How to Make Stovetop Popcorn

$0.54 recipe / $0.14 serving
by Beth Moncel
4.17 from 53 votes
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Stovetop popcorn is, was, and will always be one of my favorite budget-friendly snacks. It takes only minutes to make, can be flavored with hundreds of different ingredients, both sweet and savory, and it is shelf stable. Really, what more could you want in a snack?? And if you’ve only experienced microwave popcorn, hold onto your seat. Stovetop popcorn is a whole different beast! The kernels are fluffier, have a better texture, and a more intense corn flavor. Once you go stovetop, you’ll never go back.

A big bowl of stovetop popcorn on a zig zag napkin with a measuring cup of unpopped kernels on the side

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What Makes Popcorn Pop?

To understand how to make stovetop popcorn, it can help to understand what makes popcorn pop to begin with. Every dried kernel of corn still contains a small amount of moisture in the center. When that moisture heats up rapidly and turns into steam, pressure builds within the kernel until it eventually pops. To get the best pop you want the hottest oil and the fastest increase in temperature (which is why I don’t add the kernels until the oil is already hot).

What Oil Should You Use to Make Stovetop Popcorn?

Stovetop popcorn is all about the oil. The hot oil is what causes the kernels to pop into a big, fluffy, crunchy cloud and it’s important that you use an oil that can withstand a very high heat. If you use a lower heat oil, you risk the oil reaching its smoke point and then flash point, which will cause the oil to burst into flames (not good). To avoid this, make sure to use a “high heat” oil, or an oil that has a smoke point of 400ºF or higher. Some oils that have a high smoke point include (but are not limited to): vegetable, canola, corn, grapeseed, avocado, safflower, and sunflower oil.

Why is My Popcorn Always Small and Hard?

There are a few things that can cause popcorn to not pop into big fluffy pieces. Here are the most common reasons:

  • Old kernels – if your popcorn kernels are very old, they won’t contain as much moisture in the center and therefor won’t pop as big.
  • Not enough oil – if you don’t use enough oil, there won’t be enough to heat the kernels quickly and evenly, and you’ll get a lot of half-pops and small pops.
  • Adding kernels to cold oil – When kernels heat up slowly with the oil the pop will be less dramatic and the pieces will be smaller.

How to Season Popcorn

My favorite part about popcorn is that you can literally add anything to it. My favorite go-to seasoning is Tony Cachere’s, but I also love plain salt and freshly cracked pepper. A little sprinkle of grated Parmesan is great, as is sriracha, truffle oil, nutritional yeast, or garlic herb seasoning. Oh, and butter. OMG butter.

And if you’re into sweet popcorn, butter, sugar, and cinnamon!

Share your favorite popcorn topping with me (and the rest of us) in the comments below!

How to Make Stovetop Popcorn for One

The recipe below makes about 8 cups, but you can also make a smaller 2-4 cup batch for one person. I usually do 1 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp corn kernels, making sure to use a very small sauce pot.

A big bowl of popcorn with two smaller portioned bowls on the side, with a measuring cup of unpopped kernels next to the bowls
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Easy Stovetop Popcorn Recipe

4.17 from 53 votes
How to make perfect fluffy and crunchy stovetop popcorn with just a couple of ingredients and one pan. The perfect, fast, and inexpensive snack!
Author: Beth Moncel
One large bowl of popcorn with a measuring cup of popcorn kernels on the side
Servings 4 2 cups each
Cook 5 minutes
Total 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp high heat cooking oil* ($0.04)
  • 1/3 cup popcorn kernels ($0.19)
  • 2 Tbsp butter (optional) ($0.26)
  • 1/2 tsp seasoning salt (optional) ($0.05)
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Instructions 

  • Add the oil and one kernel to a large sauce pot. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat onto medium-high. Wait for the test kernel to pop.
  • Once the kernel pops, add the rest of the kernels, replace the lid, and give the pot a swirl to coat the kernels in the hot oil. Wait for the kernels to begin to pop. You can swirl again to redistribute the hot oil, if needed.
  • Once the kernels begin to pop rapidly, crack the lid a little bit to allow excess steam to escape. Make sure it’s only open a little to keep the pot hot enough to continue popping the corn.
  • When the popping slows to about one pop per second, turn off the heat. Wait a few extra seconds for the last few pops, then remove the lid and pour the popcorn into a bowl.
  • Let the pot cool for two minutes or so, then add the butter to the still hot pot. Allow the residual heat in the pot to melt the butter, swirling the butter to maximize the contact with the hot pan. Drizzle the melted butter over the popcorn bowl, then sprinkle with seasoning salt or your favorite herbs and spices.

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Notes

*Some examples of high heat cooking oils are: vegetable, canola, corn, grapeseed, avocado, safflower and sunflower oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cupsCalories: 153.5kcalCarbohydrates: 8.75gProtein: 1.45gFat: 13gSodium: 340.9mgFiber: 1.63g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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Video

Do you love homemade popcorn recipes? Try this fun & easy Popcorn Balls recipe next!

How to Make Stovetop Popcorn – Step by Step Photos

Oil being poured into a sauce pot

Add 2 Tbsp high heat cooking oil to a medium sauce pot. Examples of high heat cooking oils include (but are not limited to): vegetable, canola, corn, grapeseed, avocado, safflower, and sunflower oil.

Add test kernel to the pot

Add one “test” kernel to the pot. This kernel will be the indicator for when the oil is hot enough to add the rest of the kernels. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat onto medium-high. Wait for the test kernel to pop.

