Caramel pecan popcorn is the perfect sweet-and-salty treat! With its irresistible crunch and rich, buttery flavor, it’s a delicious snack.
Choose the Right Popcorn
Begin with freshly popped popcorn. Use lightly salted popcorn, such as Orville Redenbacher’s Simply Salted Microwave Popcorn, to intensify the sweet-and-salty flavor, or choose any nonflavored, home-popped corn with or without light salt. Remove any unpopped kernels to ensure a smooth and enjoyable snack.
Caramel Pecan Popcorn: Find Your Perfect Ratio
You can customize the caramel corn’s flavor by adjusting the amount of popcorn. For a rich, heavy caramel coating, use 12 cups. For a lighter coating, use 20 cups of popcorn. Try a batch according to the recipe instructions and then adjust the amount of popcorn to find your preferred ratio.
Caramel Pecan Popcorn: Add a Crunch with Nuts
Add nuts for extra texture and flavor. You can use whole or chopped pecans, or substitute with other nuts such as almonds, peanuts, cashews, or macadamia nuts. If you omit the nuts, replace them with equal amounts of popcorn. For extra flavor, toast raw nuts in butter before adding them.
Master the Caramel Mixture
Combine brown sugar and butter to make a delicious caramel. Add corn syrup to prevent the sugar from crystallizing and becoming grainy. Another way to prevent crystallization is to avoid stirring the mixture as it cooks. Instead, gently swirl the pan as needed.
Caramel Pecan Popcorn: Use a Deep Pan for Mixing
Mix the caramel corn in a large, deep pan, such as a turkey roaster, to accommodate all the ingredients. As you pour the hot caramel mixture over the popcorn, use a spatula to gently fold it, coating as much of the popcorn as possible. If you find you are crushing too much popcorn when mixing it with a spatula, try switching to two forks to finish mixing. Using forks not only helps distribute the caramel evenly but also ensures that each piece is deliciously coated without being damaged.
Bake for Crispy Perfection
Baking is the final step to finish your caramel popcorn. Heat the caramel corn at a low temperature for a couple of hours to create a delicious crunch. Make sure to turn the popcorn every 20 to 30 minutes to promote even crispiness. An easy trick to turn the popcorn is to place a sheet of parchment paper over the popcorn, then another same-size baking sheet on top of that. Then flip. Using parchment paper on the bottom of the baking sheets prevents the caramel corn from sticking to the sheets.
Can I Skip the Baking?
No, you should bake it to dry it out, making it crunchier and easier to handle. Otherwise, the popcorn will be sticky. But if you prefer it sticky and glistening with caramel, then by all means, indulge!
Caramel Pecan Popcorn: Store for Freshness
Store your caramel pecan popcorn in an airtight container or a sealed plastic bag to keep it fresh-tasting. This will keep it tasty for up to 2 to 3 weeks. If the popcorn becomes stale or sticky, simply reheat it in a low oven at 200°F to restore its delicious crunch.
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Caramel Pecan Popcorn
Ingredients
Pecans
- 2 cups pecans (whole or pieces)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Popcorn
- 15 cups popped popcorn (use 12 cups for heavier coated popcorn; 20 cups for lightly coated)
- ¾ cup salted butter
- 2 cups brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Pecans
- Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the pecans. Stir continuously until toasted, about 3 minutes.
Popcorn
- Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place the popped corn in a large, deep pan such as a turkey roaster.
- Spread out the pecans on top of the popcorn.
- Melt the butter. Add the sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Stir to mix. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes without stirring.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and baking soda until the mixture is foamy.
- Pour over the popcorn, stirring as you pour to distribute the mixture. Use two forks to help stir the popcorn to coat it.
- Place parchment paper into two large baking sheets with sides. Divide the popcorn between the two pans, placing it in single layers.
- Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning and stirring every 30 minutes.