Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! (Puffcorn Caramel Corn) (2024)

by Mary Neumann · 56 Comments

Today’s share is a great one – the most awesome, fastest, easiest, best caramel recipe…ever!! Puffcorn Caramel Corn!! Even better, there are no hulls, so people of all ages can enjoy this addictive treat!!

AWESOME & EASIEST EVER!! Makes a GREAT GIFT!! This recipe is from my friend, Danni, of Silo Hill Farm – “When I say this is the easiest, I’m not kidding! Less than 10 minutes to make, 45 minutes to bake, no candy thermometer and you can be eating this in less than an hour. When I say it’s awesome, I’m not kidding there either…I have NEVER met anyone who didn’t love this caramel corn. It has no hulls and no seeds, so little kids and older people love it too!”

Read rave reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!

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Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! (Puffcorn Caramel Corn) (1)

I first heard about this recipe from my Aunt Linda about 10 years ago and later my friend, Danni, from Silo Hill Farm, shared her recipe with all of us. My aunt calls it Crack Caramel Corn. Danni calls it the most awesome and easiest caramelcorn ever – killer stuff!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE BEST, FASTEST, EASIEST CARAMEL CORN

2 bags Puff Corn Butter Flavor (3.5 ounces bags – 7 ounces needed for recipe), 1 cup butter (do not substitute), 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup and 1 teaspoon baking soda – that’s it!!

Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! (Puffcorn Caramel Corn) (2)


HOW TO MAKE THE BEST, FASTEST EASIEST CARAMEL CORN

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. , spray a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. Using a 3 to 4 quart sauce pan, bring butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring continuously. Once it begins to boil, boil for 2 minutes, then add baking soda (the caramel mixture will foam up when baking soda is added). Stir well and remove from heat. Pour evenly over puff corn and mix well, being sure to coat the puff corn evenly.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 45 minutes – stirring every 15 minutes. When ready, remove from roasting pan and spread caramel corn on wax paper and allow to cool. Once cooled, break any large pieces into smaller bite size pieces – Enjoy!

Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! (Puffcorn Caramel Corn) (3)

Easy clean up too – just hot water and soap. You can find the Puff Corn at Target, Walmart and local grocery stores.

Pinnable Image

Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! (Puffcorn Caramel Corn) (4)

This makes a great gift during the holidays!!

Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! (Puffcorn Caramel Corn) (5)

Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! Puffcorn Caramel Corn

Ingredients

  • 2 bags Puff Corn Butter Flavor (3.5 ounces bags – 7 ounces needed for recipe) See Tip Below
  • 1 cup butter (do not substitute)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Spray a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Using a 3 to 4 quart sauce pan, bring butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring continuously. Once it begins to boil, boil for 2 minutes, then add baking soda (the caramel mixture will foam up when baking soda is added). Stir well and remove from heat. Pour evenly over puff corn and mix well, being sure to coat the puff corn evenly.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 45 minutes – stirring every 15 minutes.

When ready, remove from roasting pan and spread caramel corn on wax paper and allow to cool. Once cooled, break any large pieces into smaller bite size pieces – Enjoy!

Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

*TIPS

You can use other brands of Puff Corn like Clancy’s Puff Corn from Aldi, Old Dutch Popcorn Twists.

Many people have left comments on social media posts saying vanilla extract is a great addition – 1 teaspoon.

Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cris

    Thank you Mary, I made it with salted as you suggested and added pretzel M&M’s and then did a light drizzle of milk and white chocolate. I sent it to work with my husband and it was a huge hit. I’m now obligated to make them all a batch for Christmas. So delicious!

    Reply

    • Lenzi

      I cooked mine for 5 mins and it burned what did do wrong

      Reply

      • Mary Neumann

        It should not burn, Lenzi – did you bake it at 250 degrees f on the middle rack of the oven?

        Reply

  2. Lynn Comeau

    Hi. I live in Canada and have searched online for Chester’s Puffcorn but no luck. Do you think the popcorn twists would work? I don’t know if they’re the same, just a different shape. I’m really not familiar with that product at all. Thanks, Lynn

    Reply

  3. Lorene

    Try this recipe using Cheetos it is so good.

    Reply

    • Margrie

      I

      Reply

  4. Mandy

    Omgoodness!!!! I try not to eat popcorn bc the hulls bother my stomach! I am so excited, I’m making this right now with all the stuff my Nanny used to put in her caramel corn(pretzel sticks, unsweetened coconut strips and pecans!!!). I am so excited to find this!

    Reply

  5. Jen

    I made this and stirred in some mixed nuts. It was delicious! I took to a family gathering and brought home an empty bowl! I will definitely make this again!

    Reply

  6. Karen Ette

    This is so so good and extremely dangerous! I could eat the whole batch, if I didn’t really watch myself! Easy to make! I believe everyone is getting some of this for Christmas this year. If I don’t eat it all…

    Reply

  7. Pat

    I will probably sub honey for corn syrup. Pre diabetic n

    Reply

  8. Starr

    Omgosh. The best ever now my go to. Made two batches one plain and the other I put mini chocolate chip in it. This is so easy peezy

    Reply

    • Cris

      Do you use salted or unsalted butter?

