Caramel Popcorn without Corn Syrup

Sweet and salty caramel popcorn without corn syrup is the perfect treat for movie nights, sports games, and holiday potlucks. It only requires 5 ingredients, and it's ready in just about half an hour. Plus the homemade caramel sauce can easily be made vegan.

Let me tell you a little secret. My nickname as a kid was popcorn-head, because I was utterly obsessed with popcorn. So when I came up with this recipe for homemade vegan caramel popcorn without corn syrup, I was ecstatic!

This caramel corn recipe tastes similar to Werther's caramel popcorn, like the kind I admittedly became enamored with at Epcot. Plus this homemade caramel corn tastes way better than store bought versions, since it is warm and fresh.

And if you're looking for more easy snack ideas for a movie night or picnic, try 4 ingredient peanut butter oatmeal balls or chocolate and peanut butter frozen yogurt bark.

Why This Recipe Works

Since 2020, I've been developing foolproof recipes for beginner home cooks. One of the things I was most afraid of when I was new to the kitchen was getting burnt or burning my food (or both).

Making caramel at home can be tricky. Sometimes super hot caramel can splash out of the pan and cause burns on your skin. But I've found a way to avoid this! This vegan caramel sauce doesn't have to boil. Just heat it and stir until it's smooth. Then it thickens as it cools.

And by baking the caramel popcorn in the oven on low heat, we get crispy, crunchy caramel corn. No burns and no soggy popcorn! :p

Ingredients

Vegan Caramel

• Butter - you can use regular butter if you don't need to keep your caramel vegan or use homemade vegan butter
• Brown sugar - adds a sweet, rich, caramelized flavor
• Salt - balances the sweetness

Stovetop Popcorn

• Oil - use an oil with a high smoke point like coconut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil
• Popcorn kernels - there are tons of varieties of popcorn kernels available, depending on your flavor and texture preference
• Salt - seasons the popcorn so its delicious flavor shines through

How to Make Caramel Popcorn

1. Make the caramel sauce: Melt the butter on medium heat in a sauce pan. Stir in the brown sugar and salt until it is smooth, after 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Cool & thicken: Remove from the heat and let the caramel sauce cool and thicken.
3. Prep: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Heat the oil: In a metal bowl, large pot, or Dutch oven, add the coconut oil and two single popcorn kernels. Turn the stove on to medium-high heat. Once the popcorn kernels pop, the oil is hot enough.
5. Pop the popcorn: Add the rest of the popcorn kernels and immediately cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Wearing oven mitts to protect your hands, shake the bowl, pot, or Dutch oven vigorously back and forth. Keep shaking until there is a three second pause in between each pop.
6. Season the popped popcorn: Remove from the heat and season with salt.
7. Add the caramel: Pour the cooled caramel mixture onto the popcorn and stir to fully coat the popcorn.
8. Bake until crunchy: Spread out the caramel popcorn onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake it for 20 to 25 minutes, until the caramel corn is crunchy.

How Do You Make Popcorn Without a Microwave or Popcorn Maker?

In my opinion, the best popcorn is made fresh on the stove. Forget the packaged microwave popcorn with its weird aftertaste.

My preferred method is with a large pot or Dutch oven, since it has handles to easily shake while the popcorn is popping.

Tips to Making Popcorn on the Stove

Patience is a Virtue

I worked at a popcorn stand during high school. From that experience I learned a few tips to avoid burnt popcorn or too many un-popped kernels.

First, have patience. Add two or three kernels to the oil in your pot/Dutch oven/metal bowl. As the oil heats on medium heat, eventually you'll hear those test kernels pop. That lets you know the oil is hot enough to add all the rest of the popcorn kernels.

Shake it Baby

Once all the kernels are added into the hot oil, quickly add the lid and begin to shake your pot. Do not stop shaking! This is a great arm workout too.

As you shake, the heavy un-popped kernels drop down to the bottom so they have more contact with the hot oil to pop.

Pop it Like it's Hot

I wait until there are three full seconds that pass in between each popping sound. This is when I deem the popcorn sufficiently popped and remove it from the heat.

But watch out - I recommend to leave the lid on for a final 20 seconds, just in case there are a few rogue kernels about to pop.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does homemade caramel popcorn last?

Homemade caramel corn is best served fresh. It'll last a few days at room temperature in an airtight container. Or save it for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Why did my caramel popcorn turn out chewy?

If you leave caramel popcorn out for more than a few hours without baking it, the moisture from the caramel will soak into the popcorn and make it chewy.

Why is my caramel popcorn soggy?

If you don't bake your caramel popcorn, your popcorn could become soggy from the moisture in the caramel sauce.

Also, allow leftover popcorn to cool completely before storing it. Any steam or heat still escaping from the popcorn could condensate and that moisture can turn your popcorn soggy.

Can you crisp up stale caramel corn?

Don't throw away soggy or chewy caramel corn! Spread it out in a single layer on a baking sheet and heat it in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes at 250°F. This will crisp it right back up!