Add the rest of the popcorn kernels to the hot oil.

When the test kernel pops, remove the lid and add ⅓ cup of popcorn kernels. Replace the lid and swirl the pot a bit to coat the kernels in oil.

Cracked lid on pot full of popcorn

As the popcorn begins to pop, crack the lid on the pot just slightly to allow excess steam to escape (otherwise it will collect on the lid and drip down onto the popcorn). When the popping slows to about one pop per second, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit a few seconds more until the popping stops all together.

Pour Popcorn into a bowl

At this point you have a big pot full of fluffy popcorn, but it needs to be seasoned. Pour the popcorn off into a large bowl. 

Melting butter in the hot pot

Let the pot cool for about two minutes, then add the butter. The pot should still be plenty hot enough to melt the butter. Swirl the butter to help it melt in the hot pot.

Melted butter being poured onto popcorn

Drizzle the melted butter onto the popcorn.

Sprinkle seasoning salt onto buttered popcorn.

Then sprinkle seasoning salt or your favorite seasoning blend onto the buttered popcorn.

A hand picking up a handful of popcorn from a large bowl, two smaller bowls on the side

Dig in!

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  1. This is great, and I can’t go back to microwave popcorn! :-) One modification that I found works well for butter flavor without extra fat is to use ghee for the cooking oil. Ghee (clarified butter often used in Indian cooking) can withstand higher heat; because the milk solids have been removed it has a higher smoke point. The butter flavor gets cooked in, and there’s no need to add extra butter afterward.
    P.S. This is my first time commenting. I’ve grown to really like Budget Bytes, which has helped me along my cooking journey!

  2. I made it exactly as instructed (medium high heat, folks, not high heat) and it turned out perfectly. I used peanut oil (which people in the south use to deep fry turkeys, so it can handle the heat) I haven’t made popcorn on the stovetop in at least two decades so I was a little nervous. I needn’t have been.

  3. Officially never buying microwave popcorn ever again! Bag of kernels was $8 and has 30 servings. Great recipe and money saver.

  4. My recipe for popping corn is totally contrary to yours. I make a small amount for myself by covering the bottom of a small pot with olive oil and 2 tb of corn (which I keep in the freezer.)
    I cover the pot and wait for the corn to pop on med heat; not too hot. I shake the pot and the corn pops quickly. Perfect every time.

  5. This recipe is a joke. Don’t try it unless you want to waste popcorn and start a fire. Geesh!

  6. I was ready to give up on stovetop popcorn until trying this recipe. Other recipes left me with a bunch of unpopped and burnt kernels but this one really did the trick. This was quick and simple and best of all successful. Highly recommend. 

  7. Don’t follow this recipe, it almost took off my face!!  Never ever put oil on high!  I just did this and when I opened the lid, it shot fire out and almost got my face!  This recipe is trying to start a fire or burn your face off. Not cool.  I’d rate it at zero stars if I could. 

      1. She clearly said medium heat with a high heat oil like Crisco veggie oil.
        I just add oil and popcorn kernels and start over medium heat (lid on). When you hear the first kernel pop … start shaking pot until you hear no more kernels popping. Immediately remove from heat and take lid off pour into fav popcorn bowl.

      2. How big of a pot do you need for 1/3 cup or 1/2 cup of kernels?

    1. The recipe calls for medium-high heat, not high.  Sometimes it also depends on the stovetop.  I almost always keep my stove at med-low to medium because my main burner tends to run pretty hot.  The oil being used should also have a high smoke point, as well because slightly hotter temps are needed to pop the kernels .  I’m so sorry you had a bad experience!  I have been making stovetop popcorn like this for years without issue. 

    2. 7 or 8 out of 10 on the stove range on the stove..Not high heat. Hope it works better for you.

  8. These instructions are foolproof and perfect!  I used this for my very first time (and my second, and my third….and my nth) making stovetop popcorn, and I have had zero burned kernels.  I use Trader Joe’s canola oil and heat on high in a 2 qt stainless pot on an electric range.  After the first kernel pops, I add the rest and swirl around, and then don’t have to touch the pot again until it’s done. Amazing!

  9. I like to use coconut oil! It gives the popcorn a subtly sweet taste. Then sprinkle sea salt on it. Heavenly!

  10. I season mines with the powdered cheese packet that comes with Kraft macaroni and cheese.

  11. Definitely do not heat canola oil on “High”. 6-8 on an electric range will be fine. “High” will start a fire. #justdidthis

  12. I just read elsewhere that you dont need to use oil to pop popcorn, because heat alone will make it pop. I am going to try this, agitating the pan the entire time to keep it from burning.

    1. It definitely doesn’t work as well without oil, or even with not enough oil. The oil helps transmit the heat around the kernel evenly and you get a bigger, fluffier pop.

  13. I have popped decent pop corn in the microwave. I do it in a Pyrex measuring cup, and use a glass lid that fits it. (Found lid at Goodwill.) I put my oil in the cup, nuke it a little to get it hot, then add 2 Tablespoons popcorn.

    My micro does a good job of popping it in 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

    I’m a diabetic, and measuring a two Tablespoon portion makes a just right snack. When the corn does not pop well, I add a tiny bit of water to the jar I keep the kernels in, and shake it well. By the time I get around to making another batch, the kernels will have absorbed the water and be ready to pop. By a tiny bit, I mean half to one teaspoon of water to a jar that holds about a pint and a half of kernels. Too much water will not be absorbed, and might cause mold.

