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–+ servings
Brown butter maple popcorn in two striped paper cups with cinnamon sticks and fall leaves
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Brown Butter Maple Popcorn

Crunchy oven-baked popcorn coated in a nutty brown butter maple caramel with warm cinnamon and nutmeg. The ultimate cozy fall snack for movie nights, parties, and homemade gifts.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword brown butter maple popcorn, fall popcorn, maple caramel corn, maple popcorn
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 190kcal

Equipment

  • Large baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Small saucepan
  • Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 10 cups plain popped popcorn air-popped, about 1/2 cup unpopped kernels
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Pop the popcorn and place it in a large bowl, picking out any unpopped kernels. Set aside.
  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Keep cooking, swirling occasionally, until it foams and golden-brown bits form on the bottom of the pan, about 5 to 7 minutes. The butter will smell nutty when it's ready.
  • Lower the heat and stir in the maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Let the mixture simmer gently for 2 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda (it will foam up) and the vanilla extract.
  • Immediately pour the maple caramel over the popcorn and toss quickly until evenly coated.
  • Spread the coated popcorn in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent clumping.
  • Let the popcorn cool completely on the baking sheet. It will continue to crisp up as it cools. Break apart any large clusters and serve.

Notes

  • Watch the butter closely while it browns. Once it smells nutty and you see golden-brown bits, move on to the next step so it doesn't burn.
  • Have the popcorn ready in the bowl before you add the baking soda. The caramel starts to set quickly, so you'll want to pour and toss right away.
  • Microwave popcorn works too. Choose a plain or lightly salted variety and skip anything butter-flavored.
  • For a less sweet batch, reduce the brown sugar to 2 to 3 tablespoons and add a little extra salt.
  • No maple syrup? Honey or golden syrup can be swapped in, though the flavor will be a little different.
  • Store the cooled popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 150mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g