This is my late grandmother’s recipe for homemade caramel corn. Brimming with buttery flavor, sweet crunch, and from-scratch caramel, each handful (you’ll want to eat it that way!!) is undeniably irresistible. You’ll make the 6-ingredient caramel sauce on the stove, and while a candy thermometer is helpful, you certainly can get by without one. The recipe below is for plain caramel popcorn, but if you want to dress it up, go ahead and add nuts, melted chocolate, and/or a dash of cinnamon.
Every holiday season when I was growing up, my late grandmother made a double batch of this beloved homemade caramel corn. Friends and family would flock to the sweet and salty snack, and it never lasted more than a couple of days. Grandma was happy to repeat the process; serving it brought her so much joy.
I cannot make this stuff fast enough. It’s INCREDIBLY irresistible, and a great holiday snack. In fact, it’s been tradition in our family to serve it along with a batch of spicy honey chex mix or seasoned pretzels as we decorate Christmas sugar cookies. Just a suggestion if you’re hosting a cookie decorating day and need some snack ideas!
Do not accidentally use baking powder. I repeat: do not use baking powder.
Once you have your popcorn ready, start the caramel sauce.
The caramel is a little different from my salted caramel sauce recipe, which is more like drizzle or garnish. Today’s caramel, however, is a caramel sauce that has some elasticity (thanks to the corn syrup), and holding power. Meaning it can cling nicely to the popcorn, and not melt off.
Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and cream of tartar together in a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Cook and stir over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbling around the edges, let it boil for around 4 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer (I use and love this one), use it here. Cook the mixture until it reaches 234–235°F (112–113°C).
As soon as the caramel comes off the heat, stir in the baking soda. The mixture will bubble up, almost double in volume, and appear frothy on the surface as you stir; this is normal and expected:
Pour over the popcorn, gently stir to combine, and then spread out onto a lined baking sheet:
Bake at 200°F (93°C) for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Baking the caramel corn is imperative and helps the caramel set evenly over the popcorn.
Bring to bake sales, tote along on road trips, or serve as a simple finger food at holiday parties—everyone loves this stuff. It’s also a wonderful option if you’re ever in need of gluten free dessert recipes.
Brimming with buttery flavor, sweet crunch, and from-scratch caramel, each bite of this homemade caramel corn is undeniably irresistible. You'll make the 6-ingredient caramel sauce on the stove, and while a candy thermometer is helpful, you certainly can get by without one. The recipe below is for plain caramel popcorn, but see Notes for other variations. This is a great make-ahead recipe for a party, bake sale, or gathering, and can easily be doubled.
