How To Make Maple Popcorn

The Kernel
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Popcorn has become a staple snack food around the globe. It’s the perfect thing to snack on while watching movies, reading a book, or even when you’re getting on with some work (remote folks, you know what I’m talking about!).

The problem is, most store-bought popcorn contains artificial ingredients, making it less nutritious and unhealthy.

How To Make Maple Popcorn

You can solve this issue by making your own popcorn at home! This way you can control what goes into it. This also means you can be creative and add in your favorite flavors to give your popcorn a delicious twist!

This brings us to our next point and the main gist of this article. Do you ever wish that your popcorn had more sweetness to it? Why not add in some maple syrup to give it an extra pang of flavor, and a delicious syrupy texture.

This article will be going over how you can make your own maple popcorn, as well as extra bits you can add to give it a yummy flair! 

Stove Top Popcorn

Before we get into all that extra stuff, let’s go over some methods on how you can make your own popcorn. One method is using a stove top. Begin by heating up some oil in a pan on your stove. 

Then, pour in the kernels of corn and cover the pot with a lid. Turn the burner on medium. Once the popping starts to slow down, turn off the burner. Wait until the popping stops before removing the lid.

Microwave Popcorn

To make popcorn using a microwave oven, you need to place the kernels of corn in a microwave-safe bowl. Pour enough water into the bowl so that it covers all the kernels, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Microwave the bowl on high for 2 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and stir the kernels. Repeat this step twice more.

You may also use a microwave popcorn maker. These machines have built-in timers that automatically stop after the time period. They also have settings that allow you to adjust the temperature and power level.

Maple Popcorn Variations

Now it’s time for the fun stuff! This article will be going over the different ways you can make maple syrup popcorn. The good news is you can add pretty much anything to popcorn.

Some people like it plain while others prefer adding toppings such as butter, cheese, bacon bits, etc. Here are some other methods of making popcorn with maple syrup.

Mixing Maple Syrup And Butter Together

One staple ingredient that tastes delicious with popcorn is butter. Imagine that velvety texture mixed with a little maple syrup…drool.

To make this recipe, be sure to pop your kernels beforehand using one of the methods above. Then, simply mix 1 cup of melted butter with 3/4 cup of pure maple syrup and stir well. 

Heat this mixture in a saucepan over medium heat, and when the mixture begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat. Add the popped corn kernels and mix well. Serve immediately.

Adding Sugar To Maple Syrup

This one is for those people who have an extra sweet tooth. Adding brown sugar to maple syrup will make it lovely and thick, giving you a super sweet treat. Mix 1 cup of pure maple syrup with 1/2 cup of brown sugar. 

Heat mixture in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the popped corn and mix well. Serve warm for some extra comforting gooey goodness.

Popcorn With Maple Syrup & Salt

Combining salty and sweet is very popular. If you’ve never tried it, now’s the time! Mix 1 cup of maple syrup with 1 teaspoon of salt.

Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add the popped popcorn and mix well. Serve hot or cold.

Using Honey Instead Of Maple Syrup

Using Honey Instead Of Maple Syrup

For those who prefer a different sweet, you can replace the maple syrup with honey. Combine 1 cup of honey with 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Place the mixture in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, then add the popped corn and mix thoroughly. Serve warm.

Adding Chocolate Chips

The best thing about homemade popcorn is you can add whatever you like. If you’re a chocolate lover, you can add some rich chocolate chips to your mixture. Simply add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to 1 cup of pure maple syrup. 

Heat mixture in a small pot over medium heat until boiling; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the popcorn and mix well. Garnish with additional chocolate chips if desired.

Adding Cinnamon

This option is perfect for the holiday period, giving your popcorn a ‘Christmas in a bowl’ feel. Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to 1 cup of maple syrup.

Heat the mixture in a skillet over medium heat until boiling, then reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked popcorn and mix well. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired.

Using Vanilla Extract

Including a drop of vanilla extract in your maple syrup mixture will really enhance its flavor and sweetness. Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to 1 cup of maple syrup.

Heat in a skillet over medium-low heat until boiling, then remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Add the cooked corn and mix well.

Making Maple Popcorn With Bacon Bits

Here’s where things really get creative. We all know that maple syrup and bacon were made for each other, so why not add some popcorn into the mix. Don’t knock it till you try it! In a large mixing bowl, combine:

  • 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup cooked bacon (or substitute with 1/2 cup crispy fried pork rinds)

Make the maple syrup in the same way as the earlier recipe, and coat the popcorn with the syrup in a large bowl.

Combine the popcorn and bacon pieces in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the remaining maple syrup over the top. Toss to coat. Serve warm.

Final Thoughts 

Homemade popcorn is not only fun and easy to make, it gives you total control over what you want to add to it! This article has given you some fun and tasty ways to make maple popcorn. Happy popping! 

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