Salted Caramel Pecan Popcorn Recipe — Sweet & Crunchy Snack

We’re on Day 2 of popcorn week and this Salted Caramel Pecan Popcorn won the most votes in my Facebook poll — and for good reason. This recipe is addictive.

Buttery dark caramel with a hint of salt creates a perfect candy coating for popcorn and pecans. It’s inexpensive and simple to prepare, yet it transforms ordinary popcorn into a gourmet snack.

First things first, the popcorn.

You can use microwave popcorn, but making popcorn from scratch is cheaper and tastes better. I like using a Dutch oven to pop corn, but if you choose microwave popcorn, pick the plainest or lightly seasoned variety so the caramel and pecans shine.

Up second, butter.

Use unsalted butter so you can control the overall salt level. Different brands of salted butter contain varying amounts of salt and could make the finished popcorn overly salty.

Next, nuts.

Economical pecan pieces or chopped pecans work well. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly; large chunks tend to sink to the bottom of the bowl. Feel free to swap in toasted sliced almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, or your favorite nuts.

And last, the brown sugar.

Light or dark brown sugar will both work. I prefer dark brown for its deeper molasses flavor, but either option produces delicious caramel.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Start with 12 cups of popped popcorn. Take a moment to remove any unpopped kernels — once coated in caramel they’ll be hard to pick out and can damage your teeth.
2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, melt 3/4 cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in 1 cup pecan pieces and 1 cup brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it boil for 3 minutes, stirring frequently so the sugar dissolves evenly.
3. Quickly stir in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt until combined, then remove the pot from the heat. The baking soda will aerate the caramel slightly, creating a lighter texture.
4. Carefully stir the popcorn into the caramel mixture, taking care not to crush the popped kernels and protecting your hands from the hot caramel.
5. Spread the coated popcorn on a parchment-lined cookie sheet in an even layer and allow it to cool and dry completely. This step is important to keep the popcorn crisp. Once cooled, store in an airtight container or a large zip-top bag.

This caramel pecan popcorn also makes a thoughtful homemade gift—package it nicely and it will feel special without the specialty-shop price.

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