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You don’t have to have a popper to pop popcorn. You can do it in a covered pan on the stove or in the microwave. But a popper is convenient.
See our Microwave Popcorn Popper.
See our Old-Time Hand-Crank Stovetop Popper.
The best tip is to listen to your popcorn—let it tell you when it’s ready. The sound of popcorn popping is the clue. When you can count to two seconds between popcorn, it’s ready.
How to Pop Popcorn on the Stovetop
Step 1: Choose a large pan, big enough to hold your popcorn. If you use a half cup of popcorn kernels, you’ll need a 4-quart pan. The Popcorn Board says the yield should be one quart of popcorn popped for every ounce of unpopped corn.
Step 2: Pour just enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a pan. Turn on medium high heat and heat the oil until it is hot. If it starts to smoke, it’s too hot. Add the popcorn kernels and shake the pan to coat the kernels with oil. Cover with the lid.
Step 3: Let the popcorn pop. The corn will begin to pop in about 3 minutes. When the popping slows, remove the pan from the heat and lift the lid to allow the steam to escape away from your face. Be very careful not to burn yourself on the steam.
How to Pop in the Microwave
You’ll need a microwave popcorn popper. Follow the instructions that come with your popper.
To make your popcorn, place about half of the popcorn from the kit in your popcorn popper. Set your microwave on medium high for 2 to 3 minutes. Microwave ovens vary so listen to the popping of the corn to tell when it’s done. Remove the popper from the microwave and gently shake the corn to aerate it. Pop the second half of your corn.
Tips for Success
Don’t salt your popcorn before it’s popped. Salt toughens popcorn.
Don’t let your popcorn dry out before popping. Keep it in a sealed container. Don’t refrigerate unpopped corn. The refrigerator tends to dry popcorn.
Our new caramel popcorn kits are the quickest, easiest ways that we know to make caramel popcorn. It makes lots of gooey caramel poured over Original Kansas City Popcorn Emporium popcorn. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Makes about one gallon of scrumptious candy popcorn
Contains a caramel candy mix that makes nearly three cups of gooey caramel candy
Takes only about 15 minutes to cook the candy depending on your pan and the heat
Simply pour the hot candy over the popcorn and stir
Comes with complete, simple instructions
If this is not the best caramel corn ever, we’ll give you your money back.
Recipes for more yummy candy popcorn
Midnight Moonlight Licorice Popcorn
When we concocted this popcorn, we envisioned popcorn black as midnight. But you don’t completely cover every puffed kernel; you have shadows and light—moonlight at midnight. I’m not a black licorice fan but this is very good popcorn. Fun for Halloween too!
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup white corn syrup (Karo)
1/8 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons Anise (Licorice) Flavor
2 drops of Americolor Super Black food coloring gel or equal
Yields 14 cups of candy popcorn. This recipe can also be doubled successfully.
Pop the popcorn kernels. Set aside in 2 large bowls.
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan.
Add the corn syrup and water. Stir.
Add the sugar. Make sure not to let any sugar stick to the edges of the pan. If one grain of sugar is left undissolved, it can cause the whole batch to crystallize.
Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 235-245 degrees. (Please use a candy thermometer). It is important for the mixture to reach this temperature, if it doesn’t the candy will not harden properly.
Add the baking soda and stir quickly as the mixture begins to bubble. Once bubbly and frothy, remove the pan from heat.
Add the flavor and food coloring until mixed in.
Pour over the popped popcorn in both bowls. Fold into the popcorn until evenly coated.
Merri Ann’s Original Caramel Popcorn
Merri Ann is the queen of caramel popcorn. She makes it often and she does so from memory. It’s always perfect. She usually doubles the batch.
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup white corn syrup (Karo)
1/8 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Yields 14 cups of candy popcorn.
This recipe can also be doubled successfully. If you would like a richer caramel, substitute another 1/2 cup brown sugar for the granulated sugar.
Pop the popcorn kernels. Set aside in 2 large bowls.
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan.
Add the corn syrup and water. Stir.
Add both sugars. Make sure not to let any sugar stick to the edges of the pan. If one grain of sugar is left undissolved, it can cause the whole batch to crystallize.
Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 235-245 degrees. (Please use a candy thermometer). It is important for the mixture to reach this temperature, if it doesn’t the candy will not harden properly.
Add the baking soda and stir quickly as the mixture begins to bubble. Once bubbly and frothy, remove the pan from heat.
Pour over the popped popcorn in both bowls. Fold into the popcorn until evenly coated.
Jenny’s Gooey Caramel Green Apple Popcorn
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup white corn syrup (Karo)
1/8 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons Apple Flavor
1 tsp Caramel Flavor
3 drops Electric Green food coloring gel or equal
Yields 14 cups of candy popcorn. This recipe can also be doubled successfully.
Pop the popcorn kernels. Set aside in 2 large bowls.
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan.
Add the corn syrup and water. Stir.
Add the sugar. Make sure not to let any sugar stick to the edges of the pan. If one grain of sugar is left undissolved, it can cause the whole batch to crystallize.
Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 235-245 degrees. (Please use a candy thermometer). It is important for the mixture to reach this temperature, if it doesn’t the candy will not harden properly.
Add the baking soda and stir quickly as the mixture begins to bubble. Once bubbly and frothy, remove the pan from heat.
Add the flavor and food coloring until mixed in.
Pour over the popped popcorn in both bowls. Fold into the popcorn until evenly coated.
You can use any flavor and color combination for your favorite popcorn treat.
About the Author
Dennis Weaver has burned food from Point Barrow, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. He is the founder of The Prepared Pantry in Rigby, Idaho. He loves to help people bake and shares his vast collection of cooking and baking knowledge on his blog as well as in his e-books and magazines. Dennis lives in Rigby, Idaho, with his wife, Merri Ann. They have five wonderful children and six beautiful granddaughters.
