Hot Honey Butter Popcorn (Printable Version)

Crispy popcorn tossed in honey butter with a spicy chili twist for a flavorful, quick snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Popcorn

01 - 1/2 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 1½ teaspoons hot sauce (such as Sriracha or Frank's RedHot), to taste
06 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add a few popcorn kernels and cover the pot. When they pop, add the remaining kernels in an even layer.
02 - Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Shake the pot occasionally to prevent burning. Once the popping slows to 2–3 seconds between pops, remove from heat and transfer the popcorn to a large bowl.
03 - In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Stir in the honey, hot sauce, and chili flakes if using. Cook until the mixture is fully combined and warmed through.
04 - Pour the hot honey butter evenly over the popcorn. Toss thoroughly to ensure all kernels are coated. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss again.
05 - Serve the popcorn right away, adjusting seasoning or spiciness as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast is addictive: sweet honey and melted butter suddenly shocked awake by heat that builds slowly on your tongue.
  • It comes together in minutes: no complicated techniques, just a few ingredients that transform popcorn into something that tastes like you spent way more effort than you did.
  • It's endlessly adjustable: dial the heat up or down, skip the chili flakes, swap the hot sauce—it bends to whatever you're craving that night.
02 -
  • Timing is everything: Pull the pot off heat the instant the popping slows—even 5 extra seconds will burn the bottom kernels and add a bitter taste that ruins the whole batch.
  • Don't skimp on the tossing: A half-hearted toss means some kernels get the honey butter treatment and others stay plain; be generous with the motion so every piece is coated.
  • Temperature matters for the coating: If your honey butter cools before you pour it, it gets chunky and won't distribute evenly, so keep that saucepan on low heat until the exact moment you need it.
03 -
  • Use a pot with a truly heavy bottom: thin pots create hot spots where kernels burn before others even pop, and that ruins everything.
  • Leave the lid ajar from the start: this prevents pressure from building and creating dense, tough popcorn instead of those light, crispy pieces you're after.
  • Cold bowl, warm coating: pour the hot honey butter over room-temperature popcorn so it clings and sets beautifully instead of sliding off.
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