Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts

Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts is made with fluffy popcorn and roasted peanuts coated with crunchy caramel. This is a treat the whole family will love by the bowlful!

Why you'll love this recipe

Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts, is buttery, sweet and delicious! It tastes like Cracker Jacks, but better.

A full cup of lightly salted peanuts is added to popped popcorn. The caramel coating bakes up crisp, forming crunchy clusters of popcorn and peanuts.

Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts is addicting and irresistible. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You can eat it all yourself or share some as gifts.

The long shelf life of this popcorn, makes it an excellent care package treat. A batch or two of Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts would be a great Super Bowl snack too!

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Pop the corn kernels. Scoop the popcorn into the prepared roasting pan, rather than pour, to avoid transferring any of the unpopped kernels. Scatter the peanuts over the popcorn. Set aside.
2. To make the caramel coating, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and molasses in a two quart sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook (about 5 minutes) until the caramel thickens and is foamy. Then cook another 2 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 275°-300° F.
3. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will foam up. Immediately, pour over the popcorn and peanuts. Stir to distribute the caramel. The popcorn will not be completely coated at this time.
4. Bake for 45 minutes stirring every 10 minutes to coat the popcorn completely with caramel. If there is still a lot of uncoated popcorn after 45 minutes, add 10 more minutes to the cooking time and stir again.

Storage

Caramel corn can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or freezer weight ziplock bag for at least two weeks.

Tips

• Unpopped kernels in Caramel Corn is not good. You can break a tooth. After popping, take the time to shake the container so that the heavier unpopped kernels sink to the bottom. Then scoop the popcorn, rather than dump it, into a separate bowl.
• I highly suggest buying a digital candy thermometer. They are not expensive and take the guess work out of making  caramel (and a lot of other delicious things). Though I have tried to give times and consistency for making the caramel without a thermometer, the success rate will be better with accuracy. If the caramel is undercooked, the finished product will be less crispy.
• Don’t worry about completely coating the popcorn as you pour the caramel into the roasting pan. When the coating is in the oven it softens in the heat making it easier to mix the popcorn and coating together.
• Don’t like peanuts or have allergies? Leave them out. Substitute another nut if you prefer.

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Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts

Homemade caramel popcorn made with fluffy popcorn and roasted peanuts coated in crunchy caramel.

5 from 1 vote

Print Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 10

Calories: 423kcal

Author: Wendy Sondov

Ingredients

• ½ cup unpopped popcorn about 10 cups popped
• 1 cup roasted peanuts salted, lightly salted, or unsalted
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 250° F. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper, covering the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
• Pop the corn kernels in a popcorn popper or microwave in a large bowl . If using the microwave, pop the corn in two ¼ cup batches. When the popping is finished, shake the popping bowl so that unpopped kernels will settle to the bottom. Scoop the popcorn into the prepared roasting pan, rather than pour, to avoid transferring any of the unpopped kernels. Scatter the peanuts over the popcorn. Set aside.
• To make the caramel coating, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and molasses in a two quart medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook (about 5 minutes) until the caramel thickens and is foamy. Then cook another 2 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 275°-300° F.
• Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will foam up.
• Immediately, pour over the popcorn and peanuts. Stir with a silicon spatula to distribute the caramel. The popcorn will not be completely coated at this time.
• Bake for 45 minutes stirring every 10 minutes to coat the popcorn completely with caramel. If there is still a lot of uncoated popcorn after 45 minutes, add 10 more minutes to the cooking time and stir again.
• Remove from oven. Using the sides of the parchment, lift the caramel corn out of the pan and cool completely on the counter.
• Once cool, break into small clusters. Caramel corn can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or freezer weight ziplock bag for at least two weeks.

Notes

Packing tips

Fill airtight storage containers or freezer weight ziplock bags with Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts. Fill to the top of the container or bag to restrict movement of the popcorn, and remove as much air as possible.

Nutrition

Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 567IU | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

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First Published: January 18, 2017. Last Updated: July 30, 2022. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.

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