding vinegar and baking soda at the end when making our sauce will help to give the caramel a light, airy, fluffier texture.
Making Your Caramel Glaze
This recipe is one I have tested over and over...and OVER...again.
Caramel is NOT easy to make especially without corn syrup but don't be intimidated by it! Just be patient and have all your ingredients ready.
The sweet caramel glaze comes together very quickly.
Items You'll Need
- A small sauce pot
- Non-stick baking sheet or parchment paper
To get the right crunchy texture, you need to let your sauce reach the right temperature for a certain period of time so that when the sauce cools. the sugars harden.
If your sugar doesn't reach the right temperature, it will be too soft and sticky resulting in chewy caramel popcorn, kind of 'toffee-like'. On the other hand, if you heat your sugar too high for too long, you'll have some real tooth-cracking popcorn. No bueno.
Caramel Sauce Ingredients
- brown sugar
- butter
- salt
- vanilla
- baking soda
- vinegar
To make your sauce, you will need to add your brown sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla to a sauce pan and heat it over high on your stove-top while mixing consistently.
Then at the 5 minute mark, add in your baking soda and vinegar and stir quickly before removing from heat.
Tip* Brown sugar gives your caramel a deeper flavor as opposed to white sugar.
Why Baking Soda?
Using baking soda will create tiny carbon dioxide air bubbles and help to create a softer texture in your caramel and one that will melt in your mouth rather than stick to your teeth.
Why Vinegar?
The vinegar is meant to help prevent a grainy, sugary texture since this recipe does not use any corn syrup.
Expert Tips:
This recipe is not difficult but it does require your full attention to make sure it comes out perfectly. Here are some tips to ensure your caramel popcorn comes out delicious every time.
- Do not leave your caramel alone on the stove. Use a flat wooden spoon and stir, stir, stir!
- Brown sugar is the only sugar I recommend for this recipe.
- Have all of your ingredients ready to go! This will ensure you work quickly and leave no room for error.
- Make sure your popcorn is not burnt! Burnt popcorn will ruin the entire recipe.
- Watch your heat when making your caramel. You cannot salvage burnt sugar!
- Feel free to add other nuts you like into your popcorn.
- Make sure to pick out any un-popped kernels. They are NOT fun to bite on.
FAQ's
Your caramel popcorn will turn soggy if the caramel was not cooked properly or heated to the right temperature.
Adding some baking soda helps.
It is best eaten within a day or so but can last up to a week.
In a sealed, air tight container or plastic bag. No need to refrigerate.
Other sweet holiday snacks you'll love:
Dark Chocolate Sweet and Salty Bark
Ridiculously Moist Christmas Cake Balls (without a stick)
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Easy Buttery Caramel Corn (Without Corn Syrup)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- To make the popcorn:Add 2 tablespoon oil, or butter, and ¼ cup popcorn kernels to a large pot. (Make sure your pot has a heavy bottom to prevent burning.) Cover your pot with a lid or tin foil. Turn the heat to high and wait for the kernels to start popping.Once the popping starts, wait about ONE minute and turn off heat. The popcorn should be done popping at this point and should be ready! Pour your popcorn onto a sheet pan or baking sheet lined with parchment paper (Make sure to pick out any unpopped kernels!)
- Add your peanuts and almonds to the sheet pan and set baking sheet aside but keep it close by.
- This step is important. If you heat your sugar too much, it might burn in the oven but if you don't heat it enough, it will not harden.Add your brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt to a sauce pan set over MEDIUM-LOW heat. Stir once so its mixed but then allow it to simmer for 5 minutes without touching it. If you start seeing/smelling smoke, your heat it too high and you may need to start over. If it does not simmer, turn up your heat a TOUCH. DO not boil.
- In the mean time, have your baking soda and vinegar ready to go!
- Turn off the heat and add in your baking soda and vinegar and mix together. Quickly pour the sauce over the popcorn and give it a few tosses with a wooden spoon so it coats as much of the popcorn as possible. It's okay if all of it is not fully coated.Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and toss popcorn again until fully coated. Allow it to cool completely and store in a sealed plastic container for 5-7 days.
Jasmine
Came out nicely but was slightly bitter. I cooked sauce until it reached 250F with a thermometer. Next time will try 10 mins in oven rather than 12. One question... are we supposed to spray the cookie sheet with oil? Thank you for taking the time to post this recipe.
Aleka Shunk
I wish I knew why! Let me know if it happens again. I recommend using a nonstick pan or parchment paper!
scott sproat
i just made it. i loved it!!!!! :)thanks
Aleka Shunk
So glad you liked it! Thanks for the review!
ERICA V
ITS A HIT EVERY TIME! Some batches were more divine than others (that's on me, I'm fast and loose with the eyeball measuring, substitutions and half batching)
So good! They are devoured to the last crumb every time I have laid them out. My father in law even said it was hands down the best popcorn he's ever had, to my delight.
love this, thank you so much.
Aleka Shunk
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! I am so happy every one loved it and have to say I too can be "fast and loose' with eyeball measuring. ?
Suzanne
We received a quart sized of caramel corn from a chef friend. My husband wanted me to make him some as he devoured it. I found your recipe when I searched for 'no corn syrup' caramel corn recipe. I made it today. This one is better than the chef's! My hubby raved about it.
