- How To Make Keto Popcorn - March 25, 2022
- How To Make Oreo Popcorn - March 25, 2022
- How To Make Butter Popcorn - March 25, 2022
Peanut Butter and popcorn, who knew these two flavors would make such a unique and well-loved combination?
Well, we all had a pretty good idea, right? Peanut butter is amazing, and popcorn is even more so! Peanut butter is one of those flavors that just seem to go well with most snack-based foods. It’s got just the right amount of sweetness to it to complement savory dishes, as well as being good on its own for its saltiness.
So, it was only natural for peanut butter popcorn to become a thing, and we’re glad it exists. Popcorn is a salty snack that is heightened with other salted flavors and sweet ones. Peanut butter had both, making it a truly delectable snack combination.
Where Does Popcorn Come From?
Popcorn actually dates back thousands of years, which is hard to believe sometimes when we’ve only seen it being enjoyed through the previous hundred years or so.
We find ourselves asking where it came from, and how did we discover that corn kernels could become such a wonderful snack today? Well, there is actually a rich history to popcorn, and it’s even richer than the saltiest and best popcorn out there!
There are actually biblical studies of corn that are stored in the pyramids of Egypt, and these accounts are dramatically misunderstood. This “corn” as they have read, was most likely barley or another type of grain. Vastly different from the popping corn we all know and love today.
This mistake comes from the change in the direct word, “corn” which actually signified the most-used grain of a specific place. So, in England, this was “wheat”, and in Scotland and Ireland it was actually referred to as “oats”. You get the point.
Americans refer to this corn as maize today, and it has stuck since its first mention, it’s believed that the earliest use of corn was for a term known as popping, which used cultivated corn. The oldest ears of popcorn were discovered in roughly 1948 and 1950 in the Bat cave of west-central New Mexico.
The oldest Bat cave ears are actually over 4000 years old, so this gives you an idea of what time we’re talking about here.
Earliest Accounts of Modern Popcorn
Skip forward to the discovery of the new world, and we get more modern accounts of popcorn, it was first integrated into Aztec Indian Ceremonies in the early 16th century.
They actually would place tassels that were made with the corn upon young women and girls’ heads throughout the ceremony, and these young women would dance, having so vowed, a popcorn dance. I don’t know about you, but a popcorn dance sounds like a great way to appreciate our favorite snack!
Skip forward to the 1800s, and we get popcorn that was considered a breakfast food, as opposed to anything else. Our snack time favorites, being eaten for breakfast? Well, it’s certainly unorthodox, but the more I think about it, the more it actually begins to make sense.
It’s balanced between savory and sweet flavors for a great start to the day, and it’s derived from grains and corns. Oats make oatmeal, so why can’t corn make something for breakfast too? It was eaten just as we enjoy cereal today!
The Great Depression was where popcorn really took off in popularity and sales, in the 1890s, street vendors would follow crowds around pushing their steam-powered poppers through fairs and parks. It was at 5 to 10 cents per bag and was one of the few luxuries that families could afford. While popcorn businesses were thriving, others failed. Causing a rise in popcorn sales.
A man bought a popcorn machine and started a business when his previous business had failed, he started it in a small store near the local theater and within a few years, he’d made enough money to buy back the farm businesses he had lost in the first place. Talk about good timing!
Why Peanut Butter?
I think the better question is why not peanut butter? It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salted flavorings, and this is exactly what popcorn needs. Chocolate can be too sweet at times, resulting in popcorn that can become sickly after a while of eating it.
Peanut butter uses the sweetness and the salted flavors to find a balance here. Where there is balance, there are happy people!
There are also various forms of peanut butter to choose from as well, if you’re more of a nut butter fan, there is no reason to stop you from making a delightful nutty-tasting popcorn from this instead. Or if you’re more of a cashew nut butter person, go ahead and try it with your popcorn. If you like the flavorings, you’ll like it on popcorn too.
How Do I Make Peanut Butter Flavored Popcorn?
All you really need to make a delightful peanut butter popcorn treat is popped microwavable popcorn, preferably two packets, so you have more at the end! 100 grams of margarine, 100 grams of dark brown sugar, (this is where the dreamy sweet taste comes from), 4 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 20 large marshmallows for an added extra bonus!
If you don’t have margarine, you can substitute it out for free-fat, low-fat margarine, or olive oil.
The process is fairly simple, make up your favorite popcorn brand, until you get a bowl or two full of delicious buttery popcorn. Then mix up a bowl of your peanut butter mix with all the ingredients you want to make the taste your own, combine the bowl with the freshly popped popcorn, and you’re done!
Just keep in mind that you’ll want to remove any of the unpopped kernels that may have been left behind in the popping process. These will be a nightmare to remove after you’ve combined the peanut butter with the popcorn. Trust me, I’ve been there!
Frequently Asked Questions
What part of the popcorn kernel is hard?
The popcorn kernel’s hard hull contains the seed’s main, hard and starchy endosperm. This endosperm contains roughly 14 to 20% moisture, which turns into the steam that makes the kernels go pop!
This process is actually fascinating when it comes down to it because if the kernel does not have the right amount of pressure, it will not pop and will fail. But too much pressure and the same thing will happen. It must have the perfect amount to make a successfully popped piece of popcorn.
Is popcorn good for you?
Actually, there are many studies that suggest that as well as popcorn being the healthiest type of snack by far, it also has specific health benefits that you wouldn’t know about initially. It aids in weight loss, improves digestion, and reduced the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer sometimes.
How do you make popcorn with peanut butter and honey?
This is actually fairly simple, however, to start off, place your popcorn in a bowl and set it aside for now. In a preferably heavy saucepan, add your sugar and honey and bring this to a boil over medium heat only, to prevent burning the mixture.
Remember to stir this constantly to keep it delicious and just the right consistency. After 5 minutes, remove this from the heat. Add your peanut butter, and continue stirring! Pour this over your popcorn mixture, and you’re done!
Final Thoughts
Well, we hope you’ve been able to find the answers to your questions about how to make peanut butter popcorn. Peanut butter popcorn can be enjoyed in many ways, and we highly recommend you find out what makes your peanut butter the best first before combining it with your popcorn.
Some may prefer to sweeten their peanut butter mix, for instance when making the syrup or sauce for their popcorn. Or some may enjoy it exactly as it is because there is nothing better than original peanut butter!
