Hot Honey Butter Popcorn (Printable View)

Crispy popcorn dressed with sweet honey, butter, and spicy chili for a tasty snack.

# What You Need:

→ Popcorn

01 - 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (such as canola or sunflower)

→ Hot Honey Butter

03 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 3 tablespoons honey
05 - 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce (e.g., Sriracha, Franks 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.
02 - Once initial kernels pop, add the remaining popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar to release steam. Shake the pot occasionally until popping slows to 2–3 seconds between pops, then remove from heat and pour popcorn into a large bowl.
03 - In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in honey, hot sauce, and chili flakes (if using) until fully combined and warmed through.
04 - Pour the hot honey butter evenly over the popcorn. Toss thoroughly to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss again to distribute evenly.
05 - Serve immediately, adjusting seasoning or spice level as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms basic popcorn into something that tastes restaurant-quality but takes barely 15 minutes from start to finish.
  • The balance of sweet, salty, and spicy means no two bites taste boring—your taste buds stay interested the whole way through.
  • It's foolproof enough for a weeknight snack but fancy enough to serve at gatherings without anyone knowing how simple it really is.
02 -
  • Timing matters—drizzle the hot honey butter over warm popcorn or it won't coat properly, so don't let the popcorn sit around getting cold before finishing it.
  • The difference between mediocre and amazing is in the tossing; halfhearted stirring leaves dry pieces and pools of coating at the bottom, so really commit to getting everything mixed.
03 -
  • Don't walk away from the stove while the popcorn pops—the window between perfect and burnt is maybe 10 seconds, and you'll regret missing it if you're not listening.
  • If you find yourself with a lot of unpopped kernels, those old kernels have lost moisture over time, so fresh popcorn from a bag you've kept sealed makes a noticeable difference.
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