What Is Mushroom Popcorn?

Andy Waters
Latest posts by Andy Waters (see all)

In short, mushroom popcorn kernels produce firm, and round pieces of popcorn with a hint of chewiness. Mushroom popcorn is completely different from butterfly popcorn, as this is light and airy and it also tends to pop into pretty complicated shapes.

To keep it super simple – mushroom popcorn is a type of popcorn which looks like a mushroom. It has a ball-shaped top and it is well-suited to making coated popcorn, including caramel corn.

In fact, both mushroom popcorn and also its counterpart (butterfly popcorn) could pop from the same kernels, but in recent times corn hybrids have actually been developed. This allows the making of one type of popcorn from one plant.

What is mushroom popcorn?

Mushroom popcorn will tend to be much more firm and much more dense, whereas butterfly popcorn will tend to be lighter and it has wings. This is why it is called butterfly popcorn, because it looks like a butterfly.

More About Popcorn

Well, popcorn is a very popular snack that you can eat at any time of the day. It is renowned and loved worldwide for being that easy go-to snack. It has been served up in movie theaters for years and years, and you can buy a wide range of popcorn varieties these days.

You can purchase popcorn commercially, or pre-popped and you can also purchase popcorn in a variety of flavors. 

Popcorn can be a savory snack, and it can also be a sweet snack. It can even be a snack that you make at home. You can make popcorn at home by using a popcorn machine or you can make your own popcorn in a pot.

Making Popcorn In A Pot

When you are making popcorn in a pot, you will need to just put a tiny bit of oil in the bottom of the pot. Heat the pot and then once it is hot enough you can add the popcorn kernels. Within minutes you will be able to hear the corn pop, and the corn kernels will end up filling the pot. 

It is important to note that the yield with popcorn is pretty large and also the kernels will swell too much bigger than their original size when they have popped. In fact, it will only take a small amount of kernels to fill a pot once they have popped.

Seasoning Popcorn

You can season your popcorn in a wider range of ways, in fact you can season your popcorn with salt and you can also melt butter over it. You can take this up another level by adding other kinds of seasoning to the popcorn.

You could use a range of savory seasonings such as salt and vinegar, or you can even add chilli pepper.

When it comes to the sweeter seasoning choices that you have for your popcorn, you can ultimately use sweet toppings such as sugar or cinnamon sugar.

Mushroom popcorn is used especially when you are coating popcorn like candied corn, or even chocolate-covered popcorn, or even caramel popcorn.

Mushroom has a much firmer consistency which makes it perfect for holding its shape better – even when it is in contact with liquid, such as caramel or such as chocolate. Mushroom popcorn is also preferred for pre-popped and packaged popcorn for this very reason.

How Can You Choose The Best Toppings For Your Mushroom Popcorn

Now we have given a basic outline of the different kinds of popcorn seasonings that you can try, here we will go more in depth on the different kinds of toppings you can try out with mushroom popcorn. 

Here’s the thing, we know that popcorn is a great snack no matter what the occasion is. But, sometimes plain popcorn is not the right snack. It just does not hit the spot.

We all know that butter is the most popular popcorn flavor booster, but it can also add a lot of fat and a lot of calories to your popcorn snack.

There are a whole host of other popcorn toppings which can be just as satisfying for you and they can be much healthier than just opting for butter. In fact your personal tastes and preferences will draw you to specific topping choices – and the options are pretty limitless.

You can try out herbs, or spices or just other flavors in a finely ground powder form. These are super popular choices for commercial popcorn toppings that are found in stores. You will be able to find these popcorn toppings pretty close to the popcorn aisle in a supermarket too.

These toppings are also pretty low in fat and also in calories – although you need to make sure that you keep note of the details on the nutrition labels especially if you are on a specific diet at the moment.

Additionally, a whole host of commercial toppings contain processed foods or even man-made chemicals just to enhance and also to preserve the flavors. You need to be sure that you check the ingredients list of the toppings that you want to use if you are wanting to avoid processed foods or foods that contain man-made chemicals.

Make Your Own Toppings For Your Mushroom Popcorn

Alternatively, you do not have to purchase commercial popcorn toppings. In fact, you can even make your own popcorn toppings that will perfect the taste of your mushroom popcorn. You could try sprinkling garlic powder on your popcorn, or you could even consider ground basil on your popcorn.

These flavors will work as a way to satisfy your cravings for savory foods. 

If you feel that you are craving toppings that are a lot sweeter, then you could top your popcorn with cinnamon mixed with a low-calorie sugar substitute. You might find that you will need to spray your popcorn with a low fat cooking spray just so that you can really get those herbs and spices to stick to your mushroom popcorn.

On the whole, mushroom popcorn is just popcorn that is shaped like a mushroom. Pretty top heavy popcorn, that you can either eat plain or you can experiment with some of the flavors and toppings that we have suggested above.