State Fair Kettle Corn Recipe At Home! (2024)

This state fair kettle corn recipe (or county fair kettle korn recipe) is just like the popcorn from fairs and festivals! You may be surprised at just how easy this popcorn treat is to make from scratch, but there is a secret tip for this homemade carnival popcorn recipe…

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State Fair Kettle Corn Recipe At Home! (1)

EASY STATE FAIR KETTLE CORN RECIPE

One of our favorite things at the fair is to get state fair popcorn!

We made this homemade kettle corn on the stove and it tastes like you bought it at the state fair!

How do you make kettle corn from scratch?

Making old fashioned kettle corn from scratch is easier than you think with just a few ingredients!

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How do you make kettle corn at home:

  • White popcorn
  • Vegetable oil
  • White sugar
  • Salt
  • Heavy bottom pot with lid (for the kettle corn popcorn recipe stove top)

We love this easy to make homemade kettle corn recipe, but because it can burn easily (AND the hot popcorn can burn if stuck on skin), we recommend that adults take the lead in making this recipe with kids.

State Fair Kettle Corn Recipe At Home! (2)

Before we get to the homemade kettle corn recipe, let’s answer some common questions. Since this recipe burns easily, read through all these tips before popping kettle corn!

What gives kettle corn its flavor?

That crispy, sweet kettle corn flavor you love at festivals, fairs, and carnivals comes from oil, salt, and sugar. The kettlecorn is popped in oil with sugar, which gives it that kettle corn glaze on each popped kernel.

What is the difference between kettle corn and regular popcorn?

Kettle corn is regular popcorn that has sugar popped into the flavor. Regular popcorn is usually just seasoned with butter (but can also have many different seasonings that are available now!).

What is the difference between caramel corn and kettle corn?

Caramel corn is popcorn with a brown sugar and butter glaze mixture. Kettle corn is made by just adding white sugar to the popcorn as it is popping, which adds a clear sugar glaze.

State Fair Kettle Corn Recipe At Home! (3)

YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THESE OTHER POPCORN RECIPES:

Simple Toffee Popcorn Recipe

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Pot-O-Gold Popcorn Bites

How To Make A Homemade Popcorn Garland

How To Make Purple Popcorn

What is the best kettle corn popcorn?

Answering what kind of corn is used for kettle corn is really based on your preference. We prefer white popcorn for our kettle corn (and just popcorn recipes, in general) because we find the smaller popcorn has a lighter, crunchier taste (and often has less hulls). Yellow popcorn is generally larger and you may enjoy that surface to hold the sugar for your kettle corn.

Test it out with the popcorn recipe and see which you prefer! (There’s no right or wrong answer!)

Why is kettle corn so sweet?

The homemade kettle corn seasoning and what gives kettle corn that sweet flavor is just plain old white sugar. It’s a kettle corn recipe easy to make with just a few ingredients!

How To Make Kettle Corn Sauce

The kettle corn sauce (or kettle corn glaze) isn’t much of a sauce. It’s actually made from adding sugar during the heating and popcorn popping phase, which gives it kind of a light popcorn glaze.

How To Make Kettle Corn Without Burning It

The best way to make kettle corn at home without burning it is to use a heavy pot with lid that you shake the entire time it is cooking. Once the popcorn popping slows, immediately dump the popcorn into a large bowl to prevent burning.

CHECK THE CURRENT SALE PRICES ON THIS POPCORN POPPER

You can also use an old-fashioned popcorn popper that has a handle that you crank and stirs the popcorn while cooking to prevent it from burning.

OK! Let’s get to making kettle corn at home!

RECIPE FOR KETTLE CORN

We like making kettle corn on stove because it really does taste like the gourmet kettle corn recipes you buy.

Some people make this as a kettle corn recipe brown sugar, but we find the white sugar tastes just like the fair popcorn.

WARNING: This sweet and salty kettle corn recipe is not an easy recipe to double. We’ve tried several times and it didn’t turn out any of the times we tried to double it. If you need more than this recipe, we recommend just making several batches of this smaller recipe.

State Fair Kettle Corn Recipe At Home! (5)

Old-Fashioned Kettle Corn

Learning to make kettle corn is a fun family activity and this popcorn recipe is easier than you think! This homemade state fair kettle corn recipe will quickly become a family favorite!

TIP: This recipe DOES NOT double well.

4.95 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snacks

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 118kcal

Author: LittleCooksReadingBooks.com

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup uncooked white popcorn kernels
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a large, heavy bottom pot with lid, heat vegetable oil. Add 2-3 kernels of popcorn to the oil. When those pop, your oil is ready!

  • Add sugar to the oil and stir until it starts to dissolve.

  • Add popcorn to oil and sugar. Immediately cover with lid and start shaking the pot continuously over the burner. WARNING: THE POPCORN WILL BURN EASILY Continue shaking until you hear the popcorn popping slow down.

