This yellow, intensely buttery homemade Movie Popcorn stays crisp FOR DAYS! Save a fortune at the movie theatre candy bar – just remember to take a giant bag so you can smuggle in loads of your own homemade Butter Popcorn….
Homemade Movie Popcorn (Butter Popcorn)
Today’s butter popcorn recipe is for everyone who’s blown a fortune at movie theatre candy bars.
In particular, for all fellow Aussies who remember enjoying cheap movie tickets on Tight-Arse-Tuesdays*, only to spend twice as much on popcorn and M&M’s.
I can’t help you on the M&M’s.
But I can help you with the butter popcorn!!!
This butter popcorn is intensely buttery – and it stays crisp for days!
* In Australia, movie tickets are (were??) discounted by most cinemas every Tuesday. We affectionally referred to it as Tight-Arse-Tuesdays. You’d be hard pressed to find an Aussie who isn’t familiar with this term!
How to make butter popcorn without it going soggy
The secret to stay-crispy popcorn that’s really butter is clarified butter, also known as ghee. This is just melted butter that’s simmered until the water in the butter evaporates – because butter is made up of fat, milk solids and water.
Once the water is evaporated, the melted butter is now pure butter fat. This has two benefits for butter popcorn:
Use to pop the popcorn – because it has a higher smoke point than normal butter. You CANNOT pop popcorn with normal butter, it just burns; and
Won’t make popcorn soggy when you pour the butter over it. In fact, it stays crispy for days and days and days….
Alternative to making clarified butter: Use store bought ghee. That’s what clarified butter is!
How to make clarified butter– the secret to “stay crispy” butter popcorn
This stuff is also known as liquid gold. The buttery smell is just insane!
And if that isn’t enough, another miracle is that clarified butter can be stored in the pantry for months and months. It’s liquid when warm and a soft butter consistency at room temperature (just microwave to melt).
You’ll find ghee is called for in almost every Indian recipe. Also, use it in place of melted butter in any recipe – clarified butter is just browned butter which is butter on steroids!
How to make Movie Theatre Butter Popcorn
So now you know the secret to stay-crispy butter popcorn, here’s how to make Movie Theatre Butter Popcorn that’s ultra buttery and will stray crisp for days! (I use the same technique in my Lightly Sweet ‘n Salty Popcorn, which adds a slightly sweet touch compared to this Butter Popcorn.)
Grind salt or blitz in food processor to make it a fine powder – it needs to be fine so it sticks to the popcorn
Melt clarified butter (ghee) in a pot – do not use normal butter
For optional movie theatre yellow popcorn colour – add tumeric and saffron powder (see section below for more info)
Add popcorn kernels, clamp lid on
30 seconds after popcorn starts popping, shake pot once
When popping stops, remove from pot and immediately transfer popcorn into large bowl
Douse liberally with more clarified butter and sprinkle with salt. Do not use normal butter, it will make it soggy!
How to make Movie Popcorn YELLOW!
For a truly authentic Movie Popcorn experience, this recipe includes an option to make your popcorn yellow!
After many many batches of popcorn, I’ve settled on a combination of imitation saffron and tumeric powder as the best way to add an authentic yellow colour to the popcorn. I dissolve it in a touch of water, then swirl it around in the butter before adding the kernels.
Caveat: You will get yellow fingers and tongue, just like when you indulge in Cheetos and Cheezels! There is also the slightest hum of warmth left on your tongue from the spices, barely noticeable. None of my friends noticed it – until I probed them repeatedly!!!
For fellow food nerds interested in how I landed on this: The spices have to be dissolved in a touch of water because they don’t dissolve or seep into fat. This was also the problem with normal yellow food colouring – it doesn’t dissolve in fat. I tried emulsifying it by shaking in a jar with the butter, grinding with salt and sprinkling. I also found that using both spices achieved the colour I was after – tumeric alone makes the popcorn a crazy neon yellow colour, while saffron comes out a cheddar orange colour.
Phew! Who knew I could write so much about popcorn??!!
I will tell you this though. Putting aside the yellow colouring, because that really is optional, Homemade Movie Popcorn is insanely addictive. It’s buttery in a way that just dousing with normal melted butter never will be. It’s lightly and evenly salted in a way that you can’t achieve just by using normal cooking or table salt.
And the best part?
IT STAYS CRISP FOR DAYS. As in – perfectly crispy.
Start thinking about how you’re going to smuggle this into the cinema. Because honestly, it’s almost criminal how expensive movie popcorn is to buy!!! – Nagi x
More Popcorn recipes
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Homemade Movie Popcorn (Stay-crisp Butter Popcorn)
Ingredients
Movie Popcorn:
- 3 tbsp Popcorn Butter or ghee (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup popcorn kernels
- 2 – 3 tbsp Extra Popcorn Butter or ghee (Note 1)
- 1 tsp Popcorn Salt
Popcorn Salt:
- 1 tbsp salt
Popcorn Butter (clarified butter / ghee):
- 250 g / 2 sticks unsalted butter
Yellow Colouring (optional):
- 1 1/2 tsp warm tap water
- 1/4 tsp saffron powder , imitation (Note 2)
- 1/8 tsp tumeric powder
Instructions
Movie Popcorn:
- Place 3 tbsp Popcorn Butter in a large 10L/10qt lightweight pot over medium heat (medium high if weak stove).
- When the butter is almost melted, pour in Yellow Colouring, if using. Quickly give the pan a shake to disperse the colouring across the base.
- Add kernels, shake quickly to spread across the base, then clamp lid on. The kernels will start popping after a minute or so.
- Shake briefly once after 30 seconds or so. When the popping stops, immediately pour popcorn into a large bowl.
- Melt Extra Popcorn Butter in microwave. Pour over popcorn, sprinkle over salt. Shake and toss well to disperse. Extra fantastic served warm but still irresistible at room temp.
.
Popcorn Salt:
- Place in a mortar and pestle and grind into a fine powder. OR use about 1/2 cup salt and blitz in food processor.
Popcorn Butter (video helpful):
- Place butter in a silver saucepan over medium low to medium heat.
- Leave to melt, it will start to sputter and spit, then foam.
- When you push the foam aside and you see brown bits on the bottom of the saucepan, remove from heat. Takes about 10 minutes.
- Line a strainer with 2 paper towels, then strain butter through – discard brown bits.
- Pour strained butter into a jar or container. It sets when it cools. Use in liquid or set form. Keeps in the pantry for months (it is now ghee / clarified butter).
Yellow Colouring (optional):
- Mix ingredients in a small bowl until spices dissolve.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Look what I found on my phone from the trip down south to Araluen last weekend! Just rolled out of bed, complete with ugg boots, trackies, bed hair, completely makeup-less, clutching Dozer.
Ooooh…. *light bulb goes off in head*…. I could be talking about any day…..
Vera G says
Am having it now, right now…..Love it. Mad, mad about popcorn. Safe trip and get some rest.
Kirrily Weatherstone says
How did I go so long without knowing this recipe! It’s amazing. Just wondering whether if you air pop your kernels and then add ghee will it still taste nice and buttery or is popping in the ghee/butter also essential?
Nagi says
Popping in the butter definitely has more flavour but you could air pop if you prefer – N x
Angela says
I absolutely LOVED your popcorn recipe. Thanks for sharing it. Always a pleasure to read your posts.
Nagi says
Awesome Angela!
Suzette says
Great recipe! Where can I get imitation saffron? I haven’t been able to find it in the U.S.
Nagi says
It’s the saffron powder that major supermarkets usually stock – N x
Mkaren says
What kind of butter did you use or what brand
I use Falfurrias unsalted butter from Walmart but when solidify it is a gray color and I see that yours is yellow
ucminiapp.in says
Hello, this weekend is nice for me, since this point in time
i am reading this impressive informative paragraph here at my home.
