How to makeHomemade Kettle Corn Recipe Kettle Corn (2024)

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This homemade Kettle Corn is the BEST homemade Kettle corn recipe you are going to find! I say that as a kettle corn fanatic! This recipe tastes JUST like what you get when you go to a fair. The perfect combination of sweet and salty with this delicious popcorn recipe!

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Homemade Kettle Corn

My favorite part of fairs is the kettle corn. My husband likes to joke around saying that I’m a blood hound for kettle corn because i can smell it miles away and then I go and find it. I am not leaving the fair grounds until I get a bite (well, a lot more then one) of the awesome flavors.

I LOVE Kettle Corn! Seriously I love it and I have no shame at all with how much I love it!

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I have tried many of the microwave kettle corns that you can get at the grocery store but nothing tasted like real stuff. Seriously, don’t waste your time or money on them. They are sooo NOT worth even trying to make.

I was having a talk with a family member about kettle corn, which lead to them sharing this amazing homemade kettle corn recipe with me. Which also then lead to the dangerous point that I am at now, where I can have kettle corn in under 15 minutes from the time I start wanting it.

When I tried this recipe I felt like I was back at a fair! Seriously, no other recipe has ever compared to the sweet and salty combo that this recipe gives you!

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What is Kettle Corn?

As I am going on and on about how amazing kettle corn is, I realized some of you may have never heard of it. Kettle corn is popcorn that has both sugar and salt that combined give it the most amazing flavor. The popcorn is popped either on the stove, or in a popcorn popper with the sugar so the sugar melts all over the popcorn. Once the popcorn is cooked, then you add the salt and you have the most amazing snack ever!

When to Eat Kettle Corn

There is no right or wrong time to eat kettle corn. It is one of my favorite things to snack on!

But I highly suggest if you are making this for movie night, that you make a large bowl for everyone before you start the movie. Otherwise you are going to find yourself missing the movie while making everyone more kettle corn.

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How to Know when to Add Popcorn Kernels to oil

The easiest way to make sure your oil is hot enough is to add your oil in your pot or popcorn popper and then add a few popcorn kernels. When those kernels pop you’ll know the oil is hot enough to pop all of your popcorn kernels.

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Ways to Pop Popcorn for Kettle Corn

There are quite a few different ways that you can make the popcorn to make this homemade kettle corn. Use which ever method is easiest for you or the appliance that you have.

On The Stove Popper

When I am making kettle corn, I just use the biggest pot with a lid that I have or my Cuisinart EasyPop Popcorn maker. Whichever one I am in the mood to use. However it is MUCH easier to use a Whirley Pop. This is what my family member uses, and while I should probably get one for myself with how much kettle corn I make.

Use a Whirley Pop

You can make this homemade kettle corn using a popcorn popper, a large pan on the stove or the Whirley Pop, all of them will give you the same amazing kettle corn at the end.If you are using a Whirley Pop, then you will want to make sure once all the kernels are popped, that you give the pot a good shake.

Use a large Pot on the stove

Add the Sugar, coconut oil, and the popcorn kernels into the pot over medium heat.

If you are making this popcorn recipe on the stove with a large pot, there are a few things you must know about making this recipe. First, and MOST IMPORTANT, you MUST stir continuously until all of the kernels are popped.

You will turn your stove to medium high heat and leave it there the whole time you are cooking it. Once you have the popcorn popped you want to remove the pot from the stove and turn it off right away. Once you remove the pot from the stove you want to shake the pot before you add the salt to it.

Use a Popcorn Popper

If you are using a popcorn popper like the Cuisinart EasyPop Popcorn maker, you want to add the popcorn kernels and then add sugar on top of them while they are still unpopped.

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Kettle Corn Ingredients

Coconut oil.There are different oils you can use to make kettle corn on the stove, however I love using coconut oil because it is a healthy fat and while this is a treat I do want to keep it semi healthy too.

Sugar.Using an artificial sugar is not going to work for this recipe. You want the real deal sugar when making kettle corn at home.

Popcorn kernels.All you need is basic popcorn kernels, however you can use the organic popcorn kernels, the white or yellow popcorn kernels all the same.

Popcorn salt. Or if you don’t have any of that on hand you can use your normal table salt, it will work just fine.

How to Make Homemade Kettle Corn

Add the coconut oil to your popcorn popper, pot.

Place a few popcorn kernels into your popper and when those kernels pop you’ll know the oil is hot enough.

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Once the oil is hot enough, add the popcorn and then add the sugar on top of the popcorn.

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Cook your popcorn until all the kernels have popped, or until you have a 1 second gap in hearing kernels pop.

Pour it into your favorite popcorn bowl and sprinkle with popcorn salt and shake it around for a few minutes so it does not stick together.

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Homemade Kettle Corn Recipe

Created by Lauren

3.93 from 76 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 4

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

This homemade Kettle Corn is the BEST homemade Kettle corn recipe you are going to find! I say that as a kettle corn fanatic!

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add the coconut oil to your popcorn popper.

  • Place a few popcorn kernels into your popper and when those kernels pop you’ll know the oil is hot enough.

  • Once the oil is hot enough, Add the popcorn and then add the sugar on top of the popcorn.