  • Immediately remove from heat and carefully pour popcorn into a large bowl. Add salt and carefully stir popcorn. Serve immediately.

Notes

The trick to making kettle corn is to shake, shake, shake the pot so the popcorn doesn't burn. After, add a healthy shake of salt for that sweet and salty flavor you get from fair popcorn!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 61mg | Sugar: 5g

You’ll Also Like This Popcorn Recipe: How To Make Homemade Toffee Popcorn

Have fun making state fair kettle corn recipe at home!

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State Fair Kettle Corn Recipe At Home! (2024)

FAQs

What gives kettle corn its flavor? ›

Kettle corn is a variety of corn that was initially made in the kettle – people would oil a large iron kettle and cook the corn. Once the popcorn has popped, it is tossed with a sugar and salt mixture to give it a savory taste and distinct texture.

What kind of popcorn is best for kettle corn? ›

Mushroom flakes, used to make kettle corn, are mostly spherical in shape and can be either round or oblong. As a result, they have a much more chewy and tender texture. Also, mushroom popcorn kernels are much harder, making them perfect for popping sugar kettle corn.

What are the ingredients in Pop Secret kettle corn? ›

Ingredients: Whole Grain Popcorn, Palm Oil, Isomalt, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Salt, Soy, Lecithin, Sucralose, Rosemary Extract (to preserve freshness), Ascorbic Acid (to preserve freshness). Contains: Soy.

What makes kettle corn better? ›

The neutral taste of popcorn is always there, modified slightly by choice of seasoning. Kettlecorn has a dominantly sweet flavor, with just a hint of salt noticeable to the palate. Adding sugar to your mix during the cooking process is essential to crafting that perfect blend of sweet and savory taste.

Is kettle corn healthier than popcorn? ›

While both varieties of popcorn have similar nutritious benefits, sugar added to kettle popcorn is more likely to cause you to gain weight (due to its higher calorie count and addictive nature). However, there is no reason to worry if you consume kettle popcorn every now and then.

What company makes the best kettle corn? ›

Hands down, Uncle Dave's Kettle Korn, is THE best kettle corn in the world. For years, Uncle Dave's secret recipe popcorn has been a hit among many. What started as a small tent setup in Williamsburg Outlets in Virginia has now grown to a nationally recognized brand.

Is kettle popcorn healthy to eat? ›

The popular snack contains whole grains, fiber and antioxidant substances known as polyphenols, the same micronutrient that is found in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants have shown potential heart-health benefits, making popcorn a great choice for a late night snack!

Is kettle corn just caramel popcorn? ›

Kettle corn is a combination of sweet and salty flavors. It is lighter in flavor and texture than caramel corn as the sugar and salt are mixed in during popping rather than coated.

Why is kettle corn so addictive? ›

Kettle corn is traditionally made in a large, iron kettle that has been oiled. The popcorn is popped before it is tossed with a little salt, and of course some sugar, to give it that addictive flavor. The oil from the iron kettle is what keeps the seasonings on the popped kernels.

Does Orville Redenbacher make kettle corn? ›

Kettle Corn 2.7 out of 5 stars, average rating value. Read 24 Reviews. Same page link. A little sweet, a little salty—and a whole lot of yummy.

Where does kettle corn get its sweetness from? ›

It is believed that 18th century farmers created the recipe in their cast iron pots (coated with pork fat) over an open fire. They often added sugar, honey, or molasses to sweeten it, creating the sweet kettle corn taste we love today.

How do you keep sugar from burning in kettle corn? ›

Heat: Keep your stove around medium/ medium-high heat. If you go too high, the sugar will burn and the popcorn will be chewy from popping too fast. Act fast. Get the kettle corn out of the hot pot as fast as you can, right when you hear the popping slow to 1- 2 seconds.

Why does my kettle corn always burn? ›

Don't overheat the pan.

While it can be tempting to crank up the heat to speed up the popping process, we want to be extra careful when making kettle corn not to burn the sugar. So keep the stove set between medium to medium-high heat and you should be set.

Why is my kettle corn chewy? ›

A top reason popcorn turns out chewy is because steam gets trapped in your pot when the popcorn kernels are popping. Fix this by using a well-vented lid or leave the pan slightly open to make a light and crispy popcorn.

How is kettle corn different from regular popcorn? ›

The addition of sugar during the cooking process gives kettle corn its distinctive sweetness, complementing the savory notes from the salt. This combination of sweet and salty flavors is a hallmark of kettle corn and sets it apart from regular popcorn.

What flavor is kettle popcorn? ›

Kettle corn is a sweet variety of popcorn that is typically mixed or seasoned with a light-colored refined sugar, salt, and oil. It was traditionally made in cast iron kettles, hence the name, but in modern times other types of pots and pans are used.

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