Movie Theater Popcorn at a Glance
It's not movie night without a big bowl of butter popcorn. But with its greasy coating, never-quite-crunchy texture, and cardboard aftertaste, microwave popcorn leaves plenty to be desired.
We refuse to let you settle for that, so here's a homemade movie theater butter popcorn recipe that actually tastes like the real deal, or dare we say, even better.
Ready? Grab your Popper and let's get popping:
💡 FUN FACT
Movie theater butter isn't butter at all. Movie theaters use coconut oil paired with a finely ground butter-flavored popcorn salt. This is the same combo we use in this recipe. Read more about movie theater butter here.
Movie Theater Butter Popcorn Ingredients
-
½ cup popcorn kernels
-
2 tablespoons butter-flavored coconut oil
-
1 tablespoon butter-flavored popcorn salt (or to taste)
Want everything above in one bundle? Our Movie Theater Popcorn Kit packs full-sized portions of all three. For the most foolproof version yet, our Oh Sooo Buttery Popcorn Kits come pre-measured and ready to pop.
How to Make Movie Theater Popcorn
Step 1: Preheat
Set your stove to medium heat and let your Popper preheat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add Oil and Kernels
Pour in the butter-flavored coconut oil and let it melt, then drop 3 kernels into the Popper.
Step 3: Pour Salt
When the first kernel pops, toss in the rest and pour the butter-flavored popcorn salt.
Step 4: Pop
Close the lid and keep the crank turning. The Popper's spinner keeps every kernel moving so nothing scorches.
Step 5: Remove
Once the popping slows to a few seconds between pops, pull your Popsmith off the heat and pour into a bowl right away.
Step 6: Serve
Enjoy your homemade movie theater popcorn as is or add your favorite candy to make a popcorn candy mix!
More Movie Theater Butter Popcorn Tips
-
Season to taste. When it comes to salt, you can always add more, but you can't take it back out. Start with about half of what the recipe calls for, then salt again after popping if you want more.
-
Turn it into a mix. Add something sweet (M&M's or jelly beans), something salty (nuts or pretzels), something soft (mini marshmallows), and something crunchy (goldfish crackers) so no two handfuls taste the same.
-
Storage. Keep any leftover popcorn in an airtight container and eat within 3-5 days.
Homemade Movie Theater Popcorn, Solved
You don't have to go to the cinema just for the popcorn anymore. Now you can enjoy a truly complete movie night, with the movie theater experience starting the minute you hear the first pop from your Popper and catch the smell of butter rising with the steam.
Fair warning: once you try this, you'll want a steady supply. Luckily, we’ve made it easy:
-
The Starter Set: The Popper plus two boxes of Oh Sooo Buttery Popcorn, so you're ready to pop ASAP.
-
The Popper + Movie Theater Popcorn Kit: Starting from scratch? This bundles the Popper with full-sized kernels, oil, and salt in one order.
-
The Movie Theater Popcorn Kit: Just the kernels, butter-flavored coconut oil, and buttery salt, if you already have a Popper and only need to restock.
-
Oh Sooo Buttery Popcorn Kits: Want to skip the measuring? Grab a box or two of our pre-portioned kits. Each box comes with 5 packets.
Craving more? Browse our popcorn recipes for new ways to use your Popper.
