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Green speckled bowl full of kettle corn sitting on wood surface with two bowls full of popcorn in background
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Homemade Kettle Corn

Looking for an explosion of flavor with your next batch of kettle corn? Well, then these three kettle corn flavors are exactly what you need!
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time12 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Cooking
Servings: 15 cups
Author: Kaleb

Equipment

  • A Whirly-Pop popcorn popper (affiliate link) (or similar style) is important in making great kettle corn at home. You can make this in an extra-large kettle but have to be very careful that it is tall enough for the popcorn to pop without flying out of the kettle. (The Whirly-Pop is definitely worth it!)

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons neutral high-heat oil
  • ½ cup mushroom popcorn kernels
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt

Cajun kettle corn variation

  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Chili lime kettle corn variation

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • zest of 1 lime

Instructions

  • Heat the oil: Place a popper over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add a couple of popcorn kernels. When the kernels pop, you know the oil is at the correct temperature.
    4 tablespoons neutral high-heat oil
  • Pop the popcorn: Add the rest of the kernels, then stir to coat the kernels with the oil and add the sugar. Stir constantly. After a few minutes, the kernels will start to pop. Keep stirring until you no longer hear pops, 2-4 minutes.
    ½ cup mushroom popcorn kernels, ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • Finish: Dump the popcorn into a waiting bowl and sprinkle with the salt while it's still warm. Let it cool before enjoying.
    1 teaspoon fine salt
  • For the Cajun variation: Use the same directions as for kettle corn, but when completed, instead of fine salt, add the paprika, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and seasoned salt. Toss to coat.
    1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste), 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • For the chili lime variation: Use the same directions as for kettle corn. When completed, add the chili powder, chipotle chili powder, and lime zest. Toss to coat.
    2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, zest of 1 lime

Video

Notes

The amount of calories listed below is for the classic kettle corn recipe. See below for other caloric information.
  • Sweet and salty cajun kettle corn: 87 calories in 1 cup
  • Sweet chili lime kettle corn: 88 calories in 1 cup
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 85kcal