Homemade caramel corn makes for a sweet and crunchy snack in the evening. If your snacking hovers between buttered popcorn and confections like chocolate or candy, this caramel corn recipe may become your go-to for family movie nights.
In a small saucepan melt the coconut oil (or alternative) together with the maple syrup (or other liquid natural sweetener) and sea salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then turn down to low and simmer for 3-4 minutes without stirring.
Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda. The caramel mix will start bubbling up.
Drizzle the caramel mixture over the popcorn in several additions. Be sure to toss well in between each addition.
If you need a quick homemade caramel corn fix, you can enjoy it right away, but it will be sticky. So use a spoon or chopstick for eating and be sure to finish the entire batch.
For crispier, dry to the touch caramel corn, spread the caramel coated popcorn on 2 baking sheets in a single layer. Place them in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, while stirring every 10 minutes or so.
Afterwards, the caramel corn is ready to enjoy or let cool completely, then store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
As written, this recipe makes a lightly coated, sweet caramel corn. If you prefer more sweetness and want every single kernel to be coated completely, you can double the ingredients for the caramel sauce.