Name: Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: Western
Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1/3 cup popping corn (yields 10 cups popcorn); 2/3 cup slivered almonds; 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 cup packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup (170g) light corn syrup; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 3 tsp cinnamon powder; 2 tsp ginger powder; 1/2 tsp allspice powder; 1/4 tsp ground cloves

The moment you bite into this warming, crunchy treat, you’ll understand why my Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe is such a beloved holiday snack. The cozy blend of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves combined with buttery caramel makes it a festive crowd-pleaser that's surprisingly easy to whip up at home.

The image shows a clear glass bowl filled with caramel popcorn mixed with slivered almonds. The popcorn is golden brown with a shiny caramel coating, creating a crispy texture, while the almond slivers add a light tan color and a crunchy contrast scattered evenly throughout the bowl. The bowl is placed on a white marbled surface, with red berries and a pine cone blurred in the background, adding a festive touch. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

From the first time I made this Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe, I was hooked — the warm spices really transform a simple batch of popcorn into something magical. Plus, it's a fun recipe that doubles as an irresistible gift idea or party snack!

Perfect festive flavor: The blend of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves adds cozy holiday vibes without overpowering sweetness.
Customizable sweetness: You can easily adjust the amount of caramel coating based on your preference — from light and crunchy to candy-level sweet.
Crunchy & fresh for weeks: When stored properly, it keeps its crisp texture for up to three weeks, making it great for prepping ahead of holiday events.
Fun and easy steps: You don’t need fancy equipment—just a pot, a baking tray, and a little patience to create this homemade treat.

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient balances the others perfectly, combining rich caramel with warm holiday spices and crunchy popcorn. I'll share a few tips on choosing the best versions to make your batch stand out.

Flat lay of a large mound of freshly popped white popcorn kernels with a slight yellow tint, a small white ceramic bowl filled with pale golden vegetable oil, a small white ceramic bowl holding slivered almonds, a neat rectangular slab of unsalted butter with a smooth surface, a small white ceramic bowl overflowing with packed dark brown sugar, a small white ceramic bowl containing glossy light amber corn syrup, a small white ceramic bowl with fine cinnamon powder, a small white ceramic bowl with pale ginger powder, a small white ceramic bowl of rich dark allspice powder, a small white ceramic bowl with deep brown ground cloves, a small white ceramic bowl holding fine white baking soda, and a small white ceramic bowl with clear golden vanilla extract placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Popping Corn: Use high-quality kernels for fluffier popcorn. I prefer using about ⅓ cup to get that lighter caramel coating—a personal favorite because it lets the spices shine through.
Butter (unsalted): Unsalted butter lets you control the salt level in the recipe, giving you that buttery richness without overpowering sweetness.
Brown Sugar: Adds deep caramel flavor and moisture that helps form that gorgeous sticky coating on the popcorn.
Corn Syrup: This helps prevent crystallization, keeping your caramel smooth and glossy. If you can’t find it, glucose syrup is a great substitute (just be ready to bake a bit longer).
Christmas Spice Blend: Combining cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and a touch of cloves creates that unmistakable festive aroma and taste.
Baking Soda: It foams up the caramel, making it lighter and easier to coat the popcorn evenly.
Slivered Almonds: I love how they add a toasty crunch that complements the sweet-spiced caramel beautifully.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I’ve had a blast experimenting with this Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe, and I love encouraging friends to tweak the spices or nuts to make it their own. Don’t be shy—this recipe is a fabulous blank canvas.

Nut swap: I once swapped almonds for pecans and loved the buttery, deeper nutty twist it added—try walnuts or hazelnuts, too!
Extra spice punch: If you’re a fan of heat, sprinkle a pinch of cayenne to bring a subtle warmth that pairs surprisingly well with the sweet caramel.
Gluten-free variation: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, perfect for anyone with dietary restrictions.
Less sweet option: Use ¾ cup popcorn kernels for a lighter caramel coating if you want something less candy-like but still festive.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe

Three clear plastic bags filled with golden brown caramel popcorn are arranged on a white marbled surface. Each bag is tightly sealed with a small green ribbon tied around the top, adorned with red berry decorations. Loose pieces of the popcorn sit scattered around the base of the bags. Behind the bags, there are festive decorations including green leaves, red berries, and pine cones, along with a white pot holding a red flower. The light shines warmly, highlighting the shiny texture of the caramel on the popcorn, with a soft, blurred background enhancing the festive feel. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Pop Your Popcorn to Perfection

Heat your vegetable oil over medium heat in a large pot. To know when it’s ready, drop in a few popcorn kernels and wait for them to pop—that’s your signal! Add in the rest of the kernels, give the pot a little shake to spread them evenly, then cover. Shake gently once when popping really picks up to prevent burning. When you hear the pops slow down to about a 3-second gap, remove the pot from heat and pour the popcorn into a very large bowl. You want about 10 cups of popped corn. Pro tip: keep the popcorn warm and dry; any moisture can prevent the caramel from sticking nicely later.

