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!
Link of the Day:
PERFECT! I just made a huge batch of this and my whole family loves it. I doubled, almost tripled the amount of popcorn going into my air popper and stuck with the original recipe for the coating because I thought it seemed like alot of coating for just one batch. It turned out great! Every piece of popcorn is deliciously sweet and salty. This is going to be my go to recipe when I want something other than plain popcorn! 🙂
Hi. First time viewer. I used to work for a movie theater in my highschool years. The butter at the theater is REAL butter. It was stored solid in a huge plastic jug which we had to melt in warm water and then pour into the butter warmer. The butter warmer has a button to dispense butter on top of the popcorn. Watch them prepare your popcorn at the theater. Or just ask. They won’t mind. Oh the weird yellow color….its from the salt that goes into the kettle with corn when heated to pop. Must be dyed salt to enhance your visual pleasure?
It’s good you brought this up. Really highlights how everywhere is different and simply saying “movie theatre popcorn is evil” and “homemade popcorn is better” is over-simplifying things. I’m so tired of this black and white view on food, demonizing one and raising another atop a pedestal. Moderation is key! I personally love theatre popcorn…I also love homemade popcorn.
I googled it and some pages said they use beta carotene, weird. I just made this and my mom ate almost half the batch! It’s delicious!!!!!!!!! My only problem is it won’t harden and its all sticky, is there any way to fix that?
Beta carotene? That sounds kind of like something you’d put in a car, or something… 😉
If I didn’t live in a travel trailer with eight other people, I’d make this, like, right now, and my mother and I would eat the whole batch and feel sick and probably blame Katie for being so awesome. 😀
Do you fuel your car with carrots and pumpkin? Carotene is a plant-based substance that colours carrots and pumpkins (and margarine) orange!
Oop! Pox upon my ignorance! Thanks for the information. 🙂
I am going to make this as soon as I get my braces off!!:)
I like caramel corn way better:)
Reading online, the butter just seems to be hydrogenated soybean or coconut oil, butter flavor, and artificial colors. Some use canola shortening. All is full of trans fats and hydrogenated fats that are bad for us. So thank you for posting this recipe!
It looks really good, and I have all ingredients! Hmmm…
I just made this using coconut sugar and honey, and twice the amount of popcorn.
It was soooooooo good 🙂
It is a little sticky, but I think that’s because of the honey.
YUM!!! Thanks for the recipe
Hi Katie! I didn’t know how else to ask you this but by commenting, but I found this recipe that looks like heaven, but heaven with tons of fat and calories! I was wondering if you could work your magic & see if there’s anyway you can re-do it, to make it just a tad healthier? Please let me know!
http://zestycook.com/the-brownie-that-will-change-your-life/
If not, it’s okay. But I figured, it’s never hurts to ask. 🙂 Thanks!
Just made this, and it is so good! I love the salty and sweet together. My kids will love this, too. I will have to make it for dessert soon.
I love REAL buttered and salted popcorn. Like, the kind I make at home. The movie theater stuff is gross, but the fresh stuff is delicious! Also, it brings back lots of happy memories of my dad making a huge bowl of buttered popcorn for us all to share when I was growing up.
This popcorn looks delicious!!
Love the recipe! Popcorn is one of my favorite winter snacks. This will definitely be the next one I try out.