How to Make Sweet Popcorn

How you can make the yummiest popcorn treats at home

Popcorn is the perfect snack for movie nights, school lunches, and just about everything in between. But its plain taste sure can get boring…What if we told you there was a way to make your popcorn that much better and that much sweeter? We’ve compiled the best sweet popcorn recipes in this article that’ll leave you begging for more. They’re super easy to make and customize, so what are you waiting for? Let’s get popping!

[Edit]Things You Should Know

• Make a sugar and butter mixture to pour on top of your popcorn for an added sweet taste.
• Mix together coconut oil, cane sugar, and ground cinnamon for a cinnamon sugar popcorn perfect for fall.
• Pour homemade caramel over plain popcorn for a delectable caramel popcorn.
• Melt semi-sweet chocolate to coat your popcorn with for a bitterly delicious treat.

[Edit]Ingredients

Each recipe makes about 8 c (1,024 g) of popcorn

[Edit]Sweet & Salty Popcorn

• ½ c (64 g) of popcorn kernels
• 3 tbsp (44 mL) of vegetable oil
• 3/8 c (75 g) of sugar
• ⅓ c (43 g) of butter

[Edit]Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

• ½ c (64 g) of popcorn kernels
• ¾ c (177 mL) of coconut oil
• ¾ c (96 g) of pure cane sugar
• 3 tsp (14 g) of ground cinnamon

[Edit]Caramel Popcorn

• 8 c (1,024 g) of plain popped popcorn
• 3.5 oz (100 g) of sugar
• 7 oz (200 g) of water
• 0.5 oz (15 g) of butter
• ⅛ tsp (0.6 g) of salt
• ⅛ tsp (0.6 g) of baking soda

[Edit]Chocolate Popcorn

• ½ c (64 g) of popcorn kernels
• 1 c (128 g) of semi-sweet chocolate

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Sweet & Salty Popcorn

1. Heat 3 tbsp (44 mL) of oil in a pan and test your kernels. Coat the bottom of a heavy-bottomed sauce pan with vegetable oil and turn the stove to medium-high heat. Cover the pan with a lid and wait for the oil to heat up.^[1] Toss a corn kernel or two into the pan to see if the oil’s hot enough. If they pop, the oil is ready.
   
   
   • If you don’t have vegetable oil, try canola oil or anything with a medium or high smoking point.
2. Add your corn kernels to the hot pan and shake occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and add about ½ cup (64 g) of kernels. Cover the pan, wait 30 seconds, and then put the stove back on medium-high heat. Shake the pan every 10 seconds or so to help the kernels pop.^[2]
   
   
   • Delaying when you turn the stove back on lets the kernels reach an even temperature, so they’ll pop around the same time.
3. Pour ¼ c (32 g) of sugar on the popped kernels while they’re in the pan. Once most of the kernels have popped, add granulated white sugar to the pan and shake well to mix it. Turn off the stove, and dump the popcorn into a bowl after it’s been coated evenly with sugar.
   
   • Try using brown sugar instead of white sugar for a nuttier taste.
4. Melt ⅓ c (43 g) of butter and ⅛ c (16 g) of sugar to create a sweet sauce. Place your ingredients in a saucepan to heat over the stove or in a microwave-safe dish to melt in the microwave. The mixture is ready once all of the butter has melted.^[3] You can also melt this in the microwave in about 1 minute.
   
   
   • For a thicker sauce with a caramel-like texture, substitute the sugar with ¼ c (32 g) of golden syrup.
5. Pour the sauce over your popcorn and salt to taste. Toss the butter and sugar mixture with your popcorn until it’s evenly coated. Add a pinch of salt to the top for an extra punch of flavor. Wait at least 5 minutes before serving.^[4]
   
   
   • For a crunchier texture, chill the coated popcorn in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes before eating.
   • The more salt you add, the more kettle corn-like taste your homemade popcorn will have.

[Edit]Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

1. Pop ½ c (64 g) of corn kernels in the microwave or on the stove. The way you pop your popcorn is totally up to you. Do whatever is easiest and the most convenient.
   
   
2. Mix coconut oil, sugar, and cinnamon together to make a sauce. Pour ¾ c (177 mL) of coconut oil into a large-mouthed bowl. Then, dump ¾ c (96 g) of pure cane sugar and 3 tsp (14 g) of ground cinnamon into the bowl. Stir it together until it’s combined.^[5]
   
   
   • Substitute coconut oil with vegetable oil if you don’t have any.
   • Use granulated white sugar or brown sugar instead of pure cane sugar as an alternative.
   • Try adding other spices like cardamon, ginger, and salt for more flavor.^[6]
3. Spread your popped kernels on a baking sheet. Use a spoon to arrange it evenly on the sheet. If you’d like, line the baking sheet with parchment paper so it’s easier to clean up and remove later.^[7]
   
   
4. Pour your sauce on top of the popcorn and toss. Use clean hands or a spatula to make sure every piece of popcorn is coated in your delicious sauce.^[8]
   
   
5. Bake the popcorn at for 6 to 8 minutes and enjoy. This step is optional, as you can eat your popcorn when it’s ooey and gooey, but some extra time in the oven gives it that kettle corn-like crunch. Plus, it’ll get a beautiful golden color and make the room smell amazing.^[9]
   
   

[Edit]Caramel Popcorn

1. Make a batch of plain popcorn. Using unflavored popcorn ensures that your caramel will be the boldest flavor. If you’re popping your corn kernels on the stovetop, use unflavored ingredients like vegetable or canola oil.^[10] If you want to make a microwave bag of popcorn, opt for plain or lightly salted popcorn.
   
