To all of you who are parents–do you remember what life was like before those little bundles of joy arrived? It wasn’t all that long ago for me, but I still have to squint my eyes and make my brain hurt to remember that at one point in my life, I didn’t have permanent snotty hand prints on the shoulders of every shirt I own. Or that back in the day, a basic trip to the grocery store didn’t involve a major strategic battle plan. In fact, it’s amazing how different life was back then. For me and my husband it involved a lot of kettle corn. When we got married, we received a Whirley-Popper from a good friend (who, ironically, is Kate’s mother-in-law and I didn’t even know Kate back then!) along with a bunch of gourmet popcorn and seasoning mixes. It quickly became our favorite kitchen appliance and just about every single night, we’d sit on our LoveSac (the only piece of furniture that would fit in our tiny apartment living room), watch movies, and chomp on bowls of hot, sweet kettle corn. Those were the days when we didn’t have to pause movies every 12.5 minutes to take turns dragging toddlers back to bed. Ahhh…kettle corn. For the record, as fun and carefree as those kid-less times were, it’s SO much better now, snotty hand prints and all 🙂
For those of you who love to buy bags of this at the fair, get excited because you can make it at home! And you don’t even need the fancy-schmancy popcorn popper. But beware: it’s highly addictive!
Stove Top Kettle Corn
Recipe by Our Best Bites
3 T canola or vegetable oil
1/3 C popcorn kernels
3 T granulated sugar
kosher salt
The recipe for kettle corn isn’t complicated–it’s the little tricks that matter. So I’m going to teach you all of my little tricks!
1. Place a large stock pot on the stove top. Set heat to medium-high. Add oil. While your oil is heating (it won’t take long), measure out your popcorn into a small bowl. Add sugar to the kernels. When it’s time to cook, everything moves very quickly, so it’s important to have it all ready to go.
Now, wait until you see your oil smoke. This is one little trick that a lot of people overlook, but it’s important. The smoke is very faint, but if you just stare at the pot (it helps to get down parallel to it), you’ll see little billows of smoke coming up. That’s your cue!
Pour popcorn kernels and sugar into the pot.
Immediately stir using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, scraping sugar from bottom of pan. This step should only take about 10 seconds because I don’t want a lawsuit from someone who got pegged in the eye with a popping kernel. Got that? There’s your disclaimer. 10 seconds people!
Cover pot with lid. You will need to shake the pot with your hands and you’ll want to make sure the lid stays on, so I get a dish towel and drape it over like this:
Of course I had to let go to take the picture, so normally I would be holding the handles so the towel wouldn’t be dangling so dangerously close to the burner. I may be a klutz but I’m not an idiot!
Hold the pot by the handles in a way that you’re securing the lid on as well. Shake the pan side to side in all directions and up and down a few times. Do this every 20 seconds or so. It will keep the sugar from burning on the bottom and help the kernels to be evenly coated.
After a few minutes you should start hearing the pops. (If it doesn’t start popping after a few minutes, crack the lid to let some of the pressure out. Chances are when you put the lid back on, it will pop away). Continue the shaking every 20 second or so until you can tell almost everything is popped. Remove the lid and stir immediately.
Sprinkle Kosher salt to taste and then keep stirring. You can eat it warm right out of the pan (Disclaimer #2: caramelized sugar it HOT so don’t eat it right away.) or let it cool completely. It’s great either way!
Stove Top Kettle Corn
Description
A perfect late-night sweet treat…and fun to make, too!
Ingredients
- 3 T canola or vegetable oil
- 1/3 C popcorn kernels
- 3 T granulated sugar
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Place a large stock pot on the stove top. Set heat to medium-high. Add oil. While your oil is heating (it won’t take long), measure out your popcorn into a small bowl. Add sugar to the kernels.
- Wait until you see your oil smoke. That’s your cue! Pour popcorn kernels and sugar into the pot.
- Immediately stir using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, scraping sugar from bottom of pan. This step should only take about 10 seconds. Cover pot with lid. You will need to shake the pot with your hands and you’ll want to make sure the lid stays on, so I get a dish towel and drape it over the top.
- Hold the pot by the handles in a way that you’re securing the lid on as well. Shake the pan side to side in all directions and up and down a few times. Do this every 20 seconds or so. It will keep the sugar from burning on the bottom and help the kernels to be evenly coated.
- After a few minutes you should start hearing the pops. (If it doesn’t start popping after a few minutes, crack the lid to let some of the pressure out. Chances are when you put the lid back on, it will pop away). Continue the shaking every 20 second or so until you can tell almost everything is popped. Remove the lid and stir immediately.
- Sprinkle Kosher salt to taste and then keep stirring. You can eat it warm right out of the pan (Disclaimer #2: caramelized sugar it HOT so don’t eat it right away.) or let it cool completely. It’s great either way!
Notes
- Great tip: Be sure to wait until you see your oil smoke. This is one little trick that a lot of people overlook, but it’s important. The smoke is very faint, but if you just stare at the pot (it helps to get down parallel to it), you’ll see little billows of smoke coming up. That’s your cue!
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Fantastic! Better than the kettle corn at our farmer’s market!!!
