Making caramel is no small feat. Cooked sugar can burn, seize, or separate. It can also make popcorn super sticky or clump together. The simple trick to this mix, which is inspired by a similar recipe served at the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia, is to quickly dissolve a bit of brown sugar in melted butter over low heat before stirring in a caramel-flavored syrup—the kind you’d add to coffee drinks or cocktails. Tossing the buttery mix with popped popcorn and toasted pecans delivers all the rich caramel flavor you want in caramel corn without the hassle or stickiness. The toasted pecans in the mix are an added bonus.
