The Best Homemade Caramel Corn

This post contains affiliate links.

Good morning! My favorite part of Christmas aside from being with family and friends is baking and making homemade treats for family and friends. Yesterday I made 6 batches of the “best” caramel corn for my homemade gift baskets and it was so easy I thought you might want to make some too.

Years ago I made this caramel corn recipe, then I misplaced the recipe so I started making Amish caramel corn instead.  A few weeks ago while sorting recipes I found the “best” caramel corn recipe again and I have been making it ever since. My favorite part of the recipe is that you simply cook the ingredients on the stove and then pour over the popcorn, you don’t need to bake it in the oven for an hour like you do when making the Amish Caramel Corn. 

Caramel Corn

Recipe adapted from Celebrate the Season 2004

8 cups popped popcorn

2 cups almonds

11/3 cup white sugar

1 cup butter

1/2 cup ligt corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional: In place of 2 cups almonds.

1 cup pecans

1 cup slivered almonds

Place popcorn and nuts on a 17 x 12 x 2″ baking sheet. Keep popcorn warm in a 300 degree oven while making the caramel.

For the caramel. Butter the sides of a medium saucepan. In the saucepan combine the sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture boils. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and reduce heat to medium. Continue boiling at a moderate to steady rate, stirring frequently,  until the candy thermometer reaches 280″F(soft crack stage) about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Carefully pour caramel over popcorn and stir gently to coat. Spread popcorn mixture on a large sheet of buttered foil or Silphat to cool. Quickly break into clusters with a fork. Store in a tightly covered container.

This caramel corn is crunchy, sweet, salty, nutty and delicious. It is the perfect treat to serve on holiday movie night, and to give as gifts. You can get jars and tins at Target or Amazon or you can fill cellophane party bags and tie them with ribbon. 

Do you have a favorite recipe that you make to gift to family and friends? If so, please share.