How to Make Popcorn Sweet

Sweeten a small bowl for yourself or sweeten the entire pot.

Popcorn is highly adaptable, able to absorb a variety of flavors from savory and spicy, to sweet and salty. If you're looking to sweeten your freshly popped bowl of popcorn, consider making a variation of sweet-and-salty favorite kettle corn. Other sweetened popcorn flavors include caramel and toffee, although both of these bring new, added flavors to the mix, unlike the sweet popcorn which has butter and sugar as its only ingredients.

Things You'll Need

• 8 cups freshly popped popcorn
• 3 tablespoons melted salted butter
• 3 teaspoons confectioner sugar
• Tin foil
• Small mixing pot
• Large casserole dish
• Whisk
• Spatula

Instructions

1. Combine the melted butter and confectioner sugar in a small pot over low heat. Stir the two ingredients together with a whisk until the powdered sugar dissolves completely into melted butter. Check around the bottom with a spoon for any stubborn clumps of powdered sugar.

2. Pour half the butter-sugar mix in casserole pan. Add 4 cups of freshly popped popcorn. Keep the remaining 4 cups of popcorn covered with tin foil or inside the microwave. Warm popcorn melts butter faster and distributes the flavor more easily.

3. Shake the casserole dish gently and flip the popcorn over slowly using the spatula. Pour the coated popcorn into the large mixing bowl and cover it with tin foil to prevent cooling. Repeat the process using the other half of the sugar-butter mixture and remaining 4 cups of popcorn.

Tips & Warnings

• For a reduced-fat version of this sweet and crunchy treat, substitute margarine or yogurt butter for regular butter.

• For low-sugar sweet popcorn replace the powdered sugar with a sugar-free substitute.

• For a low-salt sweet popcorn, use unsalted butter or margarine.

References

• Country Living: Salty Sweet Popcorn
• Martha Stewart: Maple Spiced Kettle Corn