Red and green Christmas Caramel Corn is festive, sweet, and super easy to make with the help of your microwave. No corn syrup needed with a maple syrup swap.
I know what you might be thinking: two blog posts from Katie in one week. What’s happening here?! Nothing really. Other than I’ve been sleeping pretty soundly the past few nights and I decided before my alone-time Netflix or podcast wind-down routine, share a little. Write a little. Put out this recipe for Christmas Caramel Corn BEFORE THE MONTH OF DECEMBER BEGINS. Or actually right when it begins.
Truth be told I subbed a cooking class at school for a dear friend of mine and she had this Christmas Caramel Corn on the agenda and man, it was SO easy, so fast, SO festive, that even a 7th grader could do it. Hence why I’m sharing it with you all today!
Want the colors of the Christmas Caramel Corn to POP more? Then add a few more drops of food coloring. Want to gift this sweet treat to family or friends? Then snag yourself some festive goodie bags from the dollar store or Target.
I’ll tell you this much: I’ll never turn down a sweet treat [especially during the holidays] that’s made with inexpensive ingredients and again, easy to prep, make, and devour! Merry Christmas my friends!!!
- ½ cup unpopped kernels or 12 cups popped popcorn
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pop your popcorn kernels (or pop 2 microwave bags of popcorn) and place in a large bowl.
- In a microwave safe bowl, place your brown sugar, maple syrup, butter and salt. Make sure your bowl have room for the mixture to triple in size because it will melt and then bubble up.
- Microwave for 45 seconds, then remove and stir.
- Microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds, remove and stir.
- Microwave for an additional 1 minute and 30 seconds and stir again.
- Add vanilla extract, 10 drops of red food coloring, and baking soda and stir until it stops fizzing and bubbling.
- Pour over popcorn and gently fold until well coated. Let cool in bowl or on parchments paper.
- Repeat steps 1-6 with green food coloring.
- Mix colors or keep separate, and enjoy!
