Spooky Caramel Popcorn Recipe for Halloween

This Spooky Caramel Popcorn Recipe for Halloween is a fun and festive treat that combines crunchy popcorn with a sweet caramel coating. Perfect for Halloween-themed dessert ideas, this recipe is sure to delight both kids and adults alike.

The preparation is simple, making it an ideal Halloween recipe for parties or movie nights. You can easily customize it with spooky toppings like candy corn or chocolate drizzles to enhance the Halloween spirit.

Easy Halloween Caramel Popcorn

This caramel popcorn features fluffy popcorn coated in a rich caramel sauce, baked to perfection for a crunchy texture. The recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and yields about 10 cups of popcorn.

Ingredients

10 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup unpopped kernels)
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional toppings: Halloween-themed sprinkles, candy corn, or chocolate drizzle

Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pop the Popcorn: Pop the popcorn kernels using an air popper or stovetop method. Place the popped popcorn in a large bowl, ensuring there are no unpopped kernels.
Make the Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it reaches a boil, stop stirring and let it boil for 4-5 minutes without stirring.
Add Baking Soda and Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from heat and carefully stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. The mixture will bubble up.
Coat the Popcorn: Pour the caramel sauce over the popcorn and quickly stir to coat all the popcorn evenly.
Bake: Spread the caramel-coated popcorn onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even coating.
Cool and Add Toppings: Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, break into pieces and add any optional toppings like sprinkles or chocolate drizzle.
Serve: Enjoy your spooky caramel popcorn as a festive snack for Halloween!