Iowa Caramel Corn
Popcorn coated in a buttery brown sugar caramel and baked until crisp, a favorite at Iowa fairs, festivals, and family gatherings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 240 kcal
Equipment
- •Large roasting pan
- •Saucepan
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- fat
- 10
- carbs
- 38
- protein
- 2
- calories
- 240
Instructions
- 1
Heat your oven to 250°F. Spread the popped popcorn across two large roasting pans and throw away unpopped kernels.
- 2
Melt the butter with brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until combined.
- 3
Bring the mixture to a boil. Let it cook for 4 minutes without stirring.
- 4
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the baking soda and vanilla as the mixture foams up.
- 5
Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn. Stir quickly to coat as much of the popcorn as possible.
- 6
Bake for 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes to spread the caramel around evenly.
- 7
Take the pans out of the oven. Spread the caramel corn onto parchment paper to cool completely.
- 8
Break apart any large clumps before you serve or store the caramel corn.
Chef's tips
Move quickly when pouring the caramel because it sets as it cools. Stirring every 15 minutes keeps the corn from burning.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Reheating
No reheating needed; caramel corn is served at room temperature.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Forgetting to stir during baking, which causes burnt spots.
- •Boiling the caramel for too long, which makes it too hard and brittle.
Serving suggestions
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