Anna says
Hi Nagi,
So happy you posted this, I love popcorn and although I’ve been happy with my stove-top popcorn I wanted to take it up a notch and try your recipe. I was also very excited about the ghee recipe but unfortunately that’s were I struggled. The melted butter wouldn’t properly strain through the paper towel. I first tried two paper towels as specified in the recipe and then just one. It was dripping really slowly so I left it on the kitchen bench but when I came back it had gone hard in the paper towel…
Do you have any ideas what I could do differently? Maybe use a nut bag instead of paper towel? Or a different brand of paper towel (I’m in Australia)?
Cheers, Anna
P.S. The popcorn was delicious, my favorite seasoning is cinnamon and a bit of sea salt.
Lisa says
Such a beautiful photo of you two. x
(woops forgot to say yummm again – he IS a gorgeous distraction)
Nagi says
😂 I’ll take Dozer compliments over food compliments anyday!
Gee Gee says
It IS a great picture of you two! He’s cute, but you are adorable!!! Oh, and whether you like them or not, ! can’t give you enough food compliments! I LOVE your site! As others have said, your recipes are straightforward, delicious and full of all the details that make me feel comfortable trying something new. I never have questions after reading or trying one of your recipes because you have anticipated the questions and provided answers!! I have learned so much from you – THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Judy Potocki says
I just bought ghee and I’m ready to go! This butter popcorn recipe is a treasure.
LOVE the pix of you and the Doze, too!
Nagi says
DO IT DO IT!!!
Brigette Paterson says
Thank you for this photo – it’s made my week. Gorgeous!
I love this recipe and will be making it with ghee as I’m too afraid to try to clarify butter myself.
I do a nice caramel popcorn but can’t ever do a proper butter one so this is awesome, thank you!
Nagi says
I hope you get a chance to try this Brigette! It really is SO GOOD! N x
Vera G says
Hello HAPPY couple!! Beautiful PHOTO. AS for popcorn I WOULD NOT BE WITHOUT IT, true. Comes a winter comes popcorn and am HAPPY Chapy !! No color for me. Ala Natural! Love, love IT! MY MUM use to make for us on New Years Eve. HAVE great day.
Nagi says
You’re a popcorn lover too!! I LOVE THAT!!!
Jayne Knight says
That’s a great picture of you and Dozer. Completely natural. You’ve got such a happy expression. Dozer on the other hand doesn’t look too impressed. Does he not do mornings? Lol. x
Hugs for Dozer xx
Nagi says
He mustn’t have had his breakfast yet…. either that, or he’s thinking “Woman! Just let me run freeeeeee!!!”
Tracy says
Hi Nagi
Any idea on how to make a Sweet and Salty version love them mixed together.
The colouring is a very clever idea – can’t wait to try it
Nagi says
OR just use icing sugar!!! Oooh… I think I’ll try that tomorrow! N x
Nagi says
I have a caramel popcorn recipe I was planning to share one day! It’s lightly coated and I add salt to make it sweet/salty. But after I saw this message I wondered if it would work to add sugar into the clarified butter!
Rose says
I do have to laugh… the movie theaters are going to be impressed with you aren’t they… “so you can smuggle in loads..”
Before you know it they will be doing bag checks after they keep on seeing vivid coloured popcorn on the floor 😉
Blame it all on Nagi. ha ha
Beautiful photo of the 2 of you.
Nagi says
YES! YES YES!!!!
Gillian DidierSerre says
That’s a beautiful photo of the 2 of you. .who needs make up! !! I was fainted with the yellow add no for the pop corn must try. .love pop corn! Thanks
Nagi says
I barely ever wear make up anymore!! Hate the feeling of my pores being clogged up 😂
J says
Hahaha! Then I’ll be watching for Kettle popcorn, toffee popcorn, oooh chocolate popcorn etc. Yum, yum, and yum!!!
Nagi says
Stop! I’m going to be buried under a mound of popcorn!!
J says
Hahaha! How did I ever forget caramel popcorn! Just saying. I’ll stop now bc you’ll never catch up. 😀
P. Gail says
Love the pic of you and Dozer…….you look so happy Nagi and relaxed, and Dozer, well Dozer looks a little bewildered….but beautiful even then…….keep him close.
