White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn Recipe

National Popcorn Day is January 19th, and I’ve got a White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn recipe to share with you! This means not only are you in store to learn some ‘corny’ facts, but it’s also a great excuse to make loads and loads of popcorn!

Only in the last couple of months have I discovered how much more delicious and healthy it is to pop popcorn on the stove. I’ve not burned it even once! And for this White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn recipe, I substituted coconut oil in my pan, and it turned out perfectly.

Here’s a little “pop” quiz for you … Do you know what makes popcorn pop?

Out of the four most common types of corn (sweet, dent, flint and popcorn), popcorn is the only type that … pops. The hull has just the right thickness to allow it to burst open. Learn the science behind exactly how popcorn pops. 

National Popcorn Day

National Popcorn Day is officially January 19th, but this whole grain snack is perfect all year ’round. Whether you make it on the stove, in the microwave or buy it ready-to-eat, popcorn is gluten free and sugar free (just maybe not in my particular recipe!) and has no artificial additives or preservatives, making it a healthy choice for the whole family.

So if you’re ready for a sweet & salty snack using popcorn, try this White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn recipe!

White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs coconut oil (not needed if using microwavable popcorn)
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn (or two bags of microwavable popcorn)
• 1 tsp salt (or more, to taste)
• 16 oz meltable white chocolate
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup slivered almonds

Directions for Popping Popcorn on a Stove:

Note: This is how I make popcorn, and it works perfectly every time. You can also read the Popcorn Board recommendations for cooking both stove-top and microwave popcorn.

Melt coconut oil in a 8-qt pot over medium-high heat. Pour unpopped popcorn into hot oil, and cover with lid. In just a moment, you’ll start to hear the magic happen.

When several kernels have popped, begin carefully shaking the pot side to side, front to back while still on the heat, to keep the kernels moving inside.

Continue shaking until you don’t hear many kernels still left in the bottom of the pot, and popping slows down. This might be around 3 minutes. Remove from heat and remove lid carefully (you might get popped in the eye!) to let steam escape.

If desired, add salt and/or butter, and stir. For this recipe I chose to add salt. Also, I wanted a little more volume so in addition to popping the above on the stove, I also prepared a microwavable bag of buttered popcorn, and mixed in to what I had made on the stove.

White Chocolate Popcorn Topping

Microwave melting white chocolate according to package directions, being careful not to overcook. Melting chocolate continues to melt from stirring, so just keep stirring, just keep stirring…

Pour half of melted white chocolate over popcorn and stir.

Add dried cranberries and almonds, stir again. Add remaining white chocolate and stir one final time, getting even distribution.

Spread popcorn mix onto a jelly roll pan and pop into fridge for 30 minutes to cool and harden. Store in an airtight container.

What You Should Know About Popcorn

Above, I mentioned microwavable popcorn. You should know that Diacetyl was removed form microwave popcorn in 2006, and since then, most companies have removed PFOAs from their packaging.

You should know that the Popcorn Board discourages the use of brown paper bags to pop popcorn in the microwave. These bags are often made from unknown materials that may not be approved as “food grade” papers, and should not come in direct contact with food when heated as they could catch fire, interfere with microwave cooking technology and lessen the performance and longevity of the microwave itself.

And, you should know that if you want more popcorn recipes, Popcorn.org has recipes, “corny” facts about popcorn, and so much more.

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White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn Recipe

White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn is a delicious, sweet & salty snack to be enjoyed year 'round

Course Snack

Author Ann-Marie Rohe / Chaos Is Bliss

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs coconut oil
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
• 1 tsp salt or more, to taste
• 16 oz meltable white chocolate
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

Popcorn

1. Melt coconut oil in a X qt pot over medium-high heat.
2. Place 3 kernels of unpopped corn into oil and cover with lid.
3. Once these have popped, you'll know it's time to add the rest.
4. Pour unpopped popcorn into hot oil, cover with lid and remove from heat for 30 seconds, then return to heat.
5. When several kernels have popped, begin carefully shaking the pot side to side, front to back while still on the heat, to keep kernels moving inside.
6. Continue shaking until you don't hear many kernels still left in the bottom of the pot, and popping slows down, around 3 minutes
7. Remove from heat and remove lid carefully to let steam escape.
8. Add salt and stir.

White Chocolate

1. Microwave melting white chocolate according to package directions, being careful not to overcook.
2. Pour half of melted white chocolate over popcorn and stir.
3. Add dried cranberries and almonds, stir again.
4. Add remaining white chocolate and stir one final time, getting even distribution.
5. Spread popcorn mix onto a jelly roll pan and pop into fridge for 30 minutes to cool and harden.
6. Store in an airtight container.

This post was originally published January 12, 2017 and sponsored by Popcorn.org, but all words, opinions love of buttery, salty popcorn are 100% my own. See my disclosure policy for more info.

Find more of my recipes here, including this one: