How to Replicate Movie Theater Butter Popcorn at Home

The first thing that greets you every time you walk into a movie theater is that irresistible, mouthwatering aroma of buttery popcorn.

Let’s be real: eating a bucket of this stuff is the best part about going to see a movie. That signature movie theater taste is just pure perfection. 

Now what if we told you that you don’t need to visit the cinema to enjoy movie theater-style popcorn?

Yup, it’s possible to make buttery popcorn at home that tastes exactly like the kind you’re craving!

We share the secrets of recreating movie theater popcorn right here:

What’s in Movie Theater Butter?

This might come as a shock, but movie theater popcorn doesn't actually contain real butter! That signature flavor you know and love comes from the magic combo of coconut oil and flavacol.

The coconut oil has a rich texture and is usually flavored to taste like butter. Flavacol, on the other hand, is a super-fine popcorn salt with artificial butter flavoring. It's also responsible for that distinct yellow-orange color movie theater popcorn has.

Related: Why Coconut Oil Is the Best Oil for Popcorn

Top 4 Movie Theater Butter Brands

You can buy pre-made movie theater butter popcorn toppings to help you create your homemade popcorn with the perfect flavor. These all work great if you want crispy, buttery popcorn for your next movie night.

Here are our favorite butter flavoring products:

1. Popsmith Oh Sooo Buttery Popcorn

2. Franklin’s Gourmet Popcorn Butter Flavored Coconut Oil

We love this flavored oil for a number of reasons. First, it uses coconut oil instead of soybean oil or real butter. This gives the popcorn flavoring a great consistency and taste. It also doesn’t contain added sugars. It only has three ingredients. We love the simplicity.

Franklin’s coconut oil is made with beta-carotene, a natural additive that turns coconut oil yellow. It makes the oil actually look like movie theater butter in a natural, safe way. Combine this butter-flavored oil along with Franklin’s Popcorn Salt for a knockout combination.

3. Kernel Season’s Movie Theater Butter

Image from Kernel Season's

If you're making movie theater popcorn at home for the first time, a small bottle of Kernel Season’s might be just what you need. The bottle has a convenient pour spout and is made with three types of vegetable oils, including canola oil. You won’t find any soybean oil here, so it’s great for anyone with a soybean allergy or those looking for a cleaner type of popcorn oil.

Pour some Kernel Season’s movie theater butter over your popcorn, add your favorite popcorn seasonings (the brand makes a mean nacho cheddar seasoning), and enjoy.

4. Snappy Butter Burst Popcorn Oil

With over 10,000 reviews on Amazon, there’s no doubt Snappy Butter Burst Popcorn Oil is a popular choice for movie theater butter goodness. It comes in huge one-gallon jugs, making it perfect for extreme popcorn lovers or anyone who appreciates a good deal.

This popcorn oil doesn’t need to be refrigerated and has an easy-to-pour spout for quick access. Add your favorite popcorn seasoning or popcorn salt and you’ll have a perfect bowl of movie theater-style popcorn in no time.

How to Make Your Own Movie Theater Butter

If you want, you can try making homemade movie theater butter.

This will be healthier than the stuff you get at the movies but just as delicious. It’s best on top of freshly popped stovetop popcorn. You can use microwave popcorn when you’re in a pinch, but stovetop popcorn is infinitely crisper and more flavorful.

To make it, start with real butter or clarified butter. Clarified butter is made by melting regular butter and then skimming off the top foamy layer. This leaves you with a clear, oil-like butter that has the silky texture of movie theater-style butter.

Pour the melted or clarified butter over your popcorn and sprinkle some sea salt. If you use salted butter, you can skip the extra salt and just eat the butter-drizzled popcorn right away. It’s going to taste amazing!

Movie Theater Butter Takeaways

You don’t need to travel to your local cinema just to enjoy buttery theater-style popcorn. You can make it at home with melted clarified butter or using a pre-made butter-flavored oil. Want an even easier solution? Try our Oh Sooo Buttery Popcorn kits. Bundle 'n Save now for the best snacking experience! 

Don’t forget to check out our blog for popcorn recipes, snack inspiration, and educational articles about popcorn.