Can I use air-popped popcorn for this recipe?

Absolutely! If you prefer a lighter, healthier version, air-popped popcorn works great. Just skip the vegetable oil in the popping step and proceed with the caramel coating as usual.

What if I don’t have corn syrup?

You can substitute corn syrup with glucose syrup, golden syrup, honey, or even maple syrup. Just note that if you use glucose or alternatives with higher water content, extend the baking time by 15 minutes to achieve the right crunch.

How long does this popcorn stay fresh?

Stored in an airtight container, this caramel popcorn stays crisp and delicious for up to 2 to 3 weeks, perfect for making ahead or gifting during the holidays.

Can I make this recipe without nuts?

Definitely! Simply leave out the slivered almonds or swap them for other crunchy ingredients like seeds if you prefer. The caramel-coated popcorn is delicious on its own too.

Christmas Spiced Popcorn Recipe - Cozy Holiday Snack

Description

Christmas Popcorn Candy is a festive, sweet treat featuring crunchy popcorn coated with a spiced caramel glaze and slivered almonds. This recipe combines warm holiday spices like cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves to create a flavorful snack perfect for the holiday season. The popcorn is coated in a buttery caramel, baked to crisp perfection, and makes a delightful gift or party snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Popcorn

1/4 cup vegetable oil (not required if air popping with a popcorn maker)
1/3 cup popping corn (yields 10 cups popcorn for lighter caramel coverage)
2/3 cup slivered almonds

Caramel

100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (170g) light corn syrup (substitute glucose)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda

Christmas Spices

3 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp allspice powder (or more cinnamon)
1/4 tsp ground cloves (or more cinnamon)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Popcorn: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add a few pieces of popcorn; once they pop, remove them quickly. Add the remaining popcorn kernels, shake the pot to spread them evenly, cover with a lid, and let them pop. Shake the pot gently once during popping. Remove from heat when popping slows to about 3 seconds between pops. Transfer popcorn to a very large bowl to yield 10 cups.
Prepare Caramel: Preheat oven to 110°C (230°F). Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt; stir until combined. Allow mixture to bubble, then simmer for 4 minutes without stirring.
Add Spices and Vanilla: Remove saucepan from heat and quickly whisk in Christmas spices, vanilla extract, and baking soda vigorously for 10 seconds until caramel foams and increases in volume.
Coat Popcorn: Immediately pour caramel over the popcorn and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the slivered almonds on top and toss again until the caramel cools and starts to harden.
Bake to Crisp: Spread the coated popcorn onto two baking trays in an even layer. Bake for 45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes to ensure even coating. For glucose substitution, bake an additional 15 minutes.
Cool and Store: Remove from oven and allow popcorn candy to cool completely. Break gently into pieces and transfer to an airtight container. The popcorn candy will stay crisp for 2 to 3 weeks.

Notes

For a more intense caramel coating, use 1/3 cup popping corn to yield 10 cups popcorn. Using 3/4 cup kernels results in a normal, less sweet coating.
Corn syrup prevents sugar crystallization; glucose is an effective substitute but requires additional baking time.
Golden syrup, honey, or maple syrup can also be used as substitutes but will need 15 extra minutes of baking to achieve the right texture.
Store in an airtight container to maintain crispness for up to 3 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 250 kcal
Sugar: 20 g
Sodium: 150 mg
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 34 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg