The Very Best Crunchy Caramel Corn
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups popped popcorn
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup salted nuts , (optional)
Instructions
- Place 6 to 8 cups of popped popcorn in an extra large bowl. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- In a large saucepan, on medium heat, cook sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Stir regularly until it comes to a boil. Continue stirring until the caramel reaches 275-280 degrees on a candy thermometer.
- Remove from heat. Add vanilla, salt, soda, and nuts and mix together quickly. The caramel will foam up as you stir in the ingredients.
- Immediately pour the caramel over the popcorn, stirring to coat the popcorn before it hardens.
- While still warm and pliable, transfer the caramel corn to the prepared pan and pull it into smaller sections to avoid large, heavy clumps. Let cool.
- Each batch can be stored in a gallon-size storage bag.
Notes
No need to scrape the pan after pouring the caramel over the popcorn.
I drizzle the caramel back and forth over the popcorn and then stir quickly to coat.
You will notice the caramel changing to a light copper color right before it's reached the correct temperature.