Popcorn Flavoring Techniques

Drizzle flavored coffee syrups or infused olive oils over fresh popcorn for a quick and tasty snack.

What's better than a bowl of fresh, hot popcorn for an at-home movie night? Flavored popcorn! Several popcorn snack manufacturers produce ready-to-pop flavored popcorn, but you can easily make your own with some simple popcorn flavoring techniques.

Seasonings

Seasonings are an easy way to flavor popcorn with an array of sweet and savory tastes. Seasoning shakers made specifically for flavoring popcorn come in powdered varieties, including cheese and sugar blends. You can also use seasonings from your pantry or spice rack to instantly turn up the volume on that classic popcorn taste. Give popcorn a sweet flavor by sprinkling 1 tbsp. to 2 tbsp. of cinnamon sugar over warm, freshly popped corn. Lightly toss popcorn in 1 tbsp. to 2 tbsp. melted butter, then sprinkle dried Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, sage or thyme onto popped corn for a savory popcorn treat. Or, use ginger, nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice for a dessert-like, fall-inspired flavor.

Sauces

Making your own popcorn sauce is easy to do. For a classic, caramel popcorn treat, make a caramel sauce by combining 1 cup butter, 2 cups packed, light brown sugar, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 cup light corn syrup in a saucepan. Boil for five minutes, remove from heat and add 1 tsp. baking soda. Pour the sauce over popcorn, stir well to combine and spread the mixture in a roasting pan or large cookie sheet. Cook at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, then spread cooked popcorn onto wax paper for quick drying. For a warm sauce, melt 1 cup to 2 cups of peanut butter and 1 tbsp. of butter together in a saucepan, pour over fresh popcorn, and enjoy.

Chocolate

Chocolate is a sweet, indulgent treat that can be used to flavor popcorn. Purchase a package of chocolate melting chips and melt on the stove in a double-boiler on in the microwave. Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn for a sweet, instant treat or toss popcorn in the melted chocolate to coat, then spread the mixture in a single layer on a large cookie sheet. Refrigerate until hardened, then allow popcorn to return to room temperature for a delicious, chocolate-covered snack.

Flavored Butters

Butter and popcorn are a classic, but ordinary, flavor combination. For a tasty buttered-popcorn snack with a refreshing, unusual twist, try making flavored butters to melt and pour over freshly popped corn. Simply melt 1/2 cup to 1 cup of butter and incorporate a few tablespoons of finely chopped, lightly sautéed garlic and onion into the saucepan to drizzle over fresh popcorn. You can also use fresh, finely chopped herbs, such as basil, oregano or tarragon to stir into melted butter. For a bold, fragrant popcorn flavor, use honey instead of butter, and add 1 tsp. of orange, lemon or grapefruit zest to the mixture. Drizzle over popcorn and enjoy.

References

• Food Network: Grandma Paul's Caramel Corn Recipe