Never again suffer soggy popcorn – this Butter Popcorn stays crispy for DAYS! Slightly sweet, lightly salty, with a heavenly real butter flavour, this is a much healthier alternative to other snacks and is 100% addictive.
Lightly Sweet ‘n Salty Butter Popcorn
Anyone who has attempted butter popcorn probably did what we all tried at some point: Douse fresh popcorn with regular melted better. Seems obvious enough, right? Only … you found after 10 minutes your popcorn turned soggy and sad (and totally ruined your movie night).
The reason it goes soggy is because butter contains 15% water. Yes, water is what is making your popcorn soggy!
So if you’re wondering how to keep popcorn from going soggy, the secret is to use clarified butter instead of normal butter. Clarified butter is just butter with the water evaporated out!
How to keep butter popcorn crispy
Use clarified butter or ghee instead of normal butter. Clarified butter is simply normal butter that’s simmered to evaporate the water component from the butter which is what makes popcorn soggy. Ghee is a type of clarified butter (tastes the same).
You can buy it or make it yourself (it’s dead easy). It also keeps for months, without refrigeration! In Australia, you’ll find ghee in the Indian section of supermarkets or at Indian grocers. Clarified butter can be found in specialty food stores in Australia, but it’s common in Europe.
What you need for Lightly Sweet ‘n Salty Butter Popcorn
Here’s what you need: Popcorn kernels, salt, icing sugar/powdered sugar and clarified butter to keep the popcorn crispy (it’s just simmered normal butter! Read on…).
Popcorn kernels
Just normal popcorn kernels. Make the popcorn any way you like – stove or popcorn maker. I’ve provided directions in the recipe card for stovetop popcorn.
Clarified butter (or ghee)
Why you need it – For an intense buttery flavour, and keeping your popcorn crispy instead of going soggy like with normal butter, as explained above;
How to make it (else buy it) – Melt butter and simmer for 10 minutes to evaporate the water content. See separate recipe for full directions – How to make Clarified Butter and Ghee.
Note: Ghee is a purer form of clarified butter that is used in Indian cooking. It tastes virtually the same as Clarified Butter which is more associated with European cookery (like Swiss Potato Rosti!), but it’s slightly nuttier (which is delicious!)
“Popcorn Salt“
Why you need it – Normal salt grains are too large to stick to popcorn. As you eat the popcorn it falls off and all ends up at the bottom of the bowl! We need finer salt, purpose-made for popcorn, that will stick.
How to make it – Just grind ordinary salt into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle, or a spice grinder. It takes seconds.
How much to use – I only use 1/2 teaspoon of popcorn salt for 13 cups of popcorn (which is 2/3 cup of kernels). This does not sound like much, but remember it’s much finer now and has halved in volume from the original regular salt. Also this popcorn is deliberately made to be only slightly salty because it also gets flavour from a touch of added sweetness. If you prefer just salted popcorn, add a little more.
Icing sugar / powdered sugar
Why you need it – Dusting the popcorn for a lightly sweet note. We need icing sugar/powdered sugar because normal sugar won’t stick to popcorn unless you use lots and you melt it, like with Caramel Popcorn or my variation of it, Christmas Popcorn Candy!
How to do it – Use a small sieve to sprinkle the icing/powdered sugar over the popcorn, for even coverage and to remove lumps.
How much to use – I only use 2 tablespoons which makes it lightly sweet. Because the whole point of this popcorn is that it’s slightly sweet and slightly salty, an addictive and can’t-stop-nibbling combination that won’t leave you reaching for glass after glass of water!
Storage: Keeping Butter Popcorn crispy for days!
Using clarified butter instead of normal butter means the popcorn will stay crispy for ages. 12-hour Star Wars marathon? Too easy. I’m talking days here! Super-handy snack stash, school lunches, and making ahead for parties.
