Ingredients
Units Scale
- 16 cups popped popcorn or 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup dark or light Karo corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep your station: Preheat the oven to 250°F and set out two large baking sheets. Pop the kernels any way you like, measure out 16 cups, pick out any unpopped kernels, and put the popcorn in a very large bowl. Once the caramel is ready, you’ll want to move fast.
- Create the caramel: Combine the butter, brown sugar, Karo syrup, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and everything is smooth. Use a pan with extra room, because the mixture will expand later.
- Boil without stirring: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then set a timer for 5 minutes. Keep the heat at medium and leave the spoon alone. Stirring now can make the caramel grainy.
- Foam it off the heat: Pull the pan off the burner and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The caramel will turn light and foamy and puff up in the pan. Don’t wait, because the foam deflates as it cools.
- Coat and bake: Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn and stir with a rubber spatula until every piece is coated. Divide the popcorn between the two baking sheets and bake at 250°F for 15 minutes.
- Stir at the halfway mark: Pull the pans out, stir the popcorn with the spatula, and spread it back out. Return the pans to the oven for another 15 minutes.
- Finish baking, then remove from oven: Bake for another 15 minutes, 30 minutes total. Take both pans out of the oven and set them on the counter. The caramel will still look glossy and feel slightly tacky, and it crisps as it cools.
- Cool and break apart: Let the pans cool for 5 minutes. Break the large clumps into bite-size pieces, then spread them on waxed paper or silicone baking mats to cool completely. Pack into an airtight container once the caramel corn is fully room temperature.