Try this Hot Honey Popcorn Recipe for a new twist to your usual popcorn routine. It's a quick and easy recipe that's perfect for movie night, study sessions, or game day. In just a few minutes, you can whip up this tasty treat by drizzling freshly popped popcorn with honey, a pinch of salt, and some spices. You'll get a delicious mix of sweet and salty with a bit of heat. It's so good, it might just become your new favorite snack!
For more delicious ways to satisfy your sweet and spicy cravings, check out our full collection of Hot Honey Recipes.
This sweet & spicy popcorn is the perfect way to doctor up your usual snack routine. Imagine the flavor of kettle corn meeting a chili pepper, resulting in a flavor explosion that's irresistible. The best part? The heat level is completely adjustable to suit your taste.
While we tried popcorn with a drizzle of hot honey recipe on top, it left us wanting. It felt a little one note. So we set out to see if a version of our famous hot honey sauce would work. Boy, did it ever! This recipe is even better because it is:
- Unique and crave-worthy: The balance of sweet, salty, and heat keeps you coming back for more.
- Budget-friendly: It is hard to beat the price per serving on any popcorn snack.
- Easy gift idea: Instead of the same old popcorn tin, whip up a couple batches of this for the popcorn lover in your life.
- Versatile: Good for a night at home or easy to serve as a snack to a crowd. We included it on our list of Game Day Recipes as the perfect treat for parties!
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Hot Honey Popcorn Ingredients
This recipe only requires a few ingredients that are pantry staples! Ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
- Popcorn: This recipe calls for freshly popped popcorn. Your favorite method will work: brown bag microwave, store-bought microwave, air popper, stovetop, or Instant Pot.
- Honey: Mild honey is best here. If you want to substitute hot honey instead, just leave out or use less cayenne pepper.
- Cayenne pepper: Use more or less depending on your desired heat level.
- Butter: Helps spread the other ingredients evenly and imparts great flavor.
- Smoked paprika: The secret ingredient that sets this recipe apart. Don't substitute this one!
- Garlic Powder: Regular garlic powder of fine ground work equally as well.
- Salt: Our favorite is kosher salt.
How to make hot honey popcorn
This recipe is super easy and works with any already freshly popped popcorn. Use your favorite method to pop it, but be careful not to overcook it. Once it starts to taste burnt, it can ruin the whole snack. So, keep an eye on it, and you'll end up with a perfect batch of popcorn.
Melt the butter and honey together in a small bowl and then whisk in the cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
Place the popcorn in a large bowl to make it easier to stir evenly and quickly without making a mess.
Drizzle the hot honey sauce over the popcorn. Quickly stir it all together so the spicy honey butter coats most of the kernels. It doesn't have to be perfect-some kernels might get a bit more than others, and that's totally fine.
How to store sweet and spicy popped corn
Make sure the popcorn has cooled completely, or else it will produce condensation and become soggy. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
FAQ
Store-bought microwave popcorn can be used for this recipe. For best results use a plain or lightly salted flavor, but butter popcorn can be used as well.
Tips and tricks
- A large bowl makes the stirring process easier and less messy.
- Be ready to stir quickly once the spicy honey sauce gets drizzled on the popcorn. As it cools it will stay in place and not spread.
Hot honey recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Hot Honey Simple Syrup Recipe
- Hot Honey Butter Recipe
- Hot Honey Mustard Recipe
- Homemade Hot Honey Recipe
- Hot Honey Chicken Wrap
Recipe
Hot Honey Popcorn Recipe
Equipment
- air popper optional
- microwavable bowl optional
Ingredients
- 8-10 cups popped corn
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Place popped popcorn in a large bowl.8-10 cups popped corn
- Melt butter and honey together. Mix in spices.1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- Drizzle over the popcorn and stir to combine. Serve.
Notes
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- A large bowl makes the stirring process easier and less messy.
-
- Be ready to stir quickly once the spicy honey sauce gets drizzled on the popcorn. As it cools it will stay in place and not spread.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Rachel says
This is really yummy!! It’s not too much sweet or salt at all. It is the perfect amount. Plus it’s very low calorie!
Misty says
We're glad you like it! Thanks for taking the time to share - makes our day!
Danielle says
It's a super flavorful snack and so easy to make!
Bridget Brown says
Can we store the hot honey in an air tight bottle and use as needed?
Danielle says
We store our hot honey in an airtight jar in the pantry for a few months and it lasts just fine. Hope that helps!