If making plain popcorn has lost its edge, take the snack one step further by adding a light and buttery caramel coating. This page will walk you through two ways to create the perfect bowl of crispy caramel corn, and give you a few tips for delectable variations on the basic recipe.

Whether you need a late-night snack, extra tidbits for a party spread or some munchies for your next movie night, mix a batch of caramel corn to satisfy the cravings for salty and sweet. A simple coating featuring butter, brown sugar and vanilla is all it takes to turn plain popcorn into a deluxe treat. Read on for more tips on how to make caramel popcorn that will be a treat for everyone to enjoy.

• Create a batch of crunchy caramel corn with the following ingredients and common kitchen tools.

• Roasting pan (big enough to hold the popped popcorn)

• Saucepan

• Wooden spoon

• Oven

• 4 quarts of popped popcorn
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 8 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 Tbsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

• Follow these steps to create about four quarts of caramel popcorn in a conventional or microwave oven.

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.About.com: Caramel Popcorn
2. Place the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in the saucepan.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
4. Let the mixture boil for an additional 4 minutes without stirring.<ref name="Recipezaar">Recipezaar: Caramel Popcorn
5. Take the pan off the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla and baking soda.All Recipes: Classic Caramel Corn
6. Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn.Simply Recipes: Caramel Corn
7. Use a wooden spoon to stir the popcorn until the caramel is well distributed.Simply Recipes: Caramel Corn
8. Bake the caramel corn for one hour, stirring about every 20 minutes.Recipezaar: Caramel Popcorn
9. Let the caramel corn cool, then break it into bite-sized pieces.YumYum.com: Easy Caramel Popcorn Recipe
10. Keep the caramel corn crunchy by storing it in an airtight container.About.com: Caramel Popcorn
    • YouTube Video: Vino's Kitchen Caramel (Time: 4:36)

1. Place the 4 quarts of popped popcorn into a brown paper bag.All Recipes: Microwave Caramel Popcorn

2. Add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt to a microwave-safe bowl.Recipezaar: Microwave Caramel Popcorn

3. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.Cyber-Kitchen: Microwave Caramel Popcorn

4. Carefully stir the mixture.

5. Microwave for another 2 minutes.Group Recipes: Caramel Popcorn

6. Stir in the baking soda and vanilla.Recipezaar: Microwave Caramel Popcorn

7. Pour the caramel over popcorn, shaking the bag to distribute it.All Recipes: Microwave Caramel Popcorn

8. Microwave the bag for 1 1/2 minutes.Cyber-Kitchen: Microwave Caramel Popcorn

9. Shake the bag and microwave it for another 1 1/2 minutes.Group Recipes: Caramel Popcorn

10. Shake the bag again and microwave for another minute.Group Recipes: Caramel Popcorn

11. Pour the caramel corn onto wax paper to cool before munching.All Recipes: Microwave Caramel Popcorn

• Build on the sweet caramel flavor by experimenting with a variety of spices and ingredients like chocolate, nuts and dried fruit to give your caramel popcorn a unique flavor.

1. Add peanuts, pecans, walnuts, cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce to create nutty popcorn with a spicy kick.Food Network: Nutty Caramel Corn
2. Toss in a combination of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom for a complex flavor combination.Martha Stewart: Spiced Caramel Corn
3. For an extra sticky treat, add marshmallows to the mix.Food Network: Gooey Caramel Popcorn
4. Satisfy your chocolate craving by stirring semi-sweet chips into the mix.Recipe Tips: Chocolate Caramel Popcorn
5. Add peanuts and dried cherries to give the popcorn a bit of tang.Food Network: Caramel Corn with Peanuts and Dried Cherries
6. Try using caramels in place of the brown sugar to simplify the process.Everyday Health: Easy Caramel Popcorn