Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Homemade caramel popcorn or caramel corn is made of popcorn coated with sugar or based caramel candy.

Course Appetizer, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 205kcal

Pour ¼ cup of corn kernels into the air popcorn machine as the picture shown.
Put the hood, cover the top lid and connect the power. Let the machine run and a couple minutes later popcorn will come out.
Using a big bowl to hold the air popped popcorn.
Put a piece of parchment paper on the tray. (Big enough to cover the tray.)
After that, put the popped popcorn on the tray and spread them. Then, preheat the oven for 200 F.
Add ¼ cup of butter (4 tablespoons) into a non-stick pan or pot. Then, turn on the fire to medium low. Let the butter melt.
Next, add 1 cup of light brown sugar. Mix the butter and brown sugar.
The following step, add ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ cup of light corn syrup. Continue to stir it until sugar melts.
Then, add ⅛ teaspoon of cream of tartar and ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Mix it well.
Pour the caramel syrup from step 9 over the popped popcorn on the cookie sheet step 5 and mix it well. (*Be careful and remember this action needs to be quick because they are very hot, sticky and harden faster.)
Mix the popcorn and caramel syrup well and make sure every popcorn is coated with caramel syrup.
When the oven reaches to 200 F, put them into an oven and bake for 1 hour at 200 F. Take it out every 20 minutes and mix it. Total repeat this step for 3 times.

The best is to use an air popcorn machine to make the popcorn because it is so easy, healthier and doesn't require any oil.
I do not use a lot of butter because it makes the popcorn crunchier and healthier. In order to reduce the amount of butter, you have to use a nonstick pan or pot to make caramel syrup mixture.
It is important to add cream of tartar because it helps prevent sugar syrup from crystallizing.
Bake caramel popcorn at 200F for an hour, every 20 minutes take them from the oven and keep mixing them. Repeat this step a total of 3 times. This can help make caramel corn crispy and crunchy.