No corn syrup here!
This is a healthy caramel popcorn recipe without corn syrup. It’s salty, sweet, and just plain good! As the original slogan for Cracker Jacks says:
The more you eat, the more you want.
You can even add roasted peanuts for a healthier version of Cracker Jacks that tastes pretty authentic. (Yes, I bought a box to compare. Cracker Jacks might not be healthy, but they are vegan.) Or stir in dark chocolate chips or broken-up healthy chocolate bars.
I’m not saying it’s as healthy as broccoli and quinoa, or that you should quadruple the recipe and call it lunch. But as far as snacks go, this caramel popcorn is a terrific healthy option: whole-grain, high in fiber, vegan, and completely free of the hydrogenated oils, refined sugar, and trans fats found in so many commercial brands of popcorn. If you use the xylitol option, it’s even good for your teeth. Can’t get much better than that.
With the Calorie Control Council estimating that Americans eat about 3.8 million pounds of popcorn on Super Bowl Sunday, this weekend is a great time to… get popping!
This can be a 5-minute recipe if you use the Microwave Popcorn Trick.
Healthy Caramel Popcorn
(or homemade Cracker Jacks)
- 4 tbsp unpopped popcorn (48g)
- 1/4 cup xylitol or sucanat (or regular brown sugar or coconut sugar) (54g)
- 1/4 cup agave or honey (55g) (Molasses might work; I haven’t tried.)
- scant 1/4 tsp salt
- optional for a richer caramel flavor: 2 tbsp buttery spread, such as Earth Balance (30g)
- optional: roasted peanuts, dark chocolate chips, etc.
Pop the kernels, either on the stove or using the Microwave Popcorn Trick.
Then transfer to a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the two sweeteners (and the butter spread, if using) and heat on low—stirring occasionally—until the dry sweetener is completely dissolved. Pour this mixture over the popped corn and stir to coat. Much of the sauce will fall to the bottom of the bowl, so be sure to scoop it up and keep stirring for a full 2 minutes. Sprinkle on the salt (don’t forget!) and add chocolate chips, or nuts, or dried fruit if you wish.
View Caramel Popcorn Nutrition Facts
What’s your favorite: Buttered popcorn or caramel corn?
I’ve always loathed buttered popcorn: the smell, the artificial taste, the way it gets all over the movie theater floor and in your seat… Does anyone even know what’s in that butter syrup with which they drench movie theater popcorn until it turns a very unnatural shade of neon yellow? I guess I could google it, but I would probably rather not know!
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Oh this looks good! I’m definitely more of a caramel popcorn fan myself. I have a big bag of unpopped kernels at home that would be perfect to use for this recipe!
I looove caramel corn! Having a lighter version is awesome, thanks!
This. Is. Fantastic. Caramel corn is one of my favorite treats but rarely get it because it’s so unhealthy with all that sugar!
Hiya Katie, here’s a wee message of appreciation from Scotland! Felt as if today would be a good opportunity to finally leave a comment, as popcorn has got to be one of my favourite snacks in the world! Can’t believe it’s taken me ages to do this, but this is to say: thanks so much for your lovely blog! I’ve been a veggie since I was 15, and am now vegan most of the time due to a uni student budget. As a medical student, avid runner and veggie–but with a wicked sweet tooth–this has been a godsend. I really appreciate the fact that you often include substitutions; I love that I can still make loads of your recipes without needing to run out and buy posh ingredients!
So I just wanted to say thanks so much for your lovely blog and recipe ideas; it makes my day so much sweeter (couldn’t resist, sorry!)
Cheers from Auld Reekie. xx
Thanks, Rachel! I think I’m probably sensitive to the substitution thing because I lived out of the US too… I know how frustrating it can be when you go to make a recipe and can’t find any of the ingredients where you live! 😕
I love caramel corn. I wonder if my mom’s trick for perfectly coated caramel corn will work for this…you put the popped, de-kernaled corn in a paper bag, drizzle the sauce on, close the bag up tight and get to shaking. It prevents you from breaking up the popped corn with a spoon and to clean up you just throw the bag out.
Your mom is brilliant! I am going to try her idea next time I make popcorn :).
oooooh this looks fantastic. i used to work at a theater and couldn’t believe how much people were like OBSESSED with the fake butter- which is legitimately oil, salt, and butter flavor. gross. it got EVERYWHERE too, left this nasty residue and smell on your hands. def not something i wanna put it in my body!
this popcorn on the other hand…yes please.
I do love buttered popcorn, but I switch it up pretty often. Looking forward to trying this!
Yay! I recently found a “healthified” caramel corn but it looked too high maintenance and had 1 too many steps. I will have to pop some of this up soon! P.s I am on the hunt for a healthy, low calorie, whole grain pound cake. Might you have a link for one or may I see a future recipe for this on your blog? 🙂 🙂 I love anything with “sneaky ingredients” and was thinking a recipe that uses beans to possibly make it more dense would be a good addition!
I don’t have one. I can put it on my long list of things to try!
Poundcake has 5 main ingredients: butter, sugar, milk, flour, and eggs. I suppose that you could sub butter for coconut oil, sugar for stevia or xylitol, milk for almond milk, flour for whole wheat pastry flour, and “flax eggs” for eggs. I don’t think this would be low calorie, but if you keep portions small, then the result won’t have many calories, I think nutrition is more important than caloric content anyways.
I definitely agree with you on the calorie/nutrition part. For most of my clients though I try to teach them how to eat high nutrient foods that naturally have little calories. Therefore, it would be great if I could show them how to have their cake, and eat it too!
Hello Katie. I am new to your site. Great recipes that I’m excited to try! I did just make this popcorn and OMG. This is yummy! So good that I cuold not stop myself & at the entire thing 🙁 Rats!! I had planned to have my serving, then save the rest for son & hubby. Next time I will be sure to make it when they are home so they can enjoy with me, or if I’m alone only make 1/3 of it. That was about 10 WW points. Yikes! Veggies rest of the day…lol.
Thank you so much for making it already!
I hear you on the serving-size thing… when I looked at a box of cracker jacks, it was–at 28 grams–half the size even of the one I listed. I don’t know why they make serving sizes so small.
I used to love popcorn as a kid, like obsessed. Even in college, I sometimes I ate it for Lunch or Dinner. Oops. It’s so good with coconut oil and nutritional yeast! Even though now, I have to lay off it a bit because I’m a little sensitive to it sadly.