Sit back and enjoy a batch of everyone’s favorite sweet and crunchy snack with this easy recipe for Homemade Caramel Corn.
Growing up, my mom and grandmother used to send me tins of a tri-colored popcorn mix—butter, cheddar and caramel—from The Popcorn Factory for every holiday. When the latest tin ran out and the next shipment was still weeks away, I decided to make my own. The result is a batch of warm, crunchy, perfectly caramel-coated popcorn that’s easy to make and endlessly customizable.
Homemade caramel corn delivers a satisfying contrast of textures—sticky caramel, crunchy popcorn and a touch of salt. With roughly 10 minutes of active prep and a bit of oven time, you can make a large batch to share or keep for yourself.
The process starts with freshly popped kernels tossed with a simple caramel made from butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. A short bake crisps the coating and turns the popcorn into light, crunchy clusters. Serve it in bowls, fill paper cones for an easy party presentation, or package it in airtight containers for gifting.
Easy Homemade Caramel Corn
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup unpopped popcorn
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Grease two baking sheets with cooking spray.
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Add the vegetable oil to a large stockpot over medium heat.
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Add the popcorn, cover, and heat until you hear the first kernel pop. Remove the pot from the heat for one minute, then return it to the burner and shake occasionally until popping slows. Discard any unpopped kernels.
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In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then let the mixture boil, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda.
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Pour the hot caramel immediately over the popcorn and stir to coat the kernels evenly.
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Spread the coated popcorn in an even layer across the prepared baking sheets.
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Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even coating and crisping.
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Remove from the oven, stir one last time, then let the caramel corn cool completely. Break into pieces and serve.
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