Kettle Corn

This Kettle Corn recipe has delicious sweet and salty flavour and it’s simple to make in 15 minutes or less. If you’re looking for a quick and easy snack the whole family will love,  this 4-ingredient homemade kettle corn popcorn is the recipe for you!

 

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

Every now and then there’s a snack that just blows your socks off and you can’t get enough of. If you’ve been around here for awhile, you’ll already know we’re BIG fans of sweet and salty everything here at The Busy Baker and this Kettle Corn recipe is one we LOVE!

Although there’s little we love more than great tasting food, we DO love saving time and money. This Kettle Corn Popcorn is a great way to indulge in one of your favourite snacks for just pennies per serving. Those big box store bags of kettle corn are a LOT more expensive than making it at home and making it yourself only takes 15 minutes, which is less time than a trip to the grocery store. Trust us, you’re DEFINITELY going to want to try this one!

Kettle corn is a sweet variety of popcorn that’s made with a combination of sugar, salt, oil, and popcorn kernels. These ingredients are heated in a large kettle or pot (hence the name Kettle Corn). As the corn pops, the sugar melts and coats the popcorn, creating a sweet and salty coating that’s distinctive but not overpowering. This classic flavour has made kettle corn a popular snack at fairs, festivals, and sporting events.

It’s likely that kettle corn was originally made in cast iron kettles because cast iron is known for its ability to distribute heat evenly, which helps to make sure the sugar caramelizes slightly without overcooking or burning.

The main differences between popcorn, kettle corn, and caramel corn lie in their ingredients, how they’re cooked, and their flavour.

• Popcorn is the most basic form of the snack, made by heating corn kernels until they pop. This can be done in oil in a pot or kettle, but popcorn can also be made with an air popper which uses hot air to heat the kernels until they pop. Traditional popcorn is typically seasoned with melted butter and salt, but can also be enjoyed plain or with other toppings. The focus with popcorn is often on the texture—light and fluffy with a satisfying crunch and a strong butter flavour.
• Kettle Corn is a middle ground between the simplicity of salty, buttered popcorn and the sweetness of caramel corn. The sugar and salt are added to the oil and popcorn, creating a sweet and salty coating as the popcorn pops. The key to kettle corn’s appeal is its balance of sweet and salty flavours.
• Caramel Corn is popcorn coated with caramel made from cooking sugar and butter and/or cream to a specific temperature. Most often, the popcorn is popped first in oil or using the air pop method and then coated with the caramel after it’s already popped. Caramel popcorn is an ultra rich, sweet, and crunchy snack that’s heavier and sweeter than both popcorn and kettle corn, with a sticky, crunchy texture from the caramelized sugar. We love making this Caramel Popcorn recipe!

To make the perfect homemade kettle corn, follow these simple tips and tricks!

Use a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid to ensure even heat distribution and prevent burning. A pot with a wide base will allow for more even popping and caramelization.

Start with medium-high heat but be ready to turn it down once the kernels start popping. If the heat is too high, both the popcorn and the sugar will burn. If it’s too low, the popcorn won’t pop properly.

Oil with a high smoke point is critical for recipes like this. Feel free to use vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil or coconut oil.

The quality and freshness of the popping corn can affect how well it pops and tastes. Be sure to toss the jar of popcorn kernels that’s been sitting in your pantry for years and buy a new package that’s fresh.

Drop a single kernel or two into the oil as it heats. When it pops, the oil is at the perfect temperature to add the rest of the popcorn and sugar.

Add your sugar after the first few kernels have popped. This helps gauge the oil’s temperature and ensures the sugar doesn’t burn before the popcorn starts popping.

Use fine granulated sugar as it melts and coats the popcorn more evenly than coarser sugars. We don’t recommend brown sugar for this recipe.

Once the sugar is added, stir constantly. Constant movement is what prevents the sugar from burning and ensures each kernel is evenly coated.

Add a little bit of salt with the sugar, then add more salt after the popcorn has popped and been removed from the heat, only if necessary. Be sure to taste the popcorn before you add the rest of the salt and then add salt to taste.

Spread the popped kettle corn on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper immediately after cooking. This stops the cooking process and prevents it from becoming chewy and sticking together in a big clump.

Here are some common issues you might encounter when making homemade kettle corn and how to fix them!

This often happens if the heat is too high or the popcorn is not stirred enough after adding the sugar. Adjust the heat and make sure to stir constantly.

If the sugar isn’t melting properly, it might be because the heat is too low or the popcorn was added too soon. Wait for the oil to reach the right temperature before adding the popcorn and sugar.

This can happen because the kernels are too old or because the heat isn’t high enough. Make sure your popcorn is fresh and the oil is hot enough before adding the kernels.

This can happen if there’s too much moisture or it you haven’t let the kettle corn cool and set. Make sure you’re using the correct ratio of oil, sugar, and corn. Also, spreading out the kettle corn to cool immediately after cooking can prevent it from being too sticky.

To prevent this, ensure the sugar is evenly distributed before it starts to melt and shake the pot constantly to coat the popcorn.

If the kettle corn is too salty, adjust the amount of salt you add next time. Remember, you can always add more salt, but you can’t take it away once you’ve added it.

Since this kettle corn recipe is made on the stove, there are two ways we suggest making it: in a large, heavy bottomed cast iron pot or a stove-top popcorn maker.

A cast iron pot is a great addition to your kitchen, and not just for making popcorn. We love our cast iron dutch oven pots, and we use dutch ovens from all different price ranges. This Le Creuset Dutch Oven is our favourite, but we’ve also used similar cast iron pots from other brands, like THIS ONE from KitchenAid and THIS ONE from Lodge Cast Iron, and even this Amazon Brand Dutch Oven (all paid links) if you’re looking for something a little less expensive but still high quality that will work just as well.

A close second place to a Dutch Oven for making Kettle Corn is our favourite stove-top popcorn maker, this Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker (paid link). It has a handle that allows you to turn the popcorn in the pot as it pops, and it does a great job in preventing the popcorn from burning, especially when you’re making kettle corn with sugar that has a tendency to burn.

To make this recipe, you’ll also need these items (paid links):

• Silicone Spatula
• measuring cups and spoons
• large baking sheet
• Parchment Paper
• a large bowl for serving

Here’s the 4 ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious homemade kettle corn (paid links):

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil or another neutral oil
• 2/3 cup popcorn kernels
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt divided

Want to take your homemade kettle corn popcorn to the next level? Try one of these delicious variations on the classic!

1. Cinnamon Sugar: After popping, while still hot, sprinkle your popcorn with a mix of cinnamon and sugar for a cozy treat.
2. Spicy Maple: Swap out the traditional sugar for pure maple syrup and add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the mix while popping. The maple syrup gives a rich sweetness, while the cayenne pepper adds a spicy flavour.
3. White Chocolate Drizzle: Once your popcorn is popped and cooled, drizzle it with melted white chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt. Let the chocolate set before serving.
4. Lemon: After popping, zest a lemon over the warm popcorn for a citrusy twist on the classic.

We hope you love this delicious kettle corn popcorn recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite homemade snack? We’d love to know!

• Popcorn Balls
• Caramel Popcorn
• Oven Roasted Pizza Popcorn
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• Fruit Platter
• Pumpkin Dip
• Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
• French Onion Dip
• Slow Cooker Nuts and Bolts Snack Mix
• Whipped Feta Dip