Beyond Butter: 12 Alternative Popcorn Recipes

Nothing goes together quite like movies and popcorn — one wouldn’t be complete without the other. There’s just something that feels right about chomping down on the buttery fluffy stuff while watching a big-budget summer blockbuster. Buttered popcorn is an undeniable classic, but as they say, variety is the spice of life. So here are a few alternative popcorn recipes that can put a fresh spin on your next movie night. You might even want to choose your recipe based on the theme of the movie! [Hat tip to recipegoldmine.com for the awesome recipes.]

Bacon Cheese Popcorn

• 4 quarts popped popcorn
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hickory-smoked salt
• 1/2 cup American cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup bacon bits

Pour freshly popped corn into large bowl. Combine butter with hickory-smoked salt. Pour over popcorn; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and bacon bits. Toss again and serve while warm.

Colored Popcorn

• Popcorn
• Food paste (any color desired – from a craft or cake decorating supply store)
• Butter, melted

Add food coloring to a pan of melting butter. When the colored butter is melted, pour it over the popcorn as usual.

French Fried Popcorn

• 8 cups vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 package popcorn
• 1 teaspoon salt

Heat oil and, using a long handled spoon, lower corn into hot oil. Fry until kernels pop and rise to top. Remove and put on paper toweling to drain. Sprinkle with salt.

Simon and Garfunkel Popcorn

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried parsley flakes
• Pinch of powdered sage
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 quarts popped popcorn
• Salt to taste

Melt butter over low heat. Stir herbs and lemon juices into the melting butter. Drizzle over popcorn. Add salt to taste.

Garlic and Parmesan Popcorn

• 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, split
• 3/4 cup popping corn
• Salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Dash cayenne pepper

In a large heavy pot, heat corn oil and olive oil over high heat until the oil smokes. Add 1 kernel popping corn and heat until kernel pops. Add split garlic cloves and rest of popping corn, cover pot, and shake gently until corn starts to pop. Shake vigorously until popping subsides. Remove from heat. Remove garlic and toss popcorn with Parmesan, minced garlic, cayenne and salt. Yields 6 servings.

Jalapeno Popcorn

• 1/2 cup canned sliced jalapeno peppers with juice
• Popcorn
• Vegetable oil

Pour small amount of oil in bottom of large pan. Add peppers and juice. Heat and add popcorn kernels. Pop like regular popcorn. Salt to taste.

Lemon Popcorn

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup popping corn
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over high heat until the oil smokes. Add 1 kernel popping corn and heat until kernel pops. Add rest of popping corn, cover pot, and shake gently until corn starts to pop. Shake vigorously until popping subsides. Remove from heat.

Mix lemon juice with melted butter. Toss popcorn with lemon zest, salt, and butter/lemon juice.

Nacho Popcorn

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 10 cups warm popped popcorn
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl, stir paprika, red pepper, and cumin into melted butter or margarine. Gently toss butter mixture with popcorn, coating evenly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toss till coated.

Amaretto Popcorn

• 3 quarts popped popcorn
• 1 cup unblanched whole almonds
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup Amaretto

Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Arrange popcorn on 2 jellyroll pans; sprinkle almonds over popcorn.

In small saucepan, melt butter over low heat; stir in the brown sugar and amaretto. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour over popcorn; toss until thoroughly coated. Bake at 200 degrees F for 1 hour; spread on foil or wax paper to cool. Store in loosely covered container.

Butter Crunch

• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted
• 10 cups popped unsalted popcorn
• 1 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Grease a 15 x 10 x 1-inch jellyroll pan; set aside. Grease a large bowl.

Toss together pecans and popcorn in prepared bowl. Combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and maple syrup in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 225 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour over popcorn mixture, stirring to coat. Spread on prepared jellyroll pan. Cool completely. Break into pieces.

Chocolate Popcorn

• 12 cup air popped popcorn
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup corn syrup

Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Put popped popcorn into pan. In a large saucepan, combine butter, chocolate chips and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Pour over popcorn and gently stir to coat. Bake at 300 degrees F for 45 minutes stirring frequently. Cool completely. Break into pieces and store in airtight container if you have any left. Enjoy!!!

Peanut Butter Popcorn

• 2 quarts popped popcorn
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring sugar and corn syrup to rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Pour over popcorn and stir quickly to coat.