Honey-Butter Popcorn

This is the best popcorn you will ever eat! I made this completely on accident. I had a party to go to and didn’t know what to bring. 99% of the time I have popcorn in the house so I decided to bring popcorn. Normally I drizzle on my favorite olive oil shake it around with salt and call it good, but this was for a birthday party! It needed to be special. Caramel corn was out due to my lack of ingredients and I am not a fan of kettle corn. It is always too sweet for me. I also didn’t want to over complicate things and make a bunch of dishes.

With time ticking away I took to the internet for some inspiration. While I was searching I came across a recipe for Cinnamon Chili Coconut Oil Popcorn from Kathy Patalsky over at Babble.com. Her recipe uses unrefined coconut oil and maple syrup. I did not have unrefined coconut oil and the maple syrup felt a little too bold for me. However her recipe got me thinking about salty sweet and using honey for the sweet. I have been using it a lot in place of sugar. I feel that honey is sweeter than sugar, though, and wanted a good way to cut that sweetness. I decided to add unsalted butter to the mix. I grabbed my jar of honey only to realize there were just a few tablespoons left. Instead of coaxing it out I plopped a couple tablespoons of butter in and melted it in the microwave. Once it melted I drizzled some over the popcorn, shook in some salt, tossed to combine and tasted. I fell in LOVE with this popcorn! I brought it to the party and there wasn’t a piece left! Total success!

Since the success I have been refining it so I can share the deliciousness. Here is what I have come up with:

Honey-Butter Popcorn

Materials Needed:
A Microwave
A Large Bowl
A Small Glass Jar with a Lid

Ingredients:
Popped Popcorn, plain (Mine was air-popped)
Unsalted Butter
Honey
Salt

Directions:
Place popcorn in a large bowl. Place a 1:1 ratio of butter and honey in your glass jar (I started with 2TBSP of each). With the lid off place in the microwave to melt*. Start with 20 seconds. Stir and return to microwave for another 10 to 15 seconds. Stir again to ensure everything is combine. Drizzle over popcorn. Toss to mix. Shake on the salt. Toss to combine. Taste and continue to add salt or honey mixture until desired taste.

Store left over honey butter in the fridge. (Once you have tasted the wonders of honey-butter on popcorn you will want to make this in bulk! Trust me!)

To continue use, spoon out desired amount into a small microwave safe bowl to re-melt.

*If making a larger quantity (or if you don’t have a microwave) you can do this over the stove as well.

If, after trying the original recipe, you want you to expand the horizons of this popcorn mix in one the following:
Chili powder
Cinnamon
Cocoa Chili Spice Rub (Make this up and sprinkle some on your popcorn than use the rest to make dinner!)
Cocoa Powder (stir into melted honey mixture before pouring)
Brown Sugar (see note above)

After making this you will want to share it with everyone (trust me, they will be happy you did)! This makes a simple and great gift when you need one quick. Just put some in a paper lunch sack, dress it up nice, maybe add a gift tag and you are good to go!

What is your favorite popcorn recipe (other than this one *wink wink*)?

Happy Snacking!
Alyssa

Go to work in the morning
and stick to it until evening without watching the clock.
You never know from moment to moment
how your work will turn out in the end.
Ecclesiastes 11:6 MSG