Step 2: Whip Up That Luscious Spiced Caramel

Preheat your oven to 110°C (230°F). This low and slow baking will help crisp the popcorn later. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt—mix until just combined. Once the mixture starts bubbling, let it simmer for about 4 minutes, but whatever you do, don’t stir during this time, or it might crystallize. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the festive spice blend, vanilla, and baking soda. You’ll notice the caramel foam up—this is what makes the coating light and crisp. Work fast because you want to pour this over your popcorn while it’s hot and bubbly.

Step 3: Coat, Toss, and Bake

Pour your hot caramel straight onto the popcorn and toss quickly to coat every kernel. Then sprinkle your slivered almonds over and fold them in so they get some caramel love too. Spread your popcorn mixture evenly across two large baking trays so it bakes and crisps perfectly. Bake for 45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes or so to re-coat the popcorn as the caramel melts and firms up again. If you’ve used glucose syrup instead of corn syrup, add an extra 15 minutes to your bake time. Once baking’s done, let it cool completely—the popcorn will harden and get that satisfying crunch.

Top Tip

I’ve learned a couple of things through making this recipe multiple times that helped me nail it every time — and I’m happy to share these tips so you can avoid the trial and error stage.

Don’t Skip the Baking: Tossing the popcorn with caramel looks done after pouring, but baking solidifies that caramel, providing the perfect crunch and making it stay fresh longer.
Watch Your Heat: Simmer your caramel just long enough to thicken but not burn. Too hot or too long and you risk a burnt caramel, too short and it won’t set properly.
Work Quickly: The caramel foams fast after adding baking soda—have your popcorn ready to toss so you coat everything evenly before it cools.
Keep Popcorn Dry: Any moisture on the popcorn will cause your caramel to clump unevenly or get soggy. Make sure your popcorn is fresh and dry before adding caramel.

How to Serve Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe

Christmas spiced popcorn - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I usually keep it simple with this popcorn because the caramel and spices do all the talking. But sometimes, I like to sprinkle a little bit of flaky sea salt on top just before it cools—that contrast is irresistible. A few festive red and green sprinkles also add a fun holiday touch if you’re serving it at a party.

Side Dishes

This spiced popcorn pairs wonderfully with warm mulled wine, hot chocolate, or even a crisp winter cider. For party spreads, I love setting it alongside a cheese board because the sweet-and-spicy popcorn cuts through the richness of creamy cheeses beautifully.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday gatherings, I often portion the popcorn into clear cellophane bags, tie them with a festive ribbon, and add a handwritten tag—that always brings smiles as a thoughtful homemade gift. Another idea: serve it in mini paper cones on a dessert table for guests to grab and go.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature. It stays perfectly crisp for up to two to three weeks if you keep it sealed well—just trust me, it rarely lasts that long in my house!

Freezing

I haven’t tried freezing this popcorn, mainly because it’s so easy to make fresh and share. However, if you want to keep it longer, freezing in sealed bags might work, but it could lose some crispness upon thawing—so I'd recommend sticking to airtight storage instead.

Reheating

If your popcorn goes a little stale, pop it on a baking sheet in a 120°C (250°F) oven for 5-10 minutes to refresh the crunch. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t dry out.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use air-popped popcorn for this recipe?

Absolutely! You can use air-popped popcorn to keep the recipe a bit lighter and reduce oil content. Just make sure the popcorn is dry and fresh before adding caramel.

What if I don’t have corn syrup?

Corn syrup helps prevent crystallization and keeps the caramel smooth, but you can substitute glucose syrup if available. If not, golden syrup, maple syrup, or honey can work, although they will require an extra 15 minutes of baking to set properly.

How do I ensure the caramel doesn’t get grainy?

The key is not to stir the mixture once it starts bubbling and to simmer it just for 4 minutes. Stirring too much or overheating can cause sugar crystals to form. Using corn or glucose syrup also helps prevent graininess.

Can I store this popcorn as a gift?

Definitely! This Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn keeps well in airtight containers for weeks, making it perfect for gifting. Package it in festive bags or tins, and your friends will appreciate the homemade touch.

Final Thoughts

This Christmas Spiced Caramel Popcorn Recipe holds a special place in my holiday traditions. It's that perfect combo of sweet, spice, and crunch that brings people together around the kitchen table. I hope you enjoy making and sharing it as much as I do—it’s one of those treats that feels homemade but has that wow-factor your friends and family will rave about. Give it a try this season, and watch it disappear before you know it!