As soon as the popcorn has fully cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store it in the pantry. Here are a few tips:
It will go stale sooner or later though! Popcorn does go stale quite quickly, being the fragile little things they are, so don’t leave them lying around uncovered for a long if you want to preserve freshness for another day;
Fully cool – Make sure it’s fully cool before putting the lid on. Impatience with this step results in condensation inside the container which will make your popcorn soggy (and so you will have come full circle🤣);
Bake to resuscitate – If your popcorn has gone a bit stale and needs a perk up, pour it into a baking pan (up to about 5cm/2″ deep is fine) then bake in a low 110°C/230°F oven for 30 minutes to dry it out. Note: There will be slight shrinkage.
So now you know the secrets to stay-crispy, ultra-buttery homemade popcorn! Well actually, those of you who are familiar with my Yellow Movie Popcorn recipe already know these tricks. We’re just bringing everyone else up to speed!
In case you need a reason to get on the Popcorn Train, here’s 6 reasons why you should should try homemade butter popcorn:
Really buttery flavour you can’t get from pre-made shop stuff!
Easy to make in large volumes;
Healthier than most snacks;
Versatile (eg. sweet Caramel Popcorn, Christmas Popcorn Candy or savoury Movie Popcorn);
Cheap; and
Has fun factor that appeals to kids and grown ups alike!
Movie night tonight?? – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Lightly Sweet ‘n Salty CRISPY Butter Popcorn
Ingredients
Popcorn:
- 2/3 cup popping corn
- 2 tbsp clarified butter or ghee , or oil, for stovetop popcorn(Note 1)
"Popcorn Salt":
- 1 tbsp salt (you won't use it all, Note 2)
Flavourings:
- 3 tbsp clarified butter or ghee , melted (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp Popcorn Salt (per directions below)
- 2 tbsp icing sugar / powdered sugar
Instructions
Pop Popcorn
- Pop the kernels using your method of choice – either popcorn maker or stove (see next section)
Stovetop Popcorn
- Heat fat: Melt clarified butter in a large pot over medium high heat (medium for strong stoves). Add a few kernels of popcorn and wait until they pop – this means the oil is now hot enough. Quickly remove test popcorn.
- Add popcorn: Add remaining popcorn, lift pot off stove to shake and spread corn out evenly. Cover with a lid and return to heat. Once the popping really gets going, shake the pot gently once.
- Done! Remove from heat when the popping largely stops (3 seconds between pops) and transfer to a (very!) large bowl.
"Popcorn Salt"
- Place salt in a mortar and pestle then grind into a fine powder. You could also do this using a spice grinder. You won't use it all, but it's harder to work with a smaller quantity than this.
Sprinkle & toss!
- Drizzle melted clarified butter all over the popcorn surface. Sprinkle with half the salt, then use small sieve to dust with half the icing sugar.
- Toss very well in large bowl. Then sprinkle with remaining salt and dust with remaining icing sugar. Toss well again. At this stage you can add more sugar or salt, to your taste. The above quantities make it slightly salty and lightly sweet which to me is the perfect balance!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
I huff and puff and express exasperation that he squishes his way into my already crowded shoot area…. but you and I both know that I secretly love that he’s always around!😂
Nagi, you are a. GENIUS. You’ve cracked the popcorn code!!!
Hi! Thank you so much for sharing your tips, tricks, & recipes!
I use a mix of coconut oil & ghee to pop with if I pop it on the stove- the coconut oil gives it a slightly sweet taste as well.
Has anyone else tried making the clarified butter using Nagi’s 10-minute version? I sure could use some tips bc I used Land O Lakes butter, stayed with it the whole time, simmered the same way the video showed but after 7 min the butter was dark brown :(( Help please, thank you!
so fun Nagi !!!
love popcorn when watching movies.
Thanks for the recipes. I didn’t know that about ghee/clarified butter and popcorn. Yay 🙂
hugs to Dozer.
OMG. That’s all I can say. 5th recipe on your site i tried and will keep trying the others. I’m your student.
