Delicious Caramel Popcorn Without Corn Syrup Recipe
This delicious caramel popcorn is made without corn syrup, using simple pantry ingredients like brown sugar and honey or maple syrup. It’s the perfect sweet, salty, and crunchy snack for movie nights or homemade holiday gifts.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5–45 minutes
- Total Time: 15–55 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 cups
- Category: Snack
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 10–12 cups popped popcorn (air-popped or stovetop)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt (optional, for salted caramel)
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn and place it in a large mixing bowl, removing any unpopped kernels.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugar and honey or maple syrup.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 4–5 minutes without stirring, until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda. The mixture will foam up.
- Immediately pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir well to coat all kernels.
- For soft caramel popcorn, let it cool and enjoy.
- For crispy caramel popcorn, spread it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 250°F (120°C) for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Let the popcorn cool completely before breaking into pieces.
Notes
- Add a pinch of sea salt for a salted caramel twist.
- Mix in nuts, chocolate chips, or crushed candy canes after baking for a festive touch.
- Drizzle melted dark chocolate over cooled popcorn for extra indulgence.
- Maple syrup adds a richer flavor than honey.
- Store in an airtight container to maintain crunch; reheat if it softens.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
