A delicious confection made from popcorn, Caramel Popcorn is coated with a thick, sugary, molasses-based candy shell. The layer is typically less than one millimetre thick. To make the syrup, the sugar solution is heated until it turns brown, creating a caramelized candy coating. This sweet treat can be found at a wide variety of locations, including movie theaters, carnivals, and concession stands.

How do you feel about cookbooks? Do you read them or do you do all of your recipe searching online?

I do a mix of both. I love my cookbook collection. It’s organized by color and fills a whole book case (at the end of the month I will show you my new home)! Sometimes I will just open a cookbook, especially one filled with colorful pictures, and just flip, flip, flip. Occasionally I stop flipping, and something catches my eye.

Though sometimes I prefer to use the internet because I can read reviews, especially when I am making something for the first time that other people will be eating. I use recipezaar often, and I am not ashamed. If 782 people review it and 781 say its freakin’ fantastic, then it is probably freakin fantastic! I usually don’t post those recipes on my blog though.

I recently purchased Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts from the Serious Tooth, the recipes are scrumptious and the pictures are absolutely mouth watering. I made the Sticky Toffee Puddings first. They were sweet and delicious, and the Toffee Sauce was excellent. The pictures on the other hand… not so excellent.

A few days later I made the Hawaiian Caramel Popcorn and oh my, this stuff is addicting. I also decided to infuse my caramel syrup with orange extract to give my popcorn a more tropical feel.
It’s good, real good.

Tropical Caramel Popcorn

The caramel remains liquid when it is cooked, but it will harden as it cools. The unpopped kernals will fall into a bowl of hot caramel sauce, breaking it into pieces. After the caramel has cooled, you should stir the popcorn a few times, before it begins to set. If you aren't sure how to mix the two types of popcorn, you can leave it out in a large Ziplock bag.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4 serves

Calories 152 kcal

Ingredients

12 cups Cooked Popcorn I used fat-free
2/3 cup Banana Chips
1 cup Roasted & Salted Macadamia Nuts
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1/2 cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut
1 tsp Lemon Zest
1/2 cup Candied Pineapple diced
1 cup 2 sticks Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Dark Corn Syrup
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pure Orange Extract
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Instructions

preheat oven to 250 degrees
Combine the popcorn, banana chips, macadamia nuts, both coconuts and pineapple in a large bowl. Make sure there are no popcorn kernels mixed with your popcorn.2. In a large sauce pot add the butter, sugars, corn syrup, lemon juice and salt. Let boil for 6 - 9 minutes, until it reaches the hard ball stage (300 F on candy thermometer). Remove from the heat and add the orange extract (if using) and baking soda. The baking soda will foam a bit, simply stir until it subsides. 3. Slowly add the caramel to the bowl, using tongs to toss and coat. Evenly distribute caramel coated popcorn on two parchment lined baking sheets.
Bake the popcorn for 1 hour, or until crisp and fragrant. Let cool completely before eating. The cooled popcorn can be stored in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Video

Notes

This was really great caramel popcorn. The orange in the caramel is subtle, but after you swallow you'll realize there is an orange flavor lingering in your mouth. Since it makes a little over 12 cups, it's easy to go back for seconds... thirds... fourths.

It's hard not to go back for a handful, and I love when that handful includes sweet, orange hinted popcorn, caramel covered banana chips and a salty, crunchy macadamia nut! I dare you to make this and not eat more than 4 handfuls at a time. I double dare you.

Keyword popcorn

Tips and Tricks

To determine the hardness of caramel popcorn, dip a skewer into a cup of cold water. The strands will break, and the butter is too soft to stick to the skewer. Once the kernels are hard, pour them into a large plastic ziplock bag and let them cool completely before breaking them into pieces. You can store them in an airtight container for up to one week. However, if stored at too warm temperatures, they will lose their crispy texture faster.

While making caramel popcorn, keep an eye on the consistency. The consistency should be evenly coated with the mixture. Adding baking soda to the mix will make the caramel layer thin and crispy. The finished product should stay crispy for up to two weeks. The recipe suggests using a quarter cup of kernels for a full coverage of caramel. If you use a full cup, it will result in a thick layer of coating. A quarter-cup of kernels is the appropriate amount for a normal-coverage.

If you are unsure about the softness of caramel popcorn, you can test it using a cold water test. A hard crack stage means that the kernels will splinter when bent. Ideally, you should avoid the caramel corn at the soft crack stage. Moreover, it is important to remove the roasted kernels from the oven once it has finished cooling. This recipe will make enough for one hour’s worth of snacking.

To test the hardness of caramel popcorn, use a spoon to dip a piece in cold water. If the kernels are hard, they should bend when put in water. When you remove them from the heat, they will be crisp. Afterwards, allow the popcorn to cool completely. A few hours later, they should be ready to be served. And, they are ready to eat! They are an excellent treat!

To make caramel popcorn, simply melt the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a large microwave-safe bowl. Then, add vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Stir well to coat the popcorn. Then, bake the caramel popcorn for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp and golden brown. After this, break the caramel popcorn into smaller pieces and enjoy! It is a delicious treat for everyone!

After stirring the caramel, it is time to store the popcorn. This snack is best enjoyed soon after it has been made. It will be sticky and crunchy, but it will also be a great addition to your holiday festivities! During the holidays, you can share it with family and friends. Just remember to avoid overheating the popcorn. It will become mushy when it is too warm. And while you’re at it, savor the deliciousness of Caramel Popcorn

To prepare Caramel Popcorn, melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the sweeteners. Continue to stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. After the caramel has cooled, spread it out on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. This caramel popcorn will be sticky and crispy if you’ve used baking soda and vanilla extract. But be sure to stir and test it before serving it to your family.

To make Caramel Popcorn, you will need a large heat-proof bowl, but make sure there are no un-popped kernels. For the caramel to be effective, the popcorn should be cooked for three to four minutes. During this time, it is essential to stir it constantly so that it does not burn. The caramel will become thick and glossy if it is allowed to cool, and the popcorn will continue to remain tasty the next day.