   
2. Put together a caramel sauce with water, sugar, and butter. Pour 3.5 oz (100 g) of sugar and 7 oz (200 g) of water into a pot. Stir the mixture and let it boil until it turns a light golden color. Turn off the heat once it’s beautifully golden, and add 0.5 oz (15 g) of butter. Mix until the butter melts, and then add ⅛ tsp (0.6 g) of salt and baking soda.^[11]
   
   
   • Prep your caramel sauce ingredients ahead of time so you can fully focus on making it. Caramel can burn easily, and keeping your eyes on it can save you from a burnt disaster.^[12]
3. Pour the caramel sauce over your popcorn and toss. Mix everything together with a spoon or spatula until all the popped kernels are coated in caramel. The popcorn may start sticking together, and that’s perfectly normal.^[13]
   
   
4. Transfer the coated popcorn to a baking sheet and let it sit for 10 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the popcorn on the tray evenly using your spoon or spatula. Wait for it to cool (roughly around 10 minutes), put it in a bowl, and eat!^[14]
   

[Edit]Chocolate Popcorn

1. Pop ½ c (64 g) of kernels and take out a baking sheet. Make your popcorn however you’d like—in a pan with hot oil or in the microwave. While it’s popping, prepare your baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.^[15]
   
   
   • If you don’t have parchment paper, that’s okay. This step isn’t necessary but can make cleaning up easier later.
2. Melt 1 c (128 g) of semi-sweet chocolate until smooth. Use chunks of a chocolate bar or chocolate chips—whichever you prefer. Put the chocolate in the microwave in 10- to 15-second increments, stirring in between, or use a double boiler to melt it down on the stovetop.^[16]
   
   
   • Semi-sweet chocolate not your jam? Substitute the ingredient with any type of chocolate you like.
3. Dump your popcorn into the chocolate mixture and stir. Use a spoon or spatula to mix the chocolate and popcorn until each popped kernel is coated. The popcorn may start to stick together, and that’s okay.^[17]
   
   
   • Try adding other ingredients like nuts or dried fruit to your popcorn mixture for extra flavors and textures.^[18]
4. Scoop the popcorn onto your baking sheet and chill for 10 minutes. Spread the popcorn out to create a popcorn bark or pile it into small balls for bite-sized treats. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 10 minutes or until the chocolate around the popcorn has hardened. Peel off the baking sheet and enjoy!^[19]
   
   
   • Consider adding a sprinkle of salt on your popcorn before it cools to compliment the chocolate’s rich flavor.

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Tips

• Don’t feel like making popcorn from scratch? Not a problem! Pop a microwavable bag of popcorn or buy pre-popped popcorn at the grocery store.
• ½ c (64 g) of unpopped popcorn kernels makes about 8 cups of popped popcorn.^[20]

[Edit]Warnings

• Popcorn, sugar, and butter can burn very quickly, so never leave your pan or stovetop unattended.

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ https://youtu.be/UAHyrM25Bjk?t=6
2. ↑ http://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6451-perfectly-popped-corn
3. ↑ https://youtu.be/uGFDVolBvSQ?t=110
4. ↑ https://youtu.be/F_OzQdsvkXM?t=103
5. ↑ https://youtu.be/XNew-2zmcgc?t=29
6. ↑ https://youtu.be/okdFF5NDGYw?t=64
7. ↑ https://youtu.be/XNew-2zmcgc?t=62
8. ↑ https://youtu.be/XNew-2zmcgc?t=70
9. ↑ https://youtu.be/XNew-2zmcgc?t=70
10. ↑ https://youtu.be/qVuGe_qYm0E?t=36
11. ↑ https://youtu.be/4m9j2ACL6wk?t=95
12. ↑ https://youtu.be/qVuGe_qYm0E?t=115
13. ↑ https://youtu.be/4m9j2ACL6wk?t=156
14. ↑ https://youtu.be/qVuGe_qYm0E?t=211
15. ↑ https://youtu.be/RD5kYXHp1JI?t=5
16. ↑ ​​https://youtu.be/TemWZwdpdXU?t=29
17. ↑ https://youtu.be/RD5kYXHp1JI?t=41
18. ↑ https://youtu.be/TemWZwdpdXU?t=51
19. ↑ https://youtu.be/RD5kYXHp1JI?t=63
20. ↑ https://www.popcorn.org/Recipes/Unpopped-to-Popped