Simple Pleasure: Homemade Caramel Corn

July 25, 2012

Homemade caramel corn definitely beats the pre-packaged stuff. Delicate puffed corn kernels are coated in cinnamon flavored caramel sauce and studded with toasted pecans. This is a base recipe for caramel corn so feel free to add different min-ins like pretzel bites, dried fruit, chocolate chips (only once the caramel has cooled) and even cookie crumbs. Homemade caramel corn is sweet, buttery, salty, and simply irresistible.

Caramel Corn

Ingredients:

2 bags plain microwave popcorn
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 cup brown sugar

1/8 cup light corn syrup

1/8 cup molasses

1 stick of butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

Pop your popcorn. Mix together the chopped nuts and the popped popcorn. Set that mixture aside.

Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and molasses to a bowl.

Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the brown sugar mixture.

Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.

Microwave for 2 minutes, and stir. Repeat until mixture is hot and bubbly.

Stir in the vanilla, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. The mixture will become a little foamy.

Pour over the popcorn and nuts, stir until the popcorn is evenly coated.

Preheat your oven to 250º F

Pour caramel corn on to a lined baking sheet. Try to make it as much of one single layer as you can manage.

Bake for 5 minutes and stir. Continue this process until the popcorn is as crunchy as you want it. This shouldn’t end up being more than 20 minutes of baking.