The BEST Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe! (2024)

Check Out Our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks!

Get 25% Off Now!
Get Them Here!

This is the BEST homemade caramel corn recipe! This caramel popcorn is so much cheaper and fresher than the store bought kind and my kids and family love it! It’s great for parties and after school snacks

The BEST Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe!

Below are some great snacks for any holiday party, football get together or just curled up on the couch watching TV.

Peanut Caramel Popcorn
(just like Cracker Jacks)

1 cup margarine
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light or dark corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
6 qts. popped corn
1/2-1 cup peanuts

Melt margarine in large saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. Gradually pour over popped corn and peanuts. Mix until coated. Makes 6 quarts.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice Popcorn

1/4 cup butter
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup peanuts
8 cups of popped corn

In a microwave container, melt butter and add sugar and spices. Add nuts and coat well. In a large bowl place popped corn and pour in butter and nut mix, tossing to coat everything well.

For more quick and easy recipes like this homemade caramel corn recipe, check out our cookbooks!

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

Homemade Muffin Recipes – Basic Muffin Recipe And More!

Homemade Fruit Smoothies Recipe And Extras! Cool, Easy And Delicious!

Applesauce Muffins Recipe – Easy And Delicious!

Reader Interactions

Comments

Angie M.
See Also
9 Copycat Auntie Anne's Recipes Vegetarian Main Dish Recipes - Yummy, Easy and Affordable!Chunk Beef Main Dish Recipes - Easy & Delicious Recipe Round Up 3 Easy Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipes
October 20, 2010 at 10:03 am

I tried this last night. My two kids and I needed a treat for watching “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”. This hit the spot. I only had butter flavored microwave popcorn, so I popped a bag of that. The recipe calls for 8 cups of popped popcorn. According to the nutrition facts on the microwave popcorn, one bag makes 10 cups so I used 5 tablespoons of butter (recipe calls for 4 tablespoons) and a pinch more brown sugar. I decided to leave out the cinnamon and nutmeg this time. It was SO yummy! The microwave popcorn was a little salty and we LOVE sweet/salty popcorn. I was afraid that since the microwave popcorn was butter flavor it might be too buttery…but it wasn’t. It turned out really good. The kids said it reminded them of kettle corn and it kind of did…better I thought! We loved it and will be making it again. I will try popping plain popcorn sometime and add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the butter/brown sugar. Thanks Tawra and Jill for another yummy recipe!!!
Reply
- Jill
  October 20, 2010 at 12:30 pm
  
  Thanks for letting us know how that worked with microwave popcorn so now we will know how to do it. For you or anyone else who happens to have Dining and like seasoned popcorn check out pages 316-317 and it is all popcorn recipes – different spices and flavors to add, barbecue, spiced and there is a too simple recipe for Kettle corn too.
  Reply
  - Susie
    September 25, 2021 at 12:37 am
    
    Is that in Volume 1 or 2?
    Reply
    - Jill
      September 25, 2021 at 9:25 am
      
      It is in volume 1 Susie
      Reply
grandma
October 20, 2010 at 1:06 pm

I did this using brown sugar splenda and it had a nice mapley flavour. I also add a fair bit of salt since Don likes sweet and I like salty so it pleased both of us.
was going to post on baked potatoes but there is no place to post a comment.
Reply
sheila
October 21, 2010 at 6:47 am

This is the first time I have commented on anything, but I was fixing oatmeal the other day, and I wanted to flavor it somehow. I usually add butter and sugar to mine. Well I had purchased some hazelnut coffee creamer, the powered kind. I added about 4 T. of it to the oatmeal, and it was delicious. I was just thinking, when I read your popcorn/kettlecorn post, that instead of brown sugar, you may can add the hazelnut coffee creamer. I will try this later and let you know. Great website.
Reply
See Also
The BEST Coleslaw recipe
JANIS NEILL
July 5, 2011 at 9:40 am

DO YOU HAVE RECIPES FOR HOT AND SPICEY POPCORN????
Reply
- Jill
  July 5, 2011 at 9:47 am
  
  Yes Janis we do. One of our many popcorn recipes in Dining on a Dime is
  Spiced Popcorn
  1 tsp. paprika
  1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
  1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
  1/4 cup butter, melted
  Mix together and pour over popcorn.
  Reply
Clay Blacklock
March 8, 2014 at 12:42 pm

Would like to see more tips on saving money at the grocery store
Thanks
Reply
- Jill
  March 8, 2014 at 2:20 pm
  
  Clay we have many many posts on that subject plus Dining on a Dime is packed and we have a whole e book set on it. Here is a link to many of the posts – you can scroll down and start picking out which ones you would like to read – don’t forget the boxes at the bottom to take you to even more.
  Saving Money on Groceries posts
  For more here is our whole set of grocery saving e books
  Reply
Mary Jane
October 11, 2014 at 10:09 am

Years ago, a neighbour got us hooked on garlic and onion flavoured popcorn, on movie night. (The things you learn in the dead of winter, and town is 15 miles away on dark, snowy roads!) Just butter your popcorn as usual, then experiment with 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder, or onion powder and add to it to suit your taste. The only advice I have is to avoid what those same neighbours did….don’t have a garlic popcorn night when all of you have dental appointments first thing the next morning.
Reply
Kerry
October 27, 2017 at 5:23 pm

