Puffed Caramel Corn Recipe

This puffed caramel corn recipe is a little bite of nostalgia. Enjoy the salty and sweet flavors of this classic snack whenever the craving strikes – the recipe is that easy! And foolproof!

Am I mistaken in thinking that this caramel puff corn recipe is the recipe from the Midwestern moms of America? (Or is it Scotcheroos?)

It is so quintessentially homespun, simple, and delicious. From football games to classroom snack time to holiday gifting – this sweet treat is a staple in the kitchens of so many.

Including mine! I adore this caramel corn recipe. I will eat handful after handful, batch after batch. It’s just that good! Crunchy, sweet, buttery, and a little bit salty from the puffy popcorn. So truly delightful!

How to make caramel puff corn

This is just a brief overview, find detailed instructions in the recipe card below!

Why add baking soda to caramel?

Baking soda is such a wonder and a marvel! It helps leaven cakes, keeps fridges fresh, and even relieves heartburn!

When stirred into caramel, the basic nature of the soda reacts with the acid mixture and foams. This creates beautiful little air bubbles that remain suspended in the liquid (and survive during baking?!) to yield a softer (more chewable) final product.

Enjoy this puffed caramel corn yourself or wrap some up in festive packages to gift to friends and family any time of year!

Other great gift ideas!

• Homemade Vanilla Extract (start your bottles now!)
• Seth’s Strawberry Jam
• Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Puffed Caramel Corn Recipe

This puffed caramel corn recipe is a little bite of nostalgia. Easily made with butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and baking soda. Enjoy the salty and sweet flavors of this classic snack whenever the craving strikes – the recipe is that easy! And foolproof!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Baking, Dessert

Servings: 20 servings

Calories: 352kcal

Author: Amanda Gajdosik

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• Large Rimmed Baking Tray
• Heatproof spatula
• Tin Foil
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
• 1 ¾ cups brown sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 ¼ tsp. vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 15 ounces Puff Corn (about 1 ½ bags of Old Dutch)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet with tin foil (or use two medium sized trays). Dump Puff Corn onto the baking tray into a single, even layer and set aside.
• In a large saucepot, melt the butter and the sugar, stirring well to combine. Add the corn syrup and the vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Bring mixture up to a bubble and remove from heat. Stir in baking soda (mixture will bubble and foam, this is ok!).
• Pour caramel sauce over puff corn and mix well to ensure every piece is coated with caramel. Again, make sure the puff corn is in an even layer.
• Baking in preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and spread caramel corn out onto a large piece of parchment paper to cool. When cool, break up any large pieces before storing in an airtight container for up to one week.

Notes

• The caramel corn will foam up while baking, this is normal. For that reason, it's important to use rimmed baking sheets to avoid the caramel from spilling over the sides and burning on the bottom of the oven.
• Recipe adapted from Old Dutch.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5ounce | Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 33mg | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg