Brenda Gantt Caramel Popcorn Recipe
Brenda Gantt, a renowned home cook and internet sensation, has charmed the world with her delightful recipes and hearty Southern cooking.
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Servings: 32
Calories: 542kcal
Equipment
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 4 cups Fisher Pecan Halves Recommended
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2.67 cups Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn Kernels Recommended
- 4 Sticks of Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup Karo Corn Syrup Recommended
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 4 cups Light Brown Sugar
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F (107°C) and toast pecans in a saucepan with hot vegetable oil until lightly toasted. Set them aside.
- Pop the rest of the popcorn kernels in the same saucepan with a pinch of salt, cover, and shake occasionally until all kernels have popped.
- In a separate saucepan, melt unsalted butter over medium heat. Add Karo corn syrup, light brown sugar, and salt. Let it boil and simmer for 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat, stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. Pour this caramel over the popped corn and pecans, coating them evenly.
- Spread the caramel-coated mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 225°F for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Once done, cool completely before breaking it into clusters.
Notes
- You can use any type of corn syrup, but Karo is the best for making caramel.
- If you don’t have baking soda, you can substitute it with cream of tartar or lemon juice. This will also help to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
- For a twist on this classic recipe, try adding salted peanuts instead of pecans for a sweet and salty flavor combination.
- If you don’t have parchment paper, you can use aluminum foil or a lightly greased baking sheet instead. Just be careful not to let the caramel corn stick to the pan.
- You can also use this recipe for making caramel popcorn balls. Simply shape the coated popcorn into balls while it’s still warm, using lightly greased hands to prevent sticking.