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Old-Fashioned Country Living For The Modern Homemaker

How to Make Kettle Corn

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Get the recipe for this delicious, homemade, old fashioned kettle corn, no funky ingredients or uncommon kitchen supplies.

If you asked anyone in my family, maybe anyone that knows me, what my absolute favorite snack is I hope they would all know that its popcorn. Because it is, most definitely popcorn.

Buttery popcorn, sweet kettle corn, cheddar popcorn, air popped popcorn, lightly salted, not so lightly salted, caramel corn, I love it all!

For a long time I made packaged popcorn in the microwave or occasionally bought a pre-popped bag from the store. Then, sometime into dating my husband I learned what I was missing out on. His family would make the most delicious, homemade popcorn on the stove. I had no idea people even did that or that that was a thing!

Soon after I tried it out on my own, and ever since I have been a firm, homemade popcorn advocate. It just beats any microwave popcorn, or store-bought popcorn, and its SO easy! And much better for you!

I usually prefer to make butter popcorn most of the time. My husband isn’t a big fan of buttered popcorn but he does enjoy sweet, kettle corn.

So, one night I decided to venture out and try my hand at making homemade kettle corn. It couldn’t be much more difficult than regular popcorn right?

I had put it off for a long time because I was worried it just wouldn’t live up to the delicious kettle corn I was used to, like the kind you get at a county fair or at our local stock show. Warm and crunchy and the perfect balance of salty to sweet.

I was wrong! After lots of practice and taste testing (my love handles can attest to that), I have a favorite homemade kettle corn recipe that tastes just as good as kettle corn you can get anywhere else.

The best part?! Its sooo easy! A lot of kettle corn recipes require you to have a special lid with a crank that goes on your pot, that stirs the kernels while they’re popping. I don’t have one of those and I didn’t intend to get one. All you need for this recipe is a pot with a lid!

Of course, the handy lid with a crank can make things a lot easier and less messy, and if you do have one or want to get one definitely go for it! You can still use this recipe just the same. If you are like me and don’t have the special lid, all is not lost. You can still make and enjoy this delicious, homemade kettle corn.

How to Make Homemade, Old Fashioned Kettle Corn

Some tips for making delicious, homemade kettle corn

  • use high quality kernels, they pop better and they taste better.

  • do not skip out on the shaking of the pot, this is what keeps the sugar from burning and helps it to mix in well with all of the kernels.

  • using parchment paper or a cookie sheet to dump the popcorn out on will help with clean up in the end, but its not necessary. You could dump the popcorn right out on your counter

  • make sure your pot is bigger rather than smaller, you want all of the kernels to be able to pop in it at the same time.

Homemade Kettle Corn Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup oil (I love using coconut oil! canola oil also works great)

  • 1/3 sugar

  • 1/2 cup high quality popcorn kernels

  • salt to taste

  • parchment paper or baking sheet

Homemade Kettle Corn Instructions

Place your parchment paper or baking sheet out on your counter. Heat the oil in a medium size pot on the stove on medium-high heat. Add a couple of popcorn kernels and place the lid on it. When the kernels have popped, the oil is hot enough to add the rest of the ingredients.

Add the 1/2 cup popcorn kernels and 1/3 cup sugar and put the lid back on. Shake the pot around while holding the lid down to mix the sugar around with the kernels and oil. Let the popcorn cook and continue to shake vigorously every 10-15 seconds.

When the popping has slowed and you can count to three between pops, take your pot off the stove and shake the popcorn onto your cookie sheet or parchment paper.

Carefully, without burning your hands, break apart the popcorn. Its important to do it as quickly as you can because it will start to harden as it cools and you don’t want it hardening in big chunks. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Homemade Kettle Corn Recipe

Directions:

Place a piece of parchment paper on your counter or lay out a large cookie sheet.

Heat oil in medium size pot on the stove, on medium-high heat. Add 2-3 kernels of popcorn to the pot and keep the lid on. When the kernels pop add in the remaining kernels and sugar, place the lid on top, and shake to mix.

Every 10-15 seconds, while holding the lid securely on top of the pot, shake the pot vigorously to keep the sugar mixed in well, and then place back on the heat. After a while all of the kernels will begin to pop. Continue to shake every 10 seconds.

When the popping slows, usually when you can count to three between pops, take the pot over to your parchment paper or cookie sheet, and shake the popcorn out onto it. Carefully as it will be very hot, start to break apart the popcorn so there are no large chunks. You have to do this quickly because as it cools it will start to harden. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Ingredients:

1/4 oil (coconut, canola, sunflower)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup high quality popcorn kernels

salt to taste

I am so excited for you all to try this old fashioned kettle corn recipe. Make a big batch to gift to friends and family. Make some for your next movie night in, or to take to the county fair… sometimes I even sneak a bag with me into the movie theater.. Shhhh!

Have you ever made homemade popcorn on the stove before? What are your favorite recipes?! Let us know in the comments below!

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