A Korean-inspired caramel popcorn with gochugaru chilli flakes and a hint of soy sauce for heat and rich umami. Based on the classic Cracker Jack formula but with bold savoury depth.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• ½ cup popcorn kernels
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 tsp gochugaru
• ½ tsp soy sauce
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp brown rice syrup
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grease a large sheet pan with neutral oil or cooking spray.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, combine 1 tablespoon oil with 3 popcorn kernels. Cover and place over medium heat. When all 3 kernels have popped, add the remaining kernels. Put the lid back on and shake to coat evenly.
3. When kernels start popping frequently, shake the pot often to prevent burning. When popping almost completely stops, uncover and remove from heat. Sift out any unpopped kernels and spread the popcorn on the prepared sheet pan — you should have about 14 cups.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, gochugaru, soy sauce, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Once butter has melted, add the granulated sugar, rice syrup, brown sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a full boil and cook, stirring, until the mixture registers 250°F on a candy thermometer, 1–2 minutes.
5. Add the baking soda to the caramel and stir immediately until evenly combined. Pour the mixture over the popcorn and toss to coat. Uneven patches of caramel are fine.
6. Bake the coated popcorn, stirring every 5 minutes, until the caramel thins out and coats evenly, 15–20 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 250°F and bake a further 15 minutes until crispy.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Notes

• Make sure to sift out unpopped kernels before coating — they're easy to miss and unpleasant to bite into.
• Uneven caramel coverage is fine before baking — it evens out in the oven.
• A candy thermometer is important here; reaching 250°F ensures the caramel sets properly.
• Stores well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.