Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

caramel popcorn

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Mary McCollough
Dexter, MO

This is a recipe that I have used for 25 years and is one of the best and easiest that I have ever used. No need to use a candy thermometer. This can be stored for up to a week but it never lasts that long when I make it.

(1 rating)
yield 18 (2/3 cup)
prep time 15 Min
cook time 1 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For caramel popcorn

  • crisco vegetable shortening or cooking spray
  • 2 c
    packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1/2 c
    light corn syrup
  • 1 c
    butter (real, salted or unsalted)
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    vanilla, almond, or cinnamon extract
  • 1/2 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 3 pkg
    microwave popcorn(remove unpopped kernels before coating with candy mixture)
  • two handfuls nuts (of your choice, i use pecans)
  • two handfuls pretzels

How To Make caramel popcorn

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Coat a large jelly roll pan with crisco or cooking spray. Pop the popcorn and remove the unpopped kernels. Place the popcorn, nuts and pretzels in a large bowl.
  • 2
    Combine Sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium or large heavy bottomed sauce pan. Melt the above ingredients on high, with a wood spoon stir several times until the mixture comes to a boil. then continue to boil for 5 minutes without stirring (don't worry it won't burn) Be careful, the mixture is very, very hot and will burn you if it boils over onto you.
  • 3
    Remove from heat: stir in vanilla and baking soda. Stir well to combine the baking soda thoroughly. Stir until mixture changes color and volume. Pour the mixture over the popcorn in the bowl in a steady stream, stirring to coat. Work quickly as it will begin to set up as soon as it starts to cool. Again be careful, the mixture is very hot.
  • 4
    Spread popcorn mixture into prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 45-60 minutes stirring the mixture every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir to break up any large clumps. Again be careful,Popcorn will be hot if you are using your hands. Cool for several minutes (we can't leave it alone long enough to cool).
  • 5
    Can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week (it never lasts that long at my house). Let the popcorn cool completely before storing.

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