That is my late grandmother’s recipe for home made caramel corn. Brimming with buttery taste, candy crunch, and from-scratch caramel, every handful (you’ll need to eat it that means!!) is undeniably irresistible. You’ll make the 6-ingredient caramel sauce on the range, and whereas a sweet thermometer is useful, you actually can get by with out one. The recipe under is for plain caramel popcorn, however if you wish to costume it up, go forward and add nuts, melted chocolate, and/or a splash of cinnamon.
Each vacation season once I was rising up, my late grandmother made a double batch of this beloved home made caramel corn. Family and friends would flock to the candy and salty snack, and it by no means lasted greater than a few days. Grandma was blissful to repeat the method; serving it introduced her a lot pleasure.
I began this web site 2 weeks after she handed away again in 2011, and I initially revealed this recipe a couple of years later. I additionally included a variation of it in two of my revealed cookbooks (Sally’s Baking Habit and Sally’s Sweet Habit).
Through the years, I’ve scaled down the quantity of air-popped popcorn, so every bit is generously coated. Immediately I’m sharing some new step-by-step pictures, and a video tutorial is coming quickly!
Right here’s Why You’ll Love This Caramel Corn
- Simply 7 components
- Salty, buttery, candy
- Nothing beats the home made taste
- The caramel is chewy-crisp, not a break-your-teeth scenario 😉
- Get pleasure from plain or add some aptitude with nuts, chocolate, or spices
- Make-ahead; the caramel corn retains for days (if style testers can resist!)
I can’t make these things quick sufficient. It’s INCREDIBLY irresistible, and an excellent vacation snack. In truth, it’s been custom in our household to serve it together with a batch of spicy honey chex combine or seasoned pretzels as we embellish Christmas sugar cookies. Only a suggestion should you’re internet hosting a cookie adorning day and want some snack concepts!
Seize These 7 Components:
- Popcorn: I discover that 10–11 cups of air-popped popcorn is the right quantity for the amount of caramel you’ll have.
- Brown Sugar: For that important brown sugar taste and softness. Typical home made caramel is constituted of common granulated sugar, and brown sugar is often saved for home made butterscotch sauce. For caramel corn, nonetheless, you desire a softer caramel texture, and brown sugar helps obtain that.
- Mild Corn Syrup: That is an crucial ingredient that provides the caramel a softer, chewier consistency. Additionally, and extra importantly, corn syrup helps stop the cooking caramel from crystallizing right into a gritty, grainy texture.
- Butter: A major ingredient in caramel candies and caramel sauces.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar, an acid, will assist stop crystallization because the caramel cooks. If you happen to don’t have any, you’ll be able to go away it out. Corn syrup does the identical job. I nonetheless like to incorporate it, so the caramel says good and easy.
- Salt: To stability the candy.
- Baking Soda: Arguably an important ingredient! The aim of baking soda within the caramel is to react with the acidic components (brown sugar, cream of tartar, and corn syrup), which creates tiny carbon dioxide air bubbles. You’ll discover the caramel froths up whenever you add it. As soon as the caramel has cooled in your popcorn, the air bubbles contained in the caramel create a softer texture. The softer texture means you gained’t be biting into hard-as-cement caramel. Moderately, the caramel is melt-in-your-mouth chewy and solely barely crunchy.
Don’t by chance use baking powder. I repeat: don’t use baking powder.
Use Air-Popped Popcorn
For finest outcomes, I like to recommend air-popped popcorn. I take advantage of this popcorn maker to pop the corn kernels. Clearly not everybody has a popcorn maker, however it’s a enjoyable kitchen instrument to have should you get pleasure from popcorn on the common. If utilizing microwave popcorn, search for a spread that’s fairly plain, with out butter, and never overloaded with salt. If you happen to don’t need to use store-bought microwave popcorn, do this helpful trick:
- Simple Air-Popping Technique: Add 3 Tablespoons of popcorn kernels to a normal lunch brown paper bag. Seal the bag tightly by folding excessive 2 instances. Microwave the kernels for roughly 1 minute 45 seconds on excessive, or as much as 2 minutes relying in your microwave. This DIY air-popped popcorn methodology makes 5 cups of popcorn. You’ll should do it twice to get 10 cups, which is what our caramel corn recipe requires.
After getting your popcorn prepared, begin the caramel sauce.
Caramel Coating for Caramel Corn
The caramel is a bit of completely different from my salted caramel sauce recipe, which is extra like drizzle or garnish. Immediately’s caramel, nonetheless, is a caramel sauce that has some elasticity (because of the corn syrup), and holding energy. That means it may well cling properly to the popcorn, and never soften off.
Mix the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and cream of tartar collectively in a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Prepare dinner and stir over medium warmth. As soon as the butter has melted and the combination is effervescent across the edges, let it boil for round 4 minutes. You probably have a sweet thermometer (I take advantage of and love this one), use it right here. Prepare dinner the combination till it reaches 234–235°F (112–113°C).
As quickly because the caramel comes off the warmth, stir within the baking soda. The combination will bubble up, nearly double in quantity, and seem frothy on the floor as you stir; that is regular and anticipated:
Pour over the popcorn, gently stir to mix, after which unfold out onto a lined baking sheet:
Bake at 200°F (93°C) for 1 hour, stirring each 20 minutes. Baking the caramel corn is crucial and helps the caramel set evenly over the popcorn.
This recipe won’t work with out corn syrup; it’s an important ingredient that helps to forestall crystallization within the cooking caramel, and retains the caramel delicate and chewy. In its place, attempt my peanut butter caramel corn recipe as an alternative.
