No Bake Salted Caramel Popcorn
This Salted Caramel Popcorn is sweet and salty, and best of all…NO BAKE! All of the crunch, non of the long baking and continuous stirring in the oven. Step-by-step photo tutorial on how to make this addictive snack! BONUS: How to make perfect plain stove-top popcorn!
Have you ever been in the movie theatre dilemma of having to decide between salty popcorn and caramel popcorn, only to end up buying a bucket of each?
Yeah?
Please tell I’m not alone on this one.
I mean you pretty much always want to start with the salty stuff because movies and salted popcorn go hand in hand right? But then all the salt dehydrates your mouth and you want something sweet, so you reach for a handful of the caramel ones. A handful of this, leads to a handful of that, and half way through the movie…they’re both gone!
Speaking from experience here.
This Salted Caramel Popcorn is here to solve that problem!
You get the sweet, you get the salty, surely the buttery and most importantly the crunchy all in one!
You’re tastebuds are gonna thank you for this one.
What I LOVE so much about this recipe though, is that it’s NO-BAKE!
Thanks to this clever method that I’ve adapted from the baking guru, Stephanie of Joy of Baking. (You should definitely watch the video of her making it here…it’s super!)
Traditional methods of making caramel popcorn involve baking caramel sauce-coated popcorn in a low heat oven from about an hour or so, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. The baking ensures that the caramel gets crunchy. I don’t know about you, but I find this process a bit daunting.
Plus the movie is not gonna wait for that long!
This No-Bake method on the other hand, is made entirely over the stove-top and takes about a quarter of the time it takes to make the baked kind, without sacrificing the crunch or flavor one bit.
The trick to getting it crunchy without having to bake it, is to cook the caramel sauce a few minutes longer until it reaches the hard-crack stage, so for that reason my friends, and I hope you don’t hate me for it…..
It’s preferable that you use a thermometer.
Ouch! Sorry sorry! I really hope you have one because it’s gonna make your life so much easier and not just for this recipe. If you don’t, no worries…don’t turn your back on this recipe; you could still do this! I’ll show you another way of knowing when you’ve reached the right temperature.
So let’s talk caramel popcorn…
And it starts with this:
You could most certainly use air-popped, or microwaved popcorn as the base for this caramel popcorn recipe, but since this is the one I prefer, I thought it would be a good idea to share my absolute favorite recipe for classic and so very perfect stove-top salted popcorn. This is what I’ve been munching on for years and years of movie nights and it’s the very same one I pack in my kids’ lunch boxes.
It’s no rocket science, so let’s get to it.
You start by heating together some vegetable oil and only 3 popcorn kernels in a large saucepan. When these 3 guys pop, you know the oil is hot enough.
You’ll want to remove the pan from heat and throw in the rest of the kernels. Give them a few swirls to coat them in the oil.
Then cover with foil and poke poke poke as many holes as you can. (This allows the steam to escape so you don’t get wet, mushy popcorn).
Back over the heat it goes. Pop, pop, pop, giving the pan a few shakes here and there to ensure even cooking.
Then when the popping slows to about 2 seconds between pops, remove from heat, uncover and toss in the salt.
There you go! If salted popcorn is all you want, knock your self out, add some melted butter if you’re feeling indulgent, some flavorings if you’re in the mood and enjoy!
But if you’re here for the caramel popcorn then please proceed…and remember that we’re making SALTED caramel popcorn, so we are using this very popcorn, salt and all!
To make the caramel, you’re gonna heat together some light brown sugar, granulated sugar, a little more salt, light corn syrup, water and butter until it starts to boil.
As soon as that happens, cover the saucepan for a minute or two. (This creates steam which washes away any sugar crystals that may have stuck to the sides of the pan).
After that, you’ll remove the lid and clamp on a candy or instant read thermometer (if using).
Continue boiling the mixture, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until the temperature reaches 300F (149C), which is the hard crack stage. (Man! The picture is off by POINT ONE degrees! Stirring screaming hot caramel while holding a camera as big as my head is tough business guys).
Now for my thermometer-free friends, here’s how you’ll know when you’ve reached the right temperature. Keep an ice cold cup of water beside you as you cook the caramel. I actually like to put in a few cubes of ice in the water. Then about 5 minutes through boiling, drop a teaspoonful of caramel into the cold water. If it’s hard like brittle candy and snaps instead of bends when you break it then you’re there! If that’s not the case, then allow it to cook for a few more minutes, testing it again until it reaches that point. Anything softer than brittle will give you chewy caramel popcorn, so don’t rush it. Unless this is what you want of course.
When the temperature is on point, you’ll stir in some baking soda, which will cause the mixture to foam up and lighten in color
Carefully pour the caramel all over your popcorn and stir the whole mess really well, until the popcorn is evenly coated. Spread onto a baking sheet, separating them as much as possible.
