Popcorn, much like fall, is a crunchy treat.
And it's even more of a treat when you pop it up with the flavors of the season -- Halloween and football-friendly flavors like pumpkin spice, peanut butter and honey, white chocolate and candy corn, Buffalo ranch, bacon and parmesan.
We scoured the internet for the most tempting popcorn recipes for fall and found several winners. These recipes are all easy to make -- some take only a few minutes to mix up -- and they're perfect for Halloween parties, tailgates or even simple snacking.
Popcorn also is inexpensive. We started all of these recipes by popping corn on the stove-top. Just heat up a quarter cup of oil in a big pot, then add enough kernels to cover the bottom. Move the pot around on the burner until the popping slows. All of the recipes included here were made using just one 32-ounce bag of kernels, with a little extra leftover.
You also can use microwave popcorn or bagged popcorn.
Buffalo Ranch Popcorn
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dill
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank's RedHot
12 cups popped popcorn
In a small bowl combine granulated garlic, dill, cumin and sea salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, add melted butter and sauce. Mix until combined. Toss butter with popcorn in a large bowl. Then toss with seasoning.
Makes 12 cups.
Recipe adapted from serenabakessimplyfromscratch.com
Peanut Butter Popcorn
Vegetable oil
1/4 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
Fine salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup no-sugar added peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Have a clean large paper bag or very large mixing bowl ready.
Heat a 4-quart heavy pan over medium heat and film the bottom with vegetable oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the popcorn, shake to distribute, then put a lid on the pan, leaving a small crack for steam to escape. When the first kernel pops, put the lid on all the way. As the popcorn starts popping, shake vigorously to make sure the kernels are distributed evenly. When the popping slows to a few seconds between pops, take the pan off the heat.
Pour the popcorn into the paper bag or bowl to cool, and attempt to leave any unpopped kernels behind in the pan. Lightly salt the popcorn to taste.
Mix the honey and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir vigorously until all the peanut butter is melted, then mix in the vanilla.
Immediately pour the peanut butter mixture over the popcorn and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon until it's all coated. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Makes about 8 cups.
Recipe adapted from thekitchn.com
Peggy's Halloween Delight Popcorn
16 cups popped corn
12 to 16 ounces white chocolate chips, melted
3/4 cup candy corn
3/4 cup peanuts
1 1/2 cups pretzel sticks
1 1/2 cups Reese's Pieces
Make sure unpopped kernels are removed from popcorn. Place it in a large bowl. Melt white chocolate in a microwave- safe bowl in the microwave. Pour white chocolate over popcorn in bowl and stir to coat. Spread the mixture onto 2 large rimmed baking sheets lined with wax paper. Distribute candy corn, peanuts, pretzel sticks and Reese's Pieces over the popcorn. Allow chocolate to set up and then break mixture into pieces.
Makes 16 cups.
Recipe from Peggy Smith
Bacon and Cheese Popcorn
16 cups popped popcorn
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke hickory flavor
1/3 cup bacon bits
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon seasoned salt or kosher salt
Place popcorn in a large serving bowl.
Place butter in a small bowl and melt in microwave, about 20 seconds. Stir liquid smoke into butter. Pour butter mixture over popcorn and toss to distribute evenly. Sprinkle bacon bits, parmesan cheese and salt over popcorn. Toss and serve immediately.
Makes 16 cups popcorn.
Recipe adapted from popcorn.org
Pumpkin-Spice Caramel Popcorn
15 cups plain popped popcorn
3/4 cup butter, cubed
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 225 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat.
Place the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the butter, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a boil. Stir briefly to combine the ingredients and then allow them to boil for 3 minutes without stirring.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately pour onto the popcorn. Stir until evenly coated. Spread the popcorn evenly on the prepared sheet pan and place in the oven. Cook 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from oven and break into pieces (or enjoy as clusters). Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 15 cups.
Recipe adapted from sheknows.com
Using these measurements for cinnamon and chipotle, you get a popcorn with a mild hit of heat and a subtle cinnamon flavor. If you're making the popcorn for kids, you might want to omit the chipotle; if you're making it for spice lovers, you can increase the amount of both ingredients.
The caramel corn is ready to munch as soon as it's cool, but baking it in a 250-degree oven for 40 minutes will give it extra crunch. That said, all bets are off if humidity is an issue. Got humidity? Don't bother with the bake, and just eat the popcorn straight away.
Dorie Greenspan's Caramel-Honey Popcorn
6 cups popped plain popcorn
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
Lightly grease a large metal mixing bowl with cooking oil spray and pour the popcorn into it. Have at hand 2 heatproof flexible spatulas (sprayed for extra slipperiness, if you like).
If you're crisping the popcorn in the oven, center a rack in the oven and heat to 250 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Whisk together the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and chipotle pepper in a small bowl.
Combine the butter, brown sugar and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring frequently, until the butter and sugar have melted. Bring the mixture to a boil; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's a light mahogany color.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda mixture to form a caramel, which will bubble and seethe -- it's the baking soda at work -- and that's just what you want. Stir to make sure that everything is evenly incorporated, and then pour the caramel over the popcorn.
Working with the heatproof spatulas, turn the popcorn until it's coated with caramel. This takes a couple of minutes. Keep turning; if your kitchen is cold and the caramel thickens, pop the bowl into the oven for a few minutes before continuing. You won't get a perfectly even caramel coating, but you'll come close.
Let the popcorn cool in the bowl before eating. Or, to crisp the popcorn in the oven, scrape the mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it out. Bake (250 degrees) for 40 to 50 minutes, turning the popcorn twice to make sure that nothing sticks and everything bakes evenly. The caramel may bubble and spread, but it will be fine once the corn is fully baked. Cool on the baking sheet.
Makes 6 cups.
Recipe from Dorie Greenspan via The Washington Post
Food on 10/12/2016