The recipe looks and sounds great I can make it for the grandchildren. Unfortunately :-(…..I can’t eat popcorn, although I enjoyed it very much at one time in my life.
Glad you enjoyed your time away!
Nagi says
Bewildered!!! Ba ha ha! I think that was either a “Woman! Feed me!” look or “Woman! Let me go to run FREEEEEE!”
Eha says
Ha! One of the best photos of you and Dozer I have seen – love the mussed hair and no makeup and big happy smile 🙂 ! Have never been into popcorn – well, being some 45km from the nearest cinema along busy Hume Highway have forgotten what a trip there is like also. More comfortable at home and should really try your ‘movie’ popcorn once for a TV session in bed! Wondering: if one did turn up at the cinema with a big bag of illicit popcorn these days . . . would you not be suspect to carrying weapons or drugs or else . . . 🙂 ?
Nagi says
Remind me what area you’re in? I was down at Araluen last weekend – beautiful part of the world
Eha says
Just up the hill from the Sydney Basin near Picton: pretty but not quite as ‘posh’ as Bowral down the road . . . . and a little ‘hemmed in’, having been a long-time Eastern Subs gal . . . .
Dave says
I don’t know if it’s available “down under” but there are are commonly available pre packaged kits of 8 ounces that contain the corn, coconut oil, coloring and flavored salt AKA flavacol. 1 ounce roughly means 1quart popped.
Nagi says
Wow they sell the kits with Flavacol! I have to try one next time I’m in the states! N xx
Dave says
First let me clarify that you are among my faves.
The kits and flavacol salt are available on Amazon. What’s new? Here’s what I do. I get a piece of foil big enough to crimp over an 8-quart pot. Set that aside. Fire up the stove and put the pot on the stove. Add just the oil part of the kit.
When it just starts to smoke, add the corn and salt. Give it a circular motion stir for a couple seconds. You now have 30 seconds before the action starts.
Quickly cover and crimp the foil over the pot. Poke about 8-10 small holes or slits to let steam escape.
Shake the pot again to ensure all kernels heat evenly. Shake every few seconds. When the pot is half full with popped corn, remove the foil and keep shaking it. When popping slows to one or less per second, dump it into a larger bowl. Add more salt or flavavol if desired and shake to distribute.
To emulate the light, fluffy crunch of true theater popcorn, place the bowl of popped corn in a 250° oven for 15-20 minutes.
Add your toppings and share with the dog(s) or someone you like just a little less. Lol
Nagi says
I know that method! Where did I read about that?? I can’t remember. Maybe Alton Brown???
Martin says
Where’s the fun in that! Much more satisfying to make your own.
Dave says
Yes it is. Go for it. Wherever method you use, be sure and bake your popped corn as I recommended if you prefer a light and fluffy chew. Otherwise after popping let it dry a little, add more salt, toss then serve. Letting the popped kernels dry out some before salting prevents a tougher chew.
Wynn says
In the US, theater popcorn used to be popped in coconut oil with authentic butter flavoring (probably a ghee equivalent) and coloring, until the NIH and food nazis went on an anti-fat rampage and pressured theaters to change it all years ago. Most theaters here don’t even pop it fresh anymore. They buy it bagged in huge cartons and just warm it under lights in units that look like popping machines, then drizzle it with a yellow, artificially flavored faux-butter oil. It’s disgusting! AND, it’s a less healthy version of the original version the food nazis had campaigned against back when they’d declared that a great war on fats! These would be the same folks who’d also thought that sugar substitutes were healthy. Idiots!
It’s outrageous that theaters charge what they do for popcorn, but especially so for the nasty facsimile product they continue to pass off as theater popcorn! They should bring back the real thing, but probably never will. Fortunately, our super hero Nagi and her trusty canine sidekick Dozer have come through and saved the day, and all of us, from the hellish evils of faux theater popcorn And the further insult and indignity of being charged astronomical prices for it, too! We can all indulge in the real thing again! Thanks!!!
Nagi says
I don’t want to KNOW what it’s movie theatre popcorn!!!