Caramel Corn is quintessential fall food and this recipe is quick, easy, and can be made in the microwave! No candy thermometers or complicated instructions, just warm, buttery caramel coated bites. Now there are generally 2 schools when it comes to caramel corn: those who like it warm and soft, and those who like it crisp and crunchy. This recipe is awesome because 1. It tastes amazing, 2. It’s suuuper easy, and 3. You can make it gooey or crunchy. You can even form it into popcorn balls. Pretty much anyone and everyone who eats this asks for the recipe!
How do you make caramel corn in the microwave?
You’ll want a large, microwave save bowl. I use a large glass mixing bowl. Use a bowl that’s larger than your ingredients to leave room for the mixture boiling and growing in volume as it cooks. You’ll combine brown sugar, butter, and a little corn syrup in the bowl and microwave just until everything melts together and is stirred smooth.
TIP: Cut your butter into small pieces so it melts quicker.
After it’s melted and smooth, then you’ll cook it for a couple minutes to dissolve the sugar. It will look like caramel after you pull it out (because it is caramel!)
The magic happens when you add the vanilla (watch it sizzle!) and the baking soda. Stir in the baking soda and you’ll see the caramel actually grow and become lighter in caramel and almost….fluffy.
What’s the easiest way to mix caramel corn?
At this point, your popcorn should be in a large bowl. The largest bowl you can find. Use one that is way bigger than you think you’ll need, it just makes it SO much easier to stir. I use a ridiculously large bowl like this one for my caramel corn, and also rice krispy treats. It’s one of my most favorite kitchen tools!
You’ll also want to make sure you carefully remove ALL unpopped kernels from the bowl so you don’t break a tooth.
Mix it up well with a big spoon. The longer it sits out, the firmer it will get, but it won’t ever get crunchy-hard unless you bake it.
How do I make crunchy caramel corn?
If you’d like to turn your soft caramel corn into crunchy caramel corn, all you need to do is bake it! Just spread it all out on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
For a variation try this reader favorite: Cinnamon Bun Popcorn
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Easy Caramel Corn
Description
The easiest buttery-soft caramel corn recipe made with pantry ingredients and in the microwave, with instructions on making it gooey OR crunchy!
Ingredients
12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Karo syrup (light or dark is fine)
1/8 teaspoon salt (if you are using salted microwave popcorn then omit salt here)
1/2 cup real butter (1 stick)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Pop popcorn and set aside. Place brown sugar, Karo syrup, salt, and butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for 30 seconds. That should be enough to melt the butter at least half way. Stir it all to combine. No microwave on high for 2 minutes. Take it out and stir. Microwave for 2 more minutes.
While the caramel is cooking, put the popcorn in a big bowl. Use one that is way bigger than you think you’ll need. Also, remove any un-popped kernels. When the caramel is done cooking, take out of microwave and add baking soda and vanilla. Stir well and then pour over popcorn and stir up popcorn immediately to coat.
Eat warm straight out of the bowl, or spread out onto waxed paper or foil and let cool to room temperature (for soft, gooey popcorn).
For crunchy caramel corn: spread out on a cookie sheet (you might need 2) and bake at 300 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Pull out a piece and pop it in the fridge to let it cool quickly to test crunchiness!
Questions & Reviews
Udy's- it can be doubled, but I've noticed that I sometimes have to cook the caramel mixture a little extra. There's just more of it so it takes a little longer.
I am absolutely addicted to your site (well and the popcorn)!! I doubt if my boys will ever eat plain old buttered popcorn again. In fact they're at the table right now fighting over the last few kernels of your 'Caramel Corn'.
I just had a quick question. Doubling this recipe will have the same result right…? I have family coming into town and wanted to make a larger batch. Thanks for all the great recipes! I will be a follower for life!!
Sam I'm not sure- the brown sugar is needed for the actual caramelization process and when you start playing around with it, it can do funny things. But splenda brown sugar mix does have some natural sugar crystals in it, so who knows. If you try it let us know!
I am seriously addicted to this popcorn. I was thinking about ways I could make it lower in calories and was wondering… Do you think you could use the brown sugar that splenda makes? Or would it not do the same thing that brown sugar does? Also I know that light butter works well instead of the full fat.
Thanks, Sam
I just made this with Splenda brown sugar blend and it worked great!
THis looks so amazing yummy .. I actually tried abstaining myself from licking the scren lol .