I’m so glad you’re loving them Amado! N x
This popcorn is a movie lovers dream come true! I don’t really mind using a pot to pop the kernels, well actually I do… and since this has become a movie night must have, we feel it is time to upgrade… It is because of THIS recipe that we are going to invest in a fancy pants popcorn popper, I am so excited!!! 🙂
This stuff is to die for, so easy (if you have the ghee on hand!) and just unbelievably addictive. I can’t comment on whether it “stays crispy” because we did NOT have leftovers! I did up the salt and sugar a bit but it would have been great either way. BTW our version of Dozer is a 10 y.o. golden named Wally, with similar habits. We had to watch the bowl very carefully!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Tremough! Make sure you give Wally a big belly rub from me! N x
OMGOODNESS! Made the night before our rode trip to Michigan, ate most before we even started. Love your recipes!
It’s soooo addictive isn’t it Diana! N x
Nagi, could you do a parmesan and chilli popcorn version too. I had some a vineyard in country Victoria years ago and would love to try it at home.
Hi Leisa, like this recipe here: https://www.recipetineats.com/spicy-parmesan-party-popcorn/ N x
Here in NZ there are only 2 companies (that I’m aware of) who make ‘proper’ butter – with just cream and salt,
Water in butter is an abomination!!
Yes! It is the same here in Australia 🙂 Real butter is expensive!
Konichiwa Nagi
I dont have instagram nor facebook etc.
I made your popcrn, made the ghee. Oeeshi. Domo
Q: do you think storebought ghee would taste the same??
Domo. From Burnaby, Canada
Hi Lesley, I’m so glad you loved it! You can definitely use store bought, it’s quite expensive hear so it’s cheaper to make your own clarified butter 🙂 N x
Hey Nagi.from the other side of the harbour in Cronulla!
We always pop our popcorn in oil. – can we use that in this recipe instead of ghee?
You sure can Kim! I just figure seeing as you’re dousing in the clarified butter may as well pop in it too! 🙂 N x
Hi Kim – you can use oil but I prefer ghee for the flavour 🙂 N x
We put peanut butter inside the kong, and the pups are happy for hours.
This popcorn is being served tonight!
I don’t know a dog that doesn’t LOVE peanut butter 😂
Using clarified butter was a popcorn game changer! Can’t wait until we can visit with family again so I can make it for my Dad– the ultimate popcorn connoisseur!
P.S. re: Dozer’s kong toy– a trick we do at the animal shelter= put some dry kibble/treats in and then put a glob of peanut butter to “seal” the opening; put in freezer until frozen then hand it over! He might be a little quieter with it and just hold it/ lick it like a popsicle 😊 Or maybe not 😆
I’d love to know what he thinks once he tries it Wendy!!! N x
Sadly, Covid strikes again. Popcorn has been popular during isolation and is hard to find. Hoping to find some soon to try this. Thanks Nagi.
Oh no Karen!!! Popcorn of all things! N x
I MAKE MINE JUST LIKE YOU DO USING GHEE BUT I COVER WITH PAPER TOWEL AND THAN PUT THE LID ON IT TO AVOID THE VAPOUR
Great idea CJJ!! N x
Awhhhhh…Dozer just wants to be wherever you are😊 So sweet.
Thanks for the great tips on popcorn (on making the salt stick, and on sweetening it up on occasion). Takes much talent to be able to make things with few ingredients even better!
You’re so welcome Macy – I hope you give it a go! N x
Hi Nagi, can’t wait to try this. Can you make the popcorn on the stove with a non stick pan? Thank you.
Hi Gayle, as long as you have a lid on it, it should be fine 🙂 N x
I absolutely love your recipes and I have learned more from you than any other site. I want to thank you for all of your efforts and it is greatly appreciated! Excellent! I also love Dozer……❤️
Thanks so much Cynthia, that truly means the world 🥰 N x
I want to know how you took the lid off the saucepan without a kernel all of a sudden deciding to pop, and sending popcorn flying everywhere!
Guess popcorn is on the menu tonight. And a good cleanup afterwards
I like to live dangerously Lin – it always happens 😂 N x