Description
Enjoy a festive twist on classic caramel popcorn with this Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn recipe. Perfectly popped corn is coated in a rich, buttery caramel infused with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Slivered almonds add a delightful crunch, making this treat ideal for holiday gatherings or cozy movie nights.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (optional if using air popper)
- 1/3 cup popping corn (yields about 10 cups popped popcorn)
- 2/3 cup slivered almonds
Caramel
- 100g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (170g) light corn syrup (or substitute glucose)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Christmas Spices
- 3 tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/2 tsp allspice powder (or additional cinnamon)
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves (or additional cinnamon)
Instructions
- Pop the Corn: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the popping corn and cover with a lid. Shake the pot occasionally until popping slows to 2-second intervals, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer popped corn to a large bowl, discarding any un-popped kernels.
- Toast the Almonds: In the same pot, lightly toast the slivered almonds over medium heat, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden. Remove and set aside.
- Make the Caramel: In the pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, light corn syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Allow it to boil undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes until the caramel thickens slightly.
- Add Spices and Vanilla: Remove the pot from heat and quickly stir in the vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ginger powder, allspice powder, and ground cloves. The mixture will bubble up; stir until combined and smooth.
- Coat the Popcorn and Almonds: Immediately pour the hot spiced caramel over the popped corn and toasted almonds in the large bowl. Use a spatula to gently fold and toss everything together until all pieces are evenly coated with the caramel sauce.
- Cool and Set: Spread the coated popcorn and almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer. Let it cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow the caramel to harden and set before serving.
Notes
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent caramel from burning.
- If preferred, air pop the popcorn to avoid using oil.
- For extra crunch, bake the coated popcorn at 250°F (120°C) for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week to maintain freshness.
- Substitute nuts with pecans or walnuts for a different flavor profile.
