Nut Free Vegan Caramel Corn.

The best and most delicious nut free vegan caramel corn recipe! Crunchy, sweet, and salty, this tasty treat is dairy free and gluten free!

One of my favorite holiday recipes is caramel corn.

Scratch that. One of my favorite ANYTIME recipes is caramel corn. It’s one of my favorite treats – put a bowl in front of me, and it will be gone in the blink of an eye!

I hadn’t made it in a long time, because for a while there, I was avoiding corn, so that meant no caramel corn. Then, once I started eating corn again, I was avoiding GMO corn, so that was just one more thing to worry about – tracking down GMO free popcorn and corn syrup wasn’t a top priority. But all of a sudden I had a craving for caramel corn, and I just had to make it for a New Year’s Eve party. And then again for a family holiday party. Now, making vegan popcorn has become a holiday tradition once again!

This nut free vegan caramel corn is highly addictive, so don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Where can I find non-GMO popcorn?

There are probably quite a few brands of GMO free popcorn, but I like the Tiny But Mighty brand. I order it from Amazon, and the last time I called, they only processed corn in their facility. But definitely call to double check for yourself.

What tools do you need to make vegan caramel corn?

• A heavy bottomed saucepan works best for making the caramel – it helps keep the caramel from burning.
• A candy thermometer is a must so that you know when to stop cooking the caramel.
• A large bowl or large deep pan is also necessary for mixing the popcorn and the caramel.

How do you store leftover caramel corn?

You can store this caramel popcorn in an airtight container or ziploc bags. It should stay fresh for about 5-6 days.

It is wonderful for a holiday, birthday party, or a Super Bowl party!

Adapted from this recipe.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

5 from 2 votes

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Vegan and Nut Free Caramel Corn.

Sweet, salty, tasty, addictive vegan caramel corn. Dairy free, nut free, and gluten free.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, Nut free, vegan.

Keyword dairy free caramel corn, vegan caramel corn

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 24

Calories 246 kcal

Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups vegan buttery spread I used Earth Balance Soy Free Sticks
• 1 1/2 cup popcorn kernels I used Tiny but Mighty Heirloom corn. If you use normal popcorn, you may be able to use less
• 5 Tablespoons organic canola oil
• 2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 5/8 cups light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 7/8 teaspoon salt
• 5/8 teaspoon baking soda

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a large roasting pan. (Depending on the size, you may need two pans).
2. Pop the popcorn in two batches: Heat 2 1/2 Tablespoons of canola oil and four corn kernels in a large kettle with a lid over medium high heat. Once the test kernels pop, remove the pan from the heat, and add 3/4 cup corn kernels. Put the lid on, and keep the pan off the heat for 30 seconds. Then place back on the heat. Once the kernels really start popping, shake the pan intermittently.
3. When there are 2-3 seconds between pops, remove the pan from heat and pour the contents into the roaster. Repeat to pop the other half of the corn.

4. Make the caramel: In a heavy bottomed saucepan with a candy thermometer clipped to the side, heat the buttery spread, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat. Stir constantly, until the candy thermometer reads 255 degrees F.

5. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
6. Quickly pour the caramel over the popcorn, and stir to coat. Be careful! The caramel is super hot.
7. Place the caramel corn in the oven, and bake for about one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
8. Let caramel corn cool completely - it will crisp up as it cools off.
9. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

Store popcorn in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for 5-6 days.

 

Nutrition Facts

Vegan and Nut Free Caramel Corn.

Amount Per Serving

Calories 246 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 202mg9%

Potassium 61mg2%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 29g32%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 450IU9%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 0.5mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This is such a great snack or dessert for a party, especially if you have kids – everyone loves it, and there is hardly any leftover!

Note: If you use regular popcorn, you may not need as many kernels. The Tiny But Mighty Heirloom Popcorn has slightly smaller kernels, which is fine with me, because they are so delicious!

Make this for your next party! You’ll love it!

This vegan caramel corn is:

• crispy
• perfectly salty-sweet
• gluten free and vegan

This post was originally published in January 2015. It has been updated.