This homemade toffee popcorn recipe is a buttery caramel toasted popcorn and tastes like a richer Fiddle Faddle butter toffee popcorn (or a little like Crunch and Munch, if you remember that!). Some people use the terms toffee popcorn, caramel corn and kettle corn interchangeably, but they do have different recipes. We’ll cover differences between toffee popcorn vs caramel popcorn and more!
![Simple Toffee Popcorn Recipe (1) Simple Toffee Popcorn Recipe (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Easy Toffee Popcorn Recipe
If you want to make toffee popcorn at home like you get at fairs or festivals, you’ll love this quick toffee popcorn recipe!
How To Make Toffee for Popcorn
How do you make toffee popcorn?
- Popcorn
- Butter
- Sugar
- Corn syrup
- Salt
- Vanilla
(see full recipe for popcorn toffee below)
Affiliate links are used on this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more in our DISCLOSURE.Before we get to the recipe for butter toffee popcorn, here are some questions people have when making this dessert snack:
What is the difference between toffee and caramel popcorn?
You may be wondering is toffee popcorn the same as caramel corn? Toffee popcorn has a lighter, buttery than caramel corn because toffee popcorn uses light corn syrup, while a caramel corn recipe uses dark corn syrup.The toffee for popcorn recipe is made with light corn syrup, butter, and sugar.
If you’re wondering how to make caramel corn, it’s a very similar recipe, except swapping out the light syrup for dark corn syrup and dark brown sugar.
Why is my caramel corn so sticky?
If your recipe for caramel corn or toffee corn is sticky, it might be because you didn’t dry it properly or long enough. Be sure to spread your caramel corn / toffee popcorn recipe in a single layer on foil and allow it to dry completely before storing it in an airtight container.
YOU’LL ALSO LIKE THESE RECIPES FOR POPCORN:
Purple People Eater Popcorn Balls Recipe
Old School Stove Top Popcorn Recipe
Can you make a caramel corn recipe without corn syrup?
Yes, you can actually leave out the corn syrup from your caramel corn or toffee popcorn. The texture may be a little different than you’re accustomed to, but you will still have a yummy coated popcorn recipe to enjoy!
Kettle Corn vs Caramel Corn
Is kettle corn the same as caramel corn?
Kettle corn is not the same as caramel corn. Kettle corn is made by popping popcorn in sugar mixture, while caramel corn is made with butter, dark corn syrup, and dark brown sugar. Kettle corn is a lighter, sweet and salty treat. While caramel corn is just as yummy, it is a darker and richer simple sweet treat.
ALSO CHECK OUT: Kettle Corn On The Stove Recipe
Ok!
Let’s get to popcorn toffee recipe easy to make with your kids!
![Simple Toffee Popcorn Recipe (2) Simple Toffee Popcorn Recipe (2)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Easy Toffee Popcorn Recipe
This toffee popcorn homemade treat is an easy go-to for a birthday party treat or anytime you need an easy dessert or snacks for kids.
We didn’t add them for this recipe, but you can also make this butter toffee popcorn with nuts. Just add in a half cup of your favorite shelled nuts (like pecans or walnuts) to your toffee popcorn ingredients before adding the toffee popcorn sauce / glaze.
TIP: There is no special toffee popcorn machine. We use our popcorn popper like this one
all the time and we love it. It’s perfect for this butter toffee popcorn recipe (and other popcorn recipes), too! Some people make this with microwave popcorn, but we prefer to pop or own popcorn.
Some people have also told me that they doubled the toffee glaze because they like their popcorn with toffee sauce extra gooey. So keep that in mind.
Here’s how to make toffee popcorn in a pan…
![Simple Toffee Popcorn Recipe (4) Simple Toffee Popcorn Recipe (4)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Easy Toffee Popcorn
This crunchy toffee popcorn recipe is so buttery and sweet. You can vary the toffee popcorn ingredients by adding nuts or leaving them out.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 228kcal
Author: LittleCooksReadingBooks.com
Ingredients
- 10 cups popped popcorn ½ cup of kernels before popping
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Butter a large, rectangular baking pan. Set aside.
Pop popcorn. Remove unpopped kernels.
Spread popcorn (and nuts, if using) in the pan.
In a pot, melt the butter, sugar, corn syrup, salt on low. Stir continuously until the sugar has melted and the sauce has become smooth and thickened, usually around 8-10 minutes.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla.
Drizzle the sauce over the popcorn, stirring the until all the popcorn is completely coated.
Bake for 30 minutes, stirring after the first 15 minutes.
Remove from oven. Spread on lightly buttered tin foil and allow to cool completely.
Store leftovers in a air-tight, covered container.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 223mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g
Cooking With Books: Recipe and Read For Kids
Here are children’s books that would be great paired up with this recipe (obviously, any popcorn theme book will work well!):
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE TOFFEE POPCORN RECIPE!
LOOKING FOR FUN COOKING PRINTABLES FOR KIDS?
