This vegan caramel popcorn is crispy, buttery, and it has all the caramel flavour you love, minus the dairy. You won’t believe how easy it is to make!
If you’ve spent your life buying caramel popcorn, you’re going to be kicking yourself after reading this post. Why? Because making homemade caramel popcorn is so flippin’ easy—and it tastes miles better than the store-bought version. Plus, when you make caramel corn yourself, you can make it vegan with a few simple swaps. Yes!
We’ve been making this vegan caramel popcorn for years, and it’s one of our favourite snacks for a movie night in or when we’re craving a little sweet-and-salty goodness. You only need 7 ingredients to make it, and it comes together in 25 minutes—and most of that time is hands-off!
The key ingredient in this recipe might surprise you—nope, it’s not the vegan butter or the sugar, but baking soda! Baking soda completely changes the texture of the caramel as it’s bubbling and makes it much lighter, and much easier to coat the popcorn with.
Pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn, bake it to crispy-crunchy perfection, and then try to resist eating it all at once!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Freshly popped popcorn – Use my stovetop popcorn recipe , but don’t add salt, butter, or other seasonings.
- Vegan butter – Use store-bought or my homemade vegan butter .
- Salt – For extra crunch, you can use a flaky salt like Maldon or fleur del sel. If you go this route, add a little extra to account for the bigger flakes.
- Almond milk – Or another unflavoured plant milk you like or have on hand.
- Maple syrup – No corn syrup! This recipe is made with maple syrup instead.
- Coconut sugar or raw cane sugar – Granulated sugar is just fine too.
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda
Is White or Yellow Popcorn Better for Caramel Corn?
You can use white popcorn, yellow popcorn, or even one of those fancy red, purple, or blue heirloom varieties of popcorn to make this vegan caramel corn recipe.
How to Make Vegan Caramel Popcorn
Get ready for the best caramel corn you’ve ever had! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 300ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Pour the popcorn into a large metal bowl.
Start the caramel mixture. In a large pot set over medium-high heat, combine the vegan butter, half of the salt, the almond milk, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and vanilla. Stir the mixture as the butter melts.
Finish the caramel. Let the caramel mixture come to a boil, then add the rest of the salt. Add the baking soda; the mixture will change colour and it is more susceptible to burning at this point. Reduce the heat and stir for 1 minute.
Coat the popcorn. Remove the caramel from the heat and pour the mixture into the bowl with the popcorn. Working quickly, toss the popcorn with a spatula, making sure it’s evenly coated.
Bake. Spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes. Allow the popcorn to cool on a fresh sheet on parchment paper. The popcorn will get crispy as it cools.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making perfect vegan caramel popcorn.
- Use big, fluffy popcorn. Avoid “ladyfinger” popcorn varieties, since these pop very small and won’t give you that satisfying caramel corn texture.
- Work quickly. As soon as the caramel is done, remove it from the stovetop, pour it over the popcorn, and then spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets. This isn’t the time to pause and answer a text from your BFF!
- Be patient. The popcorn really needs that cooling time to get the perfect crispy exterior. Warm caramel corn is not as good as it sounds!
Serving Suggestions
This vegan caramel corn is delicious as-is, but I have a few ideas for taking it to the next level.
- Make a vegan caramel-and-cheese mix. If you’ve been missing those bags of caramel and cheese popcorn since going vegan, you can DIY it at home by making a batch of cheesy popcorn with nutritional yeast and a batch of caramel corn; let them cool, then toss them together for the ultimate sweet-and-savoury snack.
- Gift it. Package your popcorn in cellophane bags, tie them with pretty ribbons, and give friends and family homemade vegan caramel corn for the holidays.
- Make it decadent. Add pecans or peanuts to the bowl of popcorn and coat them with the caramel sauce too. Once the mixture bakes and cools, drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top. Let the chocolate harden before serving.
How to Store
If you don’t eat your vegan caramel corn immediately, you can store it in an airtight container to keep it crispy for up to 1 week at room temperature, or 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 10 cups organic, freshly popped popcorn , unsalted
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar , or raw cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place popcorn into a large metal bowl. Set aside.
- In a pot over medium high heat, add the vegan butter, half the salt, the almond milk, maple syrup, coconut sugar and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Allow to come to a boil and then add in the rest of the salt. Add the baking soda and watch closely. The mixture will change colour and is more susceptible to burning now, so reduce heat and stir frequently for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour over popcorn. Working quickly, toss with a spatula to evenly distribute over all the popcorn.
- Spread popcorn onto the baking sheets until evenly distributed.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the popcorn to cool on a fresh sheet on parchment paper. They popcorn will crisp up.
- Eat immediately, or place in an airtight tupperware container to keep crispy. Enjoy!
Notes
This vegan caramel popcorn is crispy, buttery, and it has all the caramel flavour you love, minus the dairy. You won’t believe how easy it is to make!
