You won’t believe how easy it is to make hot, freshly popped Kettle Corn at home! All you need is a large pot and 4 basic ingredients for the best homemade kettle corn. Homemade Kettle Corn is a hit at parties, game day, and family movie nights! In This Article Why This Recipe Stands OutKey Recipe IngredientsSubstitutions And VariationsEasy Recipe InstructionsHow To Prep AheadCommonly Asked QuestionsKettle Corn Recipe RecipeMore To Cook And Eat View more This post may contain affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Why This Recipe Stands Out Nothing beats the heavenly aroma of freshly-popped sweet and salty Kettle Corn, and it couldn’t be easier to make at home. Here’s why we love this recipe: Four Simple Ingredients – All you need for the best Kettle Corn is 4 pantry ingredients: popcorn kernels, oil, sugar, and salt. Way Better than Store-Bought: Just like Easy Caramel Corn, homemade Kettle Corn is so much better than store bought. You’ll taste the difference. Easy-to-Follow Recipe: We give you all our favorite tips and tricks we’ve learned throughout the years, so you can master homemade popcorn even if it’s your first try. Healthier Snack: Kettle Corn makes a great healthier snack that the whole family will love. It’s perfect for movie nights and gatherings. Key Recipe Ingredients Popcorn Kernels – We’ve tried many different brands of popcorn kernels and consistently get the best results with name-brand kernels versus generic. Also, make sure your corn kernels are fresh! Olive Oil – Reach for extra-light olive oil rather than extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe. We want a mild, neutral-tasting oil here. Sugar – Granulated sugar adds the perfect hint of sweetness to popcorn without being overpowering. Salt – A couple pinches of table salt bring out all the best flavors in Kettle Corn. Substitutions And Variations There are endless variations for popcorn. Here are some of our favorite variations: Make Buttered Popcorn – Go for classic, movie theater-style popcorn by omitting the sugar and tossing in some melted butter with the salt. Make Caramel Corn – Check out our recipe for Zebra Caramel Popcorn to make a fancy version of this crispy snack. Candy Melts: Try melting various flavors of candy melts to drizzle over your kettle corn. Add Caramel and Chocolate – Offer Salted Caramel Sauce and/or Hot Fudge Sauce on the side, with sliced apples or other fruits and crackers. Easy Recipe Instructions Heat oil with 3 “test kernels” in a pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat.  Once all 3 kernels pop, add popcorn kernels and sugar. Stir and cover, shaking pot vigorously every few seconds as the kernels cook. Once popping has slowed, remove pot from heat and keep shaking until popping ceases. Toss in salt and transfer popcorn to a bowl. Let cool slightly and enjoy! For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below. How To Prep Ahead Did you know you can actually store Kettle Corn for several days after you’ve popped it? Check out our best storage tips: Store at Room Temp: Allow your kettle corn to completely cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dark, and dry place for up to 1 week. Store in the Freezer: We were shocked when we discovered that you can actually freeze popcorn. Allow Kettle Corn to cool completely before placing in an airtight container and freezing for up to 3 months. Simply thaw at room temp until warm enough to eat. Commonly Asked Questions Is Kettle Corn a healthy snack? This Kettle Corn is healthier than others, as we pop it using olive oil, the least amount of sugar needed to gain great flavor, and just a pinch of salt. Corn is also packed with fiber and keeps you full longer. It’s a deliciously healthier alternative to other processed snacks. Is Kettle Corn gluten-free? Yes, our Kettle Corn recipe is naturally gluten-free. Only corn, olive oil, sugar, and salt are used. It’s also dairy-free, since we don’t use butter. How do I keep my Kettle Corn from burning? First, be sure to shake the pan vigorously every few seconds to ensure even cooking. Once popping has slowed down, remove pot from heat and keep shaking the pot until popping ceases. Remove popcorn immediately from the pot so it can quickly cool to room temp. How do you prevent stored Kettle Corn from getting stale? There are two key strategies for avoiding stale Kettle Corn. First, let the popcorn cool completely before storing. Otherwise, the steam will get caught in the container leaving the popcorn soggy. Second, make sure to store it airtight. Uncovered popcorn will get stale very quickly. Should I use white or yellow popcorn kernels? It’s totally up to you! White kernels will pop slightly smaller and have a softer texture, whereas yellow kernels will pop larger and have a sturdier texture. If you want your Kettle Corn to have that classic yellow hue, we’d opt for the yellow kernels. Print Kettle Corn Recipe You won't believe how easy it is to make hot, freshly popped Kettle Corn at home! All you need is a large pot and 4 basic pantry ingredients for the best homemade kettle corn. Course SnackCuisine AmericanDiet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, VegetarianMethod Stovetop Prep Time 2 minutes minutesCook Time 10 minutes minutesTotal Time 12 minutes minutes Servings 8 Calories 122kcal Author Amy Dong Ingredients¼ cup olive oil extra-light, not extra-virgin*½ cup popcorn kernels fresh and good quality¼ cup sugartable salt InstructionsHeat oil with 3 test kernels in large, deep, heavy pot with tight fitting lid, over medium-high heat.  Once all 3 kernels pop, your oil is hot enough to start popping the rest of the kernels. Add popcorn kernels and sugar; stir and cover. Shake pot vigorously every few seconds.  I alternate between setting pot down to rest a few seconds and shaking it a few seconds.  This is a bit of an arm workout, but it's important to avoid burning.Once popping has slowed, remove pot from heat and keep shaking until popping ceases. Sprinkle evenly with a pinch or two of salt. Give it another good shake, and immediately pour kettle corn into a large bowl.Break up clumps as needed, and let cool enough to eat. Store cooled popcorn in airtight container or zipper bag up to a week at room temp.  Notes We opt for extra-light olive oil, because of its mild flavor. Extra-virgin will have too much of an aftertaste. You can also use canola or vegetable oil. Name brand kernels tend to pop up fluffier than generic brands; same goes for fresh vs. older kernels.  Popped popcorn can be stored in airtight freezer bags and frozen for up to several weeks.  Because of the sugar coating, Kettle Corn will stay crisper for longer than regular buttered popcorn. This recipe is part of our Healthy Snacks Collection.  Try serving Kettle Corn alongside this Salted Caramel Sauce or Hot Fudge Sauce.     If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We hearing from you!  Join our Free Recipe Club and get our newest, best recipes each week! NutritionCalories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.4mg More To Cook And Eat Muddy Buddies – Melty peanut butter, decadent chocolate, and powdered sugar encase crispy Chex cereal for the most addictive treat you’ve ever encountered. Candied Pecans – These Cinnamon Sugar Candied Pecans are perfect sprinkled over salads and appetizers or simply enjoyed by themselves. 3-Ingredient Chocolate Clusters – Almonds, dark chocolate, and flaky sea salt are all that’s needed for these ridiculously easy Chocolate Clusters. Samoa Snack Mix – If you enjoyed Girl Scouts Samoa Cookies, you’ll love this easy Samoa Snack Mix. The post Kettle Corn Recipe appeared first on Chew Out Loud.