Caramel popcorn is our favorite go to snacks in theater and malls. Usually I buy and make readymade salted popcorn at home. But caramel popcorn and masala popcorn were in my try list for long time. Recently I tried this homemade caramel popcorn on the stove with white sugar using few packets of Act 2 popcorn. I have always thought making caramel popcorn at home is difficult as it needs brown sugar, corn syrup and its mandatory to be baked in an oven.

But all my thoughts went wrong when I came across this recipe in Cooking Shooking YouTube channel. This is one of the best caramel popcorn recipe. Its an easy to make, stove top caramel popcorn recipe without using brown sugar, corn syrup and oven. All you need is sugar, butter and vanilla essence. Its a 3 ingredient caramel popcorn recipe. Though its my first attempt, it came out so well, crunchy and perfectly sweet in taste. My house was completely filled with the aroma of caramelized sugar mixed with vanilla flavor which was so good.

Above all, this recipe doesn’t need baking. Friends, do try this yummy caramel popcorn at home easily and share your feedback with me. Ok, lets see how to make caramel popcorn recipe without oven, corn syrup and brown sugar with step by step pictures and video.

How To Make Caramel Popcorn Recipe

How To Make Caramel popcorn recipe without oven, corn syrup and brown sugar.

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweet

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml

Popcorn – 1/4 cup (I used Salted Act 2 popcorn)
White Sugar – 1/2 cup
Unsalted Butter – 1 tbsp
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Water – Few drops
Baking soda – 1/8 tsp

HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL POPCORN ON THE STOVE WITH WHITE SUGAR

Unpack the readymade popcorn and add to a heavy bottomed kadai or pressure cooker.
Saute in high flame for a minute. When it starts to pop, close the vessel with a lid partially.
Let it pop. Shake the vessel back and forth in between to pop it completely. Switch off the flame once its done.
Transfer the popcorn to a plate. Heat the kadai again adding sugar and butter.
Mix well to melt the sugar and butter. After the sugar is melted completely, lower the flame.
Keep mixing till the color of sugar turns golden brown and caramelize. Add vanilla essence and switch off the flame.
Add baking soda and mix well. Syrup becomes light and frothy.
Add the popcorn and mix well to coat them.
Transfer to a plate lined with butter paper and let it become warm.
Break the clumped ones gently using your hands and serve immediately for best taste.
Store in an air tight box and use it within 2 to 3 days.
To keep it more crunchy for long time, you can bake the caramelized popcorn in an oven at 180c for 10 minutes.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Heat a heavy bottomed kadai or pressure cooker. Unpack the readymade popcorn packet. I added 1/4 cup of raw popcorn kernels. If you don't have popcorn packet, use maize kernels/ dried corn kernels you get in the market.
Heat 2 to 3 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker bottom. Add 1/4 cup of corn kernels, mix well. Then proceed as mentioned below.

Keep the flame high and Saute quickly for a minute. Popcorn starts to pop. Cover the vessel with a lid immediately. Keep the flame medium and shake the kadai back and forth to pop the corn kernels completely.

Once the popcorn is ready switch off the flame. Transfer the hot popcorn to a plate. Set aside.

Heat sugar and soft butter in a kadai. Let the sugar melts in butter. Keep the flame completely low and mix till sugar changes to golden brown in color.

Add vanilla essence, mix well and switch off the flame. Add baking soda and mix till the syrup becomes frothy and light. Do the process quickly. Do not burn the syrup. Beginners, please keep the flame low during caramelization process.

Now add the popcorn and mix it from the bottom and toss gently to coat the syrup with popcorn. Transfer it to a plate lined with butter paper. (Optionally you can bake in a preheated oven for one hour by mixing it once in 15 minutes to make super crunchy popcorn. But I skipped this step). Let it become warm.
Break the lumped ones into pieces and enjoy immediately. Store the remaining in an air tight bottle and use it within 2 days.

Note

Do not add more sugar. The ratio of popcorn kernels and sugar is 1:2.
Do the syrup process in low flame to avoid burning.
If you burn the syrup, taste will spoil.
Do not skip vanilla essence. It adds a great flavor.
Popcorn turns soggy if you expose in air for long time. So keep it closed in an air tight box.

Friends, do try this easy, yummy caramel popcorn at home. You will love it.