A sweet twist on a movie night staple, Sesame Caramel Popcorn will always win the Academy Award for Best Snack.
So it’s movie night at your place again and you need something unique and delicious to serve your guests. Look no further than this Sesame Caramel Popcorn.
If you’re like me, then you’re always on the hunt for recipes that will have your guests wanting to come back. I’m always trying to up my game when it comes to movie night and this recipe has something for everyone. It’s sweet, savory, and a little nutty. And what’s great about this caramel popcorn is that it is naturally sweetened, and the sesame flavor adds a Middle Eastern twist to this popcorn staple.
The only major issue you’re probably going to run into is having enough to feed everyone! Thankfully this is not a hard recipe to master. If you’re looking for something a little saltier, I also have this Salted Caramel Popcorn recipe that will be right up your alley. Or for an added twist, why not try to make your own Chicago style by adding this Easy Cheese Popcorn to the mix?
Ingredients
For the Popcorn:
- ½ cup Popcorn kernels
- 2 Tbsp Coconut oil
For the Sesame Caramel:
- ½ cup Maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp Tahini
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Sesame Seeds
How to Make
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large heavy-based pot melt the coconut oil over medium heat and place 2 popcorn kernels into the oil. Cover with the lid and let the two kernels pop, then pour in the rest of the kernels and shake them to get them to a single layer, replace the lid and keep on the heat. Once the popping starts, crack the lid a little to let the steam out. When the popping gets really fast, turn down the heat for a few minutes then turn it off and let it stop popping before opening the lid.
Step 3: In a small pot, bring the maple syrup to a boil, let it boil for a few minutes on high. Just make sure that you don’t let it boil over.
Step 4: Take the pot off the heat and add in the tahini, vanilla essence, half the cinnamon, and salt. Whisk it all together until it is smooth then pour it over the popcorn and mix it all together using a rubber spatula. Mix until it is completely coated.
Step 5: Spread the popcorn out onto the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and then let it cool before breaking it up and placing it into sealed jars.
Top Tips For a Perfect Sesame Caramel Popcorn
- Make sure to use a large enough pot for the maple syrup to avoid it bubbling over. If you’re interested in other syrup-based recipes, you might enjoy Salted Caramels.
- After your initial two or three testing kernels pop be sure to remove them from the pot so they don’t burn as you pop the rest. Get more tips on our Perfect Stovetop Popcorn recipe.
- Don’t leave your popcorn unattended while it is popping! This could result in burnt popcorn. For different flavors, you can try the Cheese Popcorn Recipe or Taco Popcorn Recipe .
- You’ll want to use a pot that you know will distribute the heat evenly, hot spots could result in burnt popcorn. Perhaps consider the benefits of an Instant Pot for popping popcorn.
- Don’t turn the heat up higher than medium when popping your kernels. It is easy to burn oil at a higher temperature. If you prefer a no-oil method, check out how to make Air Fryer Popcorn.
- Keep an eye out for smoke while popping, even a whiff of smoke could mean your popcorn will taste burnt.
FAQs
Yes! You can substitute coconut oil for vegetable or canola oil. The reason I use coconut oil is because it will give you the closest taste to the popcorn you’d get in a movie theatre.
Allowing some of the built-up steam to escape will give you fluffier popcorn. So it’s important to crack the lid back a little to allow some of the steam to be released. And who doesn’t want a bit of a facial while making a snack?
This is probably my favorite question. While overeating before eventually going to bed is never a good thing. Popcorn happens to be a complex carb that contains serotonin which happens to be a hormone that helps you relax. I’m not sure how the caramel factors into this but let’s not overthink it.
Serving Suggestions
So you have your sesame caramel popcorn all ready to go, and while I did suggest some other popcorns you might want to try pairing with this at the start of the recipe, might I suggest making up a snack tray?
Some sesame caramel popcorn, some gummies, maybe some peanuts or chocolate? Do up a snack tray that allows your movie night guests to have the best of all the snack world has to offer.
How to Store
If, for some reason, you didn’t eat alllll of the sesame caramel popcorn, you can save it for later! Allow the popcorn to cool completely before storing it, to maintain its crunchiness. Once cooled, transfer the popcorn to an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Store the popcorn at room temperature, in a cool and dry place. Avoiding direct sunlight will also help the caramel mixture to avoid melting and becoming a sticky mess. Try to eat the leftovers in one to two weeks to avoid staleness.
Sesame Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients
For the Popcorn:
- ½ cup Popcorn kernels
- 2 Tbsp Coconut oil
For the Sesame Caramel:
- ½ cup Maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp Tahini
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large heavy-based pot melt the coconut oil over medium heat and place 2 popcorn kernels into the oil. Cover with the lid and let the two kernels pop, then pour in the rest of the kernels and shake them to get them to a single layer, replace the lid and keep on the heat. Once the popping starts crack the lid a little to let the steam out. When the popping gets really fast turn down the heat for a few minutes then turn it off and let it stop popping before opening the lid.
- In a small pot bring the maple syrup to a boil, let it boil for a few minutes on high, just make sure that you don’t let it boil over.
- Take the pot off the heat and add in the tahini, vanilla essence, half the cinnamon, and salt. Whisk it all together until it is smooth then pour it over the popcorn and mix it all together using a rubber spatula. Mix until it is completely coated.
- Spread the popcorn out onto the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and then let let it cool before breaking it up and placing it into sealed jars.
Nutrition
