Honey Popcorn: Honey Butter, Kettle Corn and Caramel Corn

Popcorn is a whole grain

Popcorn is a whole grain, and air-popped popcorn is fairly low in calories, as the Popcorn Board notes. Toppings make the difference: a little honey and butter keep it a reasonable snack, while heavy coatings turn it into a dessert.

Method 1: Honey butter drizzle

Pop half a cup of kernels for about eight cups of popcorn. Melt two tablespoons of butter with two tablespoons of honey and a pinch of salt. Drizzle over the popcorn while tossing. Eat right away, since this version softens over time.

• 8 cups popped popcorn
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Pinch of salt
• Toss and eat fresh

Method 2: Stovetop honey kettle corn

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large pot with three test kernels. When they pop, add half a cup of kernels and cover. Once popping begins, drizzle in two tablespoons of honey, cover and shake constantly. When popping slows, pour onto a tray and salt immediately. It is sweet, salty and slightly crisp.

Honey burns quickly, so keep the pot moving and remove it as soon as popping slows.

Method 3: Oven honey caramel corn

Simmer a third of a cup of honey, four tablespoons of butter, a quarter cup of brown sugar and a pinch of salt for two minutes. Stir in a quarter teaspoon of baking soda, which makes it foam. Pour over ten cups of popcorn and toss. Spread on lined trays and bake at 250°F for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until crisp. Cool completely.

Three methods compared

Choose by time and texture:

Flavor variations

Add cinnamon to honey butter popcorn, a pinch of cayenne or chili for spicy honey popcorn, or toss caramel corn with roasted peanuts and almonds. Drizzle cooled caramel corn with melted dark chocolate. Our article on honey and dark chocolate has chocolate tips.

Avoiding soggy popcorn

Moisture makes popcorn soggy. Use freshly popped corn, toss quickly, and bake caramel corn long enough to dry the coating. Let it cool fully before storing. Humid days make crisp coatings harder, so store immediately in airtight containers.

Movie night and party ideas

Set up a popcorn bar with honey butter, cinnamon sugar, chili salt and Parmesan. Fill paper cones or small bags for parties. Honey caramel corn in a jar with a ribbon makes a lovely gift.

Which honey for popcorn

Raw Clover Honey, harvested in New York State, gives a classic, clean flavor. Raw Buckwheat Honey creates a deep, molasses-like caramel corn. Raw Wildflower Honey adds floral notes to kettle corn.

Microwave popcorn tip

Plain microwave popcorn works for honey butter drizzle. Choose an unflavored, lightly salted variety and add your own honey butter. Avoid adding honey before microwaving, since it can scorch.

Storage

Store crisp honey caramel corn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Kettle corn is best within a day or two. Honey butter popcorn should be eaten fresh.

Safety notes

Popcorn is a choking hazard for young children; many pediatric sources advise waiting until about age four. Never give honey to babies under 12 months. Hot sugar coatings can burn, so let them cool before tasting.

The takeaway on honey popcorn

Honey popcorn can be a five-minute drizzle, a quick kettle corn or a crisp baked caramel corn. Pick your method by time and texture and choose a honey that suits the flavor.

Choosing kernels for honey popcorn

There are two main popcorn shapes. Butterfly or snowflake kernels pop into wide, irregular pieces with wings, the classic movie theater style that catches drizzles of honey butter. Mushroom kernels pop into round, sturdy balls that hold thick coatings without breaking, which makes them the best choice for honey caramel corn and gift bags. Both work for kettle corn.

Store unpopped kernels in an airtight jar at room temperature. Kernels that dry out pop poorly.

Honey popcorn balls

For old-fashioned popcorn balls, simmer honey caramel until slightly thicker, pour over popcorn, let it cool until you can handle it, and press into balls with buttered hands. Wrap each in wax paper. Kids love making them for fall parties, with an adult handling the hot caramel.

Honey for movie night

Stock Raw Clover Honey and Raw Buckwheat Honey for your popcorn bar. Save with a 3 jar or 6 jar pack of any honey, and orders over $50 ship free. Visit our shop.