Crunchy and Sweet Honey Popcorn (Really Easy!) Recipe
This Crunchy and Sweet Honey Popcorn recipe delivers a delightful homemade snack that combines the natural sweetness of honey with a satisfying crunch. Made by coating freshly popped popcorn in a warm honey-butter glaze and baking it low and slow, this treat offers an irresistible salty-sweet flavor perfect for movie nights or anytime craving a sweet snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: About 14 cups 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 14 cups popped popcorn (from ½ cup kernels, using stovetop method)
Honey Glaze
- ½ cup honey
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Optional
- Sea Salt Flakes for sprinkling
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn: Use your preferred method to pop ½ cup of kernels into about 14 cups of popcorn. The stovetop method is recommended: heat a large pot with oil, add kernels, cover and shake occasionally until popping slows. Remove any unpopped kernels by sifting the popcorn over a cooling rack or picking out by hand.
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 225°F (107°C). Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside to receive the coated popcorn.
- Make the honey glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine ½ cup honey, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. Stir until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a low boil for 7-10 minutes, until the temperature reaches 270-280°F (132-138°C).
- Add flavorings: Remove the pan from heat. Quickly stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. The mixture will foam slightly, which helps create a light, crunchy coating.
- Coat the popcorn: Pour the honey mixture over the popped popcorn in a large bowl or directly in the baking pan. Toss well to coat all the popcorn evenly. Spread the coated popcorn in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake and toss: Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes, tossing the popcorn every 20 minutes to ensure even coating and crispiness. This slow baking dries out the coating for maximum crunch.
- Finish and cool: After removing from the oven, optionally sprinkle with flaky sea salt for an extra punch of salty flavor. Allow the popcorn to cool completely on the baking sheet to let the coating harden. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container for storage.
Notes
- Using a candy thermometer ensures the honey mixture reaches the perfect temperature for a crunchy coating.
- Baking low and slow avoids burning the honey while drying it out for crispiness.
- Store the popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week to maintain freshness.
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and ensure the honey is replaced with maple syrup (note texture will differ).
- Adding sea salt flakes after baking enhances the salty-sweet balance beautifully.
Keywords: honey popcorn, crunchy popcorn, sweet snack, homemade popcorn, baked popcorn, salty sweet popcorn
