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Buttery puffcorn covered in delicious caramel sauce and baked to perfection. An easy holiday snack that’s perfect for treat trays and gifting.
Make your holidays sweet with homemade caramel puffcorn. It’s a yummy mix of sweet and salty using butter-flavored puff popcorn and a delicious caramel sauce. This treat is easy to make and great for sharing or giving as a gift.
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Ingredients for Caramel Puff Popcorn
All you need are these simple ingredients for this delicious caramel puffcorn.
- 1 cup butter – salted.
- 1 cup brown sugar – light brown sugar.
- 1/2 cup corn syrup – light corn syrup.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda – regular baking soda.
- 2 packages puff popcorn – butter puff popcorn, we use Chester’s.
Note: we strongly suggest the butter puffcorn, not the plain. Pairing buttery, salty popcorn with the sweet caramel coating will have a better overall flavor.
Supplies & Favorite Tools for Making Caramel Corn
Get ready to whip up a delicious holiday treat with just a few kitchen essentials.
- Saucepan – medium-sized, a 3-quart pan works great.
- Mixing spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper – we love the pre-cut sheets.
- Storage container or gift packaging
How to Make Caramel Puffcorn
Follow these simple steps to make caramel-covered puffcorn.
1
Preheat oven to 250°F.
Warm up the oven, and set it to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2
Melt butter.
In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter.
3
Add sugar and corn syrup. Mix and Cook.
Once the butter is fully melted, add the brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir until combined. Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.
4
Remove from heat and add baking soda.
Remove the caramel mixture from the heat and add baking soda. Stir until it’s well mixed.
5
Pour caramel onto puffcorn and mix.
Pour the caramel sauce over the puff popcorn and mix it until it’s well-coated.
6
Spread onto A baking sheet.
Add the caramel-covered puffcorn to a baking sheet prepared with parchment (for easy cleanup). Spread out in a single layer.
Note: we use two half baking sheets and make two batches, but you can use a large baking sheet.
7
Now It’s Time to bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 250°F, stirring often (we stir every 10 minutes). Once the caramel mixture turns golden and hardens, it’s done. You can test this by leaving a piece out to cool each time you stir it. Note: using one extra large baking sheet to bake in just one batch could take closer to 45 minutes.
8
Break apart as it cools.
Remove from the oven. As the puff corn cools, break apart any pieces that are sticking together.
9
Enjoy or store it for later.
Once the puffcorn has completely cooled, it’s ready to enjoy or store for later in an airtight container, like a ziplock bag or plastic container with a lid.
Gift Packaging Ideas
Caramel puffcorn is perfect for giving as gifts to family, friends, neighbors, and teachers. Here are some packaging ideas:
- Festive holiday tins
- Cellophane cones tied with ribbon
- Mason jars
Also, see our cinnamon roasted almonds and white chocolate puffcorn, which are also great for gifting.
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Caramel Puffcorn
Buttery puffcorn covered in delicious caramel sauce and baked to perfection. An easy holiday snack that’s perfect for treat trays and gifting.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 c. butter
- 1 c. light brown sugar
- 1/2 c. light corn syrup
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 packages of buttery puff popcorn (3.5 ounces each)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
- Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Mix.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add baking soda. Stir.
- Pour caramel mix over puffcorn. Stir until puffcorn is well-coated.
- Spread on baking sheets prepared with parchment paper (we use half sheets, 2 batches).
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes and stir often. (Extra large baking sheets in 1 batch could take closer to 45 minutes.) See notes on how to know when it’s done.
- Remove from the oven and break it apart as it cools.
- It’s ready to enjoy or store for later in an air-tight container.
Notes
- Type of puffcorn: make sure to use the buttery puff popcorn for the best flavor.
- How to know when it’s done: once the caramel mixture turns golden and hardens, it’s done. You can test this by leaving a piece out to cool each time you stir it.
- Storage: store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 27.2 g
- Sodium: 245.2 mg
- Fat: 20.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 10.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.3 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 40.7 mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to commonly asked questions about making caramel puff popcorn.
Are there any ways to vary this caramel puffcorN?
While the recipe provides a delicious combination of butter-flavored puff popcorn and homemade caramel, feel free to get creative. Add chopped nuts, chocolate drizzles, or even a sprinkle of sea salt.
Can I use microwave popcorn instead of puff popcorn?
While microwave popcorn could be used in a pinch, the recipe is made for puff popcorn. We prefer the taste and texture of puffcorn in this particular recipe.
Final Notes
Add a dash of sweetness to your holidays with our easy-to-make caramel puffcorn. It’s perfect for sharing or gifting. Just add it to a festive tin or cellophane cone with ribbon. Everyone will love this simple, tasty holiday treat!
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Have You Tried This Recipe? Please rate it in the comments and let us know your thoughts!
More Snack Recipes
- White Chocolate Puff Popcorn
- Harvest Snack Mix
- White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Thins
- Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Almonds
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