Easy Soft Caramel Corn Recipe (Mary’s Sticky Popcorn)

Name: Easy Soft Caramel Corn (Mary’s Sticky Popcorn)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unpopped popcorn (about 8 quarts popped); 1 cup butter; ½ cup corn syrup; 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla

Modified: Oct 22, 2025 · Published: Nov 24, 2019 by Renée B. · This post may contain affiliate links · 54 Comments

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A treasured family recipe, Mary's Sticky Popcorn is the ultimate soft caramel corn! Buttery, sweet, and perfectly soft, this homemade caramel popcorn is easy to make and completely irresistible. Despite its nickname, it's not sticky at all - just wonderfully soft, melt-in-your-mouth caramel corn that has been a family favorite for generations.

Easy soft caramel corn in a large pottery bowl - Mary's Sticky Popcorn family recipe.

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The Story Behind Mary's Sticky Popcorn
How to Make Mary's Caramel Corn Recipe
Expert Tips for Perfect Caramel Corn
Frequently Asked Questions About Mary's Sticky Popcorn
Variations & Flavor Ideas
Why This Caramel Corn Is Perfect for Holidays
More Classic Holiday Treats
Easy Soft Caramel Corn (Mary's Sticky Popcorn)

The Story Behind Mary's Sticky Popcorn

Just like this recipe, I'm a little old-school - so I've included the story behind its inspiration. Feel free to read on if you love a good recipe-origin story, or scroll down to the next section if you're ready to get cooking.

Today I am sharing a very special treat; one my girls grew up calling Sticky Popcorn (although it's not sticky at all). This ridiculously easy caramel corn recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make, and will completely turn your idea of caramel corn on its head!

But first, I want to tell you about Mary.

Back when my oldest girls were little (before some were even born), we lived in a cul-de-sac, three doors down from my BFF Cheryl. Next to Cheryl lived a little woman named Mary, age 90ish. Mary lived on her own long past the time when most folks need to have more assistance, and I learned a lot by watching her.

Mary was able to stay independent for so long for two reasons: First, she lived next door to Cheryl and her family. (If you know them, that is all the explanation you need: they are amazing examples of loving and serving their neighbors. That's their daughter Emily with in the picture with Mary.) Second, Mary learned to adapt.

My favorite example of Mary's modifying life to meet her needs was her Christmas tree. Mary kept a fully decked Christmas tree year round. The tree was only about three or four feet tall, and it sat eleven months out of the year in her garage, protected by a white plastic garbage bag tied closed at the top of the tree.

Every December, Mary would ask someone would bring her tree in from the garage, sit it on a little table, and untie the twist-tie that held the bag closed. (One year, I was the someone who got to put up Mary's tree. I felt so special!) Once her tree was standing on its little table, Mary would carefully pull down the bag to reveal the tree already hanging with ornaments. Then she arranged the bag around the base like a tree skirt, and stand back to enjoy her beautiful decorations.

When the holidays were over, someone would go over to Mary's, pull the bag back up to the top and tie it off, and then put her little tree back in the garage until the following Christmas. Brilliant!

Which brings me back to Sticky Popcorn.

Every Christmas season, Mary would make her signature soft, buttery caramel popcorn - a recipe she'd perfected over the years. The sweet, golden caramel coated every kernel just enough to give it that perfect chewy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Mary's version of homemade caramel corn wasn't the hard, crunchy kind you buy in tins - it was tender and buttery, with just the right balance of sweetness and nostalgia. The first year she gifted me a popcorn ball along with all the rest of the neighborhood "kids," I knew at once that I'd found the best soft caramel corn ever.

When I asked Mary for the recipe, I was floored by the simplicity of it - just five ingredients, including the popcorn! It's simple, foolproof, and makes a bowl of buttery, sweet popcorn that disappears faster than you can make it.

I was soon making Mary's caramel corn as a family treat almost weekly, although we dispensed with the "popcorn ball" model almost immediately. Now we always just eat it straight from the bowl.

Mary's simple five-ingredient recipe - now a family tradition - is everything wonderful about homemade caramel popcorn. Every time I make it now, I think of Mary and her wisdom. Here's my favorite quote:

By the time you get to be about eighty, you can say anything you want to, because no matter what you say, people either think you're wise or you're crazy!

Why We Call It Sticky Popcorn (It's Not Sticky!)

Even though my daughters called it "Sticky Popcorn," the caramel coating is soft, smooth, and easy to eat. It's the perfect balance of buttery and sweet - soft enough to eat right from the bowl, or form into popcorn balls if you like.

How to Make Mary's Caramel Corn Recipe

Ingredients You'll Need

To make Mary's Sticky Popcorn, you only need popcorn, butter, light corn syrup, sugar, and vanilla. These simple pantry staples come together to create soft, buttery caramel corn that's sweet, melt-in-your-mouth, and easy to make. In just minutes, you'll have a batch of homemade caramel popcorn perfect for snacking, gifting, or holiday treats.

