Best Caramel Corn Recipe (2024)

This truly is the best caramel corn recipe! It’s easy to make, and perfect for snacking or gifting during the holidays. Trust me — you won’t be able to stop eating this sweet, crispy, irresistible caramel corn!

My #1 tip for homemade caramel corn – add a little baking soda to the caramel! This is the secret ingredient for a crispy topping. Be sure to watch the video below for the full how-to!

A good friend shared this caramel corn recipe with me a few years ago, and it’s been a family favorite ever since!

Every piece is crispy and has just the right amount of sweetness and saltiness. It’s SO hard to resist eating just one more handful!

VIDEO: How to Make Caramel Corn

NOTE: Video shows the amounts for 1/2 a batch!

I look forward to making this recipe every fall. But really, it’s the perfect treat for any time of year.

This would make such a fun addition to movie night or a kids’ slumber party. The entire family will have a new favorite snack! (And thankfully, this recipe makes a lot of popcorn!)

This perfect caramel corn is so easy to make, but people are always impressed that it’s homemade. Surprisingly, you also only need a few pantry staples to make it.

Once you try the best caramel corn recipe, you’ll never buy store-bought caramel corn again!

This crunchy, sweet caramel corn makes a great food gift to share with neighbors and friends during the holiday season. I like to keep the packaging simple with some clear treat bags and seasonal ribbon.

This truly is the best caramel corn recipe you’ll ever try! And the best thing about it is that it’s naturally gluten-free! Hooray!

You also might like these tried-and-true recipes for homemade caramels, candy popcorn, or rolo pretzels. This dairy-free caramel sauce is also a favorite.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Sweet and crispy
• Irresistible texture
• Great for gifting
• Perfect fall treat
• Easy to make

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s the ingredient list for the best caramel popcorn recipe:

• Popcorn Kernels: Either white or yellow will work great.
• Butter: A hefty 4 sticks is needed for this recipe, but it makes a big batch!
• Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar gives the caramel corn a nice hint of molasses flavor.
• Light corn Syrup: I don’t use corn syrup often but it’s very helpful for special treats like caramel corn and homemade soft caramels. I usually buy organic corn syrup.
• Baking Soda: This is the secret ingredient to getting the caramel to foam and stick to the popcorn.
• Salt: I highly recommend Kosher salt! A good pinch of salt is key to delicious caramel corn.

For more old-fashioned recipes, try this nougat, peanut brittle, english toffee, pecan log recipe and caramel.

Recommended Equipment

Caramel corn is easy to make at home, but you’ll need a few kitchen tools:

• I highly recommend a good air-pop popcorn machine. Air-popped popcorn isn’t coated in any oil or additives so it’s perfect for mixing with the caramel sauce. I also think air-popped popcorn yields bigger pieces than microwave or stove-top popped popcorn.
• It’s also helpful to have either 2 large oven-safe glass bowls or 2 baking sheets lined with silicone baking liners for baking the caramel corn.

You also might like this recipe for microwave caramel popcorn!

How to Make this Recipe

Here are the steps to this easy caramel popcorn recipe:

• Preheat oven to 250 F. Pop the popcorn kernels inair popper. Place popcorn in a large bowl (that is oven-safe) or large roasting pan. (Note: I had to use my biggest and next biggest Pyrex bowls and a 9×13 pan to fit it all. Just divide up the popcorn and caramel amongst the dishes as best you can.)
• In a medium saucepan combine the butter, sugar, light corn syrup, and salt. Melt slowly over medium heat, stirring constantly. When mixture comes to a full boil, stir constantly to prevent burning for 5 minutes.

• After caramel mixture boils for 5 minutes, remove from heat and add the baking soda. Mix in baking soda carefully as the mixture will expand when you add it. Pour a thin coating of caramel over the plain popcorn and mix well to coat the popped kernels.
• Place in glass oven-safe bowls or on parchment-lined baking sheets and place in the preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and pour onto the prepared baking sheet parchment paper immediately. Cool and enjoy!

Storage Instructions

This caramel corn recipe will stay crispy and delicious for up to a week, if stored in an air-tight container or sealed bag. Keep at room temperature. Storing in the fridge could change the texture.

You also might like this Halloween snack mix.

FAQs

Expert Tips & Tricks

• Stirring this easy homemade caramel corn every 15 minutes while it’s baking is key for getting every piece coated with caramel.
• Skip the bags of microwave popcorn for this recipe. Homemade caramel corn will turn out best if you make the popcorn in an air-pop popcorn machine. Even with this extra step, it’s still one of those easy recipes you’ll come back to again and again!
• If you’re unsure of when to take the caramel mixture off of the heat, you can use a candy thermometer. Remove from heat once the mixture reaches 250F degrees.

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try my best caramel corn recipe, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!