Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Easy homemade caramel popcorn made from freshly popped popcorn and a homemade caramel sauce without corn syrup. Super easy to make and absolutely delicious! You won’t have to buy store-bought again!

This post is sponsored in partnership with NOW. All opinions expressed (as always) are my own. I only partner with brands I trust and personally recommend – thank you for your support in helping make Eat the Gains possible!

Does it get any better than homemade caramel? I think not! It’s my absolute favorite sweet flavor and today we are making the ultimate holiday treat – homemade caramel popcorn.

I don’t know about you, but growing up, I always remember popcorn mixes during the holidays. Especially those huge tins with regular, caramel, and cheese. I am a sucker for anything caramel and always loved the caramel corn flavor.

While holiday popcorn tins are great, we are stepping it up and making homemade caramel popcorn. This version is so easy to make and a little bit better for you! While I am not going to say this is a healthy recipe as it has butter and sugar, we lightened up the caramel sauce some. You will never go back to store-bought once make this easy caramel corn recipe.

We are also using organic popcorn from NOW. It is organic, non-GMO, has no additives, and makes the best and most natural puffs. A serving also has 5 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein! It makes a great healthy snack, although we are jazzing it up with caramel sauce 😋

I am all about moderation and balance and this is it!

How to make caramel popcorn

A healthier homemade caramel corn recipe made from stovetop popcorn and a homemade caramel sauce without corn syrup made from just 4 simple ingredients.

Here is what you need:

• coconut oil
• popcorn kernels
• homemade caramel sauce
  • butter
  • coconut sugar
  • full fat coconut milk
  • salt

First, make your popcorn. Add your coconut oil to a large pan and melt over medium heat. Add 3 popcorn kernels and place the lid over the pan. Once they pop, the oil is ready. Add the remaining popcorn kernels in a single layer and cover with a lid. Shake the pan around a few times while cooking to make sure all the kernels get popped. Once done, pick out any kernels that didn’t cook (you can do this by transferring them to a bowl or baking sheet).

Next, make your caramel sauce. Melt your butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. I used the same pan as the popcorn cooked in and just wiped it out. Then add your coconut sugar and full-fat coconut milk and whisk well to combine. Cook for 5-7 minutes over a low simmer, whisking constantly. The sauce will thicken as it cooks. Remove from heat and let cool just a little (it will thicken a little more).

Then add your popcorn to the saucepan the caramel sauce is in. Using a spatula, mix well to combine, making sure to evenly coat all the pieces.

Next, spread the caramel popcorn out on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. The popcorn can be touching, but have it in a single layer. The more spread out it is, the crispier it will get. If there is extra caramel sauce in the pan, use a spatula to drizzle it over the popcorn.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring once halfway through.

Enjoy it warm or let cool completely before storing it! As it cools, it will crisp up.

Healthier homemade caramel sauce

To add the caramelly goodness to this popcorn, we are making a super quick and easy healthier homemade caramel sauce. I say “healthier” because it is still made with butter and sugar, but not as much as your standard recipe.

However, we are using coconut sugar that adds a few micronutrients and full-fat coconut milk instead of cream. The butter and the sugar give it that caramel richness that bakes up nice and crispy on the coated popcorn.

Trust me, I tried a bunch of different alternatives (coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, and even an almond butter version), and this is the tastiest way to make it. This caramel sauce is made without corn syrup though!

I am all about moderation and balance and therefore some homemade caramel popcorn with butter and sugar totally fits that!

This healthy caramel sauce is easily made vegan by using vegan butter.

Here is what you need:

• butter – dairy or nondairy
• coconut sugar
• full fat coconut milk
• salt

First, add your butter to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and let it melt for about 2-3 minutes. Then add your coconut sugar and full-fat coconut milk and whisk well to combine. When using full-fat coconut milk from a can, it can separate, so make sure you mix the cream with the water beforehand.

Continue to whisk for 5-7 minutes over low-medium-low heat (it should be slightly simmering) until caramel is combined and thickened. Be careful not to burn it and turn down the heat if needed. You can also remove it from the heat for short periods of time to make sure it doesn’t get too hot.

Finally, stir in the salt.

Substitutions for healthy caramel sauce

After testing this caramel recipe 5-6 times, I found that caramel sauce should just be caramel sauce with butter and sugar. The different variations I tried just didn’t compare, but you could try these substitutions if you like.

• butter – you can use dairy or nondairy butter. I haven’t tried ghee, but I think it would work the same. Nondairy butter will make the caramel sauce vegan.
• coconut sugar – if you don’t have coconut sugar, you can use brown sugar. You do want to have granulated sugar and not liquid sweetener (like honey or maple syrup).
• coconut milk – you could use coconut cream or heavy cream in place of the full-fat coconut milk. I haven’t tried either, but they have a similar consistency and should work.

How do you store caramel corn?

Once your homemade caramel popcorn is completely cooled, transfer it to a large sealable glass dish, tin lined with parchment paper, or reusable silicone bag or plastic bag.

How long will it last?

Homemade caramel popcorn will last up to 2 weeks in a tightly sealed glass dish, tin, or plastic bag.

Additions to homemade caramel popcorn

While I am a sucker for caramel popcorn just the way it is, here are some add-ins you can do to spice it up.

• chocolate – mix in some chocolate chips for a chocolate and caramel combo, or better yet, drizzle some melted chocolate overtop!
• nuts – add in some healthy fats with some almonds and cashews. You can even toss them in the caramel sauce to get them a little coated.
• pretzels – break up some pretzel pieces for a sweet and salty mix.
• candy – it’s the holidays, so why not?! Chocolate candies (like m&ms) would be delicious. Be creative and don’t be afraid to use flavors like peanut, peanut butter, or pretzel.

More holiday treat recipes

• Collagen Hot Chocolate
• Honey Rosemary Roasted Cashews
• Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Blondies
• Protein Chocolate Peppermint Energy Balls
• Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
• Pomegranate Peppermint Coconut Bark

This post may contain affiliate links and I may make a little bit of money if you click on and purchase the products through the links. It doesn’t cost you any extra money. The compensation helps with expenses to keep ETG up and running. I truly appreciate your support!