A sweet and spicy cinnamon popcorn treat that’s not too sweet and not too spicy, but just right!
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Hello, my friends!
Are you a popcorn fan?
I love popcorn. It’s easy to whip up when you get that munchy craving and it’s so good.
I’ve already got a couple of favorite popcorn recipes on my site: Coconut Oil Popcorn and Marshmallow Popcorn, both yummy and pretty much irresistible if you like good popcorn.
And today I’m sharing this quick and simple popcorn treat that’s easy to make, fun to share, and also a huge favorite.
This sweet and spicy popcorn comes from a recipe my Mom made all the time when I was growing up. It was always a special treat. I remember making batches and batches of it. It’s quick, easy, but super delicious.
Sweet and spicy popcorn. And by spicy I mean cinnamon-y.
It’s sweet enough without being over the top. If you want it sweeter, just make a smaller batch of popcorn to pour it over – try 8 or 9 cups of air popped popcorn instead of 10. But I think 10 cups is just right.
It’s the perfect quick and easy treat for packaging up and sharing with neighbors and friends. You can find a cute tag to include with it or just keep it simple. Simple is what I love.
My favorite kind of popcorn to use
Let’s talk about popcorn for a minute. All popcorn is not created equal. For recipes like this, I like to buy this mushroom popcorn (aff. link) because it makes the treat a little bit special.
If you don’t want to use the gourmet popcorn, never fear. We’ve been making it for years with just regular old popcorn and it works fine. The mushroom popcorn just steps it up a notch and makes it perfect for gifting.
In the picture below, you can see the difference between regular popcorn (on the left) and mushroom popcorn (on the right). The mushroom popcorn pops round and full and beautiful. It’s great to use for recipes where you pour a coating over the popcorn, like in this recipe.
I’ve included in the recipe a honey-sweetened variation that’s quite a bit different than the sugar version. It changes the flavor quite a bit and the result is quite a bit stickier, but it is still really yummy. But both versions are delicious.
Sweet and Spicy Cinnamon Popcorn
A sweet and spicy cinnamon popcorn treat that’s not too sweet and not too spicy, but just right!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar see note
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 cups air popped popcorn from about ½ cup unpopped kernels
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
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In a small saucepan (or microwave safe bowl) add butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Melt over medium low heat (or in 30-second intervals in the microwave) until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
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In a large bowl, add the popped popcorn, removing any kernels that didn’t pop. Pour melted butter mixture over popped kernels and stir with a spoon until kernels are well coated.
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Place popcorn on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and let cool until cool to touch. Popcorn may still be slightly sticky when removed from oven (but not wet), but should harden as it cools. Serve or pack in air tight containers and store for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
1. Honey-Sweetened Variation: I have also made this recipe by substituting ¼ cup of raw honey for the granulated sugar. It changes the flavor quite a bit and the result is quite a bit stickier, but it is still really yummy. The honey version usually takes about 5 minutes longer to bake.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat, adapted a recipe from my Mom’s cookbook
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
I have tried these sweet and spicy cinnamon popcorn’s by Thatchers Gourmet popcorn, but not tried making at home yet. But definitely going to give it a try using your recipe.
Hi Nina I’ve never tried Thatchers gourmet popcorn but it sounds amazing. 🙂