Homemade Spicy Stove Top Sriracha Popcorn Recipe

jump to recipe

Spice lovers will love this spicy popcorn recipe featuring stove-top popcorn, melted butter, and Sriracha hot sauce. Perfect for movie night or game day!

Jump to:

Ingredients
Substitutions
Instructions
Tips for making stove top popcorn
What to serve with spicy popcorn
Storage
FAQs
Recipe

If you're a popcorn lover and also a fan of spicy food, you'll love this spicy popcorn recipe. A big bowl of spicy popcorn is a good idea for game day snacking or for your next movie night.

And you only need four ingredients (not including salt and pepper). I'll give instructions on how to make stovetop popcorn but you can use a popcorn popper instead if you'd rather.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

popcorn kernels: ¼ cup of kernels makes between 6-8 cups of popcorn, depending on how much pops.
coconut oil: for popping the kernels and also topping the popcorn.
butter: for a flavorful topping because butter popcorn is delicious!
hot sauce: I use Sriracha hot sauce for a spicy mix.
salt and pepper: fine sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper for seasoning.

Substitutions

coconut oil: I've used vegetable oil also, but prefer coconut oil.
hot sauce: try something like Frank's hot sauce instead for buffalo popcorn.
sweet and spicy? try adding a splash of maple syrup to the butter mix.

An icon with a black cast iron skillet and the word Tip in white handwritten font.

Don't want to make homemade popcorn? Try adding the hot sauce mixture to microwave popcorn for a super easy shortcut!

Instructions

Prep Tips

Keep the heat at medium or lower.
Use a large thick-bottomed pot.

When making stovetop popcorn the most important factor is heat. I never heat my pan above medium heat.

To get even cooking and prevent the burning of the popcorn, make sure to use a heavy-bottomed pot.

You'll need a pot with a lid and I find having a glass one handy because you can see what is happening. If you don't have a glass lid, any lid will do - you'll listen to the popcorn also while making it.

Add a few tablespoons of coconut oil to the pot along with three kernels of corn to be used as test kernels. Add the lid.
Once you hear the three test kernels pop quickly add the rest of the kernels and add the lid back on. It'll take another minute or two before you hear the kernels begin to pop.
Once the kernels start popping, shake the pot often. This helps move the popped corn to the top and helps prevent the kernels from sitting on heat and possibly burning.
Keep going until there are a few seconds between each pop, then remove the pot from the heat. Keep the lid on for about 30 seconds, until the popcorn stops popping.
Melt the butter and coconut oil together in a small bowl.
Add the desired amount of Sriracha to the melted butter mixture. (The spicier the better for me!).
Pour the popcorn into a large bowl for mixing.
Drizzle some of the hot sauce mixture on top of the popcorn, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss it to mix.
Repeat until the popcorn is coated and the butter is gone.

Tips for making stove top popcorn

Use a heavy-bottomed pot. A pot with a thin bottom can cause the oil and the popcorn to burn and have uneven heating.
A glass lid is handy to have, which allows you to check on your test kernels. If you don't have a see through lid just listen for the kernels to pop.
Don't walk away, everything happens quick once the kernels begin to pop. Always be careful when heating oil on the stovetop.
Listen for the test kernels to pop, this is how you'll know when to add the rest. The pop corn is done when the popping slow down to a few seconds between pops. It'll start to burn so remove it from the element and let it sit.

What to serve with spicy popcorn

For movie night, try pairing this spicy popcorn with rosemary spiced nuts for an additional snack, and a cold sweet mango margarita.

Love popcorn? Try this stove top popcorn with nutritional yeast next.

Storage

Stove top popcorn is best served the same days it's made.

FAQs

How do you cook stove-top popcorn evenly?

When making stove-top popcorn a few tips will help you cook it evenly. Make sure to use a heavy-bottomed pot for even heating, use only as much oil as needed to pop the kernels, and be sure to shake the pot often.

Recipe

Spicy Sriracha Popcorn

author : Jacqueline Piper

5 from 2 votes

Make your next movie night or game day fantastic with this easy, spicy snack.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 10

Total Time 12

Servings

Ingredients

▢ ¼ cup popcorn kernels
▢ 1 tablespoon butter (melted)
▢ 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted, divided)
▢ ½ teaspoon Sriracha Hot Sauce
▢ salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid and heat over medium. Add three popcorn kernels to be the test kernels.
When the first three kernels pop, add in the rest of the kernels.
Heat, shaking the pot often, until there are a few seconds between pops and all or most of the kernels have popped. Remove from heat and turn the heat off.
In the meantime, melt the butter and coconut oil together, then add the sriracha sauce and stir together.
Add the popcorn to a large bowl. Drizzle the popcorn with butter mixture, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss or stir to mix. Repeat until the butter mixture is gone.

Notes

Makes 6-8 cups.

Add more Sriracha if you like it spicier.

Use a heavy-bottomed pot. A pot with a thin bottom can cause the oil and the popcorn to burn and have uneven heating.

A glass lid is handy to have, which allows you to check on your test kernels. If you don't have a see-through lid just listen for the kernels to pop.

Don't walk away, everything happens quickly once the kernels begin to pop. Always be careful when heating oil on the stovetop.

Listen for the test kernels to pop, this is how you'll know when to add the rest. The popcorn is done when the popping slows down to a few seconds between pops. It'll start to burn so remove it from the element and let it sit.