Caramel Popcorn Recipe has a lovely light sweetness & a little bit of cranberry tartness for just the right balance. 14 cups for you & your friends!
I made some Cranberry Caramel Popcorn and I am feeling proud.
Besides peanuts getting thrown into the mix you also have dried cranberry that completes the goodness in this recipe. If you can bear to part with any of the popcorn it would also make a wonderful homemade gift.
This is not the thick covering like you get in those tins. It has that great sweet/tart combo in a large quantity with little effort. Sweet caramel, tart cranberries, and salty peanuts.
You could even call this snack Cracker Jack’s as it’s very similar. Cranberries have been added for the festive feel.
It’s not quite as thickly covered as the boxed treat but you can get it that way by just doubling the coating recipe. Same amount of popcorn but double the covering.
How Do You Make this Homemade Caramel Popcorn Recipe?
The recipe card is below but I’m going to give more hints, tips, and photos here that can’t fit into the recipe card.
Make sure the popcorn is certified organic and that means it will also be non-GMO because genetically modified ingredients are prohibited for organic products.
Make the popcorn according to your package directions. 12 cups of it. I piled it all onto two baking sheets when done.
Now start the caramel on the stovetop. Add the dairy-free butter and maple syrup, organic sugar, and brown sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. You can double the ingredients for a thicker caramel covering.
The cranberries and peanuts go in at the very end.
Bring to a boil (over medium-high heat) stirring (almost) all the time so as to not burn. When it comes to a boil clip on the candy thermometer. This is what mine looks like.
Remove the candy thermometer carefully and don’t get any hot mixture on your skin.
You’ll have to work quickly with the caramel because it will start to cool while mixing with the popcorn. Pour over the popcorn eyeballing half of the mixture. Stir with a large wooden spoon.
You can pour some into a large mixing bowl and stir that way in a few smaller groups. Place back onto the baking sheet and place in a 300-degree oven and bake 10 minutes.
Remove from oven stir and bake 5 more minutes.
Add the cranberries and peanuts and stir again. All done! Now let cool and eat!
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Popcorn is a year-round treat and it can be dressed up in so many ways. I finally broke down and bought a popcorn maker. It makes life easier and much cleaner.
It was this one and I highly recommend it if you’re in the market. So now I can make popcorn any time I want in just minutes and eat it with a multitude of toppings such as this wonderful Caramel Popcorn Recipe.
What are Some Other Good Popcorn Toppings?
- Nutritional Yeast and cumin of course.
- Dairy-free butter and Franks’s hot sauce or Sriracha.
- A vegan dry mix for cool ranch dressing.
- Chili seasoning mix. Here’s my recipe for Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix.
- And you can dress up this caramel popcorn recipe in other ways too!
- Salted caramel popcorn
- Chocolate caramel popcorn
- Caramel apple popcorn
Can You Freeze Popcorn?
- Indeed! There are so many plusses for freezing popcorn.
- Popcorn is super cheap and a little bit pops up huge quantities. Of course, it’s very easy to eat a couple of cups at a time. Even more for lots of people.
- Go ahead and put popcorn in the freezer because it stays good for weeks!
- Not only that popcorn never freezes and never turns stale when stored this way. Amazing!
Caramel Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 cups popped popcorn
- 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1 cup peanuts, NOT chopped
- 1 cup dried cranberries, NOT chopped
Instructions
- After you pop your popcorn - go through it and make sure there are no unpopped kernels and throw them away.
- In a medium saucepan - heat the butter, maple syrup, organic sugar, and brown sugar to boiling over medium-high heat. Stir while this is coming to a boil.
- Carefully clip on a candy thermometer.
- Continue to cook over medium-high heat to the hard-ball stage of 255°.
- This will take 10 minutes or so. Stir occasionally but be very very careful.
- Remove from heat and remove thermometer (again, carefully).
- Immediately pour the mixture over the popcorn and stir gently.
- Put into the oven and bake at 300° for 10 minutes.
- Stir and bake 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the dried cranberries and peanuts.
- Turn out onto a cool baking sheet and let cool completely.
- Break apart and store in an airtight container. The popcorn keeps a very long time so I can't see the need to freeze. It will be eaten fast!
Notes
- There are so many plusses for freezing popcorn.
- Popcorn is super cheap and a little bit pops up huge quantities. Of course, it's very easy to eat a couple of cups at a time. Even more for lots of people.
- Go ahead and put popcorn in the freezer because it stays good for weeks!
- Not only that popcorn never freezes and never turns stale when stored this way. Amazing!
Nutrition
What a great, seasonal twist on a fan favorite snack! I have to try this. Yummy!
For years my kids gave my dad a tin of popcorn for his birthday that’s in December. I’m going to encourage them to making it homemade this year. He would love cranberry caramel popcorn!
I always add peanuts to my popcorn – I love the crunch. This looks incredible! Pinning to try soon!
What a great use for cranberries! And vegan popcorn …… awesome! I can’t wait to try this one, a perfect snack for the holidays!
Brown sugar and cranberries?? Sounds like THE most delicious treat!!
Hi Christine! I have been wanting to change this recipe and you reminded me. Thanks! I made the recipe again with maple syrup and it worked great. I am positive you could use agave syrup too. Have fun.
This sounds really good. Do you think you could use Agave or something in place of the homey?
Love your recipes!!
Thanks
Thanks Amy! Glad you like it.
This recipe sounds so amazing! I love sweet and salty.