Description
Deliciously sweet and crunchy caramel popcorn balls made by coating popped popcorn with a homemade buttery caramel sauce, perfect for a fun snack or party treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 10 cups popped popcorn (e.g., Skinny Pop)
Caramel Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the baking sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it to prevent caramel popcorn balls from sticking. Set aside.
- Melt the butter and combine ingredients: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir in the packed light brown sugar, light corn syrup, and a pinch of salt until combined and smooth.
- Boil the caramel mixture: Bring the mixture to a rolling boil while stirring constantly. Once boiling, allow it to cook without stirring for 4 to 5 minutes until it reaches a light caramel color, ensuring a rich flavor and correct consistency.
- Add baking soda and vanilla: Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract. The mixture will foam up, creating a lighter texture in the caramel.
- Coat the popcorn: Immediately pour the hot caramel sauce over the popped popcorn in a large bowl. Gently fold and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to evenly coat all the popcorn without crushing it.
- Form the popcorn balls: While the mixture is still warm but cool enough to handle, lightly grease your hands and shape the coated popcorn into balls. Place the formed balls onto the prepared baking sheet to set and cool completely.
Notes
- Be careful when handling hot caramel, as it can cause burns.
- Use lightly greased hands when shaping popcorn balls to prevent sticking.
- Store popcorn balls in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- You can customize the recipe by adding nuts or chocolate chips to the popcorn before coating.
