How to Make Caramel Popcorn

1. Gather Ingredients and Equipment

Before you start making caramel popcorn, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients and equipment. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

• Popcorn kernels
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Corn syrup
• Baking soda
• Salt

Equipment:

• Large pot with lid
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Candy thermometer
• Wooden spoon

Make sure to have everything measured out and ready to go before you start cooking. This will make the process much smoother and easier to manage. Once you have everything set up, it’s time to move on to preparing the popcorn.

2. Prepare the Popcorn

To make caramel popcorn, you’ll need to pop the kernels first. There are a few different methods you can use to pop popcorn, but one of the easiest and most popular is to use a large pot with a lid.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to the pot and heat it over medium-high heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels to the pot and quickly stir them around to coat them in oil.
3. Cover the pot with the lid and wait for the kernels to start popping. Shake the pot occasionally to make sure the kernels are popping evenly.
4. Once the popping slows down to a few seconds between each pop, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for a minute or two to make sure all the kernels have popped.
5. Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and remove any unpopped kernels or burnt pieces.

Now that your popcorn is ready, it’s time to move on to making the caramel sauce!

3. Make the Caramel Sauce

The key to delicious caramel popcorn is the caramel sauce! Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and stir until everything is combined.
3. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Let the mixture boil until it reaches 250°F (121°C) on the candy thermometer.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the baking soda and salt. The mixture will bubble and foam up.
6. Stir everything until the caramel is smooth and well-combined.

Your caramel sauce is now ready! It’s time to coat the popcorn with this delicious mixture.

4. Coat the Popcorn with Caramel

Now that your caramel sauce is ready, it’s time to coat the popcorn with it. Here’s how to do it:

1. Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pour the popped popcorn into a large bowl and set it aside.
3. Pour the caramel sauce over the popcorn and use a wooden spoon to stir everything together until all the popcorn is coated with caramel.
4. Spread the popcorn out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake the popcorn in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
6. Once the popcorn is a light golden brown and crunchy, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.

Your delicious caramel popcorn is now ready to enjoy! Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

5. Bake the Popcorn and Enjoy!

The final step in making caramel popcorn is to bake it and enjoy the delicious results! Here’s a recap of the steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pour the popped popcorn into a large bowl and set it aside.
3. Pour the caramel sauce over the popcorn and stir everything together until all the popcorn is coated with caramel.
4. Spread the popcorn out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake the popcorn in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
6. Once the popcorn is a light golden brown and crunchy, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.
7. Once the popcorn is cool, transfer it to a serving bowl or individual bags and enjoy!

Caramel popcorn is a delicious and easy-to-make treat that’s perfect for movie nights, parties, or just a fun snack. With these simple steps, you can make your own batch of crunchy and sweet caramel popcorn in no time.