Caramel Apple Popcorn
Caramel Apple Popcorn is the quintessential Autumn treat! It’s caramel corn flavored with apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg and dark brown sugar. It’s a very easy recipe as most of it’s done in the microwave. For a yummy fall confection, try this caramel apple popcorn!
This recipe begins in two ways. One is by having brown paper grocery bags on hand. They are tricky to find these days but if you know a grocery store that carries them, you could ask if they will give/sell you some bags (or you could be like a certain friend of mine that chose to steal the bags right from behind the register! Not naming names, KN, but you know who you are!!!). It’s important to have these bags and not the kind you might get at a restaurant as a to-go bag. I tried that but they are too flimsy. Trader Joe’s bags work great or, if you are in Arizona, AJ’s bags are perfect.
The other important point is to have homemade popcorn. I like to use “mushroom” popcorn kernels as they produce big popped corn with lots of nooks and crannies to capture the caramel. This is the popcorn that I like but feel free to use whichever you prefer.
I use an old-fashioned whirly pop to pop my popcorn. I’ve used it for years and always get excellent popcorn but you can also pop it in a large pot on the stovetop.
Once the kernels are popped, transfer the popcorn to a bowl and shake it up so that any unpopped kernels are on the bottom and then use your hands to lift out the popped kernels, leaving behind the unpopped ones. Place the popped corn in the grocery bag.
Make the caramel sauce by bringing the apple cider to a boil and continue until it reduces to 1/4 cup, about 8-10 minutes. Place the apple cider in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the corn syrup and stir well.
Add the butter, brown sugars, and spices and stir. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes and then stir.
Return to the microwave for 1 minute and then stir. Repeat 2 more times so that it’s been in the microwave for a total of 3 additional minutes.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in the vanilla and baking soda and stir well. Pour the hot mixture over the popcorn and fold down the top of the bag. Shake well to distribute the caramel then place in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and shake, shake, shake again. You are trying to distribute the caramel thoughout the popcorn.
Repeat this for a total of 5 minutes in the microwave.
Turn out the popcorn onto parchment paper and spread it out so that it’s in a single layer. Allow to cool completely.
Serve or store in an air-tight container.
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Caramel Apple Popcorn
Makes: 16 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 16 cups popped popcorn (see Chef’s Notes)
- 1 & 1/2 cups apple cider (you could also use 100% apple juice)
- 3 tbsp corn syrup
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (if you don’t have dark brown sugar you can omit it and just use 1 & 1/2 cups total of light brown sugar)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Prepare a work surface (kitchen counter) by laying out a 4-feet long piece of parchment paper.
After popping the popcorn, transfer it to a bowl. Lift the popcorn with your hands and shake the bowl lightly so the unpopped kernels fall to the bottom. Lift the 4 quarts of popcorn out of the bowl and transfer to a large brown paper grocery bag.
In a medium-size non-stick sauté pan, bring the apple cider to a boil over medium high heat. Boil vigorously, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the cider is reduced to 1/4 cup. Transfer the cider to a large microwave-safe bowl.
Add the corn syrup to the cider syrup and stir well to combine. Add the butter, brown sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and stir until everything is well incorporated. Place in the microwave and heat on high power for 3 minutes. Stir.
After stirring, return to the microwave for 1 minute. The mixture should be bubbling up furiously by this point. Remove bowl and stir well then return to the microwave for another minute. Repeat this cooking and stirring for a total of 3 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in the vanilla and baking soda. Stir until all of the baking soda is well incorporated. Pour the hot mixture over the popcorn in the bag. Fold the top of the bag down once and shake, shake, shake to distribute syrup through the corn.
Microwave on high power for 1 minute. Remove the bag and hold it at the folded-down top and one of the bottom corners. Shake well the return to the microwave for another minute. Repeat cooking and shaking two more times for a total of 5 minutes. Turn the popcorn out onto the prepared parchment paper. Allow to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container. The caramel corn will keep well for 1-2 weeks.
Chef’s Notes:
I like to use “mushroom” popcorn kernels as they produce big popped corn with lots of nooks and crannies to capture the caramel. This is the popcorn that I like but feel free to use whichever you prefer.
I use an old-fashioned whirly pop to pop my popcorn. I’ve used it for years and always get excellent popcorn but you can also pop it in a large pot on the stovetop.
I use 3/4 cup kernels and 3 tablespoons of canola oil to make 16 cups of popped corn.
Recipe adapted from The Cafe Sucre Farine
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