Surprisingly Yummy Popcorn Recipes
No family movie night, poker night, or birthday party is complete without sweet and savory popcorn. Due to rising inflation, many people are thinking of spending less or finding ways to make the most of their resources.
Serving homemade popcorn during your special occasion is an excellent idea because it costs less. But if you don’t have the correct recipe, you could end up with bland, flavorless popcorn.
We are here to ensure your occasion doesn’t end up a disappointment. We have prepared some sweet and savory popcorn recipes that you can try at home. But first, a hack that will make your popcorn irresistibly yummy for those who doubt their culinary skills.
It’s okay to blend with store-purchased pipocas
Preparing homemade popcorn for your occasion is a great idea. But, it could fall flat if the seasoning is not correct. Not many people are confident about getting the seasoning right. If you are one, you can disguise your amateur chef skills by blending homemade with store-purchased popcorn.
You can purchase a few packs of professionally prepared pipocas (another term for popcorn) and blend them with your homemade popcorn. For example, our first recipe is good old Ranch-style popcorn. It’s a favorite for many. However, hacking the correct level of seasoning could be a challenge.
Don’t worry because you can purchase a few packs of dill-pickle seasoned popcorn and blend it in your pot. This is an excellent way to not only wow your guests but also ensure no leftovers.
Here are more recipes to jazz up your special occasion.
Ranch-style popcorn
Combining simple spices to create ranch-like flavored popcorn is simple but not easy. You can use various flavorings, but our favorite is garlic, onion, dill weed, and black pepper. Here are the steps:
Ranch-style Popcorn Ingredients:
- 10 cups popped popcorn
- ¼ teaspoon or about 1½ mls of onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon of dried dill weed
- ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
- Sprinkle of ground black pepper
- A pinch of sea salt.
- ⅛ teaspoon of vegetable oil, or ⅛ cup of melted butter.
How to prepare:
Using a small bowl, mix the onion powder, dill weed, garlic powder, black pepper, and vegetable oil.
Place popcorn in an ungreased baking tin and pour the mixture above over the popcorn. Toss the popcorn to spread the coat evenly.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the mixture for 10 minutes or until it turns slightly golden.
Peppermint popcorn
Everyone loves the classic, fresh peppermint taste. You can combine it with another favorite – popcorn – and make a fabulous snack! Here’s how to prepare sweet peppermint popcorn at home.
Peppermint Popcorn Ingredients:
- 10 cups popped popcorn
- ¾ cup finely ground peppermint candy
- 1 pound white chocolate
- Sea salt
How to prepare:
Melt the candy in a microwave until smooth. Mix it with popcorn in a large bowl to create a coating.
Toss frequently to even the coat, then pour the contents on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.
Allow to dry, and when hardened break them apart. Store the popcorn in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
Parmesan popcorn
This recipe could make you a neighborhood hit. All you need is fresh herbs and fine cheese. Here’s how to do it.
Parmesan Popcorn Ingredients:
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup popping corn
- ⅛ cup of melted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
How to prepare:
Mix the parmesan, garlic salt, paprika, pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
Mix the popping popcorn and melted butter in a large pot, cover it and let it cook over medium heat.
Keep shaking as more popcorn pops.
When the popping slows down (when you can count a few seconds between), remove the pot from the heat to a large bag.
Sprinkle the olive oil on the popcorn and drizzle about three tablespoons of the seasoning in the bag.
Shake up the popcorn, olive oil, and seasoning mixture and keep sprinkling extra seasoning to taste.
Serve the savory popcorn when warm.
Cajun-spiced popcorn
Inspired by traditional Louisiana-style recipes, you can prepare this buttery, savory popcorn with various spices like paprika, cayenne, and garlic. Here is what you need.
Cajun-spiced popcorn Ingredients:
- 20 cups popped popcorn
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
How to prepare:
Place the popcorn in a large roasting pan. Mix the melted butter, salt, and spices in a small bowl and pour over the popcorn.
Toss over a baking sheet so that the popcorn gets an even coating.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the popcorn inside.
Bake the popcorn for 15 minutes and keep stirring after every five 3-5 minutes.
Take care not to skip the baking time (despite the temptation), because it allows the flavors to mellow and blend nicely.
Serve when warm or store in an airtight container.
Final thoughts
Popcorn is like a blank canvas awaiting you to pour out your creative side. These savory popcorn recipes will tingle guests’ taste buds and keep them asking when you’ll be having another movie or poker night, it also a great snack idea for your next housewarming party.
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