Oven-Baked Salted Caramel Popcorn
Crunchy, shatter-crisp caramel corn baked low and slow, finished with flaky salt. Perfect for movie night on October 31.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Cool
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Makes
- 10 cups
- Level
- Easy
The secret to caramel corn that crunches rather than sticks to your teeth is the oven. A short boil gives you the caramel, a spoonful of baking soda makes it foam and lighten, and 45 minutes at a low temperature dries every piece until it snaps.
It is also the easiest Halloween treat to make in a big batch, and it keeps for a week in a sealed tin, so you can make it on the weekend and hand it out in paper bags all week.
Method
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Put the popcorn (and nuts, if using) in your largest mixing bowl, picking out any unpopped kernels.
Boil the caramel
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and fine salt. Bring to a boil, then boil without stirring for 4 minutes.
Add soda and vanilla
Take the pan off the heat and quickly stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The caramel will foam up and turn lighter in color. That is what you want.
Coat the popcorn
Pour the caramel over the popcorn and fold with a silicone spatula until everything is evenly coated. Spread across the two baking sheets.
Bake low and slow
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes and swapping the pans between racks halfway through.
Cool and break up
Sprinkle with flaky salt while hot. Let cool completely on the pans, about 15 minutes, then break into clusters.
Tips for success
- Air-popped or stovetop popcorn works best. Skip butter-flavored microwave popcorn.
- For a spooky twist, toss in a handful of candy corn after the popcorn has cooled.
Storage and make-ahead
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If it softens, re-crisp for 10 minutes at 250°F.
