Caramel Puff Corn

SHARE THIS POST OR PIN IT FOR LATER!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my small business…at no extra cost to yourself!

I think I've been making caramel puff corn for close to two decades now. Hard to believe that I'm old enough to have been doing anything for two decades, but turns out...I could take that times two and still have years of age to spare... I tried it for the first time at work, back when I worked a conventional full-time job. We had treat days fairly often, and I think someone brought it to one of those...and I was hooked! I did not grow up having any sugary snacks like caramel puff corn or puppy chow, so it somehow had never occurred to me that I could make them on my own as an adult.

While I still don't make a lot of snacks like this, they're perfect for holiday gatherings, which is exactly why I'm making the caramel puff corn this time around. I always make a batch for Christmas, as well as, a separate batch to gift to my father in law. He loves it and has come to expect it as part of his gifts at the holidays. I'm happy to oblige, as he loves it and it's so easy to make! 

A couple things I wanted to call out before I share the details on how to make them is that:

‍

1. This recipe is super easy, but does take some time and attention, since you have to stir it a few times during baking. Make sure you alot yourself enough time.
2. While you can make this on a cookie sheet, a large roasting pan makes the job much easier and less messy. I use disposable, but if you have a roasting pan with taller sides, you can definitely use that. It will just take a bit of soaking when you're done to loosen the caramel sauce.
3. And about that caramel sauce...make sure you clean your pans right away after making it or it will get pretty hard on them...making a little more work for you.

I try to source the cleanest ingredients possible for the foods that we eat. While I haven't tried to make this recipe in a cleaner or more low-carb way, I have been doing a little research and will update if I come up with any swaps. I did find allulose syrup on AZURE STANDARD and think it could be a good substitute for the corn syrup..so stay tuned! I love Azure Standard. It's a natural foods coop (no membership fee) that is focused on providing the healthiest foods to its members. If you're interested in being able to procure healthy foods for your family without having to drive all over creation to do it, I can't recommend Azure enough! 

I used to be able to find a generic puff corn, but have had a harder time finding it the last few years. I'm not sure if I'm just missing it or if the same companies aren't making it. So, I've been paying a bit more for it, but that's ok...I only make it once a year! If you're wanting to make caramel puff corn for a certain event, especially during the holidays, you may want to grab the puff corn early, so you will be sure to have it on hand when you need it.

What You'll Need to Make Caramel Puffcorn:

ROASTING PAN

MEASURING CUPS

MEASURING SPOONS

WOODEN SPOON

SAUCE PAN

PARCHMENT PAPER

Ingredients to Make Caramel Puff Corn:

8 oz puff corn

1 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. corn syrup

1 tsp. baking soda

Steps to Make Caramel Puff Corn:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Pour puff corn into ROASTING PAN
3. Mix all dry ingredients (except baking soda) in your SAUCEPAN and bring to a boil, cooking + stirring for 2 minutes
4. Add baking soda to the other ingredients. Be VERY careful, as this will cause the sauce to get foamy and it can quickly "outgrow" your pan.
5. Pour sauce over the puff corn and stir to coat all the pieces
6. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes
7. Pour the caramel puff corn onto the parchment paper to cool

It's seriously that easy!!

I normally let the caramel puff corn sit on the parchment paper to cool for several hours before breaking it up to store. It keeps for quite a while in an airtight container. I know my father in law actually likes it a little bit stale and tends to leave the bag open that I give it to him in. I wouldn't suggest that, unless you like it overly chewy.

If you decide to try making caramel puff corn, I'd love to see! Share to your INSTAGRAM and be sure to tag me!