Homemade Honey Caramel Corn
on Oct 09, 2019, Updated Mar 21, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Honey Caramel Corn recipe is a sweet and slightly salty snack that you will LOVE munching on any day of the week. And it’s so easy to make!
Homemade Caramel Corn Recipe without Corn Syrup
Anyone else in love with salty-sweet combos? *raises hand* I just think it’s one of those combinations that will forever be a classic in my heart. It’s why peanut butter and chocolate go so well together, or coarse salt on top of watermelon (trust me, just try it). This honey caramel corn is no different. The caramelized honey sauce is rich without being TOO sweet, and you have the option to add salt on top of the popcorn, which you already know I highly recommend.
It’s dreamy and beyond easy to throw together when you want a fun snack that’s a little outside the box (or the store-bought popcorn bag). As someone who is used to feeding five little ones, too, anytime I can create a simple snack that everyone loves is a majorly enormous win… And this accomplishes all that, and then some (because mama is over here happy snacking on it, too).
What happens if you forget the baking soda in caramel corn?
Baking soda creates small carbon dioxide air bubbles in the caramel by reacting with the acid. It’s what makes the caramel sauce appear foamy, and then when you caramel corn cools, the air bubbles help it maintain a soft texture.
What is the difference between caramel corn and kettle corn?
Caramel corn was historically sweetened with molasses (although this recipe uses honey), and nowadays it’s made by pouring hot caramel over popcorn. Kettle corn is tossed with some salt and sugar for a different sweet-savory flavor profile!
Can caramel corn be frozen?
You can certainly freeze caramel corn — just bag it and store it in the freezer for several months! You can also store it in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. Just be careful when thawing. If there’s condensation (moisture) in the bag, it’ll make it soggy. Just open the bag a bit so it can air out if needed.
Honey Caramel Corn
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup un-popped popping corn, or about 8 cups popped popcorn
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
- Coarse salt, optional
Instructions
- Pop your corn, place it in a medium bowl, and pick out all of the un-popped kernels so you won’t break your teeth later.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F., and line baking sheet with parchment paper or butter, or spray the parchment so the popcorn won’t stick.
- In a medium saucepan, melt honey and butter over medium heat until it starts to boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring very often. Don’t boil over high heat, as the honey will burn.
- Take off of the heat, and add vanilla, baking soda, and cinnamon if you are using it. It will bubble up and look all foamy.
- Drizzle over popcorn, and stir to combine. Spread onto baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt, about 1/2 teaspoon.
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes until golden, but don’t over-bake because it will burn.
- Stir after you take it out of the oven or it will all stick together in one big lump.
- Cool slightly and then enjoy.
Nutrition
More popcorn recipes:
- Cinnamon Caramel Corn with White Chocolate and Pecans
- The Best Caramel Dip
- Gooey Caramel Corn
- How to Pop Popcorn in a Paper Bag in the Microwave
- Gooey Marshmallow Popcorn with Chocolate
This post was originally published in 2010, and has been updated and rephotographed in October 2019.
This healthy caramel corn recipe is so fun and simple to make for a movie night snack, when friends come over, or for the kids to take to school to share with their class on a holiday or birthday!
Love it.! And my daughter loves it. I never thought I’d have the chance to eat caramel popcorn again. This sure beats any of that store-bought stuff. I look forward to playing with that recipe by adding different nuts and flavors.
By the way, I like the name of your website: bless my mess too, please….
Bless this Mess indeed! And I think you are right, you have a lot of options, you could add pecans, a little cinnamon, and some white chocolate!
Ann makes this… it’s really yummy.