  14. Bad recipe!  Do not use! 2 tablespoons of popcorn is not enough and you should not pop on high heat. Go find another recipe. 

  15. Yikes. Definitely some missing information here. I pulled mine off as soon as there was a second between pops, but half of the batch had already blackened. Maybe high is too hot?

    1. I pop on medium-high, about a 6 on an electric range. Towards the end I constantly shake the pot to ensure no burning. Shaking in this context is just moving it back and forward (or side to side) on the burner. If you have induction or glass top be careful, because you may scratch the surface. If working with coil electric or gas burners, shake with gusto.

      I make popcorn 3-5 times a week & never fail to make a good batch. Hope this helps.

  16. Mine turned out perfect. The secret is to turn off the heat as the kernels keep popping 3-4 seconds in between. I added salt and palm sugar- it tasted like kettle corn. Yummy! Thanks for the recipe!

  17. Excellent!!! My husband and I just enjoyed a large bowl of popcorn after I used the suggested method stove top. No burned kernels, fire, nor needing to call 911 thankfully! I’m really glad I did not read the reviews prior to making it this (I usually ALWAYS read the reviews first) this was a winner😀

  18. I would definitely not use this I followed this word for word I measured my kernels and oil for heavens sake and I ended up having to call 911

  19. This was a terrible recipe,I followed it exactly yet my popcorn wasn’t even edible! Don’t try this recipe.

  20. I went to the store to buy popcorn and found a huge long row with about 5 shelves loaded with bags of popped corn. Finally on the bottom row there were a couple little spaces for popcorn kernels and no choices. Either the bag of kernels or the small plastic jug of kernels. The price well that too was a big surprise. So I am shopping around as I want organic popcorn from Indiana, but not at 15 to 20$ a pound.

  21. As a kid, I’m 69 now, we always had popcorn and grape juice on Dundsy night to watch TV. I have 11 brothers and sisters and with my parents, that is 14. I was always assigned to make the popcorn and always on the Electric stove believe me, I learned a lot. I still have the same 2qt-2.5  pan I used the. And it is black on the bottom of the outside

    No question. You have to heat the oil first. I waited till it started to smoke but I like the one kernel idea. Same effect. Then I dumped in the oil and popcorn. Oil should only JUST cover the popcorn and the. That is a little heavy. Too much oil and it tastes like oil. After a swirl or two, there should not be any excess oil sloshing around. You will get the hang of it. 

    The most important part now is the salt. Lots of folks try to salt after it is popped and to me, that is too late. You dump in the salt with the popcorn and the salt will stic to if. I used to make 5-7 gal of popcorn every Sunday. My favorite i  white popcorn as it is smaller kernels and crunchier. However most people like Yellow so govwith what you like. 

  22. I tried making pop corn using cooker. I failed miserably with black ones. I am not sure where am I going wrong. First I heated up oil then added corn with some turmeric and salt. Fried till some corn start popping and then closed the lid of my cooker.i added so much oil so that the corns get merged.

  23. I absolutely loved this! I used to have a no oil popcorn machine, it caught on fire. Before that I had popcorn at least twice a week. I haven’t been able to make it at home since. This recipe worked amazing!!! 

  24. Hi I’m new to making g my own foods lol I’m making cut backs and took up baking and then seen this. However I was just wondering what do I use to make sweet pop or like when I go to the movies ?
    Xx

    1. Unfortunately I haven’t experimented with sweet varieties as they aren’t my favorite, so I’m not sure. :(

  25. Do you have any advice for getting the seasonings or Parmesan to “stick to” the popcorn? Mine always end up at the bottom of the bowl. 

    1. Adding some melted butter helps. :D But other than that, making sure the seasonings are ground to as fine of a powder as possible will help it stick in the nooks and crannies rather than just tumbling off. So if the brand of Parmesan you use is in larger granules as opposed to a finer powder, it won’t stick as well.

  26. Success! After several failed recipes, this one worked for me! I used coconut oil and seasoned with popcorn salt. My daughter (who LOVES movie popcorn) said this was even better than the movie popcorn with butter. Next time, I’ll try using butter instead of coconut oil.

  27. For a larger batch, I really love my Whirely-Pop stovetop popper. It’s the same method as here, but it’s got a stirrer that you use with a hand-crank instead of having to shake the pot.

    Also, if you’re willing to take some risks, you can roast coffee the same way (don’t use any oil, though, ew). However, you *may* not want to use the same popper for coffee as for popcorn, or you might get coffee-flavored popcorn!

  28. First, I also use around med-high. Favorite: use olive oil to pop then add parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. I also do kettle corn by adding sugar to the kernels, shake well!

  29. Always make my popcorn like this and never had an issue with a fire or burned kernels. I like to put some fresh oregano leaves in the oil as well, the sprinkle some parm cheese on the corn after popped!

  30. Used these directions the first time and the batch burned. For the second batch I lowered the heat to led-high and constantly shook the pan and the corn popped beautifully. 

  31. Late to the party I know, but I really think those who ended up with burned popcorn are seeing the result of what looks like a major omission in this recipe–shaking the pan! I grew up with stove-top popcorn and have been making it myself for eons. One of the key things to keep in mind is that the pan needs to be shaken once the corn starts popping, or burned kernels are bound to appear. Why do you think those special poppers, either the Stir Crazy ones or those made for top of the stove, all include a stirring mechanism?

