Gourmet Caramel Popcorn

A handful of caramel popcorn over a bowl.

5 from 4 votes

With just a few simple ingredients, you can take your regular popcorn to a whole new level with Gourmet Caramel Popcorn. Baking it in the oven makes it nice and crunchy and leaves the house smelling like heaven!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword gourmet caramel popcorn, how to make caramel popcorn

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 401kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

24 cups popcorn (popped) - 6 quarts
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Pop 6 quarts of popcorn, removing any un-popped seeds. Pour into large bowl and set aside.
24 cups popcorn (popped)
In a large stock pan, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, and cook for two minutes.
1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups brown sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup
Add vanilla, salt and baking soda, and mix well. Stir for a couple of minutes until it starts to "grow". You will know it when you see it.
1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda
Pour mixture over popcorn, and stir until popcorn is well coated.
Spread on baking sheets and bake at 225 degrees for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes.
Cool, and store in an airtight container.

Notes

You need two tablespoons of oil and about 3/4 cup of popcorn kernels to make 6 quarts (needed for this recipe).
The caramel topping cooks very quickly. Just make sure you stay close to the stove so it doesn't cook over. The baking soda makes the mixture start to grow - which is when you know that's it done.
This caramel popcorn stays well on the counter, for up to five days, in an airtight container.
You can freeze this popcorn as well, up to three months.

Nutrition