Get ready for addictive vegan caramel popcorn that's crispy, 'buttery', sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth good-perfect for movie nights, snacking, & gifting!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I'm a popcorn person through and through-salty, sweet, 'cheesy' (with practically an entire handful of nutritional yeast!), I love it all. But when my sweet tooth kicks in, caramel popcorn is my go-to. It's crunchy, cozy, 'buttery', sweet, and dangerously addictive. Let's be real - caramel is liquid gold.
This vegan caramel popcorn recipe has all the 'buttery' richness you expect without a drop of dairy. Made with brown sugar and plant-based butter, it comes together easily and, in my opinion, tastes way better than anything in a bag. Plus, it doesn't require baking like other recipes and is great for gifting-if you manage not to eat it all first (a challenge I've failed once or twice)!
Looking for more movie night treats? Try homemade vegan s'mores cookies, a 3-ingredient coconut shake, and/or peanut butter Rice Krispie treats!
And if you're looking for more snacks in general, try out this cucumber tajin, easy vegan rice krispie treats, air fryer apples, tater tot nachos, or these healthy veggie muffins.
The Ingredients
Recipe Variations
- Salt: Add salt to the caramel or sprinkle the popcorn with flaky salt (like Maldon) for moreish vegan salted caramel popcorn.
- Vanilla extract: Add a little to the caramel for warm depth.
- Spices: i.e., cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, chai spice, etc.
- Dark chocolate: Drizzle over the set caramel corn and leave to harden.
- Mix-ins: Like toasted coconut, cranberries, almonds/peanuts/walnuts, mini chocolate chips, etc.
How to Make Vegan Caramel Popcorn
Step 1: First, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the corn, cover, and leave to pop, shaking occasionally to prevent burning.
Step 2: When the popping slows to every few seconds between pops, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a large bowl to cool.
Step 3: Meanwhile, in the same pan, melt the vegan butter, then add the brown sugar, stirring constantly until a thick caramel sauce forms (3-5 minutes).
Step 4: Turn off the heat, add the popcorn to the pan, and stir to coat it evenly. Spread the vegan caramel corn across a baking sheet and leave it to cool for 5-10 minutes until the caramel hardens and sets. Enjoy!
FAQs
Sure - any plain pre-popped popcorn will work (and great for a time crunch).
Many vegan caramel corn recipes use one or both of the above ingredients for homemade caramel popcorn. Added at the end of the caramel simmering step, a small pinch of cream of tartar helps prevent sugar caramelization, while baking soda - about ¼ teaspoon - can help create a lighter, crispier (vs harder, crunchier) coating.
However, I've tried with and without, and now skip both as I like the results without. Adjust if preferred.
Though it shouldn't be an issue, if the caramel vegan popcorn doesn't set up hard, try baking it at 250°F/120 °C until crunchy and dry, stirring every 10 minutes.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Use a large enough pot: The kernels need space to pop!
- To avoid burned popcorn: Shake the pan occasionally and stop cooking when there is a 2-3 second silence between pops.
- Work quickly: Stir the caramel-coated corn thoroughly as soon as you add the corn to the caramel to coat it evenly, as it will set quickly.
- Let it set: Ensure it's fully cooled and set before enjoying (to avoid burning your tongue) or storing (to avoid sogginess and achieve crispiness).
- Adjust the ratio: Prefer even more heavily coated vegan caramel corn? Increase the amount of caramel by 50-100%.
- For a lighter caramel coating: Add ¼ teaspoon baking soda to the caramel at the end of step 4, stirring until it stops foaming.
Storage Instructions
Store the vegan caramel corn in an airtight container or Ziplock/Stasher for 5-7 days at room temperature (or 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator). Ensure it's FULLY cooled and set first, otherwise it will become soggy.
More Vegan Sweet Treats
If you tried this vegan caramel popcorn recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Vegan Caramel Popcorn
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ⅓ cup popping corn
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt the coconut oil.
- Add the popping corn and stir to coat. Cover with a lid, and once the kernels begin popping, shake the pot occasionally to prevent burning.
- When the popping slows to a few seconds between pops, remove from heat and immediately transfer the popcorn to a large bowl.
- In the same pot, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir constantly until a thick caramel sauce forms-this should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, pour the popcorn back into the pot with the caramel sauce, and stir well to coat evenly.
- Spread the caramel-coated popcorn onto a baking sheet and let it cool for 5-10 minutes, or until the coating hardens.
- Once cooled, transfer to bowls and serve.
Notes
- Use a large enough pot: The kernels need space to pop!
- To avoid burned popcorn: Shake the pan occasionally and stop cooking when there is a 2-3 second silence between pops.
- Work quickly: Stir the caramel-coated corn thoroughly as soon as you add the corn to the caramel to coat it evenly, as it will set quickly.
- Let it set: Ensure it's fully cooled and set before enjoying (to avoid burning your tongue) or storing (to avoid sogginess and achieve crispiness).
Andrea says
This caramel popcorn is so good!