      Reply

      • Mary Neumann

        I used salted, but you can use unsalted too, Cris.

        Reply

        • Cris

          Thank you Mary, I made it with salted as you suggested and added pretzel M&M’s and then did a light drizzle of milk and white chocolate. I sent it to work with my husband and it was a huge hit. I’m now obligated to make them all a batch for Christmas. So delicious!

          Reply

  9. Michelle K

    This is ridiculously easy and delicious! I couldn’t find corn puffs at my grocery store but knew the technique would work with other snacks, so I made it with Bugles. Delicious! Thanks!

    Reply

  10. Carol

    I made the Caramel popcorn and it was easy and yummy thank you for the recipe

    Reply

  11. Marta Peters

    Is it possible to use dark corn syrup? I have some on hand that I would like to use.

    Reply

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Best Caramel Corn Recipe Ever! (Puffcorn Caramel Corn) (2024)

FAQs

Why is my caramel popcorn not crispy? ›

How Do I Get My Popcorn Crunchy and Not Soggy? The longer you cook the syrup (the mixture of sugar and water the forms the base of the caramel sauce), the crunchier your popcorn will be. For very crunchy popcorn (my favorite!), stop cooking when you see the first wisps of smoke coming from the sugar mixture.

Why is my homemade caramel popcorn soggy? ›

Caramel corn will taste soft and chewy right out of the oven. Give it some time to cool. If it's still tasting soggy after 1–2 hours of cooling at room temperature, you may have under-baked the caramel corn. 1 hour in the oven is usually plenty.

Why did my caramel corn come out chewy? ›

Generally, the caramel will have a higher 'water activity' than the popcorn. As a result, if you leave the popcorn for a while, moisture from the caramel will migrate into the corn. This causes the popcorn to lose its 'crunch' and become soft and chewy.

Why is my homemade caramel corn gritty? ›

Grainy caramel is caused by crystallization, which is easy to avoid (and can also be fixed). Caramel becomes grainy when the sugars crystallize, a process that happens when the melted sugar splashes up onto the cold sides of the pan. It loses its moisture and turns back into a sugar crystal.

Why is my homemade caramel corn grainy? ›

Why is my Caramel Corn Grainy? Grainy caramel (or crystalized caramel) happens when the sugar crystals in the caramel seize up or cling together.

Why is caramel popcorn unhealthy? ›

Caramel popcorn is typically high in calories, sugar, and fat, which can contribute to weight gain and increase your risk for developing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Why put egg in caramel popcorn? ›

While some people said that she added the egg to absorb extra heat, others had different views. "Whole eggs absorb excess heat so it's an easy way to regulate the temperature balance of the other ingredients," a user wrote.

How do you make Martha Stewart caramel popcorn? ›

In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring constantly. Working quickly, drizzle popcorn with sugar syrup, and toss. Spread popcorn evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden and shiny, about 40 minutes.

Why isn't my caramel corn shiny? ›

A granule of sugar, over-mixing, or uncooperative clumps of sea salt can turn caramel from a glossy, shiny confection into a dull grainy heap of chewy, brown sugar crystals. Candy making, or in this case caramel popcorn making, involves a significant amount of chemistry.

Is Orville Redenbacher Melt on caramel popcorn discontinued? ›

Yes, we've discontinued the Melt On Caramel Gourmet Popping Corn. We're so sorry for your inconvenience. Thanks for sharing your interest, we definitely will inform our team you want it back!

Should I refrigerate caramel popcorn? ›

Store caramel corn in an airtight container at room temperature to keep it fresh and crunchy. Avoid storing it in the refrigerator, as the humidity can make it soft. Can I make homemade caramel corn without corn syrup?

How do you refresh caramel corn? ›

If you keep it in a airtight container it will last up to one month, and if it takes stale, put it in a warm oven, for a few minutes about 250 degrees, and it will freshen it up !

Why is my caramel corn bitter? ›

If your caramel sauce is bitter, it could be that your sugar burned. Lower your heat and pay attention to the color of your sugar; it should be no darker than a medium tan.

What does sodium bicarbonate do to caramel? ›

The sodium bicarbonate allows it to achieve the 'brittle' texture you are looking for in carmel corn. Without it the stage at which you stop cooking the caramel would result in a very sticky consistency. It serves the same purpose in peanut brittle.

What can I use instead of baking soda in caramel? ›

Try one of these alternatives you may already have in your kitchen:
  1. The Best Baking Soda Substitute: Baking Powder.
  2. Baking Soda Substitute: Self-Rising Flour.
  3. Baking Soda Substitute: Egg Whites.
Nov 2, 2023

What gives Carmel its flavor? ›

What Is Caramel? Caramel is white granulated sugar that's been heated slowly to 340 degrees Fahrenheit. This gradual heating process breaks down the sugar's molecules and creates a deep golden brown color and rich flavor.

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