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–+ servings
Basket of caramel popcorn.
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5 from 3 votes

Caramel Popcorn Recipe

This soft caramel popcorn is so delicious, I dare you to eat just one handful. Try it on its own or add some fun mix ins!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time17 minutes
Course: candy
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Caramel Popcorn
Servings: 24
Calories: 1579kcal
Author: Heidi Rasmussen

Equipment

  • 1 heavy saucepan

Ingredients

  • 9 quarts popcorn buttered and salted
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • 2 ¼ cups brown sugar packed
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

  • Place the popped corn in a very large bowl, or two large bowls, leaving some room to stir. Be sure to remove all kernels.
    Two bowls of popped popcorn with butter and salt.
  • In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together butter, corn syrup and brown sugar.
    Wooden spoon stirring brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in a saucepan.
  • Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
    Boiling caramel in saucepan with wooden spoon.
  • Remove from heat and stir in can of sweetened condensed milk.
    Pouring sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan of boiling caramel.
  • Return to heat and boil for 3 more minutes, stirring constantly.
    Boiling caramel in a saucepan with a wooden spoon.
  • Test for soft ball stage by placing small drop of the hot caramel into a small bowl of cold water.
    Dripping caramel into a small glass of water from a wooden spoon.
  • Roll the caramel from the water into a ball with your hands and it will give you the consistency of the finished product. You want the caramel to be a soft ball that can hold its shape.
    Rolling caramel into a ball in hands over a glass of water.
  • Remove from heat again, let it sit for 2 minutes then pour over prepared popcorn and stir until well coated.
    Pouring caramel on top of bowl of popcorn.
  • Eat as is or make into balls using buttered fingers and placing the balls on a sheet of waxed paper until cool.
    Rolling a ball of caramel popcorn with hands over a bowl of caramel popcorn.
  • Store in an airtight container.
    Bolt of caramel popcorn.

Video

Notes

For the popcorn you will need 9 quarts measured after it is popped, then butter and salt it as you would if you were just eating it as regular popcorn. OR buy prepped corn enough to total 9 quarts and remove the unpopped kernels as much as possible. 
 
Testing caramel  for soft ball stage is easy without a candy thermometer. Get a bowl of cold water and set it to the side of your heavy saucepan of caramel. When you want to test the consistency of the caramel, drizzle some caramel from your wooden mixing spoon into the bowl. Using your fingers, scoop out the caramel drizzle from the water and try to roll it into a ball. The cold water will set the caramel right away and if it rolls into a ball and is still soft, then it's the perfect consistency. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1579kcal | Carbohydrates: 317g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 1258mg | Fiber: 51g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 858IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 11mg