Get ready to experience the most addictive Christmas treat you'll make all season!
This Christmas Popcorn Candy recipe transforms humble popcorn into a sweet, crunchy, and utterly irresistible holiday confection.
Are you ready to discover the magic?
Ingredients
Let's gather everything you're gonna need for this awesome Christmas popcorn candy! You'll need 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, unless you're using an air popper. Then 1/3 cup of popping corn—that'll give you about 10 cups of popcorn. Oh, and don't forget 2/3 cup of slivered almonds!
For the caramel, grab 7 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1 cup of packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of light corn syrup—or glucose if you're feeling fancy. A little bit of salt—1/2 teaspoon—plus 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. This recipe is perfect for festive celebrations during the holiday season!
Don't forget 1/2 tsp of baking soda—it's the secret to that foamy coating!
Now for the Christmas magic! We need 3 teaspoons of cinnamon powder, 2 teaspoons of ginger powder, 1/2 teaspoon of allspice powder (or more cinnamon!), and a tiny pinch—1/4 teaspoon—of ground cloves. Mix them up and you're set—I know, right!
Popcorn Instructions
I'm super excited to start this popcorn party with you, beginning with popping the corn! First, heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Toss in a kernel or two, and when they pop, it's showtime!
Now, pour in ⅓ cup of popping corn—aka the real party starters—and spread them out. Cover the pot; this part is essential. Consider that you can also make delicious corn fritters as an alternative snack. Once the popping gets wild, give the pot a gentle shake like you're doing a little dance with it.
Finally, when the pops slow down, and you can count to three between them, take it off the heat. We don't want burnt popcorn; that's no fun! So you need 10 cups of popcorn! Time for some action.
- Don't peek—keep the lid on.
- Shake it like a polaroid picture!
- Listen for that final "pop"—it's the signal!
Caramel Instructions
Now that your popcorn's ready to roll, it's time to make a batch of caramel so good, you might not want to share—but sharing is caring, right?!
First, melt 7 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, add 1 cup of packed brown sugar, ½ cup of light corn syrup (or glucose), and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir it until everything's just combined, okay?
Once it starts bubbling—and I mean simmering—let it go for 4 minutes. Don't stir it during this time, I know it's tempting!
Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly whisk in 3 teaspoons of cinnamon powder, 2 teaspoons of ginger powder, ½ teaspoon of allspice powder, ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Whisk vigorously for about 10 seconds—the caramel will foam up! Quickly pour it over the popcorn. Don't forget the almonds.
Baking Instructions
Alright, so preheat your oven to 230°F—that's like a warm hug for your popcorn! We want to dry out that caramel just a bit to get it nice and crisp. I use two baking trays to spread the popcorn evenly.
Next, spread the popcorn across the trays. This is *important*:
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Toss it every 10 minutes—yes, every 10!
- The caramel will melt again during the first two or three tosses—don't worry, that's what's supposed to happen!
Tossing coats the popcorn more with caramel. If you subbed glucose for the corn syrup, bake it for 15 minutes more. Once done, take the trays out and let the popcorn cool. Break it into pieces and ta-da! The best Christmas popcorn candy ever!
Recipe Notes
Let's look into some notes for this recipe to make sure you nail it! For caramel coverage, know that 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels really gives you that full, generous hug of caramel – candy-like sweet. If you're not a sweet freak like me, go for 3/4 cup for "normal" coverage—still sweet, not overwhelmingly so.
Corn syrup stabilizes the caramel mix, dodging sugar crystallization. I know it sounds scary, but trust me! Can't find it? Glucose is your superhero substitute in Australian supermarkets. Bake 15 minutes longer because glucose is a little wetter, or use substitutions – golden syrup, honey, or maple syrup.
For storage – this popcorn stays crisp for 2–3 weeks in an airtight container! Bet you can't resist eating it all way before then!
Short Recipe Version
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serving Size: About 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 12 cups popped popcorn
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions:
- Pop popcorn and remove any unpopped kernels.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.
- Continue boiling without stirring until it reaches the hard-crack stage (300°F).
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and food coloring (if using).
- Pour caramel over popcorn and stir to coat evenly.
- Let cool completely on a baking sheet or parchment paper.
- Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
- Calories: 150
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Sugar: 15g
- Protein: 1g