Quick and Easy 4 Ingredients Stovetop Kettle Corn

Snack time! I can’t tell you how many times I have made this 4 ingredient kettle corn for a play group and everyone ranted and raved about it. An easy snack that everyone loves, now that’s my kind of snack!

I was looking for that sweet yet salty taste you get as you are flinging popcorn in your mouth at your local farmer’s market or county fair. That is one of my favorite treats to get at any fair and I was determined to recreate it at home. But it needed to be the perfect balance of sweet and salt.

I was thrilled to find that this recipe was healthy AND delicious! The best part was, the cooking process was so easy!

I always have the 4 healthy ingredients in bulk so it is something I don’t have to plan ahead of time to be able to make. I buy my popcorn kernels, cane sugar, and coconut oil in bulk on Azure Standard. If you are unsure of what Azure Standard is, make sure to watch my video on how I grocery shop for a month at a time.

The best kettle corn is one that is healthy, simple to make, and delicious! Makes the perfect treat.

I truly believe that your food is only as healthy as your ingredients are, and this 4 ingredient kettle corn uses the best basic ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• sea salt to taste

How to make 4 ingredient kettle corn:

1. Add coconut oil in a big pot with lid. Turn stovetop onto medium-high heat and let the coconut oil melt completely. I choose to use coconut oil in place of a vegetable oil or canola oil. It is much healthier plus we don’t keep any form of vegetable oil or canola oil in our house. But feel free to use whatever kind of oil you want. Olive oil or avocado oil would be other options that are healthy, although they may give a different flavor.
2. Once the coconut oil has melted, place 3 kernels in the pot. Wait for the kernels to pop into popcorn before adding any other ingredients. This will ensure the hot oil is hot enough so your sugar doesn’t burn.
3. After your 3 kernels have popped, add in sugar and rest of the kernels. Stir quickly and put the lid on your pot. Shake your pot every few seconds so the sugar doesn’t burn as the popcorn pops (see video for full explanation). You may want to wear oven mitts because the lid does get hot.
4. When the popping slows down, immediately remove the popcorn from the heat and dump into a large bowl.
5. Sprinkle salt onto the popcorn to taste. Give it a quick stir and let cool completely. Don’t skip the salt! That’s what gives it the sweet and salty flavor.
6. After it is cool, break any clumps apart and enjoy!
7. Store any extras in an airtight container. If you want to make a second batch, make sure to wash out your pot before starting over. Otherwise your sugar that is left on the pan will burn immediately and you will end up with burnt kernels. I have not had luck doubling the recipe all at one time. I usually make them in batches, keeping the same measurements above.

Some Helpful Tips.

This 4 ingredient kettle corn is very simple but it can be tricky at first. You don’t have much room for error here, or your popcorn and sugar will burn.

Here are some helpful tips to make this easy kettle corn recipe for best results.

• First off, don’t skip the step of putting in the 3 popcorn kernels first. This will ensure that your oil is hot enough. I can almost guarantee you will burn your sugar if you skip this step.
• Turn your stove off and immediately pull your pot off the heat BEFORE you aren’t hearing the popping sound. Don’t wait for the popping to stop. You want to pull it off when the popping has slowed down and you have a second or two in between each pop. You will have a few kernels that don’t pop at the bottom of the pan, but it’s better then burning the whole batch! The whole process takes about 3-4 minutes. So watch closely!
• Feel free to add more sugar if you like an even sweeter kettle corn. We think a 1/4 cup is plenty sweet though!
• Make sure you are using the right type of popcorn kernels, not microwavable popcorn. You will want whole kernels. I wanted to throw this one in there so there isn’t any confusion.

Storing your 4 ingredient kettle corn.

Now in our house this rarely lasts long, unless I make a double or triple batch. But there has been times that I will make large batches to have stored in my pantry for a quick snack.

This classic kettle corn will keep for a week or 2 in the pantry in an airtight container. It is one of our favorite snacks to bring when we are on the go, so this makes it quick and easy to pack up! We love some sweet snacks when we are out and about.

I usually store it in a jar with a lid and ring, so it’s airtight, or I will store it in a ziploc bag. Either option works great! You will find that it keeps really well and doesn’t get stale as long as it is air tight.

I love this recipe because there is no need for special equipment. You just need a pot with lid and a spoon to stir. The perfect way to get the best homemade kettle corn without having to buy anything extra to do it.

Surprise your whole family the next time you have a family movie night with this 4 ingredient kettle corn and I promise they will be begging for you to make it again and again!