  32. I make popcorn on the stove at least once a week! I have a carton of Flavorcol powder season I found at a local grocer that I add to the oil after it’s hot. I also like using the popping oil that Orville and Pop-Secret put out. I think it’s a safflower oil with a touch of butter too. It can be used as a topping and for popping the kernels though I use it just for popping.
    So here’s my key: I use my WOK to make popcorn. It works 10x better than any other whirly-pop/saucepan/dutch oven/etc. It’s like the WOK was made for making popcorn as the popped kernels get pushed up the sides of the WOK while the bottom is still hot to pop the remaining kernels. I average less than 10 unpopped kernels per 1/2 cup of unpopped kernels cooked at a time.

    The technique I use is exactly as described above, though I add the Flavorcol powder, about 1/2teaspoon for 1/2 cup kernels, when I add the popcorn. I also dont’ use high heat as that tends to make for chewier, less crisp popcorn. I turn it down just a touch…(My gas knobs are 1-6 and High, I set it to about 5 which is about 65% heat, or I guess Med-High) It takes a little longer on the lower heat but the popped corn is so much more crunchy and full of flavor!

  33. I love stove top popped popcorn. When I was a little girl, long, long ago, whenever mom made homemade fudge (the old fashioned kind) we also had popcorn. Jump forward decades. My grandson and I have our own tradition. When we watch a movie (or two), he almost always asks for my version of kettle corn. I quickly add about a tablespoon of granulated sugar just as the first kernels start popping. Shake the heck out of the pan to keep the sugar from burning. Once in awhile I will stir a little vanilla into my sugar before I add it to the pan. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, and you are good to go! He says it is the best popcorn, ever!

  34. That was joke. My whole house reeks like burned popcprn. Please dont post any other of your ideas.

  35. I dunno what high does on her oven, but on mine it started a grease fire. Medium is where it’s at. Also, like someone else posted, no need to use a tester. Just pour oil, add grains, start heat, and shake the pot around when it starts popping.

  36. I tried tyour method twice and both times the popcorn caughtbon fire(burnt excessively) and filled my whole house with rachid smok.

  37. Followed your instructions. The lid just exploded off my pot with a fire ball shooting out of it. Thanks for that.

  38. For the grease fire folks:, use medium high heat (or even medium,although it’ll take longer). I’ve always used medium high heat and three test kernels and in large pot and have never had any fires. I like to add old bay to my popcorn. Stove top is the best!

  39. You can also do it with no oil if you throw it in a paper bag. I honk I used 1/4 cup. But you can fold the edges over and staple it (I do 3 staples) and microwave. I know you would think that the metal would spark. But I heard about this years ago from the local news giving tips. And you know what? Totally works. Super convenient. You don’t have to do dishes. … And no oil needed.

  40. I set my pan on fire with this recipe. I would not recommend heating up oil by itself like the recipe suggests unless you want a grease fire.

  41. I just recently found you on Pinterest and am so glad I did! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

  42. I love to make popcorn in sunflower oil. It has a delicious flavor similar to butter and gives everything a light coating. I don’t really use sunflower oil for anything else.

  43. I just made this for the first time about 15 minutes ago. It was so much fun to watch the kernels pop instead of just watching a bag expand! I have some lemon infused olive oil, so I’m going to try popping the kernels in that and adding some cracked black pepper to see if I can get a lemon pepper thing going on. Thanks for posting this!

  44. Tried. Failed. Set a pot on fire. True story. I’m going back to my Whirley-Pop.

    …and the rating thing won’t let me one star this.

    1. That sounds like you had too much heat going on. Make sure the oil you are using is safe for high temperatures. I never walk away from my stove top popcorn. . I burnt everything my first try, but it seems to work best if I heat everything up on medium and then lower to medium/low.

  45. Your method is the way that my father and I always used to do it, until I left home and we both independently discovered a superior way:

    Put the kernels in with the cold oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Then when the popping starts, shake the pot back and forth gently.

    Doing it this way will result in far fewer unpopped kernels because they’re all arriving near the popping point together gradually as the oil heats. I think the idea of putting them in hot oil comes from traditional frying techniques where putting food in cold oil will make the food absorb the oil and be great and gross. But because popcorn kernels have a thick husk around them this is unnecessary.

  46. I use olive oil to pop it. I’ve tried a few different ways to season now but my favorite has to be with butter and the buttermilk Ranch dressing base from Penzey’s Spices. I can’t wait to try their other dressing bases, but I was not a fan of the Italian dressing base on the popcorn because it’s got sugar in it, which isn’t a problem when you’re actually making dressing because you mix it with vinegar. I’d like to try a Caesar-ish one too. I also made one with butter, parmesan, and rosemary and another with butter, garlic, and Italian seasoning.

  47. I got a whirley pop a few years ago and this is a staple in my home. I use it to make kettle corn (better than any of that microwave stuff) and garlic popcorn using fresh garlic in the oil. So many ways you can do popcorn and definitely so inexpensive. We have movie nights all the time and popcorn is definitely a need when watching a movie. Best of all, you can make many flavors and batches. I would definitely suggest using a whirley pop though if you can afford to get one (http://whirleypopshop.com/).

  48. This is the only way I make popcorn nowadays. I like it with LOL butter and salt. What’s funny is everyone raves about it and tells me I “have to make it!” when they come over. For whatever reason, they all consider too much work to make it at home.