I just made this for my grandkids trick or treat this afternoon. I’ve this same recipe – sans nuts – for years,but my directions say that once thoroughly mixed, dump coated popcorn onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (I use my roaster) and bake at 200* for 1 hr. It crisps the outside coating without altering the flavor of the buttery caramel. Oven toasted or not, this is the easiest, yummiest caramel corn!
Reply
Susan Buchanan
October 23, 2019 at 9:42 pm

I’m trying this tomorrow. Love your show and all the demos. Kitchen looks great also.
Reply
Dawn M Curtis
October 24, 2019 at 8:22 am

My recipe for caramel corn involves baking for an hour at 250 and stirring every 15 minutes. This looks way, way easier. Can’t wait to try it!
Reply
Kathy Bullmer
September 22, 2021 at 3:37 pm

I think this would make a great Christmas gift and you could add a prize to it just like cracker jacks. 😋
Reply
- Jill
  September 23, 2021 at 10:20 am
  
  Yes cute idea Kathy to add the prize.
  Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The BEST Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Why isn't my caramel corn shiny? ›

A granule of sugar, over-mixing, or uncooperative clumps of sea salt can turn caramel from a glossy, shiny confection into a dull grainy heap of chewy, brown sugar crystals. Candy making, or in this case caramel popcorn making, involves a significant amount of chemistry.

Show Me More ›

Why is my homemade caramel popcorn soggy? ›

Give it some time to cool. If it's still tasting soggy after 1–2 hours of cooling at room temperature, you may have under-baked the caramel corn. 1 hour in the oven is usually plenty. Additionally, be sure to cook the caramel on the stove for long enough.

Find Out More ›

How do you make Martha Stewart caramel popcorn? ›

In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring constantly. Working quickly, drizzle popcorn with sugar syrup, and toss. Spread popcorn evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden and shiny, about 40 minutes.

Learn More Now ›

Why is my homemade caramel corn grainy? ›

Why is my Caramel Corn Grainy? Grainy caramel (or crystalized caramel) happens when the sugar crystals in the caramel seize up or cling together.

Read On ›

What does cream of tartar do in Carmel? ›

You can also use a pinch in whipped cream to help avoid it from deflating. Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!

Discover More ›

Why put egg in caramel popcorn? ›

While some people said that she added the egg to absorb extra heat, others had different views. "Whole eggs absorb excess heat so it's an easy way to regulate the temperature balance of the other ingredients," a user wrote.

Why is my caramel popcorn not crispy? ›

The longer you cook the syrup (the mixture of sugar and water the forms the base of the caramel sauce), the crunchier your popcorn will be. For very crunchy popcorn (my favorite!), stop cooking when you see the first wisps of smoke coming from the sugar mixture.

Read The Full Story ›

Why is my caramel corn too sticky? ›

This can be caused by extended cooking times (especially under acidic conditions) and the use of the enzyme invertase. Increasing reducing sugars will add to the flavor and color of caramel – but too much can cause excessive stickiness.

Get More Info Here ›

What are the disadvantages of caramel popcorn? ›

Additionally, the caramel coating on the popcorn is high in sugar and calories, which can lead to a temporary spike in blood sugar levels and a subsequent drop, which can cause fatigue, headaches, or dizziness.

Why is my homemade caramel so runny? ›

Add more sugar to the sauce.

Most caramel sauces are made by caramelizing sugar and adding milk and a little salt. If you increase the amount of sugar in the recipe you'll end up with a thicker caramel. Try increasing the sugar by about 1/3.

Know More ›

How do you fix soggy caramel corn? ›

If you'd like to turn your soft caramel corn into crunchy caramel corn, all you need to do is bake it! Just spread it all out on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.

Read On ›

Is caramel corn the same as caramel popcorn? ›

Caramel corn or caramel popcorn (toffee popcorn in the UK) is a confection made of popcorn coated with a sugar or molasses based caramel candy shell that is normally less than 1mm thick. Typically a sugar solution or syrup is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a caramelized candy syrup.

See Details ›

What is the difference between kettle corn and caramel popcorn? ›

Kettle corn is a combination of sweet and salty flavors. It is lighter in flavor and texture than caramel corn as the sugar and salt are mixed in during popping rather than coated.

Read The Full Story ›

What can I use instead of baking soda in caramel? ›

Try one of these alternatives you may already have in your kitchen:

The Best Baking Soda Substitute: Baking Powder.
Baking Soda Substitute: Self-Rising Flour.
Baking Soda Substitute: Egg Whites.

Nov 2, 2023

Show Me More ›

Why did my caramel corn come out chewy? ›

Generally, the caramel will have a higher 'water activity' than the popcorn. As a result, if you leave the popcorn for a while, moisture from the caramel will migrate into the corn. This causes the popcorn to lose its 'crunch' and become soft and chewy.

Read The Full Story ›

What gives Carmel its flavor? ›

What Is Caramel? Caramel is white granulated sugar that's been heated slowly to 340 degrees Fahrenheit. This gradual heating process breaks down the sugar's molecules and creates a deep golden brown color and rich flavor.

Learn More Now ›

Why is my caramel corn bitter? ›

If your caramel sauce is bitter, it could be that your sugar burned. Lower your heat and pay attention to the color of your sugar; it should be no darker than a medium tan.

The BEST Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe! (2024)

The BEST Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe!

Peanut Caramel Popcorn
(just like Cracker Jacks)

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice Popcorn

Related Posts

Homemade Muffin Recipes – Basic Muffin Recipe And More!

Homemade Fruit Smoothies Recipe And Extras! Cool, Easy And Delicious!

Applesauce Muffins Recipe – Easy And Delicious!