Marry This Caramel Popcorn with Pecans is a crispy and crunchy recipe, which is made with rich molasses and toasted pecans. It’s the perfect holiday treat, a classic, foolproof recipe that’s great for gifting or movie night.
Jump to RecipeCaramel Popcorn with Pecans Ingredients
A classic combination for the ultimate sweet and salty snack.
- 1/2 cup Unpopped Popcorn Kernels (to make about 15 cups popped)
- 3 cups Pecan Halves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter
- 2 Tbsp. Unsulphured Molasses
- 3 Tbsp. Honey
- 3/4 cup Organic Cane Sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
- Salt (Coarse Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan), to taste
How To Make Caramel Popcorn with Pecans
A step-by-step guide to this wonderfully crunchy and addictive treat.
- Prep Oven and Popcorn: Preheat your oven to a low 200°F (95°C). Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper. Pop the popcorn using your preferred method (stovetop, air popper, or microwave) and place it in a very large bowl.
- Toast Pecans: Roughly chop the pecans and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until they are just starting to become fragrant. Add the toasted pecans to the bowl with the popcorn.
- Make the Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the molasses, honey, and cane sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Coat the Popcorn and Pecans: Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in the baking soda. The mixture will foam up and become airy. Quickly pour this hot caramel over the popcorn and pecans in the bowl. Toss thoroughly with a spatula to coat everything evenly.
- Bake Until Crispy: Spread the coated caramel corn in the prepared roasting pan and sprinkle generously with salt. Bake for 1 hour, removing the pan from the oven to stir the mixture every 15 minutes.
- Cool and Store: Remove the pan from the oven and let the caramel corn cool completely. It will become very crispy as it cools. Once cool, break up any large clumps and store in an airtight container.
Recipe Tips
For the crispiest, most delicious caramel corn every time.
- How to get the crispiest caramel corn? The secret is the low and slow bake. Baking the coated popcorn for a full hour at a very low temperature is what dries out the caramel, transforming it from a sticky sauce into a thin, crispy, candy-like shell.
- Why add baking soda to the caramel? The baking soda reacts with the acidic components (molasses, honey) in the caramel, creating tiny air bubbles. This makes the final caramel coating a bit softer and easier to bite through, rather than a hard, tooth-breaking candy.
- How do I ensure everything gets coated evenly? Work quickly! As soon as you pour the hot caramel over the popcorn, use two large spoons or spatulas to toss and fold everything together continuously until you don’t see any more white popcorn.
- Can I use a different nut? Yes, absolutely. Roughly chopped walnuts or whole almonds would be fantastic substitutes for the pecans in this recipe.
What To Serve With Caramel Popcorn
This sweet and salty treat is perfect on its own.
This addictive caramel corn is the star of any snack table. It’s perfect for:
- Movie nights at home
- Packaging in festive bags for holiday gifts
- Serving in a large bowl at parties and get-togethers
- A crunchy topping for a bowl of vanilla ice cream
How To Store Caramel Popcorn
Keeping your snack perfectly crisp.
- Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, store the caramel popcorn in a well-sealed, airtight container or a zip-top bag at room temperature. It will stay fresh and crispy for up to a week.
Caramel Popcorn with Pecans Nutrition Facts
An estimated guide per serving.
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 20 g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
This almost always means it wasn’t baked for long enough, or the oven temperature was too low. The full hour in the oven is crucial for drying it out. It can also happen on a very humid day. If it’s still sticky after cooling, you can pop it back in the low oven for another 15 minutes.
Yes, you can simply omit the pecans for a classic, plain caramel corn.
This can happen if the heat is too high when you are simmering the caramel sauce. Keep it at a medium heat and stir occasionally to ensure the sugar doesn’t catch and burn on the bottom of the pan.
Try More Recipes:
Caramel Popcorn with Pecans Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings20
minutes1
hour5
minutes320
kcalAn easy, foolproof recipe for incredibly crispy and crunchy homemade caramel corn, loaded with toasted pecans and finished with a sprinkle of sea salt for the perfect sweet and salty snack.
Ingredients
15 cups of popped popcorn (from ½ cup kernels)
3 cups chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp. molasses
3 Tbsp. honey
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Coarse sea salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200°F. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the popped popcorn and toasted pecans in a very large bowl.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter, molasses, honey, and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda (it will foam up).
- Immediately pour the hot caramel over the popcorn and pecans, tossing quickly and thoroughly to coat.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared roasting pan and sprinkle generously with salt.
- Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Let cool completely on the pan before breaking it up and storing in an airtight container.
Notes
- The low-temperature, hour-long bake is the essential step for achieving a truly crispy, non-sticky coating.
- Stirring the caramel corn every 15 minutes during baking is crucial to ensure it dries out evenly.
- The baking soda is a secret ingredient that makes the caramel texture lighter and less hard.
- This makes a large batch, perfect for holiday gifting or parties.