Soft Caramel Corn - Step-by-Step

Pop the Popcorn

Pop the popcorn and set aside in an extra-large bowl or roasting pan.

Make the Caramel

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining ingredients.

Overhead shot of butter, sugar, and corn syrup melting together in saucepan.

Stirring constantly, melt butter and heat mixture on medium until it reaches a full, rolling boil. (This is a boil that cannot be stirred down.) Boil for 1 minute, and then remove from heat.

If you have one, you can check the temperature with a candy thermometer at this time. It should read 200°F (95°C).

If you don't have a candy thermometer, don't worry: in more than 20 years of making this recipe, the only time I've ever checked the temp was to prep for this post!

Melting butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup for homemade caramel corn.

Mix and Cool

Immediately remove the sugar-butter mix from heat and pour over popcorn.

Stir popcorn with wooden spoon until popcorn is all coated with caramel.

Tip: The pouring-stirring step must be done quickly! My caramel got a little too cool because I was stopping the process to take pictures. If you watch the video, you can see that it is already getting stiff when I'm stirring the caramel in. If you do pour the caramel and stir it right away, without stopping in the middle to take a half a million pictures and video, it will stir in very smoothly.

Pouring soft caramel over freshly popped popcorn.

When popcorn is evenly coated, allow it to cool. Enjoy it as is, or form into balls if desired.

Overhead shot of popcorn in a clay bowl, tossed with light caramel sauce.

Expert Tips for Perfect Caramel Corn

Work quickly: Stir and pour immediately to prevent the caramel from stiffening before coating the popcorn.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Variations: Sprinkle with sea salt, cinnamon, or drizzle with melted chocolate for a festive twist.
Candy thermometer: Optional, but helps ensure perfect caramel consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mary's Sticky Popcorn

Can I make this recipe without a candy thermometer?

Yes! The recipe works perfectly without one. Just make sure the caramel reaches a full rolling boil for 1 minute.

How do I store soft caramel popcorn?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Avoid refrigerating, which can make it chewy.

Can I make popcorn balls with this recipe?

The caramel is soft enough to shape, making perfect holiday treats.

What makes this caramel corn different from traditional recipes?

Unlike hard caramel popcorn or typical popcorn balls, Mary's version is soft, smooth, and easy to eat - no sticky teeth, no side-mouth biting, no crunch-crunch crunching.

Variations & Flavor Ideas

Chocolate Drizzle: Melt semi-sweet chocolate and drizzle over cooled caramel corn.
Nutty Caramel Corn: Mix in toasted almonds, pecans, or peanuts.
Happy Birthday: Add funfetti sprinkles to the popcorn as you are mixing in the caramel.
Holiday Spices: Add a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin spice for seasonal flair.

Why This Caramel Corn Is Perfect for Holidays

Soft caramel corn is a nostalgic, homemade treat that's perfect for gifting or snacking during the holiday season. It's quick to make, kid-friendly, and sure to impress at any party or family gathering.

More Classic Holiday Treats

4.67 from 3 votes

Easy Soft Caramel Corn (Mary's Sticky Popcorn)

A treasured family recipe, Mary's "Sticky Popcorn" is the best soft caramel corn recipe ever! It is everything wonderful about homemade caramel popcorn; and despite its nickname, it's not sticky at all!

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Course: Snack, Treats

Cuisine: American

Prep Time:10

Total Time:10

Servings: servings

Calories: 377kcal

Author: Renee

Equipment

Large, heavy saucepan

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

1 cup unpopped popcorn about 8 quarts popped
1 cup butter
½ cup corn syrup
1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Pop the popcorn and place in a large bowl or roasting pan.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute.
Optional: Check temperature; it should reach 200°F (95°C)
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour over popcorn.
Quickly stir until all popcorn is evenly coated.
Allow caramel corn to cool slightly before enjoying.Optional: form into popcorn balls.

Notes

Stir and pour quickly to prevent caramel from stiffening before coating th popcorn.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
For festive variations, sprinkle with sea salt, cinnamon,or drizzle melted chocolate.
Candy thermometer is optional but helps ensure perfect caramel.

Nutrition

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

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Easy soft caramel corn in a large pottery bowl – Mary’s Sticky Popcorn family recipe. Pin Text reads "Soft Caramel Corn in Minutes - Buttery, Sweet, and Perfectly Soft.

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UPDATE: This post was first published December 10, 2013.

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About Renée B.

Renée is self-taught home chef with a penchant for creating healthy(ish) comfort food recipes, and adapting vintage recipes for the 21st century cook. In her spare time, she writes unfinished novels and songs about cowboys.