A little sprinkling of sea salt, a little patience until the popcorn cools down then you’re ready to start breaking it up into bite-sized clusters.
Look at this heart one…coincidence? I don’t think so. I LOVE YOU too salted caramel popcorn.
If this popcorn survives under your roof for more than one day, you should totally get all Pinterest-y and wrap some up in some cellophane bags and fancy ribbons and share the love.
Oooh a little word of caution: They’re addictive!
Good luck with that!
No Bake Salted Caramel Popcorn

This Salted Caramel Popcorn is sweet and salty, and best of all…NO BAKE! All of the crunch, non of the long baking and continuous stirring in the oven. Step-by-step photo tutorial on how to make this addictive snack! BONUS: How to make perfect plain stove-top popcorn!
Ingredients
For the stove-top salted popcorn:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) popcorn kernels
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
For the salted caramel popcorn:
- 1 recipe stove-top salted popcorn (or 10 cups freshly popped corn using your desired method)
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (105 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 4 tablespoons (55 grams) butter, salted or unsalted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea or coarse salt (more or less to taste)
Instructions
To make the stove-top salted popcorn:
- Place the oil and 3 popcorn kernels in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until kernels pop. That means the oil’s hot enough.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the remaining kernels and swirl in the oil to coat.
- Cover the saucepan with a sheet of foil, then using the tip of a sharp knife, poke the surface with about 15 small holes to allow the steam to escape. This will prevent the popcorn from getting soggy.
- Return the pan over the heat. Continue to cook, occasionally shaking the pan back and forth, until the popping slows to about 2 seconds between pops.
- Remove the pan from heat, uncover the pan, add salt and toss to combine. Transfer popcorn to a large bowl.
- Serve right away if eating as is or set aside and allow to cool completely if using for the caramel popcorn. Be sure to remove any unpopped kernels.
For the salted caramel popcorn:
- Lightly butter a large baking sheet or spray with a non stick cooking spray. Similarly butter or spray two spatulas, then set everything aside for later use.
- In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, corn syrup, water, and butter.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- Once the mixture reaches a boil, cover with the lid, and boil for one to two minutes to allow the steam to wash away any sugar crystals that may have stuck to the sides of the pan.
- Remove the lid from the saucepan and clamp a candy or instant-read thermometer to the side of the saucepan.
- Boil the mixture over medium-high heat, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan, with a heatproof pastry brush that has been dipped in warm water, to remove any sugar crystals that may have formed on the sides of the saucepan. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the temperature reaches the hard crack stage, 300 degrees F (149 degrees C), 8 to 10 minutes. *(If you don't have a candy or instant-read thermometer, you could tell when the caramel has reached the right temperature by dropping a teaspoonful of the caramel into a cup of ice cold water. The caramel should instantly harden into stiff, brittle-like candy and snap when broken. If this is not the case, allow the caramel to cook longer).
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda. The caramel will foam up and lighten in color.
- Immediately pour the caramel over the popcorn and using the buttered spatulas, toss well to evenly coat all the popcorn.
- Transfer the caramel popcorn onto the buttered baking sheet and spread into an even layer, separating it into bite-sized pieces as much as possible. While the popcorn is still warm, sprinkle with the sea salt.
- Allow to cool completely then break into bite sized pieces. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container or zipper lock bag at room temperature, for up to a week.
Recipe Notes
Caramel popcorn recipe adapted from Joy of Baking.
Measurements Note: All recipes of this site have been developed using weight measurements. Although US volume measurements have been included for your convenience, it is highly encouraged that you weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale to get the best possible results. Due to the sensitive nature of baking, kitchen scales are proven to yield more accurate and consistent results than measuring cups. Enjoy!
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Aah Tasbih…it’s like you sensed my hesitation to make caramel popcorn for years now because of the boring baking part. Gosh i love u! Also, i think i am one step weirder than you because i actually order ONE bucket of popcorn with HALF salty and HALF caramel MIXED TOGETHER. Yep. Partay for my tastebuds!
That’s crazy genius! Why have I never thought about doing this?! Next movie goal right here! Thanks for the tip 🙂
LOVE salted caramel popcorn and I definitely can see myself chowing down on this.. yum!
Gosh I have hard time trying to stop the chowing myself!
Your photos always make me drool. Thanks for sharing this recipe. The perfect popcorn while watching a movie!
You are most welcome! Thanks for dropping by and leaving a sweet comment. I hope you give this recipe a try 🙂
Great photos, I’m definitely going to give this a go, I usually prefer salted popcorn but will be giving this a go.
