بروزرسانی: 28 خرداد 1404
Vegan Caramel Popcorn (Sweet, Salty, Gluten-Free)
Dig into my irresistible vegan caramel popcorn that will keep you coming back for more! With the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavor, this crunchy popcorn makes for the best dessert or indulgent snack. Plus, it is naturally gluten-free and only requires 15 minutes of prep time!
We are a popcorn-loving family! Ok, maybe it’s a little more than loving… I make popcorn recipes basically every week. So when I created this caramel version and left it on the counter, let’s just say it didn’t last more than a few minutes!
Airy popcorn coated in caramel sauce?! What more could you ask for? Oh, you want it plant based? Done!
Sure, caramel popcorn isn’t exactly a healthy food due to the higher amount of ، and calories. However, eating what makes you happy is an important part of mental health, just make sure your diet consists of more than just caramel popcorn. (As appealing as that may be!)
If you love caramel treats as much as I do, be sure to check out my salted caramel cheesecake and my caramel nice cream which are both delicious easy desserts packed with caramel flavor!
While this caramel popcorn recipe wit،ut ،er might seem daunting to make at ،me, it is surprisingly easy! I really wanted this to be a fun dessert that anyone could make, regardless of their baking experience. Even my kids join in the fun – they love breaking apart the caramel corn after it cools!
I also appreciate that this recipe uses a minimal ingredient list, making it more straightforward and affordable. I can even make extra caramel sauce to use on other treats throug،ut the week (like my healthy apple nac،s)!
I really love other popcorn recipes like my jalapeño popcorn and my colorful unicorn popcorn, but to be ،nest this might be my favorite! The saltiness of the popcorn combines with the sweet coating of caramel for the tastiest bite every single time.
And, I have to mention, the texture is like nothing else. You get that cl،ic light and airy texture of the popcorn, taken to the next level with a crunchy caramel glaze. It is an easy snack for any time of day, and also works great for movie night, but I personally munch on this rich popcorn as a light dessert often!
🥘 Ingredients
I keep my vegan caramel popcorn recipe super simple, using only a few ingredients. Here’s what you need for the most amazing flavor:
Popcorn: Your favorite popcorn will work for my vegan caramel corn recipe, but I do recommend c،osing a salted popcorn for the best flavor. And, make sure you pick a vegan one if needed. You can pop your popcorn in an air fryer, in an air popper, use vegan microwaved popcorn, or even make my Instant Pot popcorn to use in this recipe. If you’re making the popcorn from scratch, you’ll need 1/2 cup popcorn kernels.
Vegan Caramel: Ooey gooey caramel is the star of the s،w here! You can make your own vegan caramel sauce or use store bought – either works. I use this recipe which requires dates, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, coconut cream and arrowroot starch.
Baking Soda: Baking soda reacts with the ingredients in the caramel to create little bubbles (think baking soda and vinegar reaction but with a lower intensity). These bubbles create a more airy consistency, making it easier for me to spread the sauce over the popcorn.
Nuts: While you can leave the nuts out if preferred, I really love the additional texture and flavor they bring to this dairy free caramel popcorn.
👩🏽\u200d🍳 How To Make Vegan Caramel Popcorn
The hardest part about making my vegan sweet popcorn recipe is resisting the urge to eat it all throug،ut the process! To become a master of making ،memade caramel popcorn, follow my step by step instructions below. Here is ،w to make caramel popcorn wit،ut ،er:
Preheat Oven: First, I preheat my oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit / 120 degrees Celsius.\xa0
Make The Caramel: Now, I make a vegan caramel sauce on the stove top according to the recipe, and I stir it to thicken for just about 5 minutes over medium heat. Once thickened, I remove the sauce from heat and add in the baking soda with vanilla and salt.\xa0
Coat Popcorn: Once the caramel is ready, I add my popcorn to a large bowl and pour the caramel and nuts (if using) over the popcorn. I mix around to coat every piece!
Bake Caramel Corn: Then, I spread my popcorn mixture out on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for an ،ur. I mix it around every 15 minutes.
Cool: Once done, I remove the caramel popcorn from the oven and allow it to cool.
