Homemade Caramel Popcorn

4.86 from 7 votes

Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Easy homemade caramel popcorn made from freshly popped popcorn and a homemade caramel sauce without corn syrup. Super easy to make and absolutely delicious! You never buy store-bought again!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword caramel corn recipe, caramel popcorn recipe, caramel popcorn recipe without corn syrup, homemade caramel popcorn

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1

Servings 1/2 cups

Calories 154kcal

Author Kelly Nardo

Ingredients

Homemade Popcorn

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels (105 grams)

Homemade Caramel Sauce

6 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (make sure fully combined when using canned coconut milk)*
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make your popcorn. Add your coconut oil to a large pot or dutch oven and melt over medium heat. Add 3 popcorn kernels and place the lid over the pan. Once they pop, the oil is ready. Add the remaining popcorn kernels, spreading out evenly over the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Cover with a lid and allow kernels to pop. Shake/agitate the pan around a few times while it pops to make sure all the kernels get popped. Once done, pick out any kernels that didn't pop (you can do this by transferring the popcorn to a large bowl or baking sheet).
Make your caramel sauce. Wipe out your pan and let cool for a minute or two. Melt your butter over medium-low heat. Add your coconut sugar and full-fat coconut milk and whisk well to combine. Cook for 5-7 minutes over a low simmer, whisking constantly. Be careful not to burn it and turn down the heat if needed. You can also remove it from the heat for short periods of time to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. As it cooks, the sauce will thicken. Remove from heat and let cool a little (it will thicken a little more). Stir in the salt.
Coat popcorn in caramel sauce. Add your popcorn to the saucepan the caramel sauce is in. Using a spatula, carefully mix well to combine, making sure to evenly coat all the pieces. Pour the mixture out on your lined baking sheets, spreading out in a single layer. The more spread out it is, the crispier it will get. If there is extra caramel sauce in the pan, use a spatula to drizzle it over the popcorn.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Enjoy! Enjoy it warm or let cool completely before storing or transferring it. As it cools, it will crisp up more.

Notes

*when using canned full-fat coconut milk, it can sometimes be separated with the liquid/water on the bottom and cream on the top. Make sure to mix well so it's fully combined before using.

Tips:

as the caramel sauce cools, it will thicken some. You don't want to cool too much as it's easier to mix when it's warm. A few minutes to cool is just enough!
make sure your baking sheets are spread out in the oven. Either leave enough room between baking racks or if your oven is big enough, place both sheets on the same rack. This allows for even airflow to cook the caramel popcorn.
you can bake longer if you like. The longer you bake, the crispier it will get.
store in a large sealable airtight container, tin lined with parchment paper, or reusable silicone bag or plastic bag.
once popped, the popcorn makes about 10 cups. After it is mixed with the caramel sauce and cooked, it makes 5 1/2 cups.

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