Caramel Puff Corn

This caramel puff corn recipe is a sweet and crunchy treat made using only three ingredients. The combination of light puffed corn and sweet caramel is just perfect.

This easy-to-make snack is a hit at our house and is perfect for your next family movie night or a gathering with friends. It's a great alternative to traditional caramel corn and is ready in just 20 minutes!

If you're looking for more easy snack ideas, be sure to try my apple chips, no-bake peanut butter bars, and cucumber bites. All of these recipes are perfect for a quick snack or for serving at a party.

Table of Contents

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Key Ingredients
• How to Make Caramel Puff Corn
• Tips for Making the Best Caramel Puff Corn
• Serving Suggestions 
• Recipe Variation Ideas 
• Frequently Asked Questions
• How to Store Leftovers
• More Recipes You'll Enjoy
• Recipe Card
• Caramel Puff Corn
• Comments

Key Ingredients

All you need are some simple pantry staple ingredients to make this caramel puff corn recipe at home. Let's look at them in more detail:

For a full list of ingredients and quantities, please check the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Kix Cereal: This will be the base of our snack, providing a light and crunchy texture that contrasts beautifully with the smooth caramel.
• Caramel Melts: The star of our caramel puff corn recipe, these will be melted down to form a sweet, sticky coating for our puffed corn.
• Unsalted Butter: This will help to enrich the caramel, giving it a wonderfully creamy flavor and a glossy sheen.

How to Make Caramel Puff Corn

Making this incredible caramel puff corn is easier than you think. Here's how to make them at home step by step:

Prepare the Caramel Puff Corn Mixture

Combine Ingredients in a Saucepan: Place 2 tablespoons of butter into a large saucepan. Unwrap the caramel melts and add them to the saucepan.

Melt the Ingredients: Place the saucepan on the stove and heat the mixture over medium to low heat. Stir the mixture constantly for about 6 minutes or until all the caramel is melted.

Add the Kix Cereal: Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the entire box of Kix cereal to the melted caramel.

Mix the Ingredients: Stir the cereal and caramel together using a wooden or plastic spoon. Make sure to scoop the melted caramel from the bottom of the pan to the top.

Repeat the Process: Repeat this mixing pattern until all the cereal balls are evenly coated with caramel. It's important to work quickly to prevent the caramel from hardening.

Shape the Caramel Puff Corn

Form the Corn Shapes: Take a portion of the coated cereal and shape it into a corn cob shape using your hands.

Wrap Each Corn Cob: Wrap each corn cob in a plastic food wrap, similar to the pattern used in this video.

Repeat Process Quickly: Repeat this shaping and wrapping process until all the cereal is used. Again, work quickly as the caramel can harden fast.

Reheat if it Hardens: If it does harden, simply reheat it for a minute, making sure to stir to prevent the caramel from burning.

For a full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.

Tips for Making the Best Caramel Puff Corn

• Choose the Right Cereal: For this caramel puff corn recipe, the Kix cereal works best due to its round shape and airy texture. However, you can also try other puffed corn cereals for a slightly different flavor and texture.
• Stir Constantly While Melting the Caramel: To prevent the caramel from burning, make sure to stir it constantly while it melts in the saucepan. This will help it melt evenly and avoid any hot spots that could cause it to burn.
• Work Quickly When Mixing in the Cereal: After you add the Kix cereal to the melted caramel, you need to work quickly to coat the cereal evenly. The caramel can harden fast, so use a wooden or plastic spoon to mix, scooping the caramel from the bottom of the pan to the top.
• Shape the Puff Corn Carefully: Take the coated cereal into your hands and shape it into a corn shape. This step requires a bit of finesse, but it's important for the final presentation of your caramel puff corn.
• Wrap the Cereal to Hold Its Shape: To make sure the puffed corn holds its shape, wrap each corn in a plastic food wrap. This will help the caramel harden and keep the puffed corn in its unique shape.

Serving Suggestions 

• Serve this delicious snack at your next game night. Your friends and family will love the classic flavors.
• It's also a great option to pop in kids' lunch boxes for a special treat that will put a smile on their faces.
• You can also enjoy this snack as a quick after-dinner dessert. We love having it for our movie nights every weekend!

Recipe Variation Ideas 

This delicious caramel puff corn recipe is perfect as is, but if you're looking to change things up, here are a few variation ideas you can try:

• Sweet and Salty: If you're a fan of the sweet and salty flavor combination, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the caramel puff corn.
• Peanut Butter: For all the peanut butter lovers out there, drizzle some melted peanut butter over the caramel puff corn and toss to coat.
• Chocolatey: If you can't get enough chocolate, drizzle the caramel puff corn with melted chocolate and allow it to set before serving.
• Nuts: For those who love nuts, add a handful of your favorite nuts, such as almonds, pecans, or cashews, to the caramel puff corn.

How to Store Leftovers

• Storing: Once you've made this delicious caramel puff corn, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. It will stay fresh and crunchy for up to two weeks.
• Freezing: Freezing is not recommended for this caramel puff corn recipe. The texture of the puffed corn can become soggy and lose its puffs when thaw, so it's best to enjoy it fresh or within a couple of weeks of making.

Recipe Card

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This recipe was originally posted on August 14, 2014 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.