Well thank you so much! You really should give this one a try. There’s enough salt in here to give you this savory hint you like so much about salted popcorn. If that’s not enough for you, then you might want to consider making extra salted popcorn and mix it in with caramel popcorn like my friend Noha suggested in her comment 🙂
I make popcorn the same way! The only thing I do different is that I put all the kernels in the beginning. I’ll try your way next time I’m making popcorn! On the subject of Caramel popcorn, I tried making it once (gordon ramsay style) but some of the popcorn fell on the stove and caught fire and I almost burnt my house down!! Hah. Hopefully I get it right this time!
Oh Gosh? I’m grateful that everyone survived the caramel popcorn trauma?I hope you give this one a go!
Stay safe?
Honeycomb popcorn is always a hit! Gorgeous photography, I can’t stop looking at these pics. Thanks for reminding me about this great snack 🙂
Honeycomb popcorn? What a cute name for caramel popcorn?! 🙂 I’ve never heard of it named this way and I’m absolutely loving it! It make perfect sense too because the caramel is essentially made just the way we make honeycomb; baking soda and all.
I’m honored that you like the photography.
wow. now i know what i’ll be making for my friends at christmas time! thanks!! great photos.
Thanks Mimi! I’m happy you like it. This will make the perfect Christmas gift 🙂
I didn’t see this post come through on email, so after a couple of recipe fails today… I’m glad I stopped by today to see one of my favorite snacks. I’ve saved so many recipes for this treat and I’ve never made it, specifically because the thought of stirring the popcorn multiple times while it bakes seemed tedious. This process makes so much more sense, and I LOVE my thermometer so I’m cool with any recipe that needs its temperature taken…Now the only obstacle to making caramel corn is the knowledge that it’s highly addictive and it’s hard to stop eating it! 🙂
The photos, as always, are spectacular! I know you mentioned this in another post, but what kind of camera and lenses do you use? I’m still using the dslr that we bought just for regular use when the kids were born, but my lens only does so much for me. I know I need a macro lens. Every time I see your photos, I want to run out and buy a couple new lenses, or a whole new camera and some new lenses… 🙂 Some bloggers like 100mm, some say 60 is perfect. I think you mentioned you use 100? In any case, I am always inspired by your shots!
I have a love relationship with my thermometer as well, so I actually get really excited whenever I make a recipe that calls from one. Just another reason to play with it 😀 You’re gonna love this recipe Ramona and the fact that it comes from Joy of Baking, only makes it the more credible.
Ramona I’m honored that you’re inspired by my photography as much as I’m inspired by your recipes. That’s a HUGE compliment coming from a multi talented person like you. Your sincere comments and the inquiries I keep getting from others for photography tips have really encouraged me to dedicate a post just for it. I’ve been resisting it for a long time, simply because I felt I wasn’t professional enough. I have decided though to cast my silly ideologies to the side and share some of the things I’ve learned through my short experience in food photography. For now and until I could get around it, here are the answers to your questions. I use a Canon 5D with a 100mm macro lens for closeups and 24-70mm for farther and bird’s eye view shots. The 100mm is amazing at capturing itty bitty details like the crumb of a cake or the gooeiness of the inside of a brownie. I simply love it and use it for about 75% of my food photos. The 24-70mm is great for capturing the entire environment and props you’ve set around your food. Its also a great everyday lens for shooting people. This is also what I use for family photos. I hope that help for now, but please do let me know if I could fill you in with more details.
That’s why I created this easy recipe and, let me tell ya, things are about to get real delicious reeeeaal fast up in hurrrrr! I introduce to you my easy recipe for No-Bake Salted Caramel Kettle Corn.
Hi Justin!
So you’ve made this recipe! Great to hear that! Using kettle corn is an amazing way to kick this recipe up a few notches. Kudos for the idea!
May I very humbly suggest that you try melting marshmallows in the caramel? I did that once and couldn’t stop eating. And now I’m on a diet.
Hahaaaaa 😀 Story of my life…Indulge now, regret later 🙂 Amazing idea! I’m sure that put them over the top. Is there a specific quantity that I should use or as much as my heart desires?
I melted 12 for a quantity that is equivalent to one bag of microwave popcorn. It will taste like salted rice krispies but with popcorn.
Yummy! Thank you for your reply 🙂
Hi
Where can I find light corn syrup please.
Hey Iman!
I just saw lots of corn syrup yesterday at Mariam Market in Maadi. However I usually have good luck finding it at Royal House, Seoudi, Petro and Ahmed Abdallah.
Thanks :)) will look in Seoudi
I just tried it, and it came out PERFECT! I actually can’t believe how well it turned out.
Thank you Tasbih for ANOTHER amazing recipe 🙂
Thanks great to hear Maya! Way to go?? Don’t you just love that awesome feeling when something we usually buy turns out even better when we make it at home? You deserve the right to be impressed by yourself lol?
You save my day!!! I live in Liberia and we use gas stove to save on our power usage. We have the one with no oven. Kill me living abroad. Anyway trying to figure a way to make this and could only find the oven recipes. However the goodness of the Internet led me to you. Making this for 18kids tomorrow, looking forward to their reaction. If I fail will take the pictures to show them it was worthwhile….I found desert heaven….au revior restaurants. .
Awesome! I’m so excited that you finally found the one! I have an oven but I’m too lazy to stir the popcorn every 10 minutes? Wishing you the best of luck making it! Enjoy.
You save my day!!! I live in Liberia and we use gas stove to save on our power usage. We have the one with no oven. Kill me living abroad. Anyway trying to figure a way to make this and could only find the oven recipes. However the goodness of the Internet led me to you. Making this for 18kids tomorrow, looking forward to their reaction. If I fail will take the pictures to show them it was worthwhile….this is desert heaven….au revior restaurants. .
Hi! Can i substitute brown sugar with white? Brown sugar is terribly expensive here.. ad also, may i skio the light corn syrup?
Hi Zoya! I think you could get away without using brown sugar by adding a little molasses to your white sugar. However, I wouldn’t recommend skipping the corn syrup. It’s essential for preventing the mixture from crystallizing.
Thank you! By the way, i made your brownies today and to say it was divine would be an understatement ♡ . However, it was hard to get the parchment paper off it. Shoul i spray with cooking spray next time? Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Zoya! Those brownies are my favorite! I’m so happy you loved them too. I like using foil to line the pan & spray that with a cooking spray that has flour in it. Try that and I promise it won’t stick again.
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Roaring success, perfect school holiday baking and treat ❤❤
Awesome! I LOVE hearing that. Thanks ?
THANK YOU, I have hunted everywhere for a recipe that you didn’t bake! My mother never baked it and she never owned a thermometer but I have a thermopen and couldn’t live without it! Especially baking bread and candy. I’m so excited you posted this recipe. I only eat white popcorn because I can’t stand the hulls on the yellow and to me the yellow popcorn always tastes stale even when fresh off the stove!! Thanks again, you’re my hero*
Thank you so much for your lovely message Bea! I’m so happy you finally found the recipe you were looking for. Enjoy to the max!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now and each time I have the same unfortunate result. Once the caramel hits 300°F, I take it off the heat, add the baking soda and then pour over the popcorn. As soon as the caramel hits the popcorn, it hardens instantly and becomes grainy/ powdery texture. It tastes good but has a powdery texture which I do not like at all.
Any idea why this could be happening? Appreciate your wisdom and guidance!
Hi! Thank you so much for reaching out! It seems that from your description, the caramel mixture may have crystalized. Are you by any chance omitting or substituting the corn syrup? If yes, then please be sure to use it or substitute it with golden syrup only. Corn syrup’s purpose is to reduce the chance for crystallization, so it really is a key ingredient. If you’re using corn syrup, then be sure to pay extra attention to the sides of your pan. Make sure that there are no sugar granules sticking on the sides of the pan, as those can cause sugar crystals later on. To do that, once the mixture reaches a boil, I like to cover it with the lid, and boil for one to two minutes to allow the steam to wash away any sugar crystals that may have stuck to the sides of the pan, as well as occasionally brush down the sides of the pan, with a pastry brush that has been dipped in warm water, as it cooks. That also helps to remove any sugar crystals that may have formed on the sides of the saucepan. I really hope these tips help you on your next your attempt to make this. Best of luck and enjoy!
Hello tasbih, I tried the recipe and loved it. Yet I was wondering if I can decrease the butter to cut down the calories
I’m so happy to hear that you loved this Amira! Reducing the butter is not something I have tried in this recipe, so it’s hard to tell how it will affect the outcome. I’m concerned that it will result in too hard of a caramel to be honest. To cut on the fat, I’d suggest making air popped popcorn instead of oil popped. You can also experiment with reducing the butter by 1 tablespoon only as a start and see how it goes.
I really love all of your recipes, but I am a caramel corn addict. This was so amazing. When I made it a second time, I doubled the ingredients and added one and a half cups of peanut butter after the soda settled down. You really have to try this. I believe you will like it. Thanks again for the recipes and great instructions.
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Wow! Just made a batch and its delicious!
It’s just me and my husband so I halved the recipe.
Thank you for this yummy treat…
Great recipe, but I find it starts to burn
just before reaching 300. I sit off my heat around 290 and with my heavy bottom pot it keeps cooking to just the right stage. Best recipe I’ve found so far. Thanks for the detailed instructions.
Tried this today, great recipe
However, the caramel came out a bit burnt cause I let it simmer till hard-crack level. Is there any way to remedy for this?
And also, it’s a bit oily
Thanks already
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