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.
Baking the coated popcorn creates crunchy caramel corn that stays crunchy for weeks!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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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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
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
Nutrition
First Published: January 18, 2017. Last Updated: July 30, 2022. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.
Jessica
The combination of fluffy popcorn and crunchy caramel-coated peanuts is irresistible. This is definitely going to be a new favorite in our household. Thanks for sharing such a fantastic recipe!
Maisy
This looks sooo good, Wendy! I mean, CARAMEL and PEANUT in POPCORN shape?! What's not to love!
I picked you as my feature this week at the Friday Favorites linky party, have a look if you like: https://be-alice.blogspot.com/2017/01/friday-favorites-week-357.html
Hope you have a lovely day,
Maisy
Monica
I totally agree with you on food holidays - haha! : ) And I love food memories and all the reasons behind them. Also love Chicago, plus popcorn and nuts. You have everything covered! This is so fun. I love having movie nights at home where we move our coffee table/ottoman and place a blanket there and have a 'picnic'. We need caramel popcorn at the next one!
Donella
This is one of my husband's favorite snacks, but I've never made homemade caramel popcorn. Looks delish!
Miz Helen
A great tutorial for one of my favorite snacks, this is a great snack! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Carlee
My husband's grandma "bakes" it off in the microwave in a paper sack. Either way, baking it is definitely the key. Your caramel corn looks amazing!
saltandserenity
How did I not know that Jan 19 was national popcorn day? I must be living under a rock. I LOVE caramel corn of any kind, and the addition of salted peanuts makes me very happy. I didn't know that Bob's Redmill makes popcorn.I am sure it is perfect, as all their products are. I'm a big fan. I have been popping Trader Joe's organic popcorn and it is quite fantastic as well.
I have never seen the addition of molasses to caramel. It's a great idea as I imagine it adds a touch of bitterness which would be perfect for tempering the sweetness.
I have also never heard of baking the caramel corn. Aside from making it easier to coat the popcorn, what purpose does it serve? Does it not get too dark?
I always learn something new from you. Thanks Wendy.
Jenny@dragonflyhomerecipes
I am a huge popcorn fan and this caramel corn sounds wonderful! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Jenny! As a fellow popcorn fan, I have to warn you that this caramel corn is addictive!;)
All That I'm Eating
This is a great idea, I love how you coated the popcorn. That caramel sounds delicious.
The Monday Box
Thank you, Caroline! I never knew how popcorn could get completely coated before this recipe. Baking it, makes the mixing and coating so much easier and effective!