Best Spicy Popcorn Recipes

SWEET AND SPICY POPCORN

Steps:

• Stir the confectioners' sugar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, cumin and cayenne together in a small bowl. Heat the coconut oil in a very large pot with a lid over medium heat. Add the popcorn and half of the sugar mixture, cover the pot and shake to coat. Add the remaining sugar mixture and continue to shake until well coated. Serve immediately.

SWEET, SPICY, AND SALTY POPCORN

Steps:

• Mix cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and allspice together in a bowl.
• Stir butter and honey together in a separate bowl until evenly mixed. Add cinnamon mixture with butter mixture and mix well.
• Place popcorn in a bowl and pour butter mixture over popcorn, flipping often to evenly coat each piece.

SPICY POPCORN

Steps:

• Heat oil in deep pot over medium high heat. Add corn. Cover pot and pop the corn, shaking pan often. Remove from heat. Drizzle with melted butter. Combine spices in a small dish and sprinkle the blend over hot corn. Serve.

SPICY-SWEET BUFFALO POPCORN

Steps:

• Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Fill with popcorn.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad.
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring and swirling pan gently as needed, until sugar has melted and the caramel is a deep amber color, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir Buffalo sauce and butter carefully into the caramel; it will spit and bubble and may form a ball. Return to heat; bring to a boil, stirring until caramel is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda and cayenne pepper.
• Pour spicy caramel mixture carefully over the popcorn. Toss to completely coat, guarding your hands from the hot caramel. Spread the coated popcorn onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes; stir.

SPICY POPCORN

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the butter, paprika, cumin and red pepper flakes. Pour over popcorn; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toss again.

SWEET AND SPICY POPCORN CRUNCH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick baking mats; set aside.
• In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add 3 popcorn kernels and cover until they pop. Add remaining popcorn kernels, cover, and shake pot continuously over burner until popcorn is completely popped, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer popcorn to large bowl; add peanuts and set aside.
• Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, without stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes, swirling pot occasionally.
• Remove mixture from heat and quickly stir in salt and cayenne with a heatproof spatula or spoon. Immediately pour over popcorn mixture and stir to incorporate. Divide popcorn mixture evenly between baking sheets. Transfer to oven and bake, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Let cool on sheet pans before breaking apart into clusters. Store popcorn in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

SWEET AND SPICY POPCORN

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the sugar, chili powder, cinnamon, salt and cayenne pepper. Add popcorn. Spray popcorn with cooking spray. Seal bag and shake to coat.

SPICY POPCORN SEASONING

Steps:

• Pop Popcorn and place in large bowl.
• Melt around 2-3 tbsp butter. (or soy "butter").
• Mix tabasco sauce in with the butter. (To taste, I like about a teaspoon or two.).
• Mix 1 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of garlic powder, and 1 tsp pepper in small cup.
• Pour butter mixture on popcorn about one tablespoon at a time. After you pour the butter mixture on; sprinkle a bit of the seasoning mixture in, and voila!

SPICY-AND-SWEET POPCORN

Steps:

• Combine sugar, salt, garam masala, and cayenne in a large serving bowl.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add popcorn, and cover. Cook, shaking pot frequently, until corn has finished popping. Add to bowl, and toss.

SPICY SRIRACHA POPCORN

Steps:

• Coat the bottom of a large pot with the vegetable oil. Pour in the popcorn kernels, cover and set over medium-high heat. When you hear the first kernels pop, begin to shake. Continue to cook, shaking, until all the corn is popped. When you no longer hear popping, remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl.
• In a pan, melt the butter, add the sriracha and stir. Drizzle over the popcorn and toss. Season with salt.

SWEET AND SPICY PEPITAS POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn according to package instructions. While hot, carefully open package and dump into a large bowl.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until browned and popping, tossing and stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. (Do this in batches, if needed.) Add to the popcorn.
• Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar. Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.
• Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and cayenne. Cool for about a minute. Pour caramel over the popcorn and stir to evenly coat.
• When the popcorn is cool enough to handle, coat your hands with some butter and shape into 4-inch balls. Wrap in waxed paper and tie with a string, if desired. Serve or store covered at room temperature for up to a week.

