I love to snack on popcorn. I especially love the salty kind with a ton of grated parmesan on top. I cannot make it through a movie without a bowl of popcorn on my lap. Popcorn makes the whole experience of watching a movie better. If the movie is great, the addition of popcorn makes the movie even better. If the movie is bad, the popcorn saves the afternoon from being a complete waste of time. Salty and buttery popcorn is great but let’s take a look at the caramel crunchiness above. Caramel popcorn is a great option for a sweets addict like me. And aren’t the Oscars the perfect time to try out a homemade version of caramel popcorn. It is so good you won’t want to share with anyone. And why should you? They can make their own batch.

Caramel Popcorn (recipe from theKitchn)

1/2 cup unpopped corn kernels
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Directions
Arrange two oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a large pot or saucepan. Add the corn kernels, shake to coat with oil, and place lid over the pot. Shake the corn kernels occasionally. Empty the popcorn into a large bowl when the popping stops. You should have about 10 cups of popcorn.

To make the caramel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and mix until it is completely moistened. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, boil for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring the mixture continuously.

Take the mixture off the heat. Add the vanilla, salt, and baking soda and stir until combined. Step back while adding the ingredients in case the mixture splashes. Stir until the mixture forms a thick, glossy caramel sauce. Slowly pour a little of the caramel over the popcorn and mix. Continue to stir in the rest of the caramel. Make sure the popcorn is coated evenly with the caramel.

Divide the popcorn between the baking sheets and spread out into an even layer. Bake for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes and switching the baking sheets after 30 minutes of baking. Let cool completely and serve.