Caramel Apple Popcorn
Caramel Apple Popcorn is where it’s AT this fall! Salty/sweet/apple perfection in every bite. This popcorn is a spin off of my Salted Caramel Popcorn that is the most perfect caramel corn recipe you’ll ever make. It’s totally foolproof, and this version turns caramel corn into a perfect fall treat!
This Caramel Apple Popcorn recipe is a favorite of mine this time of year! I posted this 5 years ago, but since then I decided the photos needed a little updating along with the recipe. While the original recipe was amazing, Over the years I have PERFECTED caramel corn and I wanted to make this recipe as perfect as possible with the tricks I’ve learned. I know you will love it! It’s the perfect combo of salty/sweet…and the addition of Apple Chips and cinnamon gives it a fab fall facelift!
Start with 1 cup of unpopped kernels. Or if you want to use microwave popcorn, pop about 3 bags.
I air-popped it into a large bowl…
Make sure you pick out any unpopped kernels. I’m trying to give you cavities here, not break your teeth.
I grabbed some apple chips at the supermarket…I used 3 (2.5 oz) bags.
Mix the apple chips in with the popped corn.
Then in a medium saucepan over medium heat mix up the caramel…
Seriously.
Boil that for about 5 minutes and then pour it all over your corn and apples.
Mix it up good…
It bakes up in just 30 minutes and cool fairly quickly. You’ll be eating your new fall snack in no time!
I make batches of this to take to soccer games as a sideline snack to share with other parents! You’ll have lots of friends in no time! Or I mean, you totally don’t have to share 🙂
Print
Description
makes about 14 cups caramel corn
Ingredients
- 1 cup unpopped corn kernels
- 3 (2.5 oz) bags of apple chips
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 15×18- inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- Pop the popcorn kernels using an air popper into a large bowl. Mix in the apple chips evenly. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and allow it to boil for 4 minutes without stirring.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and vanilla.
- Drizzle the caramel mixture onto the popcorn and stir to coat evenly.
- Pour the coated popcorn into the prepared pan, sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and place the pan in the oven. Bake the popcorn for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
- Spread parchment paper onto your counter and, when the popcorn is done baking, pour it onto the prepared counter. Allow it to cool completely.
- Sprinkle the popcorn with more salt if desired.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for about a week.
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This is seriously one of the most genius creations in all of humankind.
Also, I would totally clean your closets for you if I got a cute t-shirt. Sorry, I have a sickness.
This looks yummy! And ‘theme week’ sounds wonderful. Just pinned your popcorn so everyone can share!
This looks so great, especially for Fall being right around the corner. I can’t eat popcorn (Crohn’s will do that to ya), but I CAN eat rice cakes seasoned like popcorn, so I think I will take your idea and turn it into something low-fiber for me 🙂 Thanks for the great idea!
I love this! Oh man, now I really wish it felt like fall here!
So, if your kids and hubby participate in the cleaning week, do they get novelty keychains and bumper stickers saying “I Survived Cleaning Week” or “Mr. Sparkle Is Jealous Of My Toilet”? Because I think that’d be awesome. But definitely not as awesome as caramel apple popcorn.
I love popcorn and caramel anything and apples and this looks so munchable and like it would be highly delish…and addictive!
Wow you’ve definitely taken popcorn to a whole new level. I bet this would be delicious to snack away on.
What a great idea for a theme….”Caramel Apple”! Can’t wait to see what you and Kristan come up with!
Your popcorn looks wonderful! So festively Fall 🙂
yummm! i just love fall!
OOh, I’m going to really enjoy this caramel apple week!! This looks like an amazing start!
This popcorn looks awesome. Plain amazing!
Maybe you could send out some facebook invitations for cleaning week? Or make a group? Somehow doing things in groups always seems to actually get things done…like just being part of the group holds you accountable.
Yay for fall and caramel apples! I want to dive into this popcorn. Headfirst.
I actually think theme cleaning is a good idea, haha! I have been craving caramel apples, how fun that you turned them into such a fun and festive treat!
Thia sounds yummy and perfect for that crisp fall weather I’m hoping will show its face soon hardly seems like its time for fall at Oder 100degrees. Can’t wait to make this!
Apples and caramel are one of my favourite combos and this looks great!! 😀
See… this is a tough one for me. I am a purist when it comes to popcorn and I typically have trouble with anything other than butter and salt. BUT if I were to get a little more adventurous, I think this would be the recipe for me.
Ok, adding in the apple chips is brilliant. Love this!!
I can’t believe you did this…oh wait, yes I can. I’m going to come lay around your house for awhile (the kids can clean around me) and just eat.
Great idea to use the apple chips!
Ohhhh, I’ll be eating this tonight for sure. My evening just got an upgrade. Thanks!
Seriously, seriously gorgeous…I love this idea!
I love themed weeks! This popcorn is genius, my hubby might even eat apples if I did this!
I loved the last theme week and this week is starting off nicely. I love caramel corn and adding apple chips bumps up the healthy factor so I can eat more 🙂
amazing!! what a perfect snack.
Caramel Apple Popcorn!
That’s totally over the moon!
Love it when you and Kristan team up!
You know I think you need your own tv show~right!
Would you be on MTV or Food Network? 😉
LOVE everything you girls do!
This popcorn rocks!
Hugs from Bainbridge Shelly!
xo
Theme cleaning is how I clean around here…although after dining room day I get a little distracted and then living room day suffers:-) Maybe if I had some awesome caramel apple popcorn to keep me motivated? Yeah, I think that would do the trick!!!
