Delicious Oven Baked Caramel Corn

If you ask me, homemade caramel corn is way better than anything you can buy at the store.

This sweet and crunchy snack brings together freshly popped corn and a rich, buttery caramel coating that’s baked until perfectly crisp. The slow oven-baking process lets each kernel get evenly coated and wonderfully crunchy.

It’s made with simple pantry ingredients you probably already have on hand – brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup come together to make that classic caramel flavor we all love. A tiny pinch of salt helps balance out the sweetness.

It’s an ideal treat for movie nights, party snacking, or packaging up as a thoughtful homemade gift.

What Kind of Popcorn Should I Use?

For caramel corn, you’ll want to start with plain popped popcorn – either white or yellow kernels will work great here. If you’re popping your own (which I recommend), mushroom-style popcorn kernels are actually the best choice because they have a rounder, sturdier shape that holds up well under the weight of the caramel coating. Regular butterfly-style kernels will still work just fine though! Just be sure to avoid using microwave popcorn or any pre-flavored varieties, as the extra oils and seasonings can interfere with how the caramel sticks to the popcorn. Make sure to sort through your popped corn and remove any unpopped kernels before adding the caramel – your teeth will thank you later.

Options for Substitutions

While this caramel corn recipe relies on some specific ingredients for the right chemical reactions, there are still a few substitutions you can try:

• Light corn syrup: You can replace corn syrup with honey or golden syrup, though the texture might be slightly different. Keep in mind that honey will add its own distinct flavor.
• Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar works too, but will give a deeper molasses flavor and darker color. You can also use regular granulated sugar mixed with a tablespoon of molasses per cup.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter can work – just reduce the added salt by ¼ teaspoon. However, don’t substitute with margarine or oil, as the butter is crucial for the right caramel texture.
• Baking soda: This is a must-have ingredient that can’t be substituted – it creates the right texture by making tiny bubbles in the caramel coating.
• Coarse salt: Regular table salt works fine – just use a bit less (about ¾ teaspoon) since its grains are smaller.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making caramel corn is burning the caramel – it can go from perfect to scorched in seconds, so keep a close eye on the mixture and remove it from heat as soon as it reaches a deep amber color.

Another common mistake is overcrowding your baking sheets – spread the coated popcorn in thin, even layers to ensure each piece gets crispy, and stir every 15 minutes during baking to prevent sticky clumps from forming.

Watch out for unpopped kernels before coating your popcorn, as these hard bits can be unpleasant surprises – take a few minutes to sort through your popped corn and remove them.

For the crunchiest results, let the caramel corn cool completely before breaking it apart, and store it in an airtight container to maintain its crispy texture – humidity is your enemy here and can make your hard work go soft within hours.

What to Serve With Caramel Corn?

Caramel corn makes an awesome snack on its own, but it’s even better when you serve it as part of a fun snack spread! For movie night, I like to put out bowls of both regular popcorn and caramel corn, along with some salty snacks like pretzels or mixed nuts to balance out the sweetness. Since this treat can be pretty sweet, having some cold drinks nearby is always a good idea – think ice-cold milk, lemonade, or even hot chocolate if it’s chilly outside. You can also mix things up by serving your caramel corn alongside other movie theater favorites like M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces, which guests can mix in for a sweet and salty combo.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Once your caramel corn has completely cooled, place it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. It stays perfectly crunchy at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Just make sure to keep it away from humidity to maintain that wonderful crunch!

Package: This caramel corn makes great gifts! Divide it into decorative tins or cellophane bags, seal them well, and your friends will be snacking happy. If you’re packaging it up, just make sure it’s completely cool first to prevent any condensation from forming.

Freeze: Want to keep it even longer? Pack your caramel corn in freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, just take it out and let it come to room temperature – no need to thaw in any special way!

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	60 minutes
Total Time	70-75 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3500-4000
• Protein: 10-15 g
• Fat: 200-220 g
• Carbohydrates: 500-550 g

Ingredients

• 6 quarts popped popcorn
• 1 cup butter (unsalted)
• 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Step 1: Prepare the Popcorn

Preheat your oven to 250°F.

Spread the freshly popped corn onto two large rimmed pans.

Place the pans in the oven to keep the popcorn warm and crisp.

This ensures the popcorn will mix better with the caramel later.

Step 2: Make the Caramel Sauce

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil.

Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature, cooking until it reaches the firm ball stage of 248°F, which should take about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add Baking Soda to Caramel

Once the caramel mixture reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the heat and stir in the baking soda.

Be cautious, as the mixture will foam up quickly.

Step 4: Coat the Popcorn with Caramel

Remove the popped corn from the oven.

Pour the hot caramel mixture in a fine stream over the popcorn, folding to mix well.

Ensure that the popcorn is thoroughly coated with the caramel.

Step 5: Bake and Stir the Caramel Corn

Return the pans to the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Stir and scrape up the caramel from the bottom of the pans every 15 minutes to ensure even coating and prevent sticking.

Step 6: Cool and Break up the Caramel Corn

Remove the pans from the oven and place them on a cooling rack.

Once the caramel corn is cool enough to handle but still pliable, break up any large clumps with your fingers.

Let the caramel corn cool completely before serving.

You can enjoy it immediately or store in an airtight container for up to a week.