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!

MORE REVIEWS

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!

Dinner Made Easy with Slow Cooker

Tried-and-true recipes to make cooking in your slow cooker simply & delicious!

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

« Older Comments

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

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

FAQs

Why is my caramel corn not crunchy? ›

→ The exact cooking temperature isn't critical with this recipe, but ideally you want the sugar mixture to reach between 250°F and 300°F. The longer you cook the syrup, the crunchier it will be. For very crunchy popcorn (my favorite!), stop cooking when you see the first wisps of smoke coming from the sugar mixture.

Why did my caramel corn come out chewy? ›

Once the caramel has cooled on your popcorn, the air bubbles inside the caramel create a softer texture. The softer texture means you won't be biting into hard-as-cement caramel. Rather, the caramel is melt-in-your-mouth chewy and only slightly crunchy.

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 do you put an egg in the pan when making caramel popcorn? ›

Even if you want to add candy or sauces, it doesn't require an egg. Still, some say the egg keeps the kernels from sticking together, while others say it's to keep wannabe chefs from adding too many kernels to the pan.

What happens if you forgot the baking soda in caramel corn? ›

Baking soda is what makes caramel corn chewy with a bit of crunch and gives it the classic brittle texture. The baking soda also helps the mixture to increase in volume which ensures it covers all of the popcorn. It's an essential ingredient and without it you'll likely find the texture of the caramel corn to be off.

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.

What does Karo syrup do in baking? ›

Karo® Light contains corn syrup made with real vanilla and salt and is most famously used in pecan pie. It's a subtle sweetener, made without high fructose corn syrup, that enhances the flavor and texture of your favorite foods and recipes.

Why do you add water to sugar when making caramel? ›

Keep a close eye on the color of the sugar and as it approaches a reddish-brown, remove it from the heat. When making a wet caramel, water is added to help dissolve the sugar before cooking.

How to fix soggy caramel corn? ›

If you like gooey/sticky caramel corn, give it a sprinkle with a good pinch of kosher salt, let it cool and start eating! If you like it crunchy, keep going. To make crunchy caramel popcorn, pour it (pile it) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Why is my caramel corn sugary? ›

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.

How do you freshen 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 !

Is caramel corn the same as caramel popcorn? ›

Caramel corn or caramel popcorn (toffee popcorn in the UK) is a confection made of popcorn coated with a sugar or molasses based caramel candy shell that is normally less than 1mm thick. Typically a sugar solution or syrup is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a caramelized candy syrup.

What is the difference between kettle corn and caramel popcorn? ›

Kettle corn is a combination of sweet and salty flavors. It is lighter in flavor and texture than caramel corn as the sugar and salt are mixed in during popping rather than coated.

What's the difference between caramel popcorn and toffee popcorn? ›

Ingredient Differences

Toffee is a product of heating sugar or light corn syrup and butter at 300F. Therefore, it tastes like light buttery, and sugary candy. The sweet buttery taste balances well with the saltiness of the popcorn. On the other hand, caramel has dark corn syrup, milk or cream, and water.

Why didn't my caramel harden? ›

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test. Details on how to use this method can be found here.

Why is my corn not crunchy? ›

As a side note: fresh, properly cooked corn will have a crisp pop when you bite into it. If the corn feels gummy and sticks to your teeth when you bite it, then one of three things has happened–either the corn is old or was improperly stored, or it was over-cooked.

How do you fix soggy caramel corn? ›

If you like gooey/sticky caramel corn, give it a sprinkle with a good pinch of kosher salt, let it cool and start eating! If you like it crunchy, keep going. To make crunchy caramel popcorn, pour it (pile it) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

How to crisp up caramel popcorn? ›

Bake 45 minutes, tossing 3 – 4 times – this makes the caramel coat the popcorn evenly, then makes the caramel and popcorn crisp so it stays crispy for 2+ weeks!

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Annamae Dooley

Last Updated:

Views: 5733

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (45 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Annamae Dooley

Birthday: 2001-07-26

Address: 9687 Tambra Meadow, Bradleyhaven, TN 53219

Phone: +9316045904039

Job: Future Coordinator

Hobby: Archery, Couponing, Poi, Kite flying, Knitting, Rappelling, Baseball

Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.