In case you didn’t know, today is National Popcorn Day! A whole day dedicated to the buttery, salty goodness of popcorn; what could be better? For this day only, you can feel free to to indulge in this tasty snack. It’s all in the name of celebration, because this is a legitimate holiday, right? It is also a good excuse to try various kinds of popcorn that you otherwise wouldn’t. There are hundreds of recipes to choose from, there’s no way to try them all in a day! So here are some tried and true recipes to get you started. (All of the recipes were made with ½ cup of popcorn kernels in mind. Adjust measurements accordingly.)
Italian Popcorn Seasoning—to “spice” up your everyday popcorn
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp. of garlic salt
- ½ tsp. of salt
- ¼ tsp. of freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: ¼ tsp. of red pepper flakes
- Melted butter (varies, according to how much popcorn you want)
Directions:
- Mix ingredients (except butter) together in a small bowl.
- Pop your favorite unbuttered popcorn in the manner of your choosing: air-popped, stove-popped, microwave popped.
- Coat with melted butter. Shake seasoning onto popcorn and stir to cover evenly.
- Any leftover seasoning can be stored in the fridge until your next popcorn binge!
Chocolate Popcorn Balls—for those with a sweet tooth
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbs. of butter
- 1 bag of mini marshmallows (about 10 oz.)
- ¼ cup of cocoa powder
Directions:
- Pop your favorite unbuttered popcorn. Set aside in large bowl.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat.
- Pour in the marshmallows, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- After melted, remove from heat. Add cocoa powder and stir.
- Immediately pour mixture onto popcorn. Stir to coat evenly.
- Cool for a few moments in the fridge or freezer until firm and easy to touch.
- Form into balls with a spoon, or using your hands.
- For added sweetness, drizzle melted peanut butter or caramel, sprinkle with coconut flakes, or crushed peppermint.
- Leave out until balls reach room temperature. Enjoy!
Honey and Sea Salt Popcorn Balls—a healthy alternative to caramel corn
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbs. of honey
- Sea salt to taste
Directions:
- Pop your favorite unbuttered, unsalted popcorn. Set aside in large bowl.
- Heat the honey in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until it begins to simmer.
- Leave for one minute without stirring. It will bubble, and that’s okay (this is all a part of the caramelizing process).
- Remove immediately from heat after the one minute.
- Drizzle over popcorn, stirring to coat.
- Sprinkle sea salt to taste. (You can omit the salt, if you wish.)
- Cool for a few moments in fridge or freezer, until firm and easy to touch.
- Shape into balls using a spoon or your hands.
- Leave sitting out until balls reach room temperature. Enjoy!
Something seasoned, something sweet and something healthy; there’s a jazzed-up popcorn for everyone. Have fun experimenting with this classic in your own way. What’s your favorite recipe for popcorn? Comment below…
