The “gateway snack” that leads to all kinds of new super-simple homemade delicacies.
Jump to RecipeIf when I say “popcorn,” you think of a plastic-wrapped packet meant to be zapped in the microwave, I am about to blow your mind:
Making popcorn at home is way more satisfying, delicious and amazing-smelling than anything involving watching a bag fluff up with puffy kernels through a frosty glass door.
If you aren’t the type of person who already knows that bomb-AF popcorn is in just a few minutes in a pot on your stovetop, I’m still about to blow your mind, because this Coconut Popcorn is total snack death.
Every year about this time, I raid the pantry, the refrigerator, the spice rack and attempt to clean out all the little bits of ingredients I have leftover from a year of good cooking. Little packets of matcha powder, little jars of seeds, nuts, and special spices just waiting their rotation. Exotic flours and grains, and usually a little jar of unpopped popcorn. Mostly used jars of honey and nut butters, and typically a jar of coconut butter tucked back there too. And so, this Coconut Popcorn was born a few years back.
Since, it’s become the whole reason for me to keep popcorn and coconut butter on hand in the first place and it’s my favorite thing to whip up when I need a great snack for guests, a little something to send home as a favor after a dinner party, when headed to the movies…you name it. Salty, sweet, nutty Coconut Popcorn is always the answer.
The preparation here couldn’t be easier; if you can pop corn (you CAN,) then you can make this popcorn. Get yourself a great, heavy, lidded pot (I use an enamel cast-iron dutch oven.) Get your oil nice and warm and remember to keep shaking the pot so that the kernels toss around inside and you’ll never end up with burn kernels or popped corn.
If you’ve never made popcorn on the stovetop before I hope that this recipe is just a gateway drug for you to play with homemade popcorn, because black garlic powder, togarashi, black truffle salt, and even brown butter are all pretty excellent to toss on there!
This recipe speaks for itself, but I hope that it finds its way into your snack rotation, and into some of your festive holiday meals these next few days!
Here’s to a delicious New Year!
Flavors are FUN, yes, but they also are the mechanisms by which our bodies nourish themselves. Flavors basically tell our bodies what the food is giving us – on a nutritional and energetic level. Our bodies then prepare enzymes to break those components down, assimilate them, and turn them into fuel for our vibrant lives. We can’t eat just one flavor and get all of the things we need, so learning to track the flavors in our foods helps us to be sure that we’re really getting all of the things we need in our meals. This particular recipe has two of six flavors. The more flavors we can enjoy in any meal or food, the happier and more balanced our bodies will be. If you’re wanting to learn more about how the flavors we eat fuel our bodies – energetically and nutritively, check out this little blog post.
The "gateway snack" that leads to all kinds of new super-simple homemade delicacies.
In a large pot with a lid, over medium-high heat, combine 1 Tbsp of the coconut oil along with a few corn kernels. When the kernels start to pop, add the rest of the kernels, cover tightly with a pot lid, and shake the pan until the remaining kernels pop. *Be mindful to keep the popcorn moving to prevent burning.*
In a separate small saucepan warm the coconut butter and 4 Tbsp of coconut oil. Stir often until smooth and viscous – you want the coconut mixture to pour easily. When melted, toss well with the popcorn until the kernels are evenly coated. Sprinkle with sea salt. Allow the popcorn to cool and the coconut butter to set by spreading the popcorn out on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Portion out the popcorn into bags for gifts then seal tightly.