Popcorn is a popular movie snack, but it can also be a dessert you can enjoy on date night, at your kid’s birthday party, or whenever you need a sweet pick-me-up. So if you’re looking for a sugary fix, try out these sweet popcorn recipes that you can make in minutes with your Popsmith Popper:
1. Kettle Corn
If we could only eat one type of sweet popcorn forever, we’d pick kettle corn. It’s not too overpowering to give you a toothache — it’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
And guess what? You don’t have to wait for the next county fair to get your hands on it. All you need to make authentic kettle corn at home is your Popsmith Popper, some popping corn, coconut oil, and a few tablespoons of our Kettle Corn Seasoning.
The Popper prevents burnt and unpopped kernels thanks to its stainless steel construction, multi-clad metal bottom, and patented spinning mechanism, while the kettle corn mix captures that authentic state fair crunch and flavor.
2. Caramel Corn
Next up, we’ve got caramel corn, aka kettle corn’s more intense cousin. If kettle corn is crisp and has a light sugary glaze, caramel corn is coated in a thick caramel sauce that makes it a little more chewy.
You’ll typically need butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup (or maple syrup) to create the caramel sauce. It can be tricky to get the consistency right at first, but once you master it, we know you’ll be making caramel corn regularly.
Related: Kettle Corn vs. Caramel Corn: The Ultimate Showdown
3. Peanut Butter Popcorn
Another sweet and salty popcorn you’ll love is peanut butter popcorn. You only need a few ingredients for this, and they’re likely already in your kitchen — peanut butter, honey, sugar, and salt. It’s pretty sticky, we won’t lie, but the trade-off is absolutely worth the mess.
4. Birthday Cake Popcorn
Know anyone with a birthday coming up? Instead of the usual birthday cake, try surprising them with birthday cake popcorn. It’s literally a sweet gesture they’ll never forget!
And the best part is you don’t need any baking skills for this. Birthday cake popcorn is essentially a fusion of kettle corn and marshmallow popcorn. The only other ingredients you need to add are white cake mix and sprinkles, for a festive touch.
This sweet popcorn is so fun and easy to make that you don’t have to reserve it for birthday parties. Serve it for date night, game night, or even on a random Saturday afternoon if you want!
5. Chocolate Popcorn
If we had to describe chocolate popcorn in one phrase? Heaven in a bowl. Now there are a hundred and one ways to make chocolate popcorn (like this chocolate drizzled one recipe here), but what’s gotta be our favorite is Cinerama-style chocolate popcorn. If you’ve ever been to that iconic Seattle cinema, you know it’s the stuff of legend!
We loved it so much that it inspired us to make our Choc-o-Pop Powder. Just add a few tablespoons of this powder while your kernels pop, keep turning your Popper’s crank, pour into a huge bowl when popping slows, and boom — you’ll have perfectly dusted chocolate popcorn.
6. Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn
Chocolate peanut butter popcorn is what happens when you take peanut butter popcorn to the next level. The addition of melted chocolate makes the coating richer and twice as indulgent. You can sprinkle in chopped peanuts for extra crunch, or don't. Either way, this popcorn disappears fast.
7. Marshmallow Popcorn
Marshmallow popcorn is a lot like rice krispies, only instead of cereal, you’re of course using popcorn as a base. Some people might find the gooey-ness messy but we think that’s part of this sweet popcorn’s appeal. This is an awesome treat to whip up for sleepovers or a movie night in your backyard.
8. S'mores Popcorn
S’mores popcorn is so wickedly good. This twist on the classic campfire snack may not be the most healthy popcorn around, but if we’re talking about cheat day treats, you’ll want it high up on your list.
The combination of melted chocolate, mini marshmallows, graham crackers, and crunchy stovetop popcorn is an absolute dream come true for anyone who misses being a kid at summer camp.
9. Oreo Popcorn
If you love Oreos (who doesn’t?), you need to give this Oreo popcorn a try. Just drizzle melted white chocolate over freshly popped popcorn and sprinkle on a generous amount of crushed Oreos. Seriously easy and delicious!
10. Oreo Peanut Butter Popcorn
Can’t decide between Oreo popcorn and peanut butter popcorn? Make Oreo peanut butter popcorn, and you can have both. Problem solved. It’s sweet, it’s salty, and it’s ridiculously satisfying.
