Old Fashioned Caramel Corn
Old Fashioned Caramel Corn
My sister Barb gave me this recipe for old fashioned caramel corn many, many years ago. I had this yummy caramel corn while at her house, I think it was at Christmas time and after I got home I kept thinking about her caramel corn. I called her up the next day and asked for the recipe. In fact, I wrote the recipe on the back of a paper bag with a green crayon. Needless to say I’ve been making it ever since. (I still use the same recipe that’s written on the paper bag)
Old Fashioned Tree
When my kids were young, every year we would have an old-fashioned style Christmas tree. We would decorate our tree with old Christmas cards, candy canes, gingerbread men and gumdrops. The kids would spend hours stringing cranberries, gumdrops and popcorn. I always made a few extra batches of popcorn to make caramel corn and because the kids ate more popcorn, than they strung up!
Popping Popcorn
Back in the “olden” days, I popped popcorn the old-fashioned way, with an old, beat up pan. The pan had an ill fitting lid and the bottom of the pan was so uneven it looked like someone took a hammer to it. It was affectionately called the “popcorn pan” I would plop a big spoonful of crisco in the bottom of the pan, heat it up until it was super hot, cover the bottom of the pan with popcorn kernels, put the ill-fitting lid on the pan and pop away. We would literally fight over “the old maids” as we called them. That beat up, old pan made the best darn popcorn!
Old Fashioned Caramel Corn
Ingredients
- 4 quarts popped popcorn
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degree
- Spray large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.
- Add popped popcorn.
- 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 popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
- Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.
Nutrition
Sticky Caramel Corn and Sun Dried Tomato Mushroom Omelette are two fantastic recipes you’ll want to try. For this recipe we used Jollytime Popcorn.
11 Comments on “Old Fashioned Caramel Corn”
Oven at 425 is much too high of setting. This will result in burnt popcorn and caramel. Perhaps that is a typo? Should maybe be 200-225?
I used to make popcorn in a big pot on the stove too. I'd put on some oven mitts hold the lid tight to the pot and shake away! The thought of the recipe written on a paper bag in crayon gave me a good chuckle. Sometimes you just know a good recipe when you see one!
Thanks for linking with See Ya in the Gumbo. I've been out of town w/ my family–this week's party will be up Monday night.
Hi Michelle~ Thanks so much for stopping by~ Popcorn tastes so much better made this way:) I have burned a few batches in my day too….but what the heck…we ate it burned:) Hope your enjoying your time away with family….See you Monday night~
Your Caramel Corn looks like a very special treat! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope you have a great weekend!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
Hi Miz Helen~ Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a great weekend as well~
I love caramel corn on a cold day! This sounds wonderful! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Hi Marci~ Can never have to much caramel corn:) Thanks for stopping by~
Hi Joy~ Thanks so much for stopping by:) As a matter of fact, I do still have that paper bag with the recipe written in crayon….I tried to throw it out but I just couldn't do it~ You are so right, my popcorn still isn't quite right:) haha~ Have a great week and Happy Halloween~ Lynn
Oh, Lynn, I enjoyed this post so much. I hope you still have the written-in-green-crayon recipe- that's PRICELESS! I completely understand about the old pan- there are just some things you need the exact right pan for (the popcorn probably doesn't taste *quite* the same without it!!). The Caramel Corn is beautiful, just the right shade, and I bet it has a nice crunch to it. I had forgotten about the "old maids"!! 🙂
Love, Joy
Yesterfood.blogspot.com
Hi Linda! My hubby always tells me I never forget anything:) haha I think he might be right! Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy the recipe:) Lynn
You still remember after 15 years?! Lol… I don't think he's been forgiven yet 😉 Thanks for the recipe, Lynn ! I usually buy these in bulk – definitely trying your recipe.