Easy Stovetop Kettle Corn Recipe
This kettle corn recipe is dangerously easy to make and wildly addictive. It’s salty, sweet, crunchy, and ready in just 10 minutes. You won’t believe how simple it is to recreate that nostalgic carnival style kettle corn in your own kitchen.
When I say I love kettle corn, I mean I LOVE kettle corn, bold and in all caps. So much that I’ll beg Shawn to drive 20 minutes out of the way just to go to the movie theater that sells it. That salty sweet crunch? It gets me every time.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Kettle Corn Recipe
Before I ever knew how to make kettle corn at home, I would count down the days until our town’s annual art festival. Back then, I was in college working as a server and bartender, and I’d volunteer to work brutal lunch shifts because I knew I’d walk out with a weekend’s worth of tips, sometimes $400 in just 2 days!
No bussers. No bartenders. Twelve table sections. Nonstop sprinting. If you’ve ever served, you know exactly how insane that sounds.
But at the end of the day, I’d walk across the street, buy the biggest bag of kettle corn from a food vendor, and eat it for dinner. It was my prize. Pure comfort in a bag.
Fast forward a few years, and now I make kettle corn from scratch right on my stovetop with just four ingredients. It’s too easy, and maybe a little dangerous, because I’m always only 10 minutes away from a fresh batch!
If you love snacky, crunchy, craveable treats like my crunchy grain free granola or this paleo superfood snack mix, then you’re going to be obsessed with this.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Popcorn kernels: Any kind works, but go with fresh, whole kernels for best results.
- Granulated sugar: This is what gives kettle corn its signature sweetness and creates a light caramel crunch.
- Oil: I like vegetable, canola, or refined coconut oil, anything neutral with a high smoke point.
- Salt: Don’t skip it! The salt balances the sweetness and brings out that classic kettle corn flavor.
Substitutions
You can use coconut sugar or maple sugar for a slightly different taste, but regular white sugar gives the most authentic texture. And while you could use olive oil, it can make the flavor a bit grassy, stick with neutral oils for best results.
How to Make This Kettle Corn Recipe
Step 1: Line your counter or a baking sheet with parchment paper. This is where you’ll pour the popcorn to cool once it’s popped.
Step 2: Tear off an extra piece of parchment paper and set it aside. You’ll wedge it between the pot and the lid to catch any sugar splatter for easy cleanup.
Step 3: Add oil to a large nonstick pot with a lid. Toss in a few test kernels and turn the heat to medium-high.
Step 4: When those first kernels pop, the oil is hot enough. Quickly add the rest of the popcorn kernels and sugar. Cover with the lid, placing the parchment between the pot and the lid.
Step 5: Every 10 seconds, give the pot a strong shake for about 3 seconds. Return it to the heat and repeat until the popping slows down.
Step 6: Once the popping mostly stops (don’t wait for total silence!), remove the pot from heat and immediately pour the popcorn onto your parchment-lined surface.
Step 7: Sprinkle it with salt while it’s still warm. Let it cool and crisp up for a few minutes before serving.
That’s it, your homemade kettle corn is ready in under 10 minutes!
Pro Tips for Perfect Kettle Corn
- Don’t skip the test kernels! They ensure the oil is at the perfect temperature before the sugar goes in, preventing burnt popcorn and scorched sugar.
- Shake often. Sugar burns quickly. The constant motion keeps it from sticking to the bottom and helps coat the popcorn evenly.
- Use a nonstick pot. You’ll thank me later, no scrubbing caramel off your lid or pan.
- The parchment trick is life changing. Stick a sheet between the pot and lid to catch sugar splatter and keep cleanup super easy.
This homemade kettle corn recipe is one of my all time favorite snacks. It’s quick, affordable, and always a hit with both kids and adults. Try it for your next movie night or whenever a craving hits!
While you’re here, check out my Herb and Cheese Puff Pastry Sticks or these Bacon Wrapped Dates for more snacky goodness.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Just make sure your pot is large enough to allow room for the popcorn to expand and shake frequently to prevent burning.
Your heat might be too high, or you’re not shaking the pot often enough. Lower the heat slightly and keep the pot moving every 10 seconds.
If sugar caramelizes on the bottom, just soak the pot in hot water for 10-15 minutes, it’ll wipe right off.
Keep it in an airtight container or zip top bag, and it’ll stay fresh for up to 4 days.
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Easy Stovetop Kettle Corn Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 vegetable, canola or coconut oil
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 1 or 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Line your counter or a baking sheet with parchment paper. This is where you’ll lay the popcorn to cool after it is done cooking. Also set aside a piece of parchment paper to fit between the opening of the pot and the lid. This will keep your lid clean while the popcorn is cooking for easy clean up.
- Add the oil to a large, non stick pot with a lid. Add in a few popcorn kernels, and turn the heat to medium high. As soon as the first kernels pop, you know the oil is hot enough.
- Add in the popcorn kernels and sugar. Put the lid on the pot, with a piece of parchment paper in between. Every 10 seconds, pick up the pot and shake it really hard for 3 seconds, then return it to the heat for another 10 seconds. Repeat this over and over until the popping noises slow. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the popcorn on the parchment paper. The whole cooking time is about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the warm popcorn with salt and allow to cool for a few minutes. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container or ziploc bag for several days.
Notes
- Don’t skip the test kernels! They ensure the oil is at the perfect temperature before the sugar goes in, preventing burnt popcorn and scorched sugar.
- Shake often. Sugar burns quickly. The constant motion keeps it from sticking to the bottom and helps coat the popcorn evenly.
- Use a nonstick pot. You’ll thank me later, no scrubbing caramel off your lid or pan.
- The parchment trick is life changing. Stick a sheet between the pot and lid to catch sugar splatter and keep cleanup super easy.
70 Comments on “Easy Stovetop Kettle Corn Recipe”
Tastes just like fair/carnival kettle corn!!! We love it!
I tried it because my boys love kettle corn. It turned out great. A few at the bottom burned a bit but my boys actually love burned popcorn!!! I used less salt and sugar than recommended though. Great and easy! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Thanks, Coco! I am so glad you liked my kettle corn recipe! So happy to have you here!
My family loves this recipe – it has become our go to movie snack!
One question though – I am tracking caloric intake these days and was glad to see the nutritional info is included above, but it does indicate what a serving is in grams or cups?
I love that it has become your go to movie snack Tasha. It’s one of my family’s favorites too! The recipe should yield 10 cups total. The nutritional information is calculated at a 1 cup serving.
This popcorn was so easy.
I used Tiny but Mighty Popcorn which is smaller kernels. It was so crunchy and delicious!
I haven’t tried it with Tiny but Mighty popcorn, so I’ll have to try that Donna!
Worked flawlessly! Along with sprinkling them with salt I also used a little roasted garlic powder and paprika. Definitely a fun one to play with. By the way, I used a combination shortening and ghee as my oil.
I am so happy you liked my kettle corn Phil! I absolutely love your addition of garlic powder and paprika. That sounds fantastic! I am going to have to try that because it sounds delicious. Good to know it worked well with ghee and shortening. Thanks so much for the feedback.
The popcorn was burnt and the sugar solidified to the bottom of the pot. Would not recommend
Shoot! So sorry it didn’t turn out well for you Sarah.
Wonderful recipe! Just use a bit less salt.
I am so happy you liked my kettle corn recipe Angela! I love that you adjusted the salt to your taste. Thank you so much for your feedback, I really appreciate it.