Around here this cinnamon popcorn is a holiday treat! We’ve been making it for the last 15 years or more and this cinnamon popcorn has come to be a family favorite. Everyone LOVES the smell of it baking and we’re eager to snitch a piece before it’s even done. The aroma of sweet cinnamon wafting through the house while the Christmas lights are on and the Christmas music is playing. . . aaahh, so holiday-ish with so many great memories! There is a secret ingredient that makes it super cinnamon flavored and easy-peasy to make! Before you think cinnamon popcorn sounds weird, you need to try it! We will admit….we thought this sounded very weird, but then after making it, we found it amazingly delicious!
CINNAMON POPCORN
(adapted from Gooseberry Patch)
If you like to gift fun foods or snacks for the holidays to teachers, delivery drivers, hairdressers, babysitters, etc., this cinnamon popcorn is definitely one that is great for gifting. Need more food gifting ideas, check out this book from Gooseberry Patch. It’s full of fun foods to gift this holiday season.
Watch the video to see just how easy this is to make!
(Scroll down for the printable recipe card)
Let’s make red hot cinnamon popcorn with just a few easy steps!
- Start by popping your popcorn. (You can use microwave popcorn, a hot air popper, whatever you wish!)
One of our favorite products is this silicone microwave popcorn popper. It’s super easy to use, uses popcorn kernels, can be made in minutes, and it is collapsible taking up very little kitchen room!
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- Butter your pans and spread the popcorn evenly over.
(of course, I make it on 2 of our favorite pans) and spread the popcorn evenly.
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- Bake the popcorn at 225 degrees while you work on preparing the cinnamon syrup.
- In a 4-cup measuring cup, place your red hots (cinnamon imperials).
- Pour in the white sugar until it is up to the 3-cup line.
- Pour into a heavy saucepan and add the butter, corn syrup, and salt.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until boiling. Boil for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and continue stirring, making sure all the red hots (cinnamon imperials) are completely dissolved.
- Carefully stir in the baking soda.
- Working quickly, pour over the warmed popcorn, tossing to coat.
- Bake at 225 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
- After one hour, remove from the oven and immediately dump onto wax paper.
- Allow to cool before breaking into pieces and storing in an air tight container.
Take to your next party or family gathering and let everyone rave over it!
Red Hot Cinnamon Popcorn
a sweet, cinnamon popcorn great for the holidays or food gifting!
Ingredients
- 6 qts. popped popcorn (microwave, air popper, whatever you choose!)
- 18 oz. red hot cinnamon candies (cinnamon imperials)
- white sugar
- 3 sticks butter
- 3/4 cup corn syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
Instructions
- Butter 2-3 large cookie sheets. Spread popped popcorn evenly.
- Bake in 225 degree oven while you prepare cinnamon syrup.
- Place red hot cinnamon candies (cinnamon imperials) in a 4-cup measuring cup and fill with white sugar until it reaches the 3-cup line.
- Pour into a heavy saucepan and add butter, corn syrup and salt.
- Over medium heat, bring to a boil being sure to stir constantly.
- Boil for 5 minutes, making sure red hots (cinnamon imperials) are completely dissolved.
- Remove from the heat. Add the baking soda.
- Working quickly, pour over the warmed popcorn. Toss to coat.
- Bake at 225 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven after one hour and immediately dump onto wax paper.
- Allow to cool before breaking into pieces and storing in an air tight container.
TIPS FOR MAKING RED HOT CINNAMON POPCORN:
- You need to work quickly after you pour the syrup over the popcorn. You don’t want it hardening before you get the pans in the oven.
- Don’t overthink trying to coat every kernel of popcorn with the syrup! It will get coated throughout the times when you stir it.
- Let the popcorn cool for a little while before breaking in pieces.
**this post was originally published on December 6, 2017 and was updated September 19, 2022**
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Try these other great popcorn recipes!
