I don’t know about you, but as a kid I have a memory of those big tin buckets filled with three different kinds of popcorn- cheesy popcorn, butter & salt popcorn and crunchy carmel popcorn. Let’s admit it no one really enjoys cheese popcorn, we all love butter popcorn but hands down the best popcorn is carmel.
I have to admit I am a crunchy popcorn lover. #1 reason, my hands stay clean. I guess having little kids my hands are always sticky because of them, so I’d rather enjoy a treat with out having to lick of my fingers. #2 reason, it’s totally kid friendly! No messy sticky hands for them either. I have to admit I even let them eat this on the couch…I’m serious, it’s that kid friendly! So if you are going to be sitting around this weekend and you need something sweet and salty to munch on this recipe is for you!
- 8 cups popped popcorn
- 1 lb. brown sugar (about 2 1/3 cups)
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 sticks butter, unsalted (*Or if you use salted butter just decrease your salt amount to 1/2 tsp.)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- In a heavy sauce pan, bring brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses and butter to a boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes or until 248 degrees on a candy thermometer. (I've never used the candy thermometer, I just set a timer once it starts boiling for 5 minutes.) Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir. Then add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda - STIR QUICKLY. Pour over 8 cups popped popcorn. (*Make sure you have removed all unpopped kernels, you won't want to crunch down on one of those - I promise!) Mix lightly, place popcorn spread out on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or tinfoil. I use two cookie sheets. Place in oven at 225 degrees and bake for 1 hour + 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Once you have removed it from the oven, continue to stir gently as it cools. Once it has sat for about 5 minutes stir again. This is when you will have individual crunchy carmel kernels.
- *I have tried skipping the 1 hour cooking and the popcorn still tastes great, but it hardens in a giant ball. So the baking at a low temperature and stirring helps keep the popcorn loose and in individual pieces. Enjoy!
This sounds great, but I just had to share that I always loved the cheese popcorn the best! 🙂
Anonymous and I share the same passion. I loved the cheese popcorn, and red-hot cinnamon. Caramel was the go to though, and I've always wanted to make it myself. I'm trying this tonight!
I love the cheese popcorn too…hee hee! I will say your recipe for the Gooey Carmel Popcorn is DIVINE!! I might have to try this recipe too…. 🙂
Cheese popcorn is the BEST! However, I'm going to try this caramel recipe today!
Oh, who knew the cheese popcorn was so loved! I think I need to find a recipe for that next time! Either way, pretty much popcorn is a personal favorite for me anytime, in any way! Yum.
Personally any of that popcorn tastes like chemicals to me! If I had to choose, it would be the caramel, though. 🙂
I guess I shouldn't have clicked on your blog today! Just had my wisdom teeth out, and this recipe looks so good! I will dream of it while I eat my jello 😉
Diana, you are naughty! Now I'm going to have to try this…I can't wait.
I just have to say thank you for the recipe. We were making Father's Day gifts for church and we are filling cans with this popcorn. I told the girls I hadn't tried it yet, but that I've loved EVERY recipe from this site no fail. (I can't say that about any other website because I always have something I want to change) I was scared to do molasses because it is definitely not my thing, but I trusted…..WOW!!!! love it! I made a sticky batch so it would be chewy and a batch that is crunchy for the jars. The girl I was cooking with asked for my recipe possibly to ditch her old tried and true!
I am so glad you like it! It is definetly one of my favorites 🙂