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FAQs
Caramel corn or caramel popcorn (toffee popcorn in the UK) is a confection made of popcorn coated with a sugar or molasses based caramel candy shell that is normally less than 1mm thick. Typically a sugar solution or syrup is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a caramelized candy syrup.
Is there milk in toffee popcorn? ›
Description. Ingredients: Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Popped Maize, Salted Butter(MILK), Rapeseed Oil, Salt, Cane Molasses, Partially Inverted Sugar Syrup, Single Cream (MILK), Emulsifier: Lecithins.
What is the best butter for popcorn? ›
Clarified butter or ghee, a type of clarified butter, is the best bet for coating your kernels. Regular butter contains water and milk solids, which lead to a soggy snack. The water and milk solids are removed from clarified butter and ghee.
How to put butter on popcorn without making it soggy? ›
Movie theaters use butter-flavored oil, which has a lower water content than butter so it makes popcorn less soggy. Real clarified butter has the same effect. To make it, melt 2 sticks butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Let sit for a few minutes; the butter will separate into 3 layers.
Is toffee just burnt caramel? ›
Toffee is a hard candy that combines the classic cooked sugar sweetness of caramel with the richness of butter. Technically, toffee is butterscotch—a combination of butter and sugar—cooked to what's known as the hard-crack stage in confectionery: over 300 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer.
Is toffee popcorn healthy? ›
I have not included a nutritional panel, suffice to say that it is loaded with sugars – but on the (small) plus side it is low in fat… Keep for an occasional treat – but above all, enjoy!”
Why is toffee popcorn round? ›
Popping Methods and Applications
Mushroom popcorn is favoured for gourmet popcorn flavours, as its round shape allows for better coverage and distribution of coatings. Its sturdy but light structure ensures that these coatings adhere well, providing a delightful taste experience.
What is butter toffee made of? ›
The ingredients that make up butter toffee include unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light corn syrup, water, vanilla, almonds, and dark chocolate. You can choose a different type of chocolate, but when I was working on this recipe, I found semi-sweet chocolate too sweet.
How many calories in a piece of toffee popcorn? ›
Table of Nutritional Information
| Per 100g | Per 30g Serving |
---|
Energy | 1801kJ | 540kJ |
427kcal | 128kcal |
Fat | 9.7g | 2.9g |
of which Saturates | 3.1g | 0.9g |
6 more rows
Why does movie theater popcorn taste better? ›
Toppings and Secret Ingredients
Other theaters cook their kernels in a mix of oil and real butter, helping to maximize that butter flavor and fine salt taste before the actual popcorn kernels are popped. However, many don't know that the main reason for the taste of that movie popcorn is a topping called Flavacol.
Yes, water is what is making your popcorn soggy! So if you're wondering how to keep popcorn from going soggy, the secret is to use clarified butter instead of normal butter. Clarified butter is just butter with the water evaporated out!
Do you add butter before or after popcorn? ›
Do you add butter to popcorn before or after popping? Add the butter to the popcorn after the kernels are popped.
Can you spray Pam butter on popcorn? ›
Good on popcorn ! I use it mainly for spraying on my pop corn. Occasionally I will spray it on a baked potato. Or anything that requires A buttery taste.
How do you evenly spread melted butter on popcorn? ›
It's best to melt until almost all of it is melted and just stir it with a spoon or swirl the jar until it's all liquid. Place your Mini on your mason jar and secure with a regular metal band. Drizzle all over your popcorn, giving the bowl a little toss every now and then to ensure it's equally coated. Enjoy!
How to make microwave popcorn taste like movie theater popcorn? ›
Instead, these two key ingredients give movie theater popcorn its signature taste and smell: popcorn popping oil and popcorn seasoning. Yup, it's that simple. Popcorn popping oils come in a few varieties, including pure coconut oil or a blend of canola oil.
Does caramel and toffee taste the same? ›
The difference between caramel and toffee is greater, as caramel has a more liquid consistency and is usually pure sugar (it doesn't contain butter or flour). Still, the taste of caramel, fudge, and toffee is relatively similar, as they are all made from mostly sugar (as well as butter in the case of fudge and toffee).
What's the difference between caramel popcorn and regular popcorn? ›
Taste. While both caramel corn and kettle corn are sweet, caramel corn is richer in flavor and texture. Historically sweetened with molasses, caramel corn is most-often candy-coated. The thin, crunchy, sweet coating is derived from melted sugar.
Is toffee popcorn a sweet? ›
Using our secret recipe, our generously covered Toffee popcorn is a taste sensation, a perfect sweet treat to share. Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Popped Maize, Salted Butter (MILK), Rapeseed Oil, Salt, Cane Molasses, Partially Inverted Sugar Syrup, Single Cream (MILK), Emulsifier: Lecithins.
What is caramel popcorn made of? ›
Make caramel – simmer butter, sugar and corn syrup or glucose; Whisk in baking soda to make the caramel foam up! Toss popcorn with caramel – just do the best you can here, the caramel will harden as it cools.