  49. I love stovetop popcorn! I substitute the oil for coconut oil. Gives it a slightly different taste. :)

  50. The perfect ingredient to add to homemade pop-corn is nutritionnal yeast. Yes. It has a super-buttery flavour (no need to add butter), and it is much healthier than pre-made seasoning mixes. Just add salt with it. You should really try it, even though it sounds weird.

  51. It never occurred to me no special stirring pot or air machine was needed to enjoy popcorn! This was on par with the best movie theater popcorn i’ve ever had – and I made it! My boyfriend wasn’t even hungry and was stuffing this popcorn in his face! I love how the more I read your blog, the more uncomplicated cooking seems.

  52. I hadn’t made popcorn in so years but couldn’t get it out of my mind since reading this recipe a couple of weeks ago so I finally made some today. It was wonderful, thanks Beth! 2 tbsp is the perfect portion size. Now to figure out how my grandma made her sweet caramel popcorn…

    1. A co-worker gave me a recipe that included 100 mini marshmallows, a cup of brown sugar, and a stick of butter. You microwave the ingredients for a minute, stir, and then microwave again for another minute. After that you pour the mixture on top of the popcorn and voila, you have something akin to caramel popcorn. It was so good but also so bad for you.

  53. I freeze blue cheese and grate it on top of the popcorn. My other favorite is combining sriracha and softened butter. then freeze and grate!

  54. Ooh, and I wanted to share a story: when we first moved to Canada, our neighbour gave my brother a HUGE bag of popcorn kernels as a welcome-to-the-neighbourhood gift and my father made him give it back because we didn’t have a popcorn machine.

    Fast forward to when I entered university, I relayed this story to my boyfriend who laughed and made me a stove-top popcorn for me. I told my parents what he did and I don’t think they believed me until I made stove-top popcorn for them today.

  55. Just made some with grape seed oil topped with chili powder. Next time, coconut oil and more chili powder!

  56. As a special treat, try making stove-top popcorn with ghee (clarified butter). Ghee can handle the high temperature and imparts a buttery flavor that is delicious!

    If you get unsalted butter on sale or at Aldi, you can make your own ghee relatively economically, although it will still be more expensive than (but also much more tastier than) canola oil.

  57. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I have always wanted to make non-microwave popcorn but didn’t want to have to spend money on a popcorn maker. You have changed my life forever, Beth!

  58. Made popcorn tonight using your method! We mixed sriracha and honey into melted butter and drizzled it on top. Game-changer!

  59. I love that you posted this…as this is the only way we do popcorn in our house. I actually have a Whirley Pop because my husband knew how much I hated cleaned the oil out perfectly from our glass-lidded pots. The Whirley Pop is kinda silly, but my 5 year old LOVES popcorn. We are quite similar in how we eat our popcorn: we do butter, salt, pepper and parmesan on our popcorn. We all have our variations, though. My husband prefers no cheese usually. I prefer half butter, half truffle oil. YUM YUM.

    1. Ha! I actually hate cleaning the oil out of the glass lid, too! Maybe I should look into a whirly pop just for fun. ;)

      1. The whirly pop is pretty cheap (my husband bought it at Bed, Bath and Beyond and used a coupon, of course!).
        You can wipe it clean if you use it regularly, and we do!

    2. I love my Whirly Pop! I use coconut oil, because my popper came with a kit of pre-portioned popcorn, oil & salt; and they use coconut oil in the packs. I just buy those now. lol As for toppings, butter and salt is all I really ever do!

  60. Laughing. My daughter totally amazed her post-college aged friends when she made stove top popcorn. They had no idea….

    Sure glad I taught her well! :~)

  61. Great tutorial! I make a ton of stove-top popcorn- it hits all the perfect snack points- crunchy, salty, satisfying, customizable, and like you said- super inexpensive! It’s dangerous to have in the house, but I make stove top caramel corn every once in a while which is also easy to make salty, spicy, and sweet. I can eat way too much of it if I’m not careful!

  62. We make our popcorn in a wok which is the best thing ever. The popped kernels tend to go to the outside and it keeps them from burning, while the uncooked kernels stay near the heat.

    Favorite topping is Slap Ya Mama seasoning. Mmm spiciness.

    1. It’s funny to read this now. I made the stovetop popcorn this morning to take to work today, and after I had already seasoned it, I saw the can of Slap Ya Mama and thought that I should try that next time.

  63. I totally agree about the whole texture thing. I love making stovetop kettlecorn. 1 Tbsp of coconut oil, 1 tbsp of sugar,2 tbsp corn kernels. After the oil is heated, I add the kernels and sugar. I shake vigorously so the sugar doesn’t burn. After the popcorn is popped, I sprinkle a pinch of salt. The coconut flavor definitely tricks my brain into thinking the corn is sweeter than it actually is and it adds a nice fragrance.

  64. I make popcorn a couple times a week. Growing up we had an electric popper that you turned a handle to keep the kernels from burning in one place. When the heating element burned out we modified it for stovetop use. For the last 20 years I have used an air popper or a screen box fireplace popper. Since you posted this I have gone back to stove top experimenting with different pans. I expected a cast iron sauce pan to work best but I found a wok with a dome top lid worked better than a saucepan. I usually top it with salt and butter. Sometimes I add different herbs or spices. Popcorn over a campfire is still best. It makes its own seasonings – burnt kernels.

