Caramel Corn Recipe with Microwave Popcorn

Two white bowls of caramel popcorn with spillover.

5 from 1 vote

Caramel Corn Recipe with Microwave Popcorn

This Caramel Corn Recipe with Microwave Popcorn is easy, oven-baked, and family-friendly. It makes a buttery, crisp caramel coating without special equipment. It’s a homemade caramel corn recipe using brown sugar, corn syrup, and microwave popcorn baked low and slow for crunch.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 633kcal

Author: Jami Powell

Equipment

Large non-stick roasting pan or 2 rimmed baking sheets
4 quart or larger saucepan
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula

Ingredients

3 bags microwave popcorn popped lightly salted or plain, cooled slightly
2 ½ cups brown sugar
1 ¼ cups unsalted butter 2 ½ sticks
¾ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon flaky salt skip if popcorn is already salted
butter or cooking spray

Instructions

Grease the inside of a nonstick roasting pan with butter or cooking spray.
Pop all 3 bags and transfer to the greased pan, picking out unpopped kernels.
In a saucepan, melt brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup together. Bring to a boil and let bubble for 4 minutes without stirring.
Remove from heat and stir in baking soda, vanilla, and salt. The caramel will foam.
Pour caramel over the popcorn and gently fold with two spatulas until coated.
Bake at 250°F for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to keep the coating even.
For the last 5 minutes of baking, spread the popcorn evenly and let it bake undisturbed.
Cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Video

Notes

Storage Store homemade caramel popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Freeze This dish is not freezer-friendly.

Reheat: To reheat, warm briefly in the oven at 200°F for 5 minutes.

Substitutions

Microwave Popcorn: Use stovetop-popped corn, air-popped kernels, or even store-bought plain popcorn bags.
Brown Sugar: Substitute with coconut sugar (for a deeper, toffee-like flavor).

Adjustments Cooking time may need to be adjusted based on the geography of the area (high vs. low elevation), cookware (stoneware vs traditional bakeware), and outdoor temperature if grilling.

Nutrition information is only an estimate

Nutrition