Description
A sweet and salty crunchy snack perfect for game day, made with simple pantry ingredients like popcorn, butter, and brown sugar. These clusters are easy to make, require no fancy equipment, and stay fresh for up to two weeks.
Ingredients
- 10 cups plain popcorn (air-popped or plain microwave popcorn)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Flaky sea salt (for finishing, optional)
- Optional: 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Optional: 1 cup crushed pretzel pieces
- Optional: 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts or chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet (18×13 inch) with parchment paper.
- Place 10 cups of plain popcorn into a very large mixing bowl (at least 6-quart capacity).
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Stir constantly until butter melts and sugar dissolves (about 3-4 minutes).
- Once the mixture begins to boil, stop stirring and let it bubble for exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat immediately.
- Stir in vanilla extract and baking soda. The mixture will foam up and lighten in color. Stir for 30 seconds until combined.
- Pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn. Use a large spoon or tongs to gently toss until all popcorn is coated. If using add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, stir them in now.
- Spread the coated popcorn in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes, stirring gently halfway through (at 7 minutes) to ensure even baking.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Let cool completely on the pan for about 10 minutes until the clusters harden.
- Break the cooled clusters into bite-sized pieces and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Use a large bowl to ensure even coating. Do not rush the boiling step; let it bubble for exactly 1 minute to dissolve sugar properly. The low oven temperature (200°F) is crucial for drying out the caramel to achieve crunchiness. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If clusters become soft due to humidity, re-crisp in a 200°F oven for 5 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup clusters
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
Keywords: tailgate snacks, salted caramel popcorn, game day food, easy party snacks, sweet and salty snack, homemade popcorn clusters, football snacks