Spooky season is here! And lately, we’ve been crushing on these inventive popcorn treats that the Clif Family Culinary Team has been sharing with us. Make a batch to snack on when all those zombies, witches, and ghouls come knockin’ on your door, or make a few batches to share at a haunted happy hour celebration. Happy Halloween snacking!
Recipes by Executive Chef John McConnell
Ingredients:
3/4 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup of cooking oil, or enough to lightly cover the base of your pot
To a medium sized pot with tight fitting lid, add the popcorn kernels and oil. Place the pot over medium-high heat and heat until you start to hear kernels pop. Using caution and oven mitts, gently shake the whole pot (with the lid on) over the heat to keep from the kernels from sticking to the bottom. Continue to gently shake the pot until you can hear the kernels stop popping. Remove from heat and transfer the popped corn to a large mixing bowl.
See the following fun variations for dressing your popcorn.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Drizzle popcorn with melted butter followed by the dry seasonings. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Worcesterchire sauce, added to melted butter
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sour cream powder
Add the Worcestershire sauce to the melted butter or olive oil and whisk to combine. In a separate small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Drizzle the butter mixture over popcorn and sprinkle in the dry ingredients. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp salt
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Toss popcorn with melted butter or olive oil followed by the dry seasonings. Toss to coat.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp liquid smoke to your melted butter or olive oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp tomato powder
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp finely ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Drizzle popcorn with melted butter and liquid smoke mixture followed by the dry seasonings. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp vinegar powder or 1 Tbsp distilled vinegar
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Drizzle popcorn with melted butter followed by the dry seasonings. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.
Ingredients:
1 cup small-diced pancetta or bacon
1 clove of garlic, bruised or gently smashed
2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
½ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Reggiano
In a skillet over medium-high heat, add pancetta and bruised garlic clove and render down until pancetta is crisp. Remove the garlic clove once it starts to get dark brown. Toss dry popcorn with the crispy pancetta including the oil (rendered pancetta fat will replace melted butter or olive oil for this recipe). Sprinkle with black pepper and grated Pecorino to evenly coat. Serve while hot and enjoy.
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 200° F.
Bring butter, brown sugar, cream of tartar and salt to a boil on the stove. Boil mixture without stirring for 5 minutes, or if you have a candy thermometer, until mixture reaches 235° F.
Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the baking soda. Caution: The mixture will foam up quite a bit. Carefully pour over popcorn in a mixing bowl and use a spatula to fold and coat. Transfer coated popcorn to a sheet tray with a silicone mat. Bake caramel corn for about an hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Cool and enjoy.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp chili flakes
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Drizzle popcorn with melted butter followed by the dry seasonings. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cayenne (add to melted butter)
1 tsp vinegar powder (or sub 1 Tbsp distilled vinegar).
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Drizzle popcorn with melted butter followed by the dry seasonings. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Vermont or Quebec Maple syrup
2 tsp salt
Add the maple syrup to the melted butter or olive oil and whisk to combine. Pour syrup and butter mixture over popped corn and sprinkle in the salt. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, or sub red chili flakes)
½ tsp ginger powder
Add the sesame oil and soy sauce to the melted butter or olive oil and whisk to combine. In a separate small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Drizzle the butter mixture over popcorn and sprinkle in the dry ingredients. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.
Ingredients:
½ stick of melted butter or ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground clove
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Drizzle popcorn with melted butter followed by the dry seasonings. Toss or fold with a spatula to evenly coat.