Description
Sweet and salty kettle corn dances with carnival nostalgia, bringing childhood memories to life. Crisp kernels kissed with sugar and salt promise a simple yet irresistible snack you’ll want to share with friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- ½ cup corn kernels
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Seasoning:
- ¼ to ½ teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Warm a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, adding vegetable oil and 3 test popcorn kernels to gauge the precise cooking temperature.
- When the initial test kernels pop fully, immediately pour in the remaining popcorn kernels and granulated sugar, ensuring an even distribution across the pot’s surface.
- Quickly cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, gently shaking the pot continuously to prevent sugar from burning and to promote uniform kernel heating.
- Continue moving the pot back and forth over the heat source until popping sounds slow to approximately 2-3 seconds between pops, indicating most kernels have transformed into crispy popcorn.
- Remove from heat and carefully pour the freshly made kettle corn into a spacious serving bowl, using caution as the sugar coating will be extremely hot.
- Sprinkle ¼–½ teaspoon (1-2 grams) kosher salt evenly over the popcorn, gently stirring and breaking apart any sugar-formed clusters to ensure a balanced seasoning and texture.
- Allow the kettle corn to cool for 2-3 minutes before serving to let the sugar coating set and prevent potential burns.
Notes
- Kernels are the secret weapon for perfect popping, signaling when the oil reaches the ideal temperature.
- Sugar caramelizes quickly, so continuous stirring prevents burning and creates an even golden coating.
- Timing matters most when listening for popping intervals to stop, which typically takes 2-3 minutes.
- Salt distribution requires gentle folding to ensure every piece gets a delicate seasoning touch.
- Cooling the popcorn on a wide surface helps prevent soggy clusters and maintains that crispy crunch.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg