Nigella Lawson’s Party Popcorn
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This salty-sweet party popcorn from Nigella Lawson is a fun twist on plain popcorn—perfect for snacking or serving with cocktails.
Leave it to Nigella Lawson. I was once content to eat my popcorn with just butter and salt, but after trying her party popcorn recipe, there’s no going back. A crave-worthy mix of sweet and savory flavors—think cinnamon, cumin, and paprika—this stuff is downright habit-forming.
Adapted from Nigella Express, one of my go-to cookbooks, this stove-top snack comes together in less than fifteen minutes. And while it’s called “party popcorn,” don’t reserve it just for entertaining—it’s perfect for family movie nights or anytime snacking.
“Delicious! We keep saying that we need to step away from the bowl, but it’s impossible! Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe—I never would have thought to combine those spices with popcorn, but it totally works. 🙂”
What you’ll need to make Party Popcorn
- Vegetable Oil: Used to pop the kernels—just enough to coat the bottom of the pot and get things going.
- Popcorn Kernels: The base of the recipe. I like using Pop Secret Jumbo Popping Corn for big, fluffy pieces, but any good-quality kernels will work. Besides being delicious, popcorn also has a high fiber content and some surprising health benefits, making it a snack you can feel good about.
- Butter: Gets melted and mixed with the seasonings to coat the popcorn in flavor.
- Salt, Sugar, Ground Cinnamon, Paprika, and Ground Cumin: This seasoning blend gives the popcorn a salty-sweet flavor with warmth and smokiness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat the oil and kernels. Add the oil and kernels of popcorn to a large pot. Keep the kernels in a single layer so they pop evenly—resist the urge to add more. Using too many kernels can lead to uneven popping and overcrowding, which increases the risk of burning.
Step 2: Pop the corn. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat. Don’t be tempted to increase the heat—if it’s too high, the oil can scorch, leaving your popcorn with a burnt flavor even if the kernels don’t burn. Once the popping starts, gently shake the pot now and then. (Shaking the pot helps move unpopped kernels to the bottom so they all get an opportunity to pop.) When the popping slows to 2 to 3 seconds apart, take the pot off the heat.
Step 3: Make the spice butter. In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave, then stir in the spices, sugar, and salt.
Step 4: Drizzle and toss. Slowly drizzle the mixture over the popcorn, stirring as you go. Some clumps are totally fine. Drizzling gradually helps distribute the flavors more evenly and minimizes soggy spots.
Step 5: Serve. Pile the popcorn into a big bowl or portion it into small cups for easy snacking.
More Snack Recipes You May Like
Nigella's Party Popcorn
This dressed-up popcorn delivers big flavor in every bite—make it for happy hour, movie night, or any casual get-together.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¾ cup popcorn kernels (I like Pop Secret Jumbo Popping Corn)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pour the vegetable oil into a very large pan over medium-high heat. Add the kernels, then set the lid on top.
- Wait for the kernels to start popping, then shake the pan gently now and then to keep the kernels moving. When the popping slows to 2-3 seconds apart, remove the pan from the heat.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in the cinnamon, paprika, cumin, sugar and salt. Use a spoon to drizzle the mixture over the popcorn, stirring as you go so that it coats the everything evenly. Pour into bowls or popcorn bags and serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 2 cups
- Calories: 109
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 46 mg
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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pretty good!! would agree about adding some cayenne.. about half a teaspoon.. a bit more butter.. and no salt if your butter is salted!
So, so amazingly good!