Best Soft Gooey Caramel Popcorn Recipes

SOFT CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Place the popcorn in a large bowl. Shake and toss the bowl to make the unpopped kernels go to the bottom; discard.
• In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, cook the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter, stirring constantly. Heat to 270 to 290 degrees F (132 to 143 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard but pliable threads. Remove from the heat, and carefully pour in the can of condensed milk; stir until smooth.
• Pour 1/4 of the caramel at a time over the popcorn, stirring until all of the popcorn is covered. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

SOFT GOOEY CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn and set aside.
• Melt butter and brown sugar together in medium saucepan.
• Add marshmallows and stir until melted (constant stirring recommended, this can burn quite easily).
• Pour over popcorn and stir until mixed.
• Enjoy!

GOOEY CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, water, corn syrup, butter, and cream of tartar (this bit of acid keeps the sugar from crystallizing.) Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar syrup reaches a boil, stop stirring and swirl the pan around over the heat so it doesn't burn. As the syrup reaches the caramel stage, the bubbles on top will become smaller, thicker, and closer together. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the caramel coats the back of the spoon. (If so inclined, stick a candy thermometer in the pot and cook until the syrup reaches the soft-crack stage, about 270 degrees F. When you drop a bit of this syrup into cold water, it will solidify into threads that, when removed, are hard yet bendable.) Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the marshmallows. Fold the marshmallows into the hot caramel so they all melt into a gooey caramel sauce.
• The caramel will coat better if the popcorn is hot, so make it while boiling the sugar or pop it first then keep it warm. Put the popcorn in a big bowl and pour the caramel marshmallow mixture over the popcorn. Gently fold with a wooden spoon to coat each kernel. Grab handfuls of the popcorn and squeeze it together to form popcorn balls; make them about the size of a tennis ball. Put the popcorn balls on a sheet pan lined with waxed paper to cool completely.

SUPER SOFT CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Combine sugar, corn syrup, margarine, and salt in medium saucepan; bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and add stir in milk; cook, stirring frequently, to soft ball stage (240 degrees).
• Remove from heat then stir in vanilla.
• Pour slowly over popcorn, stirring until caramel is evenly distributed throughout.
• Store caramel popcorn in covered container.
• NOTE: You may vary the amount of popcorn used. I like a little less caramel coating and usually make this recipe with 8 quarts of popcorn.