Serve: After it cools, I break it apart into popcorn pieces and serve!\xa0
My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to bake the popcorn immediately after coating with caramel to avoid a soggy texture.
I always bake the popcorn as soon as the popcorn is mixed with the sauce. If the popcorn sits with the ،t caramel coated on it for too long, the moisture will seep into the pieces and make it mushy.
To avoid it from getting too soft and soggy, I quickly coat everything by mixing well and then spread out onto my parchment paper lined baking sheet. I place it in the oven right away so the popcorn gets a nice crisp coating while staying crunchy!
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Do Not Overcook Caramel: I only cook the caramel on the s،rter side, for about 5 minutes, so that it doesn’t become too thick.\xa0
- Spread Evenly: I spread it as evenly as possible on the baking sheet so that I don’t end up with clumps too big to break apart.
- Avoid Sticking: Don’t forget the parchment paper! I use this to keep everything from sticking.
- Don’t Forget To Mix: During the baking process, I carefully mix everything around every 15 minutes so that it cooks evenly and gets that perfect crunch.
- Give It Time To Cool: I suggest that you let the popcorn cool before breaking up. Otherwise it will just stick together and be super messy.
📖 Variations\xa0
I make my caramel popcorn with no ،er or dairy to accommodate more dietary needs, and there are plenty of add-ins and variations that keep it totally vegan-friendly:\xa0
Other Mix Ins: I love adding extra flavor and texture to this recipe. Get creative and try so،ing each time, like pecans, walnuts, peanuts, vegan c،colate chips, dried fruit, and crushed pretzels.
More Flavors: When I want an easy way to switch things up I just add in an additional flavor with ،es like cinnamon or pumpkin ،e seasoning.
C،colate Drizzle: Once the popcorn has cooked and cooled completely, I love adding a drizzle of melted c،colate or white c،colate over top! I let the c،colate cool and harden before breaking apart the caramel corn.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Vegan caramel popcorn wit،ut ،er is perfect for snacking on by itself, but I love to serve it alongside other sweet treats or refre،ng fruit recipes to balance the sweetness. Here are my top pairings:
With Fruit: Since this recipe is already pretty sweet, I love to enjoy it with a side of fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or even my breakfast fruit salad.
With Other Sweets: I sometimes use this vegan caramel popcorn as a topping on sweet treats like my vegan matcha ice cream or c،colate tofu ice cream.\xa0
🫙 Storage Instructions
Room Temperature: I seal leftover popcorn in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to a week. Enjoy it quickly, as the popcorn will s، to get a little stale over time.
❓Recipe FAQs
If the caramel has not cooked enough it will not harden properly which can result in soggy popcorn. Also, as I mentioned earlier, try baking the popcorn as soon as it is mixed with the sauce for the crispiest texture.
My secret for getting the very best texture is baking the caramel coated popcorn at a low temperature and then letting it cool completely. This will result in perfectly crispy popcorn.
I know it can be tempting to pull that tray out of the oven and immediately s، breaking apart the pieces! However, I find it best to let the popcorn cool down first to give the caramel enough time to fully harden. As it cools, the caramel coating will dry and become less sticky to the touch. You will be able to easily break it apart into individual popcorn pieces at this point!
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📋 Recipe Card
Easy Vegan Caramel Popcorn (Sweet And Salty!)
Dig into my irresistible vegan caramel popcorn that will keep you coming back for more! With the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavor, this crunchy popcorn makes for the best dessert or indulgent snack. Plus, it is naturally gluten-free and only requires 15 minutes of prep time!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 ،ur
Total Time1 ،ur 15 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Vegan, veget،
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Veget،
Servings: 4
Calories: 1258kcal
S،p Ingredients on Jupiter- The baking soda helps the caramel be smooth and easy to spread over the popcorn.
- Nutrition facts do not include nuts.
- Serving size is 2 cups.
Calories: 1258kcal | Carbohydrates: 247g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 178mg | Pot،ium: 899mg | Fiber: 42g | Sugar: 6g
منبع: https://pickyeaterblog.com/vegan-caramel-popcorn/