Easy Homemade Caramel Corn that’s sweet, chewy, crunchy and all decorated in red, white, and blue for Memorial Day and 4th of July. It’s the most delicious and fun caramel popcorn recipe!
After two long years, my daughter finally got her braces off…and she reminded me for months leading up to it how excited she was to eat popcorn and caramel again. This recipe for caramel popcorn that we’re sharing today is as much for Memorial Day and the 4th of July holiday, as it is for her.
This caramel corn starts with the best, freshest stovetop popcorn (the only way we make it!), then coated in a luscious caramel mixture that’s been jazzed up with red and blue coloring, and baked. It’s super fun looking, and of course, incredibly delicious!
Caramel Corn Recipe
Ingredients needed for this caramel popcorn recipe are most likely items you already have:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Popcorn kernels
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Light corn syrup
- Baking soda
- Vanilla
- Blue and red food gel coloring
How to Make Caramel Corn
Caramel corn is super easy to make right on the stove, without needing a candy thermometer. Popped popcorn gets coated with caramel, which is then baked in the oven at a low temperature, and stirred a few times so the caramel adheres to eat kernel. The end result is a perfectly sweet, crunchy treat, without sticking to your teeth.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Pop the kernels: First you start by making popcorn. You just can’t beat the flavor and texture of fresh stovetop popcorn, but you can use air popped or bagged popcorn, if you prefer. You’ll need 17 cups – 3 cups reserved and the remaining 14 cups divided into two bowls that will be dyed.
- Make the caramel sauce: Melt the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a pot. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add in the baking soda and vanilla.
- Divide the caramel mixture: Since we’re making patriotic-colored caramel corn, we’ll leave the 3 cups plain white popcorn alone, then divide the caramel sauce between the other two bowls and tint one with blue food dye and one with red. Working very fast before it hardens, pour one bowl of colored caramel over one bowl of popcorn and toss to coat. Repeat with the other bowl of colored caramel and bowl of popcorn. Transfer mixtures to baking sheets coated with nonstick spray.
- Bake and stir: Bake for 45 minutes at 250 degrees F, rotating and stirring pans with a spatula every 15 minutes.
- Cool and serve: Cool the popcorn completely, then mix it with the reserved plain white popcorn and enjoy!
Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe Tips
- Have your popped popcorn, food dye, and utensils ready to. Once the caramel sauce comes off the heat it hardens pretty fast.
- A pot or nonstick skillet both work: You can cook your caramel sauce in a pot or a nonstick skillet, for easier clean-up.
- Use a silicon spatula to stir the caramel instead of a spoon, so it doesn’t stick.
- Is caramel corn gluten free? Yep, it sure is!
- Food Gel Colors: We prefer Wilton Icing Colors Food Gel. We used “Red- No Taste” and “Royal Blue” for this recipe. Food dye and other brands seem to produce pink and off blue colors.
Storing Caramel Corn
How long does Caramel Corn last? To keep the caramel corn fresh, store it in an air-tight container at room temperature on your counter. It will keep for about 2 weeks. It’s also cute at parties wrapped up in a cello bag with bow!
More Popcorn Recipes
I hope you love this delicious and simple recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
{4th of July} Caramel Corn
Ingredients
- 17 cups stovetop popcorn
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- red and royal blue food coloring (see note)
Instructions
- First, make some stovetop popcorn (or store-bought is fine.) Divide 14 cups of the popcorn evenly among two large bowls. Set the other 3 cups aside.
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Spray 2, 9×13 pans with cooking spray.
- In a medium pot, melt together the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously with a silicon spatula. Continue to gently boil and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla.
- Divide the caramel between two medium bowls, add red food coloring to one, blue food coloring to the other until you reach the desired shades.
- Working fast before the caramel hardens, pour one bowl of colored caramel over one bowl of popcorn. Toss to coat. Repeat with the other bowl of colored caramel and bowl of popcorn.
- Transfer popcorn to the prepared pans; place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, rotating pans and stirring each pan with a spatula (coated with cooking spray) every 15 minutes.
- Cool completely.
- Combine red caramel popcorn, blue caramel popcorn, and the remaining 3 cups plain popcorn in a very large bowl; toss to combine.
- Enjoy in a big bowl, individual bowls, or wrap in cellophane bag with a ribbon.
- {NOTE: We used Wilton Icing Colors Food Gel "Red- No Taste" and "Royal Blue" for this recipe.}
Nutrition
Other Notes
