Best Maple Spiced Kettle Corn Recipes

Spiced Kettle Corn image

Provided by Melissa d'Arabian : Food Network

Time 10m

Yield between 8 to 12 cups

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup popcorn kernels (unpopped)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Steps:

Have a hot pad or kitchen towel and a paper grocery bag or large baking sheet handy. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pan over medium heat. Place a couple of kernels of popcorn in the pan. When the kernels pop, proceed to the next step.
Once the oil is hot enough, add the butter and stir quickly into the oil to prevent burning. Immediately add the popcorn and stir (the butter may not be completely melted). Add the sugar right away and stir again. Cover the pan, and start shaking it gently back and forth on the burner, using a hot pad or kitchen towel to protect your hands. Keep shaking as the popcorn pops.
Once you start hearing 1 or 2 seconds of quiet between the pops, turn the heat off immediately. This means the popcorn is mostly popped. (Be careful not to overcook, as the popcorn can easily burn.) Pour the popcorn into the paper bag or onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Allow to cool a few minutes before placing in a bowl. (Careful, the hot sugar makes the popcorn extremely hot!)

Maple Brown Butter Candy Kettle Corn image

Provided by Trisha Yearwood

Time 45m

Yield about 10 cups

Number Of Ingredients 9

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Nonstick cooking spray, for the parchment paper
2/3 cup maple syrup
6 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup popcorn kernels
1 cup shelled salted pistachios
4 cups assorted colorful bite-sized candy such as candy corn and licorice bites

Steps:

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat, then cook, swirling occasionally, until nutty smelling and the solids are nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl or measuring cup.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Mix the maple syrup, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a small bowl.
Put the oil and 3 or 4 popcorn kernels in a large pot (at least a 6-quart) with a lid. Cover the pot and turn up the heat to medium-high. Wait until you hear one of the kernels pop, then uncover the pot and add the maple syrup mixture and the popcorn kernels; quickly stir everything together, then replace the lid.
Cook the popcorn until the kernels begin popping, then reduce the heat slightly. Cook, shaking often, until the rate of popping starts to slow, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not wait for all of the kernels to pop, or it will burn! Uncover the pot and stir in the brown butter, pistachios and candy.
Pour the popcorn out on the prepared parchment to cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, leaving behind any unpopped kernels.