If you’ve spent your life buying caramel popcorn, you’re going to be kicking yourself after reading this post. Why? Because making homemade caramel popcorn is so flippin’ easy—and it tastes miles better than the store-bought version. Plus, when you make caramel corn yourself, you can make it vegan with a few simple swaps. Yes!
We’ve been making this vegan caramel popcorn for years, and it’s one of our favourite snacks for a movie night in or when we’re craving a little sweet-and-salty goodness. You only need 7 ingredients to make it, and it comes together in 25 minutes—and most of that time is hands-off!
The key ingredient in this recipe might surprise you—nope, it’s not the vegan butter or the sugar, but baking soda! Baking soda completely changes the texture of the caramel as it’s bubbling and makes it much lighter, and much easier to coat the popcorn with.
Pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn, bake it to crispy-crunchy perfection, and then try to resist eating it all at once!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Freshly popped popcorn – Use my stovetop popcorn recipe , but don’t add salt, butter, or other seasonings.
- Vegan butter – Use store-bought or my homemade vegan butter .
- Salt – For extra crunch, you can use a flaky salt like Maldon or fleur del sel. If you go this route, add a little extra to account for the bigger flakes.
- Almond milk – Or another unflavoured plant milk you like or have on hand.
- Maple syrup – No corn syrup! This recipe is made with maple syrup instead.
- Coconut sugar or raw cane sugar – Granulated sugar is just fine too.
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda
Is White or Yellow Popcorn Better for Caramel Corn?
You can use white popcorn, yellow popcorn, or even one of those fancy red, purple, or blue heirloom varieties of popcorn to make this vegan caramel corn recipe.
How to Make Vegan Caramel Popcorn
Get ready for the best caramel corn you’ve ever had! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 300ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Pour the popcorn into a large metal bowl.
Start the caramel mixture. In a large pot set over medium-high heat, combine the vegan butter, half of the salt, the almond milk, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and vanilla. Stir the mixture as the butter melts.
Finish the caramel. Let the caramel mixture come to a boil, then add the rest of the salt. Add the baking soda; the mixture will change colour and it is more susceptible to burning at this point. Reduce the heat and stir for 1 minute.
Coat the popcorn. Remove the caramel from the heat and pour the mixture into the bowl with the popcorn. Working quickly, toss the popcorn with a spatula, making sure it’s evenly coated.
Bake. Spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes. Allow the popcorn to cool on a fresh sheet on parchment paper. The popcorn will get crispy as it cools.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making perfect vegan caramel popcorn.
- Use big, fluffy popcorn. Avoid “ladyfinger” popcorn varieties, since these pop very small and won’t give you that satisfying caramel corn texture.
- Work quickly. As soon as the caramel is done, remove it from the stovetop, pour it over the popcorn, and then spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets. This isn’t the time to pause and answer a text from your BFF!
- Be patient. The popcorn really needs that cooling time to get the perfect crispy exterior. Warm caramel corn is not as good as it sounds!
Serving Suggestions
This vegan caramel corn is delicious as-is, but I have a few ideas for taking it to the next level.
- Make a vegan caramel-and-cheese mix. If you’ve been missing those bags of caramel and cheese popcorn since going vegan, you can DIY it at home by making a batch of cheesy popcorn with nutritional yeast and a batch of caramel corn; let them cool, then toss them together for the ultimate sweet-and-savoury snack.
- Gift it. Package your popcorn in cellophane bags, tie them with pretty ribbons, and give friends and family homemade vegan caramel corn for the holidays.
- Make it decadent. Add pecans or peanuts to the bowl of popcorn and coat them with the caramel sauce too. Once the mixture bakes and cools, drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top. Let the chocolate harden before serving.
How to Store
If you don’t eat your vegan caramel corn immediately, you can store it in an airtight container to keep it crispy for up to 1 week at room temperature, or 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 10 cups organic, freshly popped popcorn , unsalted
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar , or raw cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place popcorn into a large metal bowl. Set aside.
- In a pot over medium high heat, add the vegan butter, half the salt, the almond milk, maple syrup, coconut sugar and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Allow to come to a boil and then add in the rest of the salt. Add the baking soda and watch closely. The mixture will change colour and is more susceptible to burning now, so reduce heat and stir frequently for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour over popcorn. Working quickly, toss with a spatula to evenly distribute over all the popcorn.
- Spread popcorn onto the baking sheets until evenly distributed.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the popcorn to cool on a fresh sheet on parchment paper. They popcorn will crisp up.
- Eat immediately, or place in an airtight tupperware container to keep crispy. Enjoy!
Notes
Vegan Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients
- 10 cups organic, freshly popped popcorn unsalted
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or raw cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place popcorn into a large metal bowl. Set aside.
- In a pot over medium high heat, add the vegan butter, half the salt, the almond milk, maple syrup, coconut sugar and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Allow to come to a boil and then add in the rest of the salt. Add the baking soda and watch closely. The mixture will change colour and is more susceptible to burning now, so reduce heat and stir frequently for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour over popcorn. Working quickly, toss with a spatula to evenly distribute over all the popcorn.
- Spread popcorn onto the baking sheets until evenly distributed.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the popcorn to cool on a fresh sheet on parchment paper. They popcorn will crisp up.
- Eat immediately, or place in an airtight tupperware container to keep crispy. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Vegan Caramel Popcorn https://jessicainthekitchen.com/healthy-vegan-caramel-popcorn-recipe/ February 7, 2023
This vegan creamed corn is every bit as rich and creamy as the original! Sweet corn is simmered in a buttery plant-based cream sauce for the perfect easy side dish.
Sometimes you just need a simple side dish to round out your meal. Maybe you’re making vegan meatloaf or vegan turkey roast . Or maybe you’re bringing a side for a holiday or get-together. Well, whatever the reason, this vegan creamed corn recipe is the perfect choice for any occasion.
Creamed corn is a popular Southern side dish that pairs sweet corn kernels with a creamy, flavorful sauce. The traditional version is made with lots of dairy to create that rich cream sauce, but guess what? You don’t need it! A few simple plant-based swaps and you’re good to go.
This is a side dish that comes together super fast, and it’s quite possibly the best way to enjoy fresh corn. With that natural sweetness, this vegan creamed corn is perfect for pairing with your favourite savory main dishes.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Corn – Fresh is best, but you can also use thawed frozen ears.
- Vegan butter – Use store-bought or make your own vegan butter .
- Yellow onion
- Salt
- Black pepper
- All-purpose flour – This helps thicken up the sauce.
- Non-dairy milk – Any unflavoured variety will work here, but the thicker the better!
What Color Corn is the Sweetest?
Yellow corn is the sweetest variety of corn and it’s perfect for this vegan creamed corn recipe. If you’re buying corn fresh, look for kernels that feel large and plump, and tassels that are moist rather than dry.
How to Make Vegan Creamed Corn
Truly, the hardest thing about making creamed corn is getting the corn off the cob! If you have a corn zipper tool, that will help. Otherwise, follow the instructions in the first step below.
Prepare the corn. Stand one ear of corn in a deep bowl. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the kernels from the cob. Turn the knife over and use the non-blade edge to rub down the side of the cob to extract the pulp and juice. Repeat with the remaining ears.
Cook the onion. Add the vegan butter and onions to a pot set over medium heat. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are softened.
Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper for 1 minute. Add the corn and milk and stir again.
Simmer. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 30 minutes or until the corn reaches your desired softness and the sauce thickens; stir every 3 to 4 minutes to prevent sticking.
Tips for Success
These tips will help you make sure your vegan creamed corn turns out perfect!
- Thaw frozen corn. If you’re using frozen ears of corn, make sure they are thawed completely before cutting. If they’re still frozen in the centre, you won’t be able to extract all the corn juice.
- Stir often. Be sure to stir the creamed corn often while it cooks to prevent it from sticking or burning.
- Adjusting the consistency . If the sauce is too thick once the corn has softened, add more milk or a splash of vegetable broth until the desired consistency is reached.
Variations
Want to switch things up? You can! Here are some ideas:
- Replace all-purpose flour with a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend to make this gluten-free vegan creamed corn.
- If you like sweeter creamed corn, add a tablespoon of sugar when you add the corn and milk.
- For an added flavor boost, try adding some fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- You can give creamed corn an Asian-inspired spin by swapping the onions for scallions, using coconut milk for the liquid, adding a splash of soy sauce, and garnishing with toasted coconut.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover creamed corn can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Yes, this recipe can be frozen! Place the vegan creamed corn in a zip-top bag. Lay it flat and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in a bowl of warm water or overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Ingredients
- 6 ears of corn , fresh or thawed frozen ears 1068 grams
- ¼ cup vegan butter , 57 grams
- ½ cup yellow onion , diced 68 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour , 19 grams
- 1 ¼ cup non-dairy milk , 300g
Instructions
- Stand up one ear of corn in a deep bowl. Use a sharp knife to cut the top of the corn kernels from the cob. Turn the knife over and use the non blade edge to rub down the side of the cob to get the pulp and juice from the corn.
- Repeat with all 6 ears of corn and set aside.
- Add vegan butter and onions to a pot over medium heat. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened.
- Add the flour, salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Add the corn and milk. Stir well.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 30 minutes or until corn is desired softness, stirring about every 3-4 minutes to prevent sticking.
Notes
- If using frozen ears of corn, make sure they are thawed completely before cutting otherwise you won’t be able to get the pulp out of the cob.
- Replace all purpose flour with a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend to make this gluten free.
- If you like sweeter creamed corn, add 1 tablespoon of sugar when you add the corn and milk.