  • Cook your kettle corn until all the kernels have popped, or until you have a 1 second gap in hearing kernels pop.

  • Pour it into your favorite popcorn bowl and sprinkle with popcorn salt and shake it around for a few minutes so it does not stick together.

Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Iron: 0.6mg

homemade kettle corn, kettle corn

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How to makeHomemade Kettle Corn Recipe Kettle Corn (2024)

FAQs

What makes kettle corn better? ›

Adding sugar to your mix during the cooking process is essential to crafting that perfect blend of sweet and savory taste. It's the flavor that has become a hallmark of kettle corn.

What gives kettle corn its flavor? ›

The only difference between popcorn and kettle corn is a little bit of sugar. Unlike popcorn, kettle corn is cooked with sugar, which when heated melts and coats the popping kernels making them both sweet and salty.

How do you keep sugar from burning in kettle corn? ›

Once hot, stir in the sugar and popcorn. Cover, and shake the pot constantly to keep the sugar from burning. Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes until the popping has stopped.

What is the best kettle corn? ›

Hands down, Uncle Dave's Kettle Korn, is THE best kettle corn in the world. For years, Uncle Dave's secret recipe popcorn has been a hit among many. What started as a small tent setup in Williamsburg Outlets in Virginia has now grown to a nationally recognized brand.

What type of popcorn is used for kettle corn? ›

Mushroom popcorn is commonly used for caramel corn and kettle corn as it is larger, rounded, and does not break easily. The mushroom variety is said to hold the candy coating better. How do you make caramel corn? The basic ingredients for making caramel corn are butter/oil, brown sugar, corn syrup, and popcorn.

What is special about kettle corn? ›

Unlike traditional popcorn, which is typically seasoned with salt or butter, kettle corn is coated with a sweet glaze made from sugar, oil, and salt. The glaze caramelizes during the cooking process, resulting in a golden-brown color and a tantalizing combination of sweet and salty taste. 3.

Is kettle corn healthier than popcorn? ›

Classic popcorn is mostly popped with oil and butter, while kettle popcorn is traditionally air-popped in an iron kettle. Regular popcorn is considered a healthy snack. While kettle popcorn has similar health benefits, you should watch the sugar.

Does kettle corn have butter on it? ›

Kettle corn is a type of popcorn that was traditionally made in cast iron kettles. The lightly sweetened popcorn is usually made with just oil and white sugar, but you can mix it up with sugars and sweeteners to suit your taste.

Why is my kettle corn chewy? ›

A top reason popcorn turns out chewy is because steam gets trapped in your pot when the popcorn kernels are popping. Fix this by using a well-vented lid or leave the pan slightly open to make a light and crispy popcorn.

How is kettle corn made? ›

Cover with the lid and set over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels, sugar, and salt: When you hear one of the kernels pop, uncover the pot and pour in the rest of the kernels, sugar, and salt. Use 1/4 cup of sugar if you like slightly sweet kettle corn and more if you like sweeter.

Why are there black specks on my popcorn? ›

The black specs you may be seeing are not mold. In fact, these are burnt sugar crystals. Sometimes with Kettle Corn the sugar gets so hot that it burns, especially if you have a new or higher end microwave. This is 100% safe and not harmful.

What is cowboy kettle corn? ›

Cowboy Kettle Corn ​Cowboy Kettle Corn is family owned and operated. We have an old-fashioned cast iron kettle, use premium mushroom popcorn, and stir the corn by hand with a wooden paddle. We cook our Cowboy Kettle Corn using a secret recipe known only by a few, but loved by many.

Why does my kettle corn always burn? ›

Don't overheat the pan.

While it can be tempting to crank up the heat to speed up the popping process, we want to be extra careful when making kettle corn not to burn the sugar. So keep the stove set between medium to medium-high heat and you should be set.

Where does kettle corn get its sweetness from? ›

It is believed that 18th century farmers created the recipe in their cast iron pots (coated with pork fat) over an open fire. They often added sugar, honey, or molasses to sweeten it, creating the sweet kettle corn taste we love today.

What's the difference between kettle corn and regular corn? ›

Texture. Because it uses butterfly kernels, regular popcorn is crunchy and airy. Kettle corn's texture is more complex. The exterior is crispy and slightly sticky, thanks to its layer of caramelized sugar.

Why does kettle corn pop differently? ›

Regular popcorn and kettle corn are made from different types of corn. As a result, they differ in the flake shapes of the popped kernels. Regular popcorn comes from butterfly flakes or snowflakes, which are irregular in shape with many popping “wings” that stick out, hence the name.

What makes can corn taste better? ›

Adding one or two of these options adds a ton of flavor to canned corn, making the dish taste so much better.
  1. Salt. Kittiphan Dusdeeworaruk/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Soy sauce. Ddukang/Getty Images. ...
  3. Butter. Jupiterimages/Getty Images. ...
  4. Bacon grease. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock. ...
  5. Olive oil. masa44/Shutterstock. ...
  6. Garlic. ...
  7. Herbs and spices. ...
  8. Cheese.
Feb 6, 2023

What makes a kettle more efficient? ›

Kettles marketed as “Eco” generally tend to have a lower rated power band (1350 W) but feature a more insulated thermos style design which is intended to keep water hot enough to make another cup or to reduce the amount of reheating required.

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