Each holiday season I gift my personal chef clients a batch of Salted Caramel Popcorn. Family members would hide the sweet-and-salty treat from one another to keep it all for themselves—it’s that addictive.
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Occasionally I bake a variety of treats for my clients—banana bread muffins, sugar cookies, chocolate-covered strawberry brownies, and sugared shortbread are favorites. But when the year ends, this salted caramel popcorn is the one gift I make again and again. Over twenty years as a personal chef I’ve packaged quart after quart of this popcorn for families. It balances sweet, crunchy, salty, and chocolate in the perfect bite.
The ingredients
- salted butter
- light brown sugar
- light corn syrup
- kosher salt
- baking soda
- vanilla extract
- popped popcorn
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
Making this salted caramel popcorn is straightforward and done in three main steps:
- Make the salted caramel sauce.
- Bake the caramel-coated popcorn.
- Finish with a melted chocolate drizzle and a sprinkle of salt.
The caramel sauce demands the most attention. Cooked correctly, it will be smooth, amber, and syrupy; overcooked, it can crystallize and turn grainy. The goal is a glossy, pourable caramel that evenly coats the popcorn.
Start with freshly popped corn for the best texture. Here’s a simple method that reliably produces great popcorn:
How to make the best homemade popcorn
- Heat a large pot (at least 8 quarts) over medium-high heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 3/4 cup corn kernels.
- Cover the pot with a lid.
- When popping begins, gently shake the pot to keep kernels from burning.
- When popping slows to a few seconds between pops, remove from heat.
- Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and remove any unpopped kernels.
- Or use a popcorn popper for a quick, fun result.
Expert tips
- Prep everything before you start. Measure ingredients and have the popcorn popped. The caramel step moves quickly, so being organized helps.
- Watch the caramel closely. Overcooking causes crystallization and a grainy texture; remove it from heat at the right color and consistency for the smoothest coating.
- Freshly popped corn yields the best crunch and texture once coated.
- Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn immediately and stir quickly to coat evenly.
- A large roasting pan (without a rack) works well for baking and stirring the popcorn—its straight sides keep everything contained.
- Let the popcorn cool completely and allow the chocolate drizzle to harden before packing it in an airtight container, otherwise it can become soggy.
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Thanks — Amy
Recipe
Salted Caramel Popcorn
Equipment
- popcorn popper (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 quarts popped popcorn
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Butter a large roasting pan and set it aside.
- In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
- Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and kosher salt, then increase the heat to medium.
- Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
- Boil the mixture without stirring for 4 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract.
- Place the popped popcorn in the prepared roasting pan.
- Immediately pour the hot caramel evenly over the popcorn and quickly stir to coat.
- Bake the caramel-coated popcorn for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even coating.
- Remove from the oven and spread the popcorn onto large sheets of foil or parchment paper to cool.
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl at 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled popcorn and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
- Allow the chocolate to harden completely, then store the popcorn in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Prepare all ingredients and pop the popcorn before starting—the caramel step goes quickly.
- Monitor the caramel carefully to avoid overcooking and crystallization.
- Freshly popped corn produces the best texture and crunch.
- Work quickly when pouring and stirring the hot caramel to coat the popcorn evenly.
- A roasting pan with straight sides makes stirring and baking easier.
- Do not package the popcorn until it has fully cooled and the chocolate has set to prevent sogginess.
Nutrition
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Calories: 381 kcal
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Carbohydrates: 52.8 g
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Protein: 2.9 g
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Fat: 18.8 g
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