Crunchy Microwave Caramel Corn

Do you love buttery, sweet caramel corn? Now you can make this crunchy treat even faster with the help of the microwave.  It’s perfect for a snack and fun for a party!

There is just something about the buttery crunch of homemade caramel corn that makes you keep going back for more.  There is no stopping it and it’s ok, because you won’t really want to stop anyway.

The secret to getting that crunch is cooking the popcorn after coating it in caramel. That is what keeps it from being a gooey, sticky mess.

A lot of people finish their caramel popcorn in the oven, and it works great.  But my husband’s grandma has a secret that makes it so much quicker and even easier!

She uses the microwave to set the caramel and make it crunchy. It is done in just a few minutes and tastes amazing.

Grandma’s Microwave Caramel Popcorn

When I asked my husband if his grandma had any recipes he really loved, this was the first thing he mentioned.  He remembers them making it together when he was a kid.

They liked it so much, that he and his sister asked her to make it a couple of years back.  We all went to Grandma’s house and made the caramel corn.

To be honest, I was shocked to see her dump it all in a paper bag and put it in the microwave. I had never seen it done like that.

We couldn’t wait for it to cool.  We ate it while it was still hot and sticky!

So, next time you are at the grocery store, ask for a paper bag.  You’ll thank yourself!

My husband’s grandma also gave us her popular chicken broccoli casserole and her husband gave us Grandpa Joe’s pumpkin apple muffins. They are all winners! Have you ever made homemade caramel corn?

Tips and Tricks: 

Add as many or as few peanuts as you like.  We love the peanuts, so we add a ton.  You can leave them out and it’s good that way too.

Make sure the caramel corn is completely cooled before you bag it up.  If kept in an airtight container, it will keep its crunchy exterior for quite some time.  Humidity will make it soften quickly.

You can use two bags of microwave popcorn if you’d like.  Otherwise use your air popper or pop some on the stove.

Everyone will have a better experience if you really make sure there are no unpopped kernels in the mix.  I like to dump the popcorn into one bowl and transfer it a handful at a time into a second bowl.

The hard kernels naturally fall to the bottom of the first bowl and it’s easy to keep them out of the final mix.  Those guys make for an unpleasant surprise if you leave them in there.

Just make sure to get those unpopped kernels out before you add the caramel, You don’t want one sneakily stuck to a good piece of corn!

Serving Caramel Corn:

We find so many occasions where serving this cracker jack like mix is appropriate.  Like a baseball themed party or a snack for watching an actual game.

We almost always have some for a big game football parties as well.  It is a fun sweet snack that doesn’t require committing to a full slice of dessert.

Caramel corn will take your next movie night to the next level as well!

If you are going to serve it at a party, store it in an airtight container until it’s almost time for the party to start. Then transfer it to your serving bowls.

It is also a fun party favor.  Bag it up on small cellophane bags and give it to your guests as a parting treat!   This would make for a fun and different bake sale item as well!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Fun Popcorn Treats

If you like caramel corn, try making peanut butter popcorn. It is crunchy and sweet like this but with nice peanut butter notes throughout.

Maybe you are in the mood for something more on the chewy side. Then marshmallow popcorn balls are for you. They are great plain and even better dipped in some melted chocolate.

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