I have made this 3 times in the last 2 days! You do the math on that one. haha. Thank you for sharing this and believe me I am spreading your words. 😉
Thanks for sharing! I love kettle corn and am so excited that now I can make it quickly and easily at home for cheap! It’s amazing how they charge you so much for it at the store. I’ve used your tutorial to make it several times now. I usually do 1/2 c. popcorn instead of 1/3 c. and leave everything else the same and it still turns out great.
a tip to know when to add the kernals would be to add a few and when they pop you know the oil is ready and you can add the rest.
I always wondered how kettle corn was made. Thanks to your great and witty instructions, I can make my very own kettle corn. It’s a little late tonight, (3;15 a.m.)but I will sure try it soon. Thank you.
Bev
So easy and yummy! Perfect for movie night with our family. Thanks!
@Jill: Use brown sugar instead of white (just make sure to break it up really well). It won’t have the same coated texture of the kind from popcorn shops, but it’ll still be very good. It’ll have the texture as kettle corn, except caramel flavored. Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network website also has a microwave version of caramel corn (“Microwave Nutty Caramel Corn”) that I’ve also made before. It’s more coated like the store bought (only better!).
I love this popcorn popper!
I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THIS WEBSITE! 😀 usually, you guys have covered everything that I needed when cooking, so I have never left a comment before. but there is one question I have now; do you know how to make caramalised popcorn? I used to love the caramel covered/chocolate covered popcorn at the popcorn shops, but they all seem to have disappeared.. is it possible to make it at home?
thanks so much! x
Use brown sugar instead of white (just make sure to break it up really well). It won’t have the same coated texture of the kind from popcorn shops, but it’ll still be very good. It’ll have the texture as kettle corn, except caramel flavored. Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network website also has a microwave version of caramel corn (“Microwave Nutty Caramel Corn”) that I’ve also made before. It’s more coated like the store bought (only better!).
AWESOME recipe! It only takes a few minutes to make and it’s delicious. Thank you, thank you!
Invest in a whirly-pop! They are $25 or less and makes making kettle corn EASY… I also make cinnamon kettle corn… substitute the sugar for 1/2 Cup of red hots!!
I think I am going to try rainbow popcorn with the Starburst jelly beans I picked up after Easter. I am going to divide the colors and make each batch their own color!!
Meg
I just made this and it’s so good!! My mother in law is a popcorn FREAK and ABSOLUTELY LOVES kettle corn. I’ll have to make her a batch next time we go over to their place and earn some in-law points!! Super easy and way less expensive than the microwave bags you can get…and much tastier too!! Thanks Sara!
I used to make this all the time, thanks for reminding me how yummy and easy it is. And thanks for the tip about kosher salt, I'll have to try that.
We usually make a microwave cheater's version: put maybe 1/4 cup kernels in a paper lunch sack, pour in a splash of oil, and 1/8 c sugar then roll the top shut and nuke until it seems done. (I put a paper towel under it because the oil will soak through the bag a bit). Sprinkle the popped corn with salt and voila! Kettle Corn! Bonus: no sticky pot to wash. 🙂
Thanks again!
I remebered having kettle corn when I was younger, but it was colored…when do you add the food coloring?
I just tried your recipe, and want to report back that it turned out great. I appreciate you taking the time to share it (lovely photos as well).
John McConnell
The Kettle Corn Guy
http://www.kettlecorn.co/
We have an air popper, but you can still get the kettle corn flavor. We pop a big bowl of popcorn, add about 1/2 cup of melted butter, sprinkle on sea salt (what we have in the house) and then some turbinado (raw sugar). not exactly the same, but an awesome substitute!
OH Kettle Corn how I love yo so. Yummy easy recipe! Thank you!
I can't wait to make this!! I am in love with kettle corn and as a treat, I walk down to our Sunday Farmer's market for some~ Lately though, I been getting there a little late because the kettle corn person has always just left 🙁 Thank you for all the wonderful recipes!!
WOW- That was wonderful. I had no idea how easy it was to make kettle corn at home. This is really dangerous. Thanks for all the great recipes. I make at least 2 things a week from your site. Thanks!!!
Wonderful directions. I just started experimenting with kettle corn this summer. So far, raw sugar has given the best sweetness/flavor. Cane sugar was just too sweet.
One should NEVER read this site when hungry… and detoxing!! Kettle Corn and more in the near future!
Just wanted to say thanks! We love kettle corn and this stuff is delish AND easy! Heads up to anyone as foolish as I am.. do NOT try to use a plastic spoon it WILL melt. Guess I shoulda listened to directions 🙂
Dawn, that's brilliant! I can't wait to try that 🙂
I added about a tsp of pumpkin pie spice to the sugar before adding it to the pot and it made the most delicious fall popcorn ever!
Thanks for the heads up Cheri! I added it to the index under desserts – snacks.
Ok I LOVE this recipe, thankyou!
Just wanted to FYI you that it is not in the links with your Recipe Index, at least I couldn't find it. But for others sake I thought I let you know… should not be kept a secret. 🙂
I LOVE Kettle corn and am always tempted to buy those huge bags at carnivals and fairs! I was looking for a quick snack and this was SOO fast snd super delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!
I just made this. WOW so yummy! I used my stir crazy popper, it worked perfectly! Super easy too! Thank you thank you!
Made this for the second time tonight for a girls night with Arwyn- she loved it just as much as my husband and daughter did the first time! I think next time I'll have to make 2 batches- one for me, and one for everyone else 🙂 Yum, thanks!
This is awesome and so easy!! Thanks for the great recipes!