Old Fashioned Caramel Popcorn Recipes

Steps:

• Place the popped popcorn into two shallow greased baking pans. You may use roasting pans, jelly roll pans, or disposable roasting pans. Add the peanuts to the popped corn if using. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.
• Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will be light and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat. Don't worry too much at this point about getting all of the corn coated.
• Bake for 1 hour, removing the pans, and giving them each a good stir every 15 minutes. Line the counter top with waxed paper. Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper and separate the pieces. Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight containers or resealable bags.

Steps:

• Spray large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250 degrees F oven while preparing caramel.
• Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; mix well.
• Pour syrup over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
• Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
• Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.

Steps:

• 1. Pop popcorn. Dump each batch into a large enamel roasting pan (turkey size) that has been treated with food release spray.
• 2. In a heavy 3 qt. saucepan melt the butter with the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Over medium heat bring the sauce to a hard, rolling boil. Boil 5 minutes.
• 3. Quickly stir in baking soda -- caramel will foam up.
• 4. Immediately pour the caramel over the popcorn. Mix carefully and thoroughly, until all kernels are coated.
• 5. Bake at 200* for 1 hour, stirring well every 15 minutes. If you like, you can stir in nuts at the last 15 min. Remove from oven. Cool and serve.
• 6. NOTES: You may use light or dark brown sugar, and light or dark corn syrup -- it changes the flavor, so experiment to find your favorite combination :) Store in another room -- it's hard to stop eating it!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
• Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Steps:

• In a saucepan mix butter brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla and bring to a boil.
• Boil for 5 to 6 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda until the mixture has puffed up.
• Allow 1 minute to rest.
• Placed popped popcorn in a large baking dish.
• (I use my very large turkey roasting pan without the lid.) Pour mixture over popcorn and stir until well coated.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Stir well to make sure the bottom doesn't burn, Bake for another 10 minutes.
• Pour onto a large surface to cool.
• (I cut a green garbage bag in half and cover my dining room table with it before pouring out the popcorn onto it. It saves on clean up.) Break apart to serve.

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a baking pan and keep warm in a 200° oven. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, water, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. , Continue cooking without stirring until the temperature reaches 270° on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat. Add vanilla; stir just enough to mix. Slowly pour over the popcorn. Cool just enough to handle. Shape with buttered hands.

Steps:

• Pop popcorn. (Update: 2- 3.5 oz bags popped microwave popcorn can be substituted, approximately same volume).
• Put popped popcorn in a large, brown paper grocery bag.
• Stovetop: Add syrup, sugar and butter to a pan and bring to a boil for two minutes. (Update: In a microwave safe bowl, nuke until ingredients are melted and bubbly, 3-5 minutes.).
• Add vanilla and baking powder and stir briefly.
• While foaming, quickly pour caramel into the brown bag, over the popped popcorn. Roll the top of the bag together until closed and shake well.
• Place brown bag into the microwave and nuke 45 seconds.
• Remove bag from the microwave and shake well. Do not open the bag.
• Repeat steps: nuke for 45 seconds, remove, shake well, 3 more times.
• Nuke again for 30 seconds, remove, shake well and pour onto baking sheets to cool. Toss the bag.
• Caramel will harden as it cools, break apart and enjoy!