  65. A sprinkle of salt and a sprinkle of calorie free sweetener make a tasty kettle corn flavor. The sweetener distributes better then granulated sugar. Powdered sugar works in a pinch, as well.

  66. I used to make stovetop all the time. Then Alton Brown taught me how to make it in the microwave. One paper lunch bag + a third of a cup of popcorn kernals. Fold bag and stick in microwave for about 2 minutues and 45 seconds. No pans or oil needed, though drizzle olive oil and spinkle salf on mine when it is done.

  67. This was the way Mom used to make popcorn for us after school. Mom sometimes sprinkled ours with butter, salt and a little confectioner’s sugar. .
    I’m the oldest of 7 so I learned to make it on the stovetop. My favourite way to make it now is in a popper that has an inverted bowl lid and a stirrer that rotates on the surface.
    It also doesn’t need oil and it is so much quieter than the hot air popper.
    Depending on my mood I like butter, salt & pepper, grated parmesan, or smoked paprika with rosemary.

    1. I love popcorn. There used to be a place near us that did nacho flavoured popcorn. I make my own “Macho Nacho” with garlic powder, paprika, chilli powder, a little cumin, and salt and pepper. For the cheese I use Parmesan dust or nutritional yeast. So good. If I had a spice grinder I would freeze cheddar and grind it up.

  68. Stove top popcorn is the best! I have fond memories of making it as a kid with one of those stove top popcorn machine things, which really were just a pan with a special thing you put on top that you’d use to stir the popcorn. It was just so neat to feel like you actually had some control over the popcorn popping process!

  69. I LOVE using coconut oil to make stovetop popcorn. It gives it a tad of a sweet flavor but not like kettle corn.

  70. I sometimes add a couple tablespoons of sugar when I add in the rest of the kernels and make some kettle corn. It has the most amazing crisp sweet shell. I wouldn’t add the sugar any earlier than when you add the whole bunch of kernels, though! (Burnt sugar is only great when it’s a marshmallow, imo)

  71. This is the only way I make popcorn anymore. So easy, quick and delicious! If you’re using butter just add it to the still warm pan after you’ve moved the popcorn to the bowl. No need to dirty another bowl or pot.

    Also, when you’re cracking the lid on the pot just be careful of the steam. I’ve gotten a couple good steam burns on my fingers that way. Now I make sure I’m using a pot holder.

  72. I love stove top popped popcorn too and I feel they are so easy to make and the flavors – well sky is the limit!! Thanks for doing step by step recipe :)

  73. Favorite Toppings:

    -Lime zest and chopped cilantro
    -2 T. of sugar in the oil makes it kettlecorn, love that salty/sweet
    -Cocoa powder and cinnamon and sugar
    -Sesame oil and fresh grated ginger

  74. Love to make stovetop popcorn like this with coconut oil. Microwave popcorn bags are toxic so it’s a lot healthier and really cheap. Sometimes I add a light spray of coconut oil after popping and toss with cinnamon or cocoa for a treat with little to no butter, or go for the butter and add more flavor with all sorts of spices and/or parmesan cheese.

  75. I love this tutorial! I’ve always just made microwave popcorn, and it just tastes like artificial butter. Adding real butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon would be lovely.

  76. I make popcorn regularly and my favorite flavoring is a blend of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. I have Tony Chachere’s (thanks to your roasted chickpea recipe Beth – another great go-to snack) and I don’t know why I’ve never thought to use it on popcorn…I will now. Alton Brown recommended storing popcorn in the freezer, so that’s what I do…in an airtight container, of course.

  77. My god, you make me feel so OLD. That is the way that we always made popcorn. There weren’t EZ Pop pans or microwave ovens when I was a kid. We would have killed (well not literally) for such easy ways to make popcorn. Then came the EZPop pans with the expanding foil tops. They made it so that even us kids could pop our own. The next way I learned to make popcorn was with an air popper. You didn’t need any oil for that route. Then came the microwave popper. Of all of them, I find that using the microwave I am most likely to burn the popcorn.

  78. When I first saw “Stovetop popcorn” I thought, Are you kidding me. This has to be the most basic of cooking. But then I realized, I’m probably one of hte few people who still make stove top popcorn. My parents even have a pan that we called the “popcorn” pan and I hope that it is willed to me. I did buy into the whole microwave popcorn for a while when I was younger, but realized quikcly, there just isn’t anything better than stove top popcorn. My favoriate topping is nacho cheese. Definitely not the healthiest choice, but oh sooooo yummy!

  79. Here in Germany, sweet popcorn is more widely available than salty popcorn. For example, when you go to the movies, you only get sweet popcorn. (There may be exceptions, but none of the cinemas I regularly go to offers salty popcorn.) Imagine how I looked when I went to the movies in the US and they only had salty popcorn…
    So, yes, I do prefer sugar on my popcorn.
    Salty popcorn is still weird for me, although I do like tortilla chips with salt. Yup, I’m weird.

  80. This brings back child hood memories, my mother always popped popcorn for us on the stove, she knew how to keep 8 hungrey children satisfied.

    On another note, I was told that each kernel of popcorn has a drop of water in it, therefore it is best stored in the refridgarator after opening.

    thanks for all your great recipes, I enjoy your blogs so much.

  81. For a treat I’ll use bacon fat as the oil to pop the popcorn…it’s wonderful.

    1. Did you use all bacon fat or 1/2 oil? A friend of mine said he tried this, but it smoked the house up.

  82. Ha! I just started regularly making popcorn in the last few months, usually when my husband is working out of town. I always make way too much, so next time I will follow these directions to reel myself in a bit! Thank you – popcorn for one!