What confused me though is in the recipe directions you say not to stir the caramel mixture for 5 minutes. In your written comments you write that you must stir with flat wooden spoon constantly or the mixture will burn. I ended up stirring it after a low simmer of 3 minutes after I noticed the discrepancy. What is the correct method please?
Again, thanks so much for sharing. Keeper recipe.
Aleka Shunk
Hi there! Thanks for your review!! I will clarify a bit more! Sorry for the confusion. You want to let it sit in the beginning as it's heating up. Then once it starts to bubble, stir away! 5 minutes is an approximate time as it depends on the individual heat source (which is always different).
Suzanne
Thank you for clarifying that. I'm about to make another batch. Yummmmm
rk
Hi! Whta Vinegar do you use?
Aleka Shunk
Hi, White vinegar!
Mark
I was so intrigued by the recipe which kept on discussing cooking the sugar/butter to the right temperature, but I cannot FIND the temperature listed.
What is the temperature that it should be cooked to?
Aleka Shunk
I apologize. The temperature of the caramel should be about 250 degrees F.
Elle
If I wanted to use this caramel on an apple, what would I need to do to change the recipe? Or is it the same?
Aleka Shunk
Hi Elle! I recommend just purchasing melting caramels for that like I did for this caramel apple recipe. This caramel sets very quickly and may be difficult to dip apples into.
Christi Sizemore Behrend
Great recipe! I have been looking for a good caramel corn recipe with no corn syrup and this is perfect! Thanks so much.
Aleka Shunk
Thanks so much! Glad you liked it!
Lizzy
This recipe is genius. Love it.
Aleka Shunk
Thanks Lizzy!
mixo mokase
This recipe its the best and i love caramel popcorns and this recipe its a bonus buttery caramel popcorn its an upgrade to normal caramel popcorn
Aleka Shunk
Thank you!
Millicent D Wofford
I made the Easy Caramel Popcorn and my family LOVED IT!!
Aleka Shunk
I'm so glad they liked it! Thanks so much for your review! 🙂
Beth
Love this recipe and no corn syrup! Easy to make and family loves it. Especially on this holidays/winter break. Al-tho I did cut the baking soda to 1/2 teaspoon. Still tasted fantastic!
Aleka Shunk
Hi Beth! Thanks so much for your review. I am SO glad everyone loved it!!
Julianne Roberts
I love this recipe!! I’ve already made it once and I have another batch in the oven right now!! I’d highly recommend this!! The only diff thing I do is melt some chocolate and toss my still warm popcorn in it. So good 🙂
Aleka Shunk
Hi Julianne, I am so glad you loved the popcorn!! The addition of chocolate sounds delicious! 🙂
Kelly Richard
It’s good but chewy. Does it need to cool more-it’s been 15 minutes
Aleka Shunk
Hi Kelly! If it's chewy, the sugar did not reach the crack stage yet. This could have happened because the heat was too low on your stove. You may need to stick it back in the oven for another 5 or 10 minutes.
Angie
This makes great caramel corn- so much better than the recipes with corn syrup (which always have that weird mouth feel/aftertaste)I confess that I burnt the first batch of caramel but I kept the flame on low for the 2nd go and it worked perfectly.
Aleka Shunk
Hi Angie! Thanks so much for your review! I am so glad you enjoyed it!!
Michelle Haunold Lorenz
Excellent recipe! Flavorful and buttery, hands down some of the best caramel corn ever! This is my first time making it and it turned out perfectly!
Aleka Shunk
Thank you for your sweet comment Michelle! I am SO thrilled it came out as expected!
B Grant
Wow good thing I checked my oven in 10 mins mine was just on the edge of being burnt. I did use microwave popcorn. I also ate it all. Next time I will turn my oven to 150 for 5mins and test it from there....
Aleka Shunk
Grant, Thanks for the comment! It def. should not burn. This may happen if your heat on your stove was too high to begin with. Did you simmer it over Med/Low heat? It should have simmered softly not boil. Let me know!!
Richard
Easy to make but burnt in the oven . I will lower the oven next time and bake for ten minutes
Aleka Shunk
Hi Richard! Thanks for your review! If the sugar was heated too much on the stovetop, it CAN burn in the oven. Instead of lowering the oven temp, I suggest lowering the saucepan temp before baking. Let me know how that goes!!!
Jasmine
This turned out really well. 6tbl of butter makes it pretty oily but I think it’s necessary to get the correct consistency. The flavor and texture is just what you would want from caramel corn.
Ginger rice
Baking soda NOT baking powder as stated in the ingredients
Aleka Shunk
Hi Ginger, Silly mistake that makes a difference! Thank you so much for pointing that out! All fixed! 🙂
David
It's not expand all, there are many corn bean still raw beans. Although i add butter. I heat brown sugar at right temperature, so amazing sauce, good colour and taste.
Jason
So cool snack, i cook it many times per week. it's not very hard to roast corn but I have a problem with caramel sauce. It's a little bit hard and need pay attention. An amount of salt balance taste. It's a good recommend for snack.
Jonathan
I'm a fan of popcorn. Buttery caramen corn is really perfect snack for a weekend night and a interesting film. Before I just added only sugar but with caramen my popcorn is very attractive. I roast popcorn by microwaves. While I cook caramen sauce.
Victoria
Easy, came out great the 1st time. Good flavor. A little oilyer than I'd like but I could have added a touch too much butter. Overall good.
Aleka Shunk
Hi Victoria, I am glad you liked it!