Ridiculously Easy Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn (Made in the Microwave!)

This sweet, buttery Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn has all the delicious cinnamon-sugar goodness of traditional snickerdoodle cookies in caramel corn clothes! A little warning though - it's a bit quite dangerous, because you can make a whole batch, start to finish, in under 45 minutes!

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet because two texts I received this past week pretty much tell the story about this Ridiculously Easy Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn...

Our oldest granddaughter, Annie, headed off to her first year in college back in August. We've missed her, so last weekend we took a little road trip to visit her campus and take her out to dinner.

We put together a little care package filled with some treats, including a big container of this Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn. She was thrilled and snuck a little bite before we even headed out for dinner.

We had the sweetest evening, catching up, and I didn't think any more about the caramel corn... until a few days later when a series of texts popped up on my phone:

It's fall break this weekend, so Annie was planning to spend a long weekend with my daughter and her family at their beach house. I sent another big container of this Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn along for the weekend.

Then, this morning, another text popped up on my phone, this time from my daughter, along with the photo below of the almost empty caramel corn container. It read:

We might need the recipe 😬

So there you have it, the verdict is in! This Ridiculously Easy Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn has officially passed the college (and family) taste test. Sweet, crunchy, buttery, and kissed with cinnamon - it's pretty much irresistible.

And the best part? It's made in the microwave! No candy thermometer, messy pans, or long, slow baking required!

What you'll need to make this microwave caramel corn

• Popcorn: I like to use mushroom popcorn for this recipe. Most popcorn you'll find at grocery stores (and movie theaters) is the butterfly variety. The two types look almost identical before popping, but their shapes are quite different once popped. Butterfly popcorn has light, irregular "wings," while mushroom popcorn pops into big, round, fluffy kernels. That round shape makes it perfect for coating with caramel and gives the finished caramel corn a beautiful, professional-looking presentation.
  If you can't find mushroom popcorn, no worries, traditional butterfly popcorn works just fine. It just won't be quite as picture-perfect, but it will still taste every bit as delicious! You can also use microwave popcorn, but I recommend a natural variety without a lot of preservatives.
• Butter: I use salted butter. If you only have unsalted butter, add an extra pinch of salt.
• Brown sugar: A combination of dark and light brown sugar (dark brown sugar forward) gives deep caramel notes with just the right sweetness.
• Corn syrup: Regular (not high fructose) light corn syrup keeps the caramel smooth and shiny and prevents crystallization. I use light Karo syrup.
• Cinnamon: The star of the show! It adds that warm snickerdoodle flavor!
• Cream of tartar: Optional, but it gives that subtle, familiar snickerdoodle tang.
• Salt and vanilla: As usual, these two bring everything together!
• Baking soda: Creates tiny air bubbles, giving the caramel corn that signature, crisp, light texture.

Free printable labels!

As I shared in our story about visiting Annie, this Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn isn't just delicious, it also makes a wonderful homemade gift! To make it extra special (and easy to package beautifully), we've created a set of free printable labels just for you.

If you'd like the labels, just leave us a comment below the post. We'll email you the PDF files in two sizes, along with printing instructions and links for the ribbon and jars pictured above and below.

It's such a fun way to turn this easy recipe into a thoughtful (and delicious) homemade gift, perfect for teachers, neighbors, or anyone who could use a little sweet surprise!

Share it... or not!

So, if you're looking for a treat that will win rave reviews from both college students and grown-ups alike OR, if you prefer a fabulously delicious snack to enjoy yourself, this Ridiculously Easy Snickedoodle Caramel Corn is the one - just ask Annie! Whatever you decide to do with it, it's sure to disappear fast - you might even get a few text messages asking for more!

Sweet and simple, this is one of those recipes that reminds us of how food can connect us, no matter where we are!

