Baked Caramel Corn with a Crunch

Ingredients 0/8

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C). Pour some oil into a large saucepan and heat it over medium-high. Toss in a few popcorn kernels and cover the pan. Once they pop, add the rest of the kernels in a single layer. Cover again, take the pan off the heat for about 30 seconds, then put it back on and gently shake it from side to side until the popping slows down to a few seconds between pops. Take the pan off the heat and pour the popcorn into a big bowl.

Step 2

Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat it up, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Let it bubble away for about 5 minutes without stirring, then take it off the heat. Stir in vanilla extract and baking soda, mixing well until everything is combined.

Step 3

Pour the caramel sauce over the popcorn and stir it all together so every piece is coated. Spread the sticky popcorn out in a shallow, oven-safe dish. Pop it in the oven and bake, stirring every 15 minutes to keep things from sticking. After about an hour, test a piece once it’s cooled—it should be nice and crunchy. Enjoy!