Easy Vegan Caramel Corn

Popcorn is by far one of my most favourite treats. I love it plain with just vegan butter and salt. Sometimes I add a pinch (ok fistful) of nutritional yeast. Occasionally I go fancy with my rosemary and lemon popcorn, and other times I'm all about my sweet and salty peanut butter popcorn recipe. Today, inspired by the Oscars, I wanted to make golden easy vegan caramel corn!

Caramel = liquid gold.
Popcorn = addictive snack.
Caramel + popcorn = sweet crispy bliss.

Crunchy, candied popcorn with a pinch of salt, this easy vegan caramel corn is so incredibly tasty that I may or may not have eaten an entire batch myself. Sorry/ not sorry.

I'll be enjoying this vegan caramel corn during the Academy Awards, but you could also put it in a nice container for a fantastic homemade gift, or save it for yourself for a scrumptious snack.

I like my caramel corn mostly coated with caramel but with a few pieces that have less caramel on them which, to me, is the perfect balance of sweet, (as seen in the photo above). But if you prefer your caramel corn heavily coated, you can double the caramel sauce while keeping the popcorn amount the same for some seriously candy coated corn.

This recipe is surprisingly easy to make. It does take some time to make, a little over 1 hour, but it should stay crisp for up to a week when kept in an airtight container or sealable bag, so it's great for a make-ahead treat.

To make Easy Vegan Caramel Corn: pop the popcorn in an air popper, or pop with whatever method you normally use (stove top or in the microwave works fine too). Spread the popcorn over the baking sheets. Pick out and discard any unpopped kernels.

Pour the caramel over the popcorn, then stir the popcorn to coat. It's ok if the caramel isn't evenly distributed yet, you can continue to mix it as it bakes.

Bake to popcorn for 1 hour, stopping to stir every 20 minutes to help evenly coat the popcorn. Let cool on the baking sheet, then break apart and store in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for up to a week... but I doubt you can resist it that long. 😉

Print Recipe

4.95 from 39 votes

Easy Vegan Caramel Corn

Surprisingly easy to make with just 7 ingredients. Keeps for up to a week for a great make-ahead snack. Perfect for a homemade gift, for an oscar's academy award's party, or for any time your sweet tooth kicks in. 

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course : DessertSnack

Cuisine : AmericanCanadian

Servings: 4 (about 10 cups of caramel corn)

Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup popcorn kernels, (10 cups popped)
• ½ cup brown sugar,, lightly packed
• ¼ cup vegan butter
• 2 tablespoons agave
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

US Customary - Metric

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 200F (93C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pop the popcorn in an air popper, or pop with whatever method you normally use (stove top or in the microwave works fine too). Spread the popcorn over the baking sheets. Pick out and discard any unpopped kernels. 
• In a small saucepan, mix together the brown sugar, vegan butter, agave, salt, and cream of tartar. Put over medium heat and once you reach a foamy boil, cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, stirring often with a non-stick spatula, being careful not to burn the sugar. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. The caramel will get lighter in colour and become very foamy.
• Pour the caramel over the popcorn, then stir the popcorn to coat. It's ok if the caramel isn't evenly distributed yet, you can continue to mix it as it bakes. Bake to popcorn for 1 hour, stopping to stir every 20 minutes to help evenly coat the popcorn. Let cool on the baking sheet, then break apart and store in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for up to a week

Notes

*Cream of tartar helps to make sure the caramel is smooth and free of crystals. You will be able to find it in your local grocery store in the spice section, or you can order it on amazon. If you don't have it on hand, it's ok to skip it, but the caramel might not be as smooth.

*Adding the baking soda fills the caramel with tiny bubbles, making it light and crisp. Without it, your caramel will be very hard and won't cover the popcorn very well. Don't forget this step! It's easy to forget to add the baking soda, so what I do is set the ¼ teaspoon measure on top of the popcorn as a reminder to add it before pouring the caramel.

Nutrition

Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken

Bon appetegan!

Sam.