Gingerbread Caramel Corn

Sweet and crunchy, this gingerbread caramel corn is perfect for the holiday season! Filled with warm spices and molasses, this delicious recipe makes for an awesome homemade gift. Gluten free and vegetarian.

A bowl filled with Gingerbread Caramel Corn and a cup of coffee.

Note: This recipe is NOT dairy free. It was published before Cook Nourish Bliss transitioned to dairy free recipes and remains popular with long time readers. You can try using substitutions to make it dairy free, however I have not tested this myself and can’t say how it will turn out.

It’s Christmas time!!  Can you tell I’m excited?  

We had our house completely decorated the day after Thanksgiving.  And I couldn’t be happier.  There is just something about putting up the tree and all my favorite pretty holiday decorations that is just so magical.  

Especially when you pair that with a roaring fireplace and hot chocolate in Christmas mugs.  

Which is exactly what I did this weekend.  Pure happiness.

A white bowl filled with Gingerbread Popcorn.

So, now that we’ve switched gears to the holiday baking season, let’s talk about homemade gifts from the kitchen.  

As you can probably imagine, I love homemade sweet treats.  Particularly packaging them up and giving them to family and friends this time of the year.

And this gingerbread caramel corn is perfect for just that.  

It makes a large batch, is easy to jazz up in pretty packaging and can be made ahead of time.  

Oh, and did I mention it tastes like gingerbread?  It’s a great combination of traditional caramel corn with hints of that wonderful Christmas-y spice.  

And absolutely addicting.

A bowl and two bags filled with Gingerbread Caramel Corn.

Additional Homemade Gifts:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Gingerbread Caramel Corn | Cookie Monster Cooking

Gingerbread Caramel Corn

Yield: about 20 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Sweet and crunchy, this gingerbread caramel corn is perfect for the holiday season! Filled with warm spices and molasses, this delicious recipe makes for an awesome homemade gift. Gluten free and vegetarian. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200ºF. Spray two large rimmed baking sheets lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Pop the popcorn kernels on the stovetop or in a popcorn maker. Add the popped popcorn to an extra-large bowl (or two bowls if needed – I use two).
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
  4. Add the butter, sugar, corn syrup, molasses and salt to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Stir frequently as the butter melts to combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil (with the pan still over medium heat). Once it reaches a boil, let it boil for 5 minutes without stirring.
  5. Turn off the heat and stir in the baking soda, vanilla, and the spice mixture. The mixture will bubble and rise up. Pour the caramel over the popcorn in the bowls. Stir until the popcorn is well coated, working quickly.
  6. Transfer the popcorn to the two baking sheets and spread out evenly.
  7. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so, which will help evenly coat the popcorn with the caramel. The popcorn coating will be completely crispy when it is done.
  8. Remove the pans from the oven. Transfer the popcorn to waxed paper and spread out to dry.
  9. Once cool, break into pieces if needed and store in an airtight container.

Notes

Adapted from Paula Deen

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 167Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 180mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 0g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.