Well I am a blogger too u can check my blog at http://karanvohraart.bogspot.com . I write book reviews mostly
Lydia- one stick is 1/2 C butter
Trisha- if it's soft and gooey, then it's best eaten fresh. If it's baked crunchy it will last a few days.
Mary Kelly- bummer! I will update the instructions to add both options.
So I tried this "updated" crunchy version and it tasted burnt. I think I am going to stick with your original posting cooking the popcorn for an hour on 200, stiring every 15 minutes because that has always turned out more than delicious.
I put it in the 300 oven for just 10 minutes and it was perfect. No need to do the half hour.
I've made this a few times and I LOVE IT…do you have any idea how long it will keep in an airtight container?
when you say 1 stick of butter..is it actually 2 cups of butter because thats what we have in Canada? Thanks.
Hey Rebecca!
Do you happen to have honey there? That makes a really good substitute- I actually use it often here at home. I've never tried simple syrup, it's definitely a lot thinner than Karo, but you could give it a try if you can't find honey either. Good luck!
Hi, Rebecca from Taiwan again 🙂 I can't find Karo syrup where I am, but I've heard that you can use "simple syrup" (1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, bring to boil stirring until sugar dissolves and cool) what do you think about that for this recipe? Thanks!
This recipe was awesome, thank you for posting. Today I made your coleslaw and have received raves from my daughters, one who said she usually didn't like coleslaw. Welcome to my kitchen!
Shafer Fam- honestly, it doesn't really matter. I use salted butter though.
Is the butter salted or unsalted?
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! It is SOOOO GOOD!!! I've never tried a microwave recipe for caramel popcorn before and had never had it gooey until just last month. Amazing but true. And so easy to make! Woohoo! I'll be making this again soon. Even my daughter loves it! We were fighting over who could eat more of it. Ok, not really. But I was trying to push her out of the way so she couldn't eat anymore. 🙂 Thanks again!
Crunchy is sooo good and even more amazing if you drizzle on some melted chocolate after it cools…did you add some salted peanuts…bet you eat the whole batch!
Many thanks for this simple and easy tip.I knew how to make salted pop corn but the sweet variety always resulted in a burnt pan and smoke filled kitchen.I will try this for sure.Thanks
aww you guys are amazing! I've had your button on my blog for well over a year now and I cant believe how popular you are now! I have no need to keep posting your recipes because people are now following you in droves – I LOVE IT! Congrats on the success! You ladies keep posting a-freakin-mazing recipes!
OMG! I made several batches this weekend! This stuff is amazing and so simple to make.
YOUVE GOT TO TRY THIS! WARNING:YOU WILL GET HOOKED!
I made this yesterday and we re-named this Crack Corn..we seriously inhaled this..lol Thanks so much for an awesome recipe!!!
This stuff is dangerous:)
Crunchy!! So pleased to have found your site and another Autumn fan!
Ali @ Holiday Hollow
I can not tell you how many times I have made this recipe since it was posted (an embarrassing amount really) because it is SO delicious. THANK YOU!
I like it both ways, depends on my mood, but this weekend I think I will divide it and bake half to find out how my kids like it!
Thanks! I already ahd a great microwave recipe but couldn’t bake it and get the crunch I sometimes crave!
This is going to put me in a diabetic coma, but from the looks of it, it will be soooo worth it! droool…
I always liked crunchy, because they gooey kind I made always got stuck to your teeth. Then I tried a gooey kind made with sweetened condensed milk. Wow, it was really, really good, and didn’t stick to your teeth.
I started popping the popcorn and then realized I didn’t have brown sugar! So I used 1 cup of white sugar and 1/4 dark corn syrup isntead – it was still really yummy! Half was gooey and half was crunchy. Both were great!
This has nothing to do with carmel corn, but I have to say that I tried your pizza dough and sauce tonight and it was absoulutly wonderful! And easy too! My husband asked if we could start making pizza once a week, so it must have been a hit! Good work ladies! And for the record, gooey is the best.
Gooey! For sure! I love this website and your personality and wit…not only do I get good recipes from here, but entertainment at the same time;)
I just made your yummy Caramel Corn, and I am seriously having the hardest time just leaving it on the counter to cool. It may not even make it to book club tonight. Thanks for the awesome recipe, your blog is the bomb. Oh and I like gooey or crunchy. Easy to please.