Description
Homemade browned butter caramel gets drizzled over freshly popped popcorn and then baked in the oven for 20 minutes for crispy snacking perfection! This gluten-free, vegan Browned Butter Caramel Popcorn is so easy to make and will definitely be all the rave at your next party.
Ingredients
Browned Butter Caramel Sauce
- 6 tablespoons vegan (non-dairy) butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons tapioca syrup*
- 3 tablespoons coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seed butter**
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda***
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels****
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Pop your popcorn, I used 1/2 cup popcorn kernels in my air popper, which made approximately 10-12 cups of popcorn. Set aside.
- Prepare a large parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside.
- Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat and melt the butter, whisking occasionally until it starts to turn golden and brown. Once the butter is browned, add the maple syrup, vanilla, tapioca syrup, and pinch of salt. Whisk to combine.
- Lower the heat and while continuously whisking, add the sunflower seed butter. Keep whisking until it thickens.
- Add the coconut milk, whisk. Lastly, add the baking soda (if using) and be careful as it will bubble up slightly. Continue to whisk until you have a very smooth caramel sauce. Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly.
- Split the popcorn into two large bowls.
- Pour 1/2 cup caramel over each batch of popcorn and gently stir well to coat the popcorn with the caramel, then spread the popcorn on a baking tray.
- Use the remaining caramel to drizzle over top of the popcorn if desired and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly, then take the popcorn off the tray to cool completely (this will make it crispier). Break apart the popcorn or leave it as chunks and enjoy! Keep stored in the fridge for crispier popcorn.
Notes
* you can try to swap out tapioca syrup with brown rice syrup, but I have not tried this. You may also use corn syrup, I just prefer tapioca syrup. Check below for a link to purchase on Amazon.
** you can also use another nut butter if not avoiding nuts, but I find I really like the flavor of the sunflower seed butter in my caramel anyway!
*** adding baking soda doesn’t really do anything for the recipe, but it does make the caramel a more caramel color, so adding it is optional.
**** use mushroom popcorn kernels for more traditionally round caramel popcorn.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 94
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 0