Homemade Caramel Corn recipe is an old fashioned recipe made with real pop corn and a sweet and crunchy caramel coating.
This homemade caramel corn tastes so much better than store bought and makes a perfect Halloween party, movie night or a birthday party treat.
Many of you might think that popcorn comes in a box in little envelopes you pop in the microwave.
I have to admit the convenience of microwave popcorn is one that I have turned to time and time again.
And I may be letting a secret out here but I am no spring chick and when I was a kid we popped popcorn on the stove in a heavy bottomed pot.
You can read some interesting facts about the History of Popcorn here.
Real Popcorn verses Microwave Popcorn
When I was a kid we popped popcorn on the stove in a pot with a tablespoon or so of oil. Just writing that sentence and I can smell the way freshly popped popcorn smells.
If you were born in the 80's or later you probably have a very different olfactory memory going on right now.
You were born in the age of microwave popcorn and you may not know what real popped popcorn smells like.
Take my word for it the smell of freshly popped popcorn is completely different than the aroma of a bag of microwave popcorn cooking or even the aroma of movie theater popcorn which smells like butter.
And the smell of burnt popcorn is something you don't want to remember!
I'm not sure which smells worse the smell of burnt microwave popcorn or the smell of burnt popcorn kernals on the stove.
It is a odor that lingers in your home and your memories.
Not only is the aroma of freshly popped popcorn and microwave popcorn very different but the flavor and texture is very different also. Real popped corn has a crunch and corn flavor that you will never get from a microwaved variety of popcorn.
This Old Fashioned Caramel Corn recipe uses real old fashioned popped popcorn. Microwave popcorn will not work well with this recipe because when you pour the hot homemade caramel sauce over the microwaved popcorn the kernels will not hold their shape and will likely turn into a soggy mess.
Freshly popped popcorn kernels will hold up to the hot caramel sauce and hold their shape.
Cracker Jack Caramel Corn
One of the few popcorn treats that were available when I was a kid was a box of Cracker Jack Caramel Popcorn. Nostalgic popcorn recipes like this old fashioned caramel corn recipe take me back to my childhood.
Buying a box of Cracker Jack Caramel Corn and digging the prize out of the bottom of the box is a pleasure not many kids these days can appreciate.
Those small cheap toys the kids of my day were looked forward to so much more as a special treat because getting a toy was a much bigger event back than then it is now.
Old Fashioned Caramel Corn
When you make a vintage recipe like this old fashioned Caramel Corn recipe you know you are getting real homemade caramel corn.
This caramel corn recipe starts out with freshly popped popcorn kernels and is topped with a sweet and crunchy homemade caramel sauce that is baked until it is dry and forms a thin layer of crunchy caramel coating. on each piece of popped corn.
The caramel corn recipe calls for dry roasted or raw peanuts but you can omit the peanuts if you like.
I used raw peanuts and peeled them and most of the skin off each peanut the day before I made the homemade caramel corn recipe.
That was a lot of work and honestly as good as the homemade caramel corn tastes I will never do that again.
I could not find peeled peanuts but maybe you will have luck where you live.
Also since this old fashioned caramel corn recipe came from a vintage cookbook that was published in the 1950's dry roasted peanuts may not have been readily available to the cooks of those days.
Next time I make this Old Fashioned Caramel Corn recipe (I'm planning a movie night) I will use dry roasted peanuts instead.
The raw peanuts did not get crunchy after baking the caramel corn and I was expecting that flavor/texture so if that is the way you want the peanuts to taste in this caramel corn recipe used the dry roasted peanuts instead.
Caramel Corn Ingredients
- 32 cups popcorn
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup white corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla extract)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup dry roasted or raw peanuts (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 250 F. degrees.
- Pop the popcorn following the instructions on the package. Spread the popped corn over two or three large cookie or baking sheets to cool.
- In a medium saucepan add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Heat on medium and bring to a boil. Boil one minute constantly stirring.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract.
- Pour the caramel syrup over the popcorn evenly and toss with a spatula until coated evenly.
- Place the trays into the oven for 1 hour tossing every 15 minutes until the caramel coating has almost dried completely. You can check for doneness by removing the tray from the oven and allowing it to cool for about 5 minutes after the first hour. The caramel coating will no longer be sticky when the caramel corn is done.
Recipe Expert Tips
- For the best homemade caramel corn use freshly popped popcorn.
- 32 cups of popped corn sounds like a lot but I made two large pots of popcorn and had more than enough popped corn.
- If all of your baking trays will not fit in the oven at once bake each pan separately.
- If using small cookie sheets you may not need to bake and dry the pan for the entire 1 hour.
- Store the homemade caramel corn in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Helpful Products
Product links are affiliate links.
- Gourmet Popcorn Kernels
- Large nonstick baking sheets: I own two of these oversized baking sheets and use them all the time. They are worth buying and can be used for so many recipes like homemade granola, Christmas cookies, and homemade sweet dinner rolls.
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
More Fall Recipes
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Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 cups popped popcorn (about 8 ounces pop corn kernels)
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup white corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract I used my homemade vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup dry roasted or raw peanuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 F. degrees.
- Pop the popcorn following the instructions on the package. Spread the popped corn over two or three large cookie or baking sheets to cool.
- In a medium saucepan add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Heat on medium and bring to a boil. Boil one minute constantly stirring.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract.
- Pour the caramel syrup over the popcorn evenly and toss with a spatula until coated evenly.
- Place the trays into the oven for 1 hour tossing every 15 minutes until the caramel coating has almost dried completely. You can check for doneness by removing the tray from the oven and allowing it to cool for about 5 minutes after the first hour. The caramel coating will no longer be sticky when the caramel corn is done.
Notes
- 8 ounces of un-popped pop corn kernels will be needed to make about 32 cups of pop corn.
Gloria
This looks so addictive. I know it would be a great hit here for kids of ALL ages. Great to make as a food gift too.
Arlene Mobley
The kids around here gobble it up!
Denise
As I was reading this recipe I had a flashback to a recipe my mom used to make when I was little. I forgot about it until now....but I used to love it! Homemade is WAY better than store bought. Thanks for the post!
Arlene Mobley
Denise we had so much more homemade stuff when we were kids. Homemade is so much better if you ask me.
Veena Azmanov
This reminds me of when we were kids. My mom use to make homemade caramel corn for us everytime we had a pajama party at home. Now I do make popcorn for the kids but never made caramel corn yet. Must try soon.
Arlene Mobley
Veena
Childhood memories are the best. I like to try and make recipes like this for my kids and grand kids so they see that you can make it yourself and how much better homemade tastes.
Jolina
We love love love caramel popcorn. We buy buckets of them and it would be great to be able to make our own. Can't wait to make some.
Arlene Mobley
Jolina Enjoy!
Marisa Franca
I remember my Mother-In-Law making this all the time -- and it was a given that she'd have it at Christmas. It was so good. You're inspiring me to make up a batch. Hopefully we'll get a house soon so I can. And you are so right. The smell of burnt popcorn is terrible!! This does make a great gift!! Food is always appreciated.