If utilizing microwave popcorn, search for a spread that’s fairly plain, with out butter, and never overloaded with salt. Buttered popcorn makes greasy caramel corn, and the caramel might not set.
Sure. Baking the caramel-coated popcorn helps to set the caramel sauce. By skipping this step, the caramel corn will turn out to be soggy.
Caramel corn will style delicate and chewy proper out of the oven. Give it a while to chill. If it’s nonetheless tasting soggy after 1–2 hours of cooling at room temperature, you’ll have under-baked the caramel corn. 1 hour within the oven is often loads. Moreover, make sure to cook dinner the caramel on the range for lengthy sufficient. If you happen to don’t have a sweet thermometer, you’ll need to keep watch over the clock—as soon as it’s effervescent, let it boil for 4 full minutes.
A sweet thermometer isn’t needed for this recipe, however it’s actually useful, because it provides probably the most correct outcomes. A sweet thermometer shouldn’t scare you away from a recipe; actually, it’s your greatest helper in terms of sweet recipes as a result of it ensures exact outcomes. You probably have one, I like to recommend utilizing it.
Sure, completely. You possibly can add 1–2 cups of your favourite salted or unsalted nuts equivalent to peanuts or cashews to the popcorn earlier than you stir within the caramel sauce. So as to add chocolate, I like to recommend drizzling melted chocolate or white chocolate on the cooled caramel corn. You do not need to bake the caramel corn with the chocolate on prime.
Deliver to bake gross sales, tote alongside on highway journeys, or function a easy finger meals at vacation events—everybody loves these things. It’s additionally an exquisite choice should you’re ever in want of gluten free dessert recipes.
Home made Caramel Corn
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Prepare dinner Time: 1 hour
Whole Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: 10-11 cups
Class: Snacks
Technique: Baking
Delicacies: American
Description
Brimming with buttery taste, candy crunch, and from-scratch caramel, every chew of this home made caramel corn is undeniably irresistible. You’ll make the 6-ingredient caramel sauce on the range, and whereas a sweet thermometer is useful, you actually can get by with out one. The recipe under is for plain caramel popcorn, however see Notes for different variations. This can be a nice make-ahead recipe for a celebration, bake sale, or gathering, and might simply be doubled.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Line 1 or 2 12×17-inch baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Pour the popcorn into the most important bowl you could have, or unfold it onto the ready baking sheets. (Both means is okay.)
- Mix the sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan over medium warmth. Stir consistently because the butter melts and combination involves a simmer. As soon as simmering across the edges, permit to bubble, with out stirring, for 4 minutes. (You probably have a sweet thermometer, the caramel ought to attain 234–235°F (112–113°C).)
- Take away caramel from warmth and instantly stir within the baking soda. The combination will bubble up, nearly double in quantity, and seem frothy on the floor as you stir; that is regular and anticipated. Watch out, it’s very popular.
- Pour the caramel over the popcorn and, with a big spoon or spatula, stir gently till all the popcorn has been coated. Go slowly right here and have endurance; it requires fairly a couple of turns of the spatula/spoon because the caramel begins to harden. If it’s not already, unfold the popcorn evenly onto ready baking sheet(s).
- Bake for 1 hour, gently stirring each 20 minutes.
- Permit to chill on the pan for at the very least half-hour. The caramel hardens because it cools. As soon as cool sufficient to deal with, you'll be able to break aside any massive clusters.
- Cowl the popcorn tightly as soon as cooled. This caramel corn stays contemporary for as much as 2 weeks in an hermetic container, so it’s an excellent recipe to make forward of time.
Notes
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Popcorn Maker | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Medium Saucepan | Sweet Thermometer
- Popcorn: You want about 1/3 cup of kernels to yield 10–11 cups of popcorn. If you happen to wouldn't have a popcorn maker at house, you'll be able to merely add 3 Tablespoons of popcorn kernels to a brown paper bag. Seal the bag tightly by folding excessive. Microwave the popcorn for roughly 1 minute, 45 seconds on excessive energy, or as much as 2 minutes, relying in your microwave. This methodology will make 5 cups, so that you’ll should do it twice. Alternatively, you should utilize store-bought natural-style microwave popcorn that has no butter added to it. If you happen to use buttered popcorn, the caramel might not set and the caramel corn will likely be greasy.
- Corn Syrup: Use mild corn syrup, not darkish corn syrup. This recipe won't work with out this ingredient; it’s essential to assist stop crystallization within the cooking caramel, and retains the caramel delicate, stretchy, and chewy. In its place with out corn syrup, attempt my peanut butter caramel corn recipe as an alternative.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar helps to forestall crystallization within the cooking caramel. If you happen to’re all out, you can also make the caramel corn with out it. Simply know that its acidity helps to forestall crystals from forming in your caramel. Corn syrup does the identical job, too.
- Add Nuts, Chocolate, or Spices: You possibly can add 1–2 cups of your favourite salted or unsalted nuts equivalent to peanuts or cashews to the popcorn earlier than you stir within the caramel sauce in step 5. So as to add chocolate, I like to recommend drizzling melted chocolate or white chocolate on the cooled caramel corn. You do not need to bake the caramel corn with the chocolate on prime. You too can add 1/2 teaspoon of floor cinnamon, and/or 1/4 teaspoon of floor nutmeg to the caramel after you are taking it off warmth, whenever you stir within the baking soda.
- The way to double: Double all the components. In step 3, let the caramel bubble for 7 minutes, or use a sweet thermometer. The sweet thermometer temperature stays the identical. The bake time additionally stays the identical. Don't over-crowd the baking sheets; you’ll possible want 3.
Initially revealed in 2014, and in addition revealed in Sally’s Baking Habit.
Key phrases: home made caramel corn