# Your best homemade popcorn recipe, please. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 2, 2001, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355 "2001-06-02T19:57:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/1 "2001-06-02T19:57:27Z")
I love popcorn, it has to be my favorite snack food just now. I’m strickly a salt and butter girl. I’m sure you all have your own special recipes for spicing it up. How about sharing them with me? I’m feeling the need for a little variety. I have lots of spices and things in my cupboard just awaiting your instructions. (If it matters, I am most fond of using my hot air popper to make the popcorn. Though capable of making it over an open fire, in a pot, if need be. But I’ve never mastered microwave popcorn, I am embarassed to admit.) Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/2 "2001-06-02T20:03:18Z")
Make popcron as usual BUT add garlic salt and Parmesan cheese powder. Sounds odd but very addictive.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/3 "2001-06-03T08:53:48Z")
You know those little packets of sloppy joe mix you find next to the little packets of dry Lipton soup mix? Try that, with butter. Yum 🙂 [sub]Note: While my father eats four quarts of popcorn nightly (and no, I am NOT exaggerating), I myself detest the stuff; that sloppy joe mix, though - even _I_ liked that.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/4 "2001-06-03T08:58:05Z")
Mmmm…popcorn… This is going to sound bizarre but if you take the powdered cheese packet out of a box of macaroni and cheese and sprinkle it over the popcorn, it makes pretty good homemade cheese corn. Another idea is to sprinkle some ranch dressing powder (Hidden Valley, preferably) over the popcorn. Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/5 "2001-06-03T18:19:21Z")
Ever had popcorn that was popped in bacon grease? Mmmmmmmmmmm. Someone make me happy and please post a popcorn ball recipe that uses marshmallows or marshmallow cream. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/6 "2001-06-03T18:44:14Z")
Diet popcorn: Use a Presto microwave popper. Spray a light coating of butter flavored cooking spray (Pam, etc) around the bowl, add kernals, another light spray on the kernals, then pop. This gives the corn a slight butter flavored coating for the salt to stick to, without adding calories, fat, or cholestoral. And it taste good too. Roasted popcorn: Pop in a pan or conventional popper, using coconut oil. Then douse with real butter (margerine is the mucus of the devil!) then sprinkle on salt, then srinkle on pepper. That’s right, pepper! It gives it a roasted corn taste. But you have to use the coconut oil and butter or it just doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Azura\_Borealis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ab992/32.png) [@Azura\_Borealis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azura_Borealis)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/7 "2001-06-03T21:51:34Z")
Sprinkle in a package of that powdered Ranch Dressing mix & Shake like hell. (Would also suffice to use the other flavors, but i’ve only tried the ranch) _It truly rocks the spank shack_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/8 "2001-06-04T01:04:37Z")
We like stove-top popcorn, popped in oil with a little ghee (Indian clarified butter), salted lightly. Mmmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/9 "2001-06-04T23:34:34Z")
Butter the popcorn, and sprinkle with chili powder, and Parmesian cheese. Do the cheese last as it will fall to the container’s bottom. Using only the chili powder is great too. Clarified butter, is butter that is heated until the solids seperate. The clarified liquid on top can be kept for days without refrigeration. This was what to do for camping trips. I will assume the poster before was recomending clarified butter for health benefits. Helena are you into Organic Gardening? ---
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/10 "2001-06-05T01:09:35Z")
Take one very very large pan of popcorn. I prefer to cook it in oil for this and you don’t need to use very much oil to cook popcorn but you can use air-popped about 1/2 to 1 stick of margarine depending on how much margarine you have in the fridge 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup of sugar (you can substitute any sugar that you have in cupboard–ie maple syrup, brown sugar, caro syrup, honey, etc just use about yeah much) 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg Cook in saucepan to a soft ball (drop a little bit in a glass of cool water and if when you touch it, it is a soft ball it is ready) dribble sugar and spice mixture over popcorn. This is also good when dieting for when you get a sweet tooth, just remember moderation. Note: all measures not exact but do to your own taste ---
**Author:** ![urban1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d07c76/32.png) [@urban1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/11 "2001-06-05T02:37:41Z")
I use a Presto Microwave Popper. Cook the popcorn in **peanut oil** then add the usual butter and salt. I prefer to use the whipped butter and cook it until just before it goes into the brown stage. I prefer it to be all foamy. Yummy (YMMV) ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/12 "2001-06-05T03:12:46Z")
For a change of pace, instead of salt sprinkle a little bit of soy sauce on the popped pop corn and mix it up. Went through a phase where sprinkling a little brewers yeast on the popcorn was pretty tasty too. ---
**Author:** ![moi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@moi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moi)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/13 "2001-06-05T15:41:37Z")
Mmmm. Y’all have me salivating at work, with nuthin’ but cranberry juice to satisfy! In England, I know you have “sweet popcorn” availaible at the cinema. Is there a way to make it at home? O.o ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/14 "2001-06-05T16:23:39Z")
Our babysitter used to make popcorn for the kids using sugar instead of salt as the seasoning. Not my cup of tea, but they seemed to like it. She was from the Azores and I guess that’s the way they always eat it over there. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/15 "2001-06-05T16:51:29Z")
Pop it on the stovetop using 2/3 regular oil and 1/3 sesame oil (the good dark stuff). This is good with soy sauce instead of salt, too. You can also use up to 1/2 chili oil instead of regular oil. Szechuan pepper-salt is awesome with this. ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/16 "2001-06-06T05:12:54Z")
So here is one that is nearly the same Sugared popcorn 1/2 cup unpopped corn 1/4 cup water 3T bacon drippings 1/3 cup sugar combine corn and water in 3qt saucepan melt fat and stir in sugar. add to corn/water. cover and pop corn quickly over high heat. At the peak of popping remove from heat to prevent sugar from burning. Makes 5 cups. ---
**Author:** ![anenquiringmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anenquiringmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anenquiringmind)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/17 "2001-06-07T01:25:12Z")
FOR Cranky As An Old Man: You might try the recipe for Rice Krispy Treats on the Rice Krispies Box. It calls for Marshmallows or marshmallow cream. \* Just substitute popcorn for the Rice Krispies cereal TRULY YUMMY PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN BALLS * * * 4 qts, popped popcorn 1 & 1/2 cups sugar 1 & 1/2 cup light corn syrup ( Karo ) 1 & 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla Keep Popcorn warm in a 250 degree oven… Mix sugar and syrup in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a full boil. Boil 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour mixture over popcorn, stir and mix well. \*\*\* MIXTURE IS HOT !!! Test first… Lightly grease hands with butter and shape into balls. Hide it so no one else will find it… ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-homemade-popcorn-recipe-please/67355/18 "2001-06-07T03:41:57Z")
Popcorn can be nice with a little icing sugar sprinkled over it. I remember loving it when I was a kid.