11. Nutella Popcorn
Nutella fans, this one’s for you! Nutella popcorn is exactly what it sounds like, and it’s every bit as mouthwatering as you’re imagining. It’s an amazing combination that will have you going back for handful after handful. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
12. Biscoff Popcorn
Cookie butter makes everything better — pancakes, apples, eaten directly off a spoon at midnight (we’re guilty here!). But Biscoff popcorn? It’s downright lethal. This one is coated in Biscoff spread AND topped with chopped Biscoff cookes. It’s cookie butter overload in the best way possible.
13. Matcha Popcorn
Next on our list of sweet popcorn recipes is matcha popcorn. You’ll like this one a lot if you’re a matcha fan or prefer your dessert on the less-sweet side. It's got that distinctive matcha taste — earthy and a touch bitter — balanced out by white chocolate.
14. Rocky Road Popcorn
With its combination of chocolate, almonds, and marshmallows, rocky road popcorn is just as irresistible as the classic ice cream flavor. You get crispy, crunchy, chewy, and smooth all in one handful. Make it for your next movie night if you want to surprise your family with something different.
15. Zebra Popcorn
You know what’s even better than caramel popcorn? Caramel corn drizzled in layers of white and dark chocolate, or as it’s better known, zebra popcorn. This sweet popcorn idea might have a few extra steps than the other recipes on this list, but it’s worth the effort.
16. Honey Popcorn
Want a lighter, healthier alternative to caramel corn? Honey popcorn is what you’re looking for. It’s sweet, crisp, and leaves you satisfied. You just need to combine honey and butter together, drizzle it over your popcorn, and bake until golden.
17. Unicorn Popcorn
Unicorn popcorn is the ultimate party snack for kids who love everything colorful. It’s white chocolate popcorn colored in pastel hues and loaded with sprinkles, vanilla wafers, and mini marshmallows. It’s something you’ll want on your Instagram feed and in your mouth!
18. Strawberry Popcorn
Pretty in pink, strawberry popcorn tastes like spring in a bowl. Powdered freeze-dried strawberries get mixed into white chocolate for the coating, then topped with more freeze-dried strawberry slices for extra crunch and flavor. It makes a stunning treat for a stay at home date night, Galentine’s, or Mother’s Day.
19. Chocolate Coconut Popcorn
For anyone craving a tropical escape, chocolate coconut popcorn delivers pure paradise. It’s a combination of fresh stovetop popcorn, dark chocolate drizzle, shredded coconut, and toasted coconut flakes. Now it’s a great pool party staple, but there’s no rule saying you can’t make it whenever you’re dreaming of sunshine and palm trees.
20. Banana Pudding Popcorn
By now you’ve realized that you can turn basically any dessert into popcorn. Banana pudding is no exception. While this sweet popcorn idea might be more unusual than kettle corn or chocolate, one bite of banana pudding popcorn — with its combination of vanilla wafers, banana chips, and white chocolate drizzle — will make you a believer.
21. Maple Popcorn
Maple syrup isn’t just for pancakes. Drizzle it on popcorn with butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and you’ve got yourself a sweet, spiced snack that tastes amazing whether it’s October or the middle of July.
READ MORE: How to Make Easy Maple Popcorn
22. Maple Apple Popcorn
Maple apple popcorn is maple popcorn’s cooler, more interesting sibling. You add maple sugar straight into your Popper while kernels pop, and it caramelizes as they cook. Then you toss in freeze-dried cinnamon apples and spiced nuts. The result? A complex, textured snack that delivers on flavor.
23. Chocolate Cherry Popcorn
Chocolate cherry popcorn is one sophisticated snack. The tart cherries cut through the richness of the chocolate, while a splash of almond extract and a pinch of sea salt round out the flavor. We’d say to keep this sweet popcorn recipe in your back pocket for date nights, but if we’re being honest, you might not have the self-control to eat it all beforehand.
24. Valentine Trail Mix Popcorn
Valentine trail mix popcorn combines popcorn with white chocolate, milk chocolate, M&M’s, jelly beans, freeze-dried strawberries, and pecans for maximum variety in every handful. It’s sweet, crunchy, colorful, and way too irresistible to limit to February 14.
A Snack and Dessert in One
These sweet popcorn ideas are proof that popcorn isn’t just a savory snack. It’s so versatile that it can be whatever you want it to be, whether that’s crunchy kettle corn, spicy sriracha popcorn, or a popcorn snack mix.
Which of these sweet popcorn recipes are you making first? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to check out our blog to learn how to make all of them step by step.
