Just like going to the fair but without the loud carnival workers and flashing lights. This caramel corn is so much easier to make than I had expected I cant wait to make it again and again.
It’s fall and to me, that means caramel flavors and carnival snacks. Make this caramel corn tonight and skip the lines. For a fraction of the price and all the flavor.
Ingredients you will need
- Vegetable oil – to put in the bottom of the pan so when you are popping the popcorn it doesn’t stick and burn to the bottom.
- Un-popped popcorn – any kind you have will work, you can even cut open a bag of microwave popcorn if that’s what you have, keep in mind it will have the butter flavoring on it.
- Brown sugar – when sugar is melted it becomes candy, this is sweet and has a rich flavor.
- Molasses – if you don’t have or like the flavor of molasses you can also use corn syrup, golden or light. both will work.
- Water – helps mix the sugar and molasses together
- Butter – brings the temperature down of the sugar and adds a rich creaminess to the caramel.
- Baking soda – adds air to the mixture and helps lighten it up so it coats the popcorn better
- Kosher salt – this is optional but for me it is key, popcorn should always be salty, and the salty sweet combination is key.
How to Make Caramel Corn
1. Make your popcorn
In a large pan warm oil over medium heat and add 3 kernels of popcorn
Once all 3 kernels have popped add in the rest of the corn. All three need to pop. Shake a bit to level out the kernels and cover. listen to the popping it will start fast then pick up and eventually slow right down. when you have about 10 seconds between each pop they are all done.
Pour popcorn into a very large bowl for mixing and set aside. You could use microwave or air-popped popcorn if that is what you like, I like doing kettle cooked because I find it crunchier and holds up better to the caramel.
2. Get your oven ready
Preheat oven to 250°f. I tested it both with and without baking and baking it after is by far the best way to do it.
3. Make your caramel
In a large pot add the molasses, water, and brown sugar. Stir slightly to combine the ingredients then bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. if you don’t have molasses you could use corn syrup, light or gold will both work.
Once the mixture has reached 245°f using a candy thermometer (or hard ball stage) remove it from heat. There are some ways to do this without a thermometer but I have not been able to work that out myself to be able to inform you how. You can get a digital thermometer or an analog one like the one I used here they both work and are helpful in many ways.
add butter to the candy mixture and stir until it has fully melted. this will bring the temperature down a bit and add that creamy flavor we all love in the caramel.
add baking soda and mix quickly with a whisk, you will see the mixture lighten in color as well as start to foam up and almost double in size. This part is so fun, at first I didn’t think it was working then all of a sudden the bubbles started to form and we had a caramel full of air.
4. Add caramel to your popcorn
Pour over popcorn and fold gently until all the popcorn is covered. I added about half then mixed and added more as needed. do not mix or mash, you don’t want your popcorn to crumble. scoop your spatula or spoon from the outside down to the bottom and bring the mixture up, turn the bowl and repeat. Until everything is coated.
5. Add to baking sheet
Pour out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or and sprinkle with as much kosher salt, I like salty sweets so I put a lot, you can put as much as you want. I like to use kosher salt for this because it just tastes better in contrast to the sweet and is larger flakes rather than table salt. if you only have table salt and want to use it make sure you sprinkle from high up so you don’t have a large amount of salt in one spot.
6. Bake
bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
7. Allow to cool
Allow to cool this only takes a few minutes since the oven temperature isn’t very high, and break it apart. store in an airtight container (if you dint eat it all)
**Side note – This is one of my grandma’s recipes left in her cookbook, she did not leave instructions to bake it and although not baking it tastes amazing as well I like the crunch that happened to the popcorn when it was baked.
Caramel Corn
Equipment
- 1 candy thermometer
- 1 large pot
- 1-2 baking sheets
- 1 set of measuring spoons
- 1 set measuring cups
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup un-popped popcorn
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup molassas
- ½ cup water
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp baking soda
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large pan warm oil over medium heat and add 3 kernels of popcorn.½ cup un-popped popcorn, 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- once all 3 kernels have popped add in the rest of the corn. shake a bit to level out the kernels and cover. listen to the popping it will start fast then pick up and eventually slow right down. when you have about 10 seconds between each pop they are all done.
- Pour popcorn into a very large bowl for mixing and set aside.
- pre-heat oven to 250°f
- In a large pot add the molasses, water, and brown sugar. Stir slightly to combine the ingredients then bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup molassas, ½ cup water
- once the mixture has reached 245°f using a candy thermometer (or hard ball stage) remove it from heat.
- add butter to the candy mixture and stir until it has fully melted.4 tbsp butter
- add baking soda and mix quickly with a whisk, you will see the mixture lighten in color as well as start to foam up and almost double in size.½ tsp baking soda
- pour over popcorn and fold gently until all the popcorn is covered.
- pour out onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with as much kosher salt, I like salty sweets so I put a lot, you can put as much as you want.pinch kosher salt
- bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- allow to cool and break apart. store in an airtight container (if you dint eat it all)
