Margarita Popcorn at a Glance
A margarita is the best thing about a hot pool day, hands down. Second place: a backyard cookout that's run past sunset, the kind where everyone's a little sunburned and nobody wants to leave. This margarita popcorn is built for both, and it's the snack you want next to the salt-rimmed glass you're not putting down anytime soon.
Just pop a batch of popcorn in your Popper, coat it in a lime and brown sugar glaze, and finish it off with coarse salt. See the full steps below.
Margarita Popcorn Ingredients
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½ cup popcorn kernels
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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¼ cup packed brown sugar
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2 tablespoons honey (agave works too)
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2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
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1 tablespoon lime zest, divided (save the zest before you juice)
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1 teaspoon orange zest (about half an orange — stands in for the triple sec)
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¼ teaspoon tequila extract, optional (skip if you can't find it; real tequila works if you want it boozy, see the tip below)
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1½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt or margarita salt, divided
Margarita Popcorn Directions
Step 1: Zest and Juice the Limes
Zest the limes and the orange first, then juice the limes. Set everything aside.
Step 2: Preheat the Popper
Set your stove to medium heat and allow your Popsmith to preheat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add Oil and Kernels
Add the coconut oil, let it heat up, and drop in 3 test kernels. When the first one pops, pour in the remaining kernels and cover the Popper.
Step 4: Turn and Pop
Keep cranking the Popper while the kernels pop to keep them from burning. You don't need to crank constantly, just a few turns every couple of seconds.
Step 5: Transfer
Remove the Popper from the heat once popping slows to 1 to 2 seconds between pops. Then spread the popcorn in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 6: Make the Glaze
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with brown sugar and honey, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let it bubble gently for 2 to 3 minutes until glossy,then remove from heat and stir in the lime juice, half the lime zest, the orange zest, and the tequila extract if using.
GOOD TO KNOW: Don't walk away once it's bubbling. Sugar glazes go from glossy to scorched fast, and a burnt glaze is a bitter glaze.
Step 7: Pour and Toss
Pour the warm glaze over the popcorn and toss quickly so it coats as much as possible before it starts to set.
Step 8: Salt and Set
Scatter the remaining lime zest and the coarse salt over the top while everything's still warm and sticky. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes until the glaze firms up, then serve.
More Margarita Popcorn Tips
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Coarse salt isn’t optional. It's the whole point of a margarita, and fine table salt just dissolves into the glaze instead of giving you that rim-of-the-glass crunch. Margarita salt or a coarse kosher salt both work.
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Watch the glaze, not the clock. Every stove runs a little differently, so judge by color and bubble size rather than the timer. You're looking for glossy and slightly thickened, not deep amber.
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Want it actually boozy? Swap the extract for 1 tablespoon of real tequila, added at the same step.
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Salt it while it's warm. Once the glaze sets, salt sprinkled on top just rolls off instead of sticking.
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Store leftover popcorn in an airtight container and consume within 3 days.
Tequila Optional, Flavor Isn't
Salty, a little sweet, and just tart enough, this margarita popcorn is worth making every pool day, cookout, or girls' night in. Grab your Popper and get popping, then check out our popcorn recipes for more to make.
Still have citrus on the brain? We think this chili lime popcorn recipe should be your next move.
