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Active Time
20 min
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Total Time
1 hr
Fall harvest snack? Check. Homemade Halloween treat? Check. Movie-night munchie? Check. Deploy these nutty clusters for any and all occasions.
Ingredients
Makes about 12 cups
Special Equipment
Step 1
Heat oil with 3 kernels in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, covered, over moderate heat until 1 or 2 kernels pop. Remove lid and quickly add remaining kernels, then cook, covered, shaking pan frequently, until kernels stop popping, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover.
Step 2
Line bottom of a large shallow baking pan with foil. Lightly oil foil. Melt butter in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat. Add brown sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, then boil, without stirring, until syrup registers 300°F on thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
Step 3
Using a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, stir salt and baking soda into syrup, then quickly stir in peanuts and popcorn to coat. Immediately spread mixture in baking pan as thinly and evenly as possible. Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces.
Leave a Review
Reviews (72)
Back to TopThis was the best popcorn I have ever eaten! I do not like soggy popcorn so I did not have high expectations, but this was very crunchy throughout and a wonderful combination of sweet and salty. Make this recipe!
rugbyh
Coral Springs, FL
4/29/2019
Epicurious has the BEST WEBSITE of any company! It lowers frustration level and raises production levels! And, this caramel corn recipe is an example of the best in easy, good, efficient! THANK YOU! Dolores Farrell.
dorrief2018
Sitka, AK
10/28/2018
Delicious! I made two double batches of this caramel corn today. I used toasted pecans instead of peanuts and added a bit of vanilla and almond extract at the end. After reading the reviews, I decided to cook the caramel to 260 degrees for one batch and to 280 degrees for the other. The 260 degree batch tastes good, but if you have fillings you are in trouble! I am currently baking that batch to dry it out a bit and, I hope, make it less sticky. The 280 batch is perfect. I think it would be fine cooked to 300 degrees. I think the key is to cook the caramel at a low enough temp that it doesn't get burned on its way to 300. I will definitely be making this again!
Anonymous
Missouri
10/5/2017
OK made this again. This time spread out on the silpat sheet again like before but poured thin layer of caramel on top and did not stir. Let harden and broke into size of large cookies. Glossy amber candy on one side and snow white popcorn/peanuts and pretzels on other side. Gorgeous and delicious. My friend said I could give them as gifts.
Brenda12360
Dallas TX
11/8/2013
Yummy. Read 3 caramel popcorn recipes on this site and chose this one based on reviews. Used my silpat sheets to spread out popcorn and nuts and then poured caramel on top in about 3 additions, stirring in between. Still ended up with a sticky clump with more caramel on one side, but it didn't matter because it is so good.
Brenda12360
Dallas TX
10/30/2013
如何管理混合焦糖爆米花年代o it's spread evenly before the caramel cools and hardens? Half of it was like popcorn brittle and the other half had barely any caramel.
upperwestsidemom
2/25/2013
good, but watch out for your dental work! tastes like the popcorn that comes in big tins at Christmas time.
Anonymous
washington dc
6/1/2012
Just made this. I used gas heat. Boiled for 8 minutes. Used exact recipe. Was concerned that there wasn't going to be enough popcorn but it was enough. No candy thermometer. Wasn't too chewy. Perfect. Used peanuts. Husband loved them. Eat with hot drink to wash off the caramel stuck on your teeth. Will use this recipe again!
JulieW
Puyallup, WA
5/1/2012
Yummy!
Anonymous
2/21/2012
I have made this countless times, varying the type of nuts, adding chocolate, granola, salt etc. It's so easy and it's perfect! I never use a thermometer, just time it. Trust me.
Anonymous
2/5/2012
Well I also have made caramel(s) several times and this did not turn out for me either. I timed the caramel to 8 minutes and pulled it just shy because it was at 290 and looking way too dark. I checked it with two different trusty thermometers. I went ahead and finished the recipe but it is too dark and tastes off. So something somewhere is off... I used medium heat, it called for moderate. Maybe the difference is in how high the heat used. I may try this again but go with 270-280 instead or I will move onto another recipe.
ImWhisper
Los Angeles, California
10/8/2011
Really easy, and really tasty. I made it just as the recipe called for, and without a thermometer, using the time suggested in the recipe. Would most definitely make this again. A lot of fun for a Memorial Day barbecue.
Anonymous
Washington DC
5/28/2011
Made this without a thermometer. It turned out well, but next time I will make sure to stir the popcorn and caramel very well and spread the popcorn out in a thinner layer. I might also make more popcorn or less caramel. I felt like the popcorn had too much caramel on it that made it hard to chew, but it did taste delicious.
Anonymous
弗吉尼亚州夏洛茨维尔
1/23/2011
I just want to clarify that I put the entire mixture (popcorn, peanuts and caramel) in the oven after deciding that the texture was wrong.
ktbrk
Washington, DC
12/15/2010
I didn't rate this because I didn't follow the instructions exactly. I did follow the ingredients exactly, but then based on other reviews I only heated the caramel to 260. The flavor was delicious, but it was far too chewy to work well on popcorn. I spread all of it out on a baking sheet and put it in the oven at 300 for 15 minutes (stirring once) and after that it was perfect! You may want to try this if yours turns out with too much chew and not enough crunch.
ktbrk
Washington, DC
12/15/2010
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