    I season mine with salt, melted butter, lots of nutritional yeast, and smoked paprika. (Beth – my first-ever purchase of smoked paprika was for one of your recipes and now I put it in/on almost everything, especially quiche and collard greens – no bacon necessary! I love it!)

  83. I love popcorn! once we discovered how to do it on the stove, we have never gone back. It’s so good! We’ve toyed with different oils & toppings.. Coconut Oil is GREAT but also Red Palm Oil (make sure to get a responsibly sourced one from most health food stores). Palm oil gives it a great bright yellow color just like the theaters, with a major boost in vitamin A and E.

    Dill, is my favorite topping! SO GOOD.

  84. I am all about the Old Bay seasoning on my popcorn. I also recently found Malt Vinegar Powder online for only a few dollars, and a little sprinkle of that is a great contrast with the Old Bay (or for making Salt and Vinegar popcorn).

    You can take the girl out of Maryland but you can’t take Maryland out of the girl!

  85. I am so old…it’s hard to realise that there are a couple of generations out there who have never, ever made stovetop popcorn (or “kettle corn” as they call it now!) It helps if you shake the pan frequently while it’s popping. Just use a hot pad to hold the lid down with one hand, while the other holds the handle of the pan and moves it gently back and forth across the burner.

      1. You are correct—kettle corn is flavored popcorn, usually sweet but sometimes savory.

  86. I had just looked this up maybe a month ago on YouTube but I still haven’t tried it. This will definitely be a snack for tonight now that I’m reminded of it! I’m really interested in the nutritional yeast everyone keeps mentioning… Does anyone know what aisle it’s in at the market?

    1. If you have access to a Whole Foods, it’s in the bulk aisle or you can find a big canister in the nutritional supplements aisle. I haven’t seen nutritional yeast at my regular grocery store, but you might have luck if they have a well-stocked health foods section.

      And yes, it’s amazing on popcorn!

      1. Thank you! The Whole Foods near me is next to impossible to go to because it’s so busy with a teeny tiny parking lot, but maybe I’ll try Sprouts next time I’m by one. I’m so interested in trying it on some popcorn!

  87. I pop corn this way as well but eliminate the oil. Then you don’t have to feel guilty adding a little butter.

  88. When I was a kid my mom would pop popcorn multiple times a week using an Aladdin No Shake Popcorn Popper. It’s the only way I know how to pop popcorn on the stove! I inherited my Grandmother’s Aladdin Popcorn Popper (she barely used it, so it was in great shape), and that’s how I pop popcorn :)

  89. I second the person who said using coconut oil to pop it in-it tastes SO good!

    I love topping with melted butter–the same way my dad made it for me when I was a kid. It was always a special treat for dad to make stove top popcorn! I do do the brown bag trick every once in awhile though :)

  90. I just want to make sure I understand — do you actually wait to take the popcorn off the heat until there are a few pops per minute? In the microwave I think it says to take the popcorn out when there are several seconds between pops — if you waited until there were only a few per minute, microwave popcorn would burn (a sad thing). I just want to make sure I don’t burn this!

    1. It’s kind of one of those things that you just get the hang of. It’s going to depend a little bit on your pot (how heavy or thin it is). Just turn off the heat when the popping begins to slow down and it sounds like there aren’t any kernels left to pop. You might burn it a little the first time (although you’ll definitely smell it when it starts to burn) or you might have extra unpopped kernels the first time. After doing it a few times you’ll find that sweet spot. :)

    2. I love the taste of slightly burned popcorn, so purposely leave it in the microwave until there are no popping sounds. I had to stop making it at work, though, since it was soon clear that the odor of burnt popcorn is not pleasing to everyone!

  91. I love popcorn cooked on a stove, it is ever so easy and so delicious. We used to grow pop corn in our field, it really makes a healthy and delicious snack. Love your step by step instructions!

  92. If i’m feeling fancy a tasty combo is parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and rosemary. I use a bullet-type blender to pulse everything together. It’s not QUITE fine enough to coat the popcorn nicely, but it is dang tasty. Maybe if I find ground rosemary I’ll try try that instead. To make teh popcorn, I use a method that turns of the heat for 30 seconds just after adding the rest of the kernels to the hot (coconut) oil. Supposedly this allows the kernels to heat up more evenly without heating too quickly? Once I finally made popcorn without burning it, I just stuck to that method!

  93. I keep a jar of seasoning in my cupboard for popcorn (and have been known to give it as a gift!):

    1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    1 teaspoon cumin
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    Sprinkle over the popcorn with a little butter or oil and its delicious (and aside from eating it on its own, as gross as it sounds, you can also sprinkle the popcorn in tomato soup instead of crackers or bread!)

    1. Yum! That spice blend sounds great! I’ve also sprinkled popcorn into soup, but I forgot all about that until you mentioned it! :D

    2. oh yummm! definitely want to try this spice blend. Maybe then I can switch out the unhealthy nacho cheese sauce ;-)

  94. Stove top popcorn is awesome. Another good oil to use, if you just happen to have it on hand (it costs a little more) is coconut oil.

  95. This was great, very much what I do, and I ONLY do stove top. For me, nutritional yeast is key, well tossed with a fork after one melted butter application and toss. I wonder about your steam vent step, though I will try it myself but my mother told me opening the lid could introduce a toughness to the batch. Meaning, that moisture you release could be repurposed, maybe?

