Hot Honey Butter Popcorn (Printer View)

Crispy popcorn tossed in a warm blend of honey, butter, and chili for sweet and spicy flavor.

# Components:

→ Popcorn

01 - 0.5 cup popcorn kernels
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)

→ Hot Honey Butter

03 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 3 tablespoons honey
05 - 1 to 1.5 teaspoons hot sauce (e.g., Sriracha, Frank's RedHot)
06 - 0.5 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
07 - 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt

# Method steps:

01 - Warm vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 popcorn kernels and cover with a lid.
02 - Once the test kernels pop, evenly add the rest of the popcorn kernels. Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar to release steam, and shake occasionally until popping slows to 2–3 seconds between pops. Remove from heat and transfer popcorn to a large bowl.
03 - In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in honey, hot sauce, and chili flakes if using, heating until fully combined and warmed through.
04 - Pour the hot honey butter evenly over the popcorn and toss thoroughly to coat. Sprinkle sea salt over the mixture and toss again.
05 - Serve immediately, adjusting seasoning or spice level as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes but tastes like you've been planning it all day.
  • The heat sneaks up on you in the best way, balancing the sweetness so it doesn't feel cloying.
  • Everyone has strong opinions about popcorn flavoring, and this one converts skeptics.
02 -
  • The popcorn continues popping for a second or two after you pull it off heat, so remove it early rather than late—burnt popcorn can't be saved.
  • Pour the honey butter while the popcorn is still warm so it absorbs the flavors instead of having them slide off; if your popcorn cools down, reheat it gently in the pot.
03 -
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot; thin pots develop hot spots that burn popcorn unevenly and waste half your kernels.
  • If you like your popcorn extra spicy, infuse the butter with chili flakes for a minute over low heat before adding the honey, which deepens the heat instead of just piling it on.
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