OMG this looks wonderful!!!
This is pretty much my version of Fall snacking perfection. Love it!
I think I’m going to love this week, totally worth picking caramel of of my teeth!
I love theme weeks! I can’t wait for the upcoming days.
YUM! I love the apple chips in here! I agree on themes: they keep you focused 🙂
What a great idea! I am so going to try this!
Well, now I need to go buy some apple chips.
And I love the idea of sending invitations to your kids to clean their closets. Imagine how excited they would be to get a beautiful invitation in the mail and then to open it up and see they’ve been invited to clean. It’s either quite genius, making cleaning into a fun party-like activity, or rather diabolical, making a fun party into cleaning. I guess it would depend on the kids’ reactions!
~Lori
This is a brilliant theme! i lovee it! & this popcorn has me blown awayyy!
Caramel Apple Week! I love this theme Shelly! I’ve only made caramel apples a few times but that was so long ago, I should do it again this year. And this fun twist is a much easier way to do it! Those apple chips are SO addicting. I honestly don’t think I’d be able to stop eating this… dangerous.
Oh wow, I love that it has apples right in it! Wonderful!
what a fun idea for popcorn Shelly!!! Bring on fall I’m ready for caramel apple!
Cleaning should be an event!! It feels so good when it’s done– so more excitement for the bad part– the actual cleaning 🙂
Oh my gosh, I totally want this immediately. You are a genius! I can’t wait to see what else you have lined up for Caramel Apple Week. 😀
Silly question…I have one of those air poppers…the cup you show measures about 1/2 cup. Do you pop just one of those, or 2? Just checking! This looks so yummy – am thinking of making it for my kids’ teachers. Thanks!
ahh, yes.. I popped 2!
Now THIS is how caramel apple should be done!! I love it!
I’m not sure it can get much better than popcorn and caramel. This looks so great…definitely something for that sweet/salty craving. I’d love for you to share at our fall-themed link-up!
http://www.fullhands-fullhearts.com/2012/08/2012-fall-bucket-list-idea-share_30.html
Thanks so much, and happy to be following along for more fall (and other) kitchen inspiration. Beautiful site!
Hi!! I’m from Italy and I really adore your recipe!! Here, unfortunally, we don’t have corn syrup, what can I use instead?? Honey?
Thanks a lot, your blog is delicious!!
Vera.
Just awesome Shelly! I’m making this to surprise my kids. 🙂
Oh good gracious – are you kidding me with this? You have taken caramel popcorn and caramel apples… two of my favorite things and made them into one? Brilliant. Seriously.
I’m so excited for caramel apple season! This popcorn looks incredible…like I could eat the entire recipe in one sitting!
Hi,
I found your lovely blog via Pinterest and this Caramel Apple Popcorn looks amazing! I would like to invite you to share this, and any other posts at my Creative Thursday Link Party at http://www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com. Have a wonderful week.
Michelle
I am making this tomorrow but am adding some cinnamon to the mix since that’s the “secret ingredient” for the September baking group I belong to. This looks so yummy – I can’t wait to taste it!
O.M.G. This stuff is sooooooo good!!! I’m eating it right now and can’t stop! I made a half batch yesterday to try it out and added 1 tsp. of cinnamon to the butter/sugar mixture. But I popped 1/2 cup of kernels in my air popper and got 12 cups of popcorn. Cutting the other ingredients in half made plenty of caramel to coat the amount of popcorn I had. The recipe calls for 1 cup of unpopped kernels and yields 14 cups of caramel corn. Should that be 24? I also broke up the larger apple chips to have more apple flavor throughout the finished product. I plan to make another half batch and will add a little more cinnamon and an extra bag of apple chips to kick up the apple factor. This is absolutely DELICIOUS!!!
And I’ve eaten wwwaaaayyyyyyyyy too much of it! SO GOOD!
I found you through brown eyed baker. Great recipe. Love your comments about cleaning. I am with you….I wish I was rich and had a full time housekeeping staff so I could spend my free time making this delicious popcorn. Thanks for posting….I might make a batch and send it up to my college freshman 5+ hours away. 🙁
All I can say is “Wow!” How yummy does this look?!?
I’m new to your blog, saw the recipe on Pinterest. What a treat this was. I never made the connection between caramel apples and caramel corn, but II’m so glad you did! I added about a teaspoon of apple pie spice to the caramel and it was delish. Thhanks so much!
Wow, I have got to make this for a movie night. And I think I have some caramel in the house – brilliant!
Tried this recipe, I think I didn’t bake it enough. Did bake it for about 45min. It was still a little sticky and chewy. Maybe I should have baked it another 10-15 min. It did taste good. Not sure I’d make it again.
wow they are looking like sweeet little bombs!! loved all your recipes as well dear!!
I have made this before, and am making it as I type. It is AMAZING!! However, I do leave out the cream, and I use extra apples. Oh my gosh, the girls at work think I slaved for hours, and nobody needs to ever know that I didn’t. My mouth is in heaven.
Hello there 🙂 ! Your recipe is so yummy! We’ve included it in our Top 5 popcorn recipes for a movie night 🙂 Hope you like the blog post! http://www.justmustard.com/blog/5PopcornRecipes/
I loved this! The only problem I had is that the apple chips burned so quickly (after 15 minutes in the oven) and I had to pull most of them out after and replace them. I was using freeze dried apple chips which may have been the problem. Any suggestions? Better to try baking them at 200 or 250?
★★★★
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