Café Tips for making this Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn

• Start requesting paper bags at the grocery store! They are the perfect vehicles to use for this microwave caramel corn. There's no mess except in the bag, which can be disposed of after use.
• You'll need a large microwave-safe bowl (at least 2-quart) for this recipe, as the caramel mixture will bubble up. A microwave-safe bowl won't melt or heat up when used in the microwave. For this recipe, it's really nice to have one with a handle, as you need to remove the bowl from the microwave several times to stir. I love this 2-quart glass, microwave-safe bowl and use mine ALL the time. The handle does not get the slightest bit warm.
• This recipe calls for corn syrup. I use Karo brand, which is not high fructose corn syrup. If you live in the UK or other areas of the world where corn syrup is not available, I tested this recipe using an equal amount of Lyle's Golden Syrup with successful results. On the other hand, I also tried subbing maple syrup for the corn syrup with disastrous results. The syrup was thick and grainy and didn't coat the popcorn.
• I LOVE my Whirly Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper. It makes popping popcorn failproof, super easy, and super fast!
• As mentioned above, I like to use mushroom popcorn for this Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn.
• I love how the caramel coats each piece so well and how it pops up into beautiful round shapes. Stovetop butterfly popcorn and microwave popcorn can also be used - it will be delicious, but not quite as pretty.
• Whether you make your popcorn on the stovetop or in the microwave, it's important to transfer it to a bowl and gently lift and lightly shake the popcorn to allow any unpopped kernels to sink to the bottom of the bowl. No one wants to bite into a delicious handful of caramel corn only to find a hard, unpopped kernel adhered to it.
• If you decide to use microwave popcorn, I recommend a natural type without any additional flavoring. I like Orville Redenbacher Natural microwave popcorn. It's lightly salted, but additional ingredients are minimal.
• I like to use a combination of light and dark brown sugars, but 100% light brown sugar will also work. I don't recommend using all dark brown sugar, as I've found that the syrup can get a bit grainy.
• Every microwave is a little different regarding the way it heats as well as the power level. These instructions work well on my microwave, which is 900 Watts. If your microwave has a lower wattage, you may want to go an additional minute or two. If it's a higher wattage, you may want to shake the bag every 45 seconds instead of every minute as directed.
• If you finish making and cooling this Microwave Caramel Corn and you find it's not as crisp as you'd like, simply return it to a clean paper bag and microwave it for another minute or two, shaking well in between and after each additional minute.
• Don't have the option of paper grocery bags? You can find them here.
• I like to store and gift my caramel corn in these 64-ounce glass jars. They're airtight and keep the caramel corn nice and fresh.

Thought for the Day:
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
    and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
    "Behold, this is our God; 
we have waited for Him, that He might save us."

What we're listening to for inspiration:
A Thousand Hallelujahs

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Ridiculously Easy Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn

Chris Scheuer

This Ridiculously Easy Snickerdoodle Caramel Corn is buttery, crunchy, and kissed with cinnamon -everything you love about snickerdoodle cookies in irresistible caramel corn form! It's made in the microwave with minimal mess and makes a perfect gift with our free printable labels.

5 from 16 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 15 servings

Calories 232

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

.5x1x2x

• 15 cups popped popcorn, I use mushroom popcorn, popped in a Whirley Pop
• ¾ cup butter, I use salted butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup light corn syrup, not high fructose; I use Karo
• 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, optional, adds a snickerdoodle-like tang
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

 

For the prep:

1. Lay a large 3-foot-long piece of parchment paper on a countertop.

For the popcorn:

1. After popping, transfer the popcorn to a large bowl. Gently shake the bowl so unpopped kernels fall to the bottom. Lift out 15 cups of popcorn and place into a large brown paper grocery bag. 15 cups popped popcorn

For the caramel:

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, both sugars, corn syrup, cinnamon, cream of tartar (if using), and salt. ¾ cup butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup light corn syrup, 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
2. Microwave on high power for 2 minutes. Stir to combine. If butter isn't fully melted, return for 30-60 seconds.
3. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then repeat this process 3 more times (for a total of 4 minutes of bubbling cook time). The mixture will be hot and foamy.
4. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will foam up- that's normal! Stir vigorously until well combined. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon baking soda

To finish:

1. Carefully, pour the hot caramel over the popcorn in the paper bag. Fold the top down once and shake well to coat.
2. Microwave the popcorn filled bag for 1 minute. Carefully remove (it will be hot!) and holding onto the top and one bottom corner (I use a potholder for this) shake again. Repeat 3 more times (4 minutes total), shaking between each interval.
3. Pour the caramel corn onto the prepared parchment paper and spread it out to cool completely.

To store:

1. Once cool, store in an airtight container. The caramel corn keeps well for 1-2 weeks stored in an airtight container. I like to use large glass jars with tight fitting lids.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 235mgPotassium: 103mgFiber: 2gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 306IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg

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Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American