Caramel Popcorn
Popcorn coated in a butter and brown sugar caramel and cooked for 15 minutes in a low oven until crisp. Eight servings in 30 minutes.
How to Cook Caramel Popcorn
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Heat the oven to 120°C / 250°F. Put the popped corn in a large bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels.
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Melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup and salt in a pan and boil for 4 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
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Pour over the popcorn, fold to coat, then spread on two trays. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring once. Cool completely.
Things to Watch For
- Discard unpopped kernels.
- Add the bicarbonate off the heat.
- If your oven runs hot, check at 10 minutes.
- Cool fully before storing.
A Little Background
It sounds like a sweet shop snack and takes about as long as a film trailer. Popcorn, butter, brown sugar and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda: that is the whole list.
The bicarbonate matters. It makes the caramel foam and turn airy, so it cracks cleanly instead of setting like toffee. Add it off the heat and stand back, because it bubbles up.
Pop the corn first and pick out any unpopped kernels, which crack teeth. Pour the hot caramel over in a large bowl and fold gently with a spatula to coat every piece. Work quickly, since the caramel stiffens as it cools.
Spread on trays and cook at 120°C for 15 minutes, stirring once, to dry the coating. If your oven runs hot, check at 10 minutes. Cool completely before breaking up, and keep it airtight. Mix in roasted peanuts or pecans at the coating stage for a crunchier version.
To Go With It
Movie night · Lunch boxes · Party bowls · Vanilla ice cream
Leftovers
Keeps in an airtight tin for up to 1 week.
Quick Answers
How long does Caramel Popcorn take to make?
About 30 minutes in total — 5 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 8.
What are the key tips for making Caramel Popcorn?
Discard unpopped kernels. Add the bicarbonate off the heat. If your oven runs hot, check at 10 minutes. Cool fully before storing.
What should I serve with Caramel Popcorn?
Movie night; Lunch boxes; Party bowls; Vanilla ice cream.
How should Caramel Popcorn be stored?
Keeps in an airtight tin for up to 1 week.
Is Caramel Popcorn suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, low-carb and keto. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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