3 SWEET & SAVORY POPCORN RECIPES

Popcorn is one of my favorite simple snacks but I knew there had to be more ways to eat it than buttered and salted. I started perusing Pinterest for recipe ideas and found more than I could possibly make in a year, let alone condense into one blog post. One afternoon, my interns Mary Claire, Taryn, and I set out to try three recipes (tweaking them to our tastebuds as necessary). To cut down on prep time, we used Skinny Pop popcorn but you could pop your own or use the microwave variety as well. Here's what we made and how you too can add a little sweet or savory flavor to your popcorn fix:

Old-Fashioned Pink Popcorn (original recipe here)

A super sweet treat that looks like cotton candy with a popcorn crunch. This was my personal favorite — I continued snacking on it long after Mary Claire and Taryn left for the day.

Ingredients:

8 cups popped popcorn

2 cups sugar (I would probably use a little less next time!)

2/3 cup half & half, cream, or whole milk

1 tablespoon white corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 drops red food coloring

Directions:

1. Place sugar, half & half, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. 

2. When the mixture reaches a boil, remove from heat and add vanilla and food coloring.

3. Drizzle the mixture over popped popcorn, evenly coating the whole batch. The coating will begin to dry. 

4. Pour the coated popcorn onto wax paper and let dry for 20 minutes.

5. Enjoy!

Spicy Adobo Popcorn (original recipe here)

Give your favorite snack a little kick with adobo flavor and red pepper flakes. This would be a perfect bar snack... So addicting and tastes extra yummy with a squeeze of lime. Tequila, anyone?

Ingredients:

8 cups popped popcorn

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons adobo seasoning

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Squeeze of lime (optional)

Directions:

1. Coat popcorn in melted butter, adobo seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Close bag / put lid back on and shake until popcorn is well coated.

2. Enjoy! Easy as that.

Party Popcorn (original recipe here)

An easy treat to whip up for birthday parties in your office or at your neighbors'. The perfect snack for anyone who's never ordered ice cream sans sprinkles!

Ingredients:

8 cups popped popcorn

6 ounces white candy melts (use CandiQuik or wafer style, not chocolate chips)

Rainbow sprinkles!

Directions:

1. Melt your white chocolate in the microwave. 

2. On a large baking sheet, mix the melted chocolate into your popcorn. 

3. Sprinkle and enjoy!

Et voilà! Any recipe that involves my favorite snack and takes 20 minutes or less is a win in my book. Let me know what you think!

*Dinner napkins from Katie Kime, World Market, and One Kings Lane; bowls from World Market

**Original recipes linked above; all photos were taken by me and original to Design Darling

Popcorn is one of my favorite simple snacks but I knew there had to be more ways to eat it than buttered and salted. I started perusing Pinterest for recipe ideas and found more than I could possibly make in a year, let alone condense into one blog post. One afternoon, my interns Mary Claire, Taryn, and I set out to try three recipes (tweaking them to our tastebuds as necessary). To cut down on prep time, we used Skinny Pop popcorn but you could pop your own or use the microwave variety as well. Here's what we made and how you too can add a little sweet or savory flavor to your popcorn fix:

Old-Fashioned Pink Popcorn (original recipe here)

A super sweet treat that looks like cotton candy with a popcorn crunch. This was my personal favorite — I continued snacking on it long after Mary Claire and Taryn left for the day.

Ingredients:

8 cups popped popcorn

2 cups sugar (I would probably use a little less next time!)

2/3 cup half & half, cream, or whole milk

1 tablespoon white corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 drops red food coloring

Directions:

1. Place sugar, half & half, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. 

2. When the mixture reaches a boil, remove from heat and add vanilla and food coloring.

3. Drizzle the mixture over popped popcorn, evenly coating the whole batch. The coating will begin to dry. 

4. Pour the coated popcorn onto wax paper and let dry for 20 minutes.

5. Enjoy!

Spicy Adobo Popcorn (original recipe here)

Give your favorite snack a little kick with adobo flavor and red pepper flakes. This would be a perfect bar snack... So addicting and tastes extra yummy with a squeeze of lime. Tequila, anyone?

Ingredients:

8 cups popped popcorn

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons adobo seasoning

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Squeeze of lime (optional)

Directions:

1. Coat popcorn in melted butter, adobo seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Close bag / put lid back on and shake until popcorn is well coated.

2. Enjoy! Easy as that.

Party Popcorn (original recipe here)

An easy treat to whip up for birthday parties in your office or at your neighbors'. The perfect snack for anyone who's never ordered ice cream sans sprinkles!

Ingredients:

8 cups popped popcorn

6 ounces white candy melts (use CandiQuik or wafer style, not chocolate chips)

Rainbow sprinkles!

Directions:

1. Melt your white chocolate in the microwave. 

2. On a large baking sheet, mix the melted chocolate into your popcorn. 

3. Sprinkle and enjoy!

Et voilà! Any recipe that involves my favorite snack and takes 20 minutes or less is a win in my book. Let me know what you think!

*Dinner napkins from Katie Kime, World Market, and One Kings Lane; bowls from World Market

**Original recipes linked above; all photos were taken by me and original to Design Darling