SPICY CARAMEL POPCORN WITH PEANUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats. Set aside.
• Heat oil with 3 popcorn kernels in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. When kernels pop, add remaining 1/2 cup kernels. Cook, covered, shaking pan occasionally, until popping stops, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let stand, covered, 1 minute.
• Divide popcorn evenly between prepared baking sheets; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat sugar, butter, and corn syrup over medium heat until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved, and mixture is golden brown. Stir in salt and cayenne pepper; add peanuts and stir to coat. Pour mixture over popcorn. Spray a spatula with nonstick cooking spray and toss to combine.
• Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

SPICY EXTRA-CRISPY FRIED POPCORN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine flour, garlic powder, chili-lime seasoning, black pepper, seasoned salt, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
• Mix eggs and hot sauce together in a separate bowl until well blended.
• Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture; coat lightly in flour mixture. Dip into eggs again and coat thoroughly in flour mixture.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) until a drop of water dropped on the pan sizzles. Add chicken; cook until crispy and golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

SWEET AND SPICY SRIRACHA POPCORN MIX

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Spread pecan halves and pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 6 to 8 minutes or until fragrant; cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, melt Spreadables butter with hot sauce.
• Combine warm popcorn with pecan halves, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries in a large bowl. Drizzle with butter mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and re-toss to distribute salt evenly. Serve immediately.

SWEET & SPICY POPCORN CRUNCH OR BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick baking mats; set aside.
• Pop popcorn according to package directions, get rid of unpopped kernels; set aside.
• Make caramel: Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, without stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes, swirling pot occasionally.
• Remove mixture from heat and quickly stir in salt, vanilla, cinnamon & cayenne with a heatproof spatula or spoon. Immediately pour over popcorn mixture and stir to incorporate. Divide popcorn mixture evenly between baking sheets. Transfer to oven and bake, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Let cool on sheet pans before breaking apart into clusters. Store popcorn in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• *Note: If you opt for the 'pepitas' the pumpkin seeds instead of nuts (use one or the other not both) ~ you will need to toast the pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until browned and popping, tossing and stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. (Do this in batches, if needed.) Then, add to the popcorn.
• *If making popcorn balls, use following directions: When the popcorn is cool enough to handle, coat your hands with some butter and shape into 4-inch balls. Wrap in waxed paper and tie with a string, if desired. Serve or store covered at room temperature for up to a week.

SPICY CURRY POPCORN

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn, following manufacturer instructions for your particular popper. We have an old-fashioned style popper that takes two tablespoons oil. I use coconut oil which I account for in the recipe. You can also pop it in a large pot over the stove. If you use an air-popper, you won't use the oil.
• While the popcorn pops, set a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the butter, brown sugar, spices, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until combined. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Note: if your particular popping method or popper requires close supervision, save this step until after your popcorn is popped.
• Transfer popcorn to a large bowl. Drizzle butter and spice mixture over popcorn, pausing to toss occasionally, until the popcorn is coated. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then serve.

POPCORN ROCK SHRIMP WITH SPICY HONEY

Steps:

• Chuck Hughes' golden popcorn rock shrimp served with spicy honey are the perfect game day appetizer.
• For the spicy honey: In a saucepan, on medium heat, bring the honey, garlic, peppercorn, chili flakes, smoked paprika, and salt to a boil and let simmer for 2 minutes. Let cool, strain and transfer to a squeezable bottle. Keep aside.
• For the popcorn shrimp: Preheat the deep-fat fryer to 360 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix together the cornstarch, flour, salt and pepper. Place the eggs in a bowl add the shrimp and coat. Remove the shrimp, letting the excess egg drip back into the bowl, then add the shrimp to the cornstarch mixture. Gently add to the fryer, turning until golden. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve immediately after frying and drizzle with the spicy honey and garnish with lemon wedges.

SWEET-AND-SPICY POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread the pumpkin seeds or almonds in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until nicely toasted, stirring once. Transfer to a large heat-proof bowl and set aside. Pop the popcorn according to package instructions and transfer to the bowl. Toss the popcorn with the seeds or nuts until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
• Combine the agave nectar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring every other minute so that the mixture doesn't stick to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until the liquid turns deep amber, about 10 minutes more. Turn off the heat and let the syrup sit for 1 minute. While whisking briskly, add the coconut milk, the 2 tablespoons coconut oil, the vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne and continue to whisk until the caramel is smooth. Cool for 1 minute, then pour the caramel over the popcorn mixture and stir until evenly coated. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Put on sanitary rubber gloves and add a dime-sized dollop of coconut oil in the palm of one hand. Rub your hands together until your palms are lightly coated and shape the popcorn mixture into 3-inch balls.

SWEET & SPICY POPCORN

Steps:

• Cook the microwave popcorn according to the packet instructions. Tip into a large bowl. Sprinkle over the spices, then pour over the agave syrup. Stir and serve warm or pour into a bag and take to work as an afternoon snack.

SPICY, SALTY, SWEET POPCORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300F. Lightly butter a large baking sheet with sides; spread popcorn, pistachios and papaya on sheet. Keep warm in oven. Meanwhile, heat sugar in a dry 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is medium amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in pepper flakes and ginger. Drizzle sugar mixture evenly over popcorn; toss with a spoon. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. Cool on baking sheet; cool and store in a covered container at room temperature up to 4 days.