Cashew Maple Homemade Caramel Corn is one of my favorite food gifts or bake sale treats. It’s irresistible and surprisingly easy to make.
A few months ago a friend jokingly called me a food pusher after I offered them one snack too many. I can’t help it—sharing is part of the joy of good food. There’s only so much I can eat myself, and giving treats to friends is just more fun.
This time of year makes being a food pusher extra rewarding. Everyone is feeling festive and ready to sample a few tasty bites.
I took my Grandma’s Salted Caramel Corn recipe and gave it a twist, creating a big batch of Cashew Maple Caramel Corn. I brought it along to share with fellow parents, cast, and crew at a local production of The Nutcracker.
Cashews and the Nutcracker felt like a perfect pairing—so it went straight into the snack bag.
As people walked by, I opened the bag and offered samples. That was all it took to start an impromptu focus group for the recipe.
Kids and adults loved it. One friend declared it deserved more than two thumbs up. I’m calling Cashew Maple Caramel Corn a definite success.
This recipe is a maple lover’s dream. It uses a simple caramel made with the darkest maple syrup you can find, rounded with brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and an optional splash of bourbon to deepen the flavor.
If you add bourbon, don’t worry—the alcohol cooks off immediately as the caramel bubbles. What remains is the bourbon’s essence: a rich, earthy, slightly smoky note that complements the maple.
One feature I kept from my Grandma’s original recipe is the texture: this caramel corn doesn’t stick to teeth or braces. The result is crispy popcorn coated in a perfect maple caramel that stays pleasantly crisp.
Caramel Corn Recipe
Including bourbon is optional but adds a subtle complexity once cooked off. Use plain, unseasoned popcorn for best results—most commercial microwave popcorn has added flavors or salt that can clash with maple and cashews.
For an extra savory twist, try popping plain kernels in bacon fat. The faint bacon note pairs surprisingly well with maple-caramel and cashews.
Have the popcorn popped and in a large heat-proof bowl before starting the caramel. Set up your pans in advance because once the caramel boils you’ll need to pour and spread it quickly.
Baking the coated popcorn is what creates the crisp candy shell and prevents the caramel from sticking to teeth. You can use sprayed baking sheets, but lining them with silpats makes removal and cleanup much easier.
To achieve an even bake, rotate the pans front to back and swap top and bottom racks each time you stir every 15 minutes to avoid hot spots.
Homemade Caramel Corn
Toss the popcorn and cashews together in a very large, heat-proof mixing bowl. Prepare two half-sheet pans by spraying with non-stick cooking spray or lining them with silpats.
Preheat the oven to 250°F (about 120°C).
In a large saucepan combine the light brown sugar, butter, dark maple syrup, vanilla, and kosher salt over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil.
If using bourbon, add it once the mixture reaches a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. The mixture will foam and expand.
When the baking soda is fully incorporated and the caramel has foamed, pour it over the popcorn and cashews. Gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
Divide the coated popcorn between the two prepared half-sheet pans and bake for 1 hour, stirring and rotating the pans every 15 minutes. Allow the caramel corn to cool on the silpats; if you used sprayed pans, transfer it carefully to a heat-proof bowl to cool.
Store the cooled caramel corn in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to about a week.
Cashew Maple Caramel Corn
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 8 cups plain popped popcorn
- 2 cups whole cashews
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup dark maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon bourbon optional
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
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Toss the popcorn and cashews together in a very large, heat-proof mixing bowl. Spray two half-sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray or line with silpats.
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Preheat the oven to 250°F (about 120°C).
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In a large saucepan combine the brown sugar, butter, dark maple syrup, vanilla, and kosher salt over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil. If using bourbon, add it once the mixture reaches a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda. It will foam up and expand. When the baking soda is fully dissolved and the caramel has foamed, pour it over the popcorn and cashews and gently toss until evenly coated. Divide between the two half-sheet pans and bake for 1 hour, stirring and rotating the pans every 15 minutes. Let the caramel corn cool on the silpats, or transfer to a heat-proof bowl to cool if using sprayed pans. Store in a tightly lidded container at room temperature for about a week.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition with the actual ingredients you use if needed.
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