Update: The Pick Giveaway Winner plugin chose Christi P. as the winner of the Whirly Pop and coconut oil. I’ve sent you an email, Christi — congratulations! I can’t wait for you to try them.
My grandmother is one of my culinary heroes. She spent most of her life feeding people—my grandfather was a pastor who couldn’t walk past anyone who looked hungry. Some of my most cherished possessions are the recipe cards she wrote for me early in my marriage. There’s nothing like a road-tested, handwritten recipe from someone you love. The only downside is I get a little emotional every time I make her dishes. In short: I cry a lot.
This recipe is a holiday staple in my house. I only make it between December 1 and January 31, because otherwise I’d be the size of a house. We give bags of this to friends, neighbors and anyone who crosses our path. If you walk near my house in Advent, you’ll likely be handed a bag of salted caramel corn. It’s a family tradition—because that’s how Grandma did it.
Grandma was ahead of her time—she salted caramel long before it was trendy. When salted caramel started appearing everywhere I was surprised other people hadn’t been doing it all along. But this post is about SALTED caramel corn. On the back of her recipe card Grandma emphasized the final step: “This is what makes it crisp and it does not stick to your teeth.” I’m no orthodontist, but kids with braces can eat this with no trouble. If you want a caramel corn that won’t gum up dental appliances, this is the one.
This is the ultimate caramel corn: perfectly caramelized, with a subtle salt, crisp texture and not sticky. It’s simple to make and makes a generous amount—about eight quarts per batch. The corn keeps well for around ten days at room temperature. If it softens a bit, refresh it in a 250°F oven for a few minutes to crisp it up. Make a batch, bag it, and spread some holiday cheer. As Buddy the Elf might say, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear” — and handing out a bag of this caramel corn. I’m pretty sure he’d approve.
If you’d like a sample, I’ll be selling this caramel corn as a fundraiser for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer at the 26th Annual Arts and Crafts Fair at Houghton College in Houghton, New York on Tuesday, December 4 and Wednesday, December 5. Come say hello!
Salted Caramel Corn | Make Ahead Mondays
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 quarts plain popcorn in a very large mixing bowl unseasoned, unsalted
Instructions
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Line two half-sheet pans with Silpats, parchment or nonstick foil. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
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In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda—the mixture will foam up considerably; this is expected.
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Pour the hot caramel over the popped popcorn in a large bowl and stir gently but thoroughly to coat evenly. Divide the coated popcorn between the two prepared pans and spread it out. Bake for 1 hour at 250°F, stirring well every 15 minutes. Watch closely to prevent sticking or burning; if it starts to brown too quickly, lower the oven temperature. This bake step makes the corn crisp and prevents it from sticking to your teeth.
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Allow the caramel corn to cool on the pans—if done properly you may hear it crackle as it cools—then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients and your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your creations!
Now the giveaway: this one is sponsored by me. Years ago my Aunt Molly sent us a Whirly Pop popcorn popper and it quickly became indispensable. The Whirly Pop is a stovetop popper with a built-in stirring mechanism that can make up to six quarts of popcorn in minutes. It’s durable, simple to use, and many models come with a long warranty. We’ve used ours for years and use it almost daily—sometimes multiple batches a day. Popped in coconut oil, it produces the best kettle-style popcorn.
Popping popcorn with a Whirly Pop and coconut oil is both more economical and healthier than many prepackaged microwave options. Bagged popcorn is less expensive and avoids the preservatives found in microwave popcorn, and the Whirly Pop lets you use less oil than a large pot while still producing excellent results.
What I’m giving away: one Whirly Pop and one jar of extra virgin coconut oil. Believe me—you haven’t had truly great popcorn until you’ve tried it popped with coconut oil in a Whirly Pop.
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Tell me your favorite popcorn topping: hot sauce, simple salt, nutritional yeast, or something else fun—be specific!
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Tweet: “I want to win a Whirly Pop and coconut oil for the perfect popcorn from @foodiewithfam”
Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored and paid for by me. I can only ship within the continental United States, so the giveaway is open to residents of that area only.