    1. Hmm, I haven’t experienced any toughness. :) Mine stay nice and fluffy like little clouds.

  96. Stovetop popcorn is my favorite snack! I probably eat it almost weekly. My favorite toppings are butter, salt, and a little bit of garlic powder. Sometimes I add Parmesan too. Nom nom nom.

  97. My favorite stove-top popcorn is made in coconut oil and topped with nutritional yeast. If you haven’t tasted nutritional yeast, it is a nutty, cheesy, flakey substance that you just sprinkle on the popcorn. You can spend big bucks for it online or simply buy it for cheap at your grocery store. Not bread yeast…Nutritional Yeast.

  98. Thank you!! I was one of the people who asked you how to do this. :) I’m excited to try it out.

      1. I just tried it and it was amazing! This is going to revolutionize my snacking experience! :D

  99. Ummm i really want to tell you about hippy popcorn.

    Sounds like you have the popping down but i would suggest popping it in oil., like you said and then putting in in a bowl and adding either soy sauce (just drizzle a little bit and stir and repeat) and the magic ingredient: engivita yeast! Not sure if I spelled it correctly. But seriously. The best. Yum. And healthy you’ll pee yellow hecause of the vitamin B. Seriously. Try it. It’s awesome if you don’t burn the popcorn.

    Can also try spicing it up with a few chili flakes in the oil or tumeric and chili powder. But try it naked first.

    1. Sounds like engivita yeast is nutritional yeast? Quite a few people have suggested that, so I can’t wait to try! I love the idea of soy sauce, too!

  100. Oh man! This brings back memories to my college days. Every Friday night a group of us would have movie and wine nights and it didn’t take long before popcorn was a major part of our get-togethers. We loved how cheap and tasty the popcorn was and tried tons of fun new recipes and styles. We did a lot of the basics and classics as you would guess, but we also got pretty adventurous a few times.

    Some of the memorable ones include a sea salt, lime, and tequila popcorn (Margarita popcorn), A pesto popcorn with pine nuts and basil, and a spicy sriracha popcorn.

    The crowd favorite however was just plain ole popcorn with butter and garlic salt. The one you find in a big green container at the store. To this day I dont think any popcorn could beat it.

    Now I need to go buy some popcorn and try to make this old tradition come back again!

  101. In both the recipe and the picture descriptions you say to wait until there are 1 or 2 pops per minute. I think you must mean one pop ever couple of seconds or something similar.

    Thanks for posting though, I am old enough to remember a time before microwaves and trust me, this is how you ought to make popcorn.

  102. I have high blood pressure, so I’m trying to limit my salt intake. I usually toss a couple of handfuls of popcorn kernels in a brown paper lunch sack, crumple the top of the sack, and microwave the whole thing for about a minute and 45 seconds. Without oil or salt, the popcorn is on the sweet side, but that’s fine. When I use the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray, it tastes quite a bit like ordinary popcorn.

  103. The easiest way is definitely in a lunch paperbag in the microwave. You just have to fold the end of the bag and microwave the corn kernels for 2-3 minutes at hight intensity!

  104. I have a hot air popper. Bought it at a garage sale and I LOVE it. I adore caramel corn (brown sugar, butter and vanilla) when I’m craving decadent and sweet but love chilli powder, nutritional yeast, salt and olive oil when I want something a little more savory.

    1. This! I used the stovetop technique for a while until a saw a sale for a hot air popper on Amazon (it was maybe $20). The stovetop technique is easy but there’s maybe nothing easier in all of cooking than using the hot air popper. Plus there’s virtually no cleanup needed.

  105. Near the end of the popping, do you mean to say 1-2 pops per **minute** or second? When I pop popcorn in the microwave, it says per second. If I waited for the popcorn to be popping at 1-2 pops for minute, I’d have burnt popcorn (and a lot of really angry co-workers!).

  106. I spent 3 years in college working at a movie theater and learned that coconut oil makes the best popcorn, and that adding your salt to the pan with the unpopped kernels gives perfectly distributed salt to every last bite. Throw in some sugar for kettle corn!

  107. I have an electric stove. As soon as I put the popcorn in the pot(after the 1st kernel has popped) I turn off the heat and let the pot stay on the burner. The leftover heat pops the corn and I don’t end up,with burn kernels at the bottom of the pan. Also, you shouldn’t use a Teflon coated pan for popcorn.

  108. “Once the popping slows to just a couple pops per minute…”

    I’m not sure you mean to say minute as the pops slow down, usually that’s described as slowing down to one pop every few seconds. A whole minute would mean burned popcorn!

  109. We did not invent this recipe – but have enjoyed it and used it as a seasoning pack with 1/2 cup un-popped kernels as gifts from one kid to his buddies. “Italian Bread Stick” and my-o-my is it tasty!
    8 cups popped popcorn, hot and fresh
    1 tablespoon basil
    1 tablespoon parsley
    1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
    1 teaspoon popcorn salt (or fine grain salt)
    Note – we’ve found old kernels aren’t as tasty as a new bag. Spring for it and become a stove top popped corn junkie!!

  110. Yum, I don’t know why I’ve never tried stove-top popcorn! Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks, too. I will give it a try!

    1. Margarine and butter both contain water, which can mess with the popping process, so you definitely want to use some sort of pure oil. You can put the melted margarine and butter on top, just not to pop the kernels. :)