Chocolate Popcorn
Three things happened yesterday:
1. A spider fell from the ceiling right in front of my face. I might have screamed like a crazy person… and my daughter might have laughed at me… like I was a crazy person. btw… I totally hate spiders.
2. When I told my 7 year old “…Well it sounds like you had good intentions…” She looked up at me with a confused face and replied with “I have good intestines?” … I just said “Yes… yes, you do… soooo keep eating your vegetables!!!!!”
3. I made chocolate popcorn. With peanuts. Why? It was Jersday! And at 10 o’clock, my phone was on silent, then I poured myself a gigantic glass of wine and settled into my couch with a bowl of this insanely good popcorn and watched the season finale of Jersey Shore. Just so we’re straight… it’s my husband who’s a fan. I was just there for moral support. It was the season finale after all. duh.
And in case you haven’t heard… red wine and chocolate go together like Ronnie and Sammy.
Here are the goods. You’ll also need some coconut oil. If you’re fresh out… go ahead and use bacon fat {don’t use butter here}!
To make the popcorn; start out by measuring a tablespoon of unrefined coconut oil and adding it to a large pot, not a pan…. pot. My husband tried that once, using a pan. There was more surface area than room for the popcorn… disastrous.
Heat up the oil {or bacon fat} over medium-high heat. Throw in a single popcorn kernel.
Put a lid on it and…
…And wait for it to PoP!
Once popped, add the rest of the popcorn, about 2/3 of a cup… it depends on the size of your pot. But you want 8 cups of popped popcorn in the end, so if you have a small pot, work in batches.
Once you added the kernels, replace the lid and shake… over the burner until the popping subsides {it could take about 5-8 minutes} and you no longer here kernels rattling when you shake it. Just be careful not to burn the popcorn!
Remove the lid and you should see beautiful, white and fluffy popcorn.
Measure out 8 to 9 cups of popcorn.
What you don’t see… is that I once set that measuring cup on a hot burner. The bottom of it is toast!
Spread on a greased baking sheet.
Sprinkle the cup of unsalted peanuts.
Toss the two around with a spoon and set aside.
Now let’s get going on the chocolate! Add a cup and a half of chocolate chips into a heavy sauce pan. I ran out of regular semi-sweet chips… so I used some mini chips too. Dark chocolate would be fab also.
Add in a third cup of honey.
A third cup real maple syrup.
Next, add the last two tablespoons of coconut oil… or here is where you could add butter.
Heat the chocolate over medium heat while stirring often.
Stop when it’s all smooth and completely melted. Add in the 1/4 teaspoon of real vanilla extract.
Drizzle over the popcorn and peanut mixture.
Toss. Spread. Sample. 
And place into a preheated 300 degree oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove, stir it around and place back in the oven for 10 more minutes.
Again, remove, stir and back in for another 10 minutes {30 total}.
Let cool completely in pan, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. Season the chocolate popcorn with a desired amount of kosher salt. Popcorn should still be crispy and the chocolate should not be gooey.
Best popcorn I’ve ever ate… and I love me some popcorn!
FYI… I have family members that live a gluten-free and/or dairy free diet, sticking to the coconut oil and substituting the milk chocolate for dark chocolate, makes this snack perfect for them!
Happy Friday and Enjoy!
Chocolate Popcorn
Yield: 10 cups
Ingredients:
2/3 cup Popcorn Kernels
3 tablespoons Coconut Oil, divided
1-1/2 cups Chocolate Chips {milk, semi-sweet or dark chocolate}
1 cup Unsalted Peanuts
1/3 cup Honey
1/3 cup Real Maple Syrup
1/4 teaspoon Real Vanilla Extract
Kosher Salt, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees and grease a large rimmed baking sheet.
Heat one tablespoon of coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high/high heat. Once oil is hot, add a single kernel. Place lid on pot and wait for it to pop. Once the kernel has popped, sprinkle in the remaining popcorn to form a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Shaking often as the kernels pop over the burner until the popping subsides and you no longer here kernels rattling when you shake it. Be careful not to burn the popcorn! Place the popcorn onto the rimmed baking sheet and stir in the peanuts, set aside.
In a heavy-bottom saucepan; add in the chocolate, honey, maple syrup and coconut oil. Over medium heat, stir often until melted and smooth. Add in the vanilla, stir and pour over popcorn/peanut mixture. Toss well to coat.
Place in your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove, toss and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and toss one last time before baking for a final 10 minutes. Remove and let cool on pan. Stir to keep from sticking, season with kosher salt and serve slightly warm.
Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
NOTE: To keep this gluten free and dairy free, use dark chocolate and coconut oil.
Over the past few years I’ve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours! (
i am on the floor about Jersday…hilarious!!!
Looks so wonderful! (And naughty!) It's a nice change from the caramel corn you usually see!
Wonderful post! Its like grown up but fun and yummy all at once…and with red wine-ohhh! I love that your daughter has great intestines-hillarious.
"Store in an airtight container for one to two weeks." HA HA HA HA HA HA HA….really now, in whose house will this last for one to two weeks?
Simply superb !!!
This is the perfect pairing. Great recipe!!!
Patti I thought the same thing when I typed that! ha!! too funny
Dude. (Can I call you dude?) We are homemade popcorn FA-REAKS.
This is sooo going to happen in our lives.
Oooh, that popcorn looks great. My wife and I have made several different kinds, but never chocolate!
"good intestines" that cracks me up. Ya gotta love kids!
So many things I love about this post, Jersday, good intestines, chocolate popcorn, Ronnie and Sammie. You my fellow blogger are AWESOME.
Heck yes to this popcorn!! How amazing is that?!
I am the same way you are with spiders but with bees. I will literally go running the other direction screaming and flapping my arms around like a complete nut.
brilliant idea! this would satisfy all my cravings at once
Chocolate popcorn??? Shut the front door, that sounds and looks amazing!! Who doesn't love salty/sweet – and when it's all rolled into one fab treat like this, well watch out! My husband and I would knock each other out of the way to get to that popcorn
I'll be making this SOON!
THANK……and…..YOU!!! ^_^
Oh dear. Must.make.this.pronto.
I wanted to tell you I am giving you the Versatile Blogger Award. I just love your blog and please stop by this link to check it out. Thank you!!!!
Link:
http://artbyasm.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-versatile-blogger-award-passing.html
Blessings,
Annamaria
It's like you read my mind! Popcorn and Real Housewives are like my fave things in the whole world right now! I LOVE the popcorn!! Thanks for the recipe
Love it!
Kara
http://lovehomebird.blogspot.com/
This is so perfect. Believe it or not these are the two things I crave during 'that time of the month' but I hadn't thought about combining them before. Ingenious!
We are getting ready to watch a movie and I so wish I had a bowl of this popcorn!!
My goodness this is one stunning snack. Love it.
I love this. Great snack.
This looks so good. I will be making this for sure. Thank you for sharing with us
After fantasizing about eating this bowl of nomminess… I wonder how in the heck you cook so well and take pictures at the same time? Genius, perhaps?
This is a fantastic recipe…I was just thinking this weekend that I wanted some chocolate popcorn. Now I don't have to search for it I am just going to use yours.
Hello to the most yummy looking snack of the season! This blows the "classic" milk duds and popcorn combination at the movies out of the water! Thanks for sharing your recipes and gorgeous photos!
Im so glad you said it was your husband who is a fan because otherwise…. lol. Handsome it totally into that show too. And I could use a giant glass of wine and a handful of this delicious looking popcorn right now please and thank you
OMG Chocolate Popcorn!! You rock!
My boys would love this–yum!!!
Great tutorial and recipe! Thanks for posting