This Peanut Butter Popcorn is a sweet and salty peanut butter lover’s dream come true! It’s a soft and chewy caramel popcorn texture with the most delicious peanut butter flavor. If you love peanut butter, this popcorn, along with our popcorn balls with peanuts, is going to be a guaranteed hit.
With only five ingredients, you can whip up a batch of this in no time. It’s a delicious buttery treat that you can serve as a dessert or a snack. Make a batch for your next movie night! This simple popcorn recipe is also a great treat to package up as gifts for neighbors and friends.
Do you love popcorn recipes? Try our Olive Oil Popcorn (Garlic & Rosemary), Homemade Poppycock Recipe, Caramel Corn, Homemade Chex Mix (we add caramel corn to it), or Copycat Cracker Jack.
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While you can certainly use air-popped popcorn, or even stovetop popcorn, for this recipe, I’m convinced that microwave popcorn is the way to go! You also get very few unpopped kernels.
A few years ago, I was at a family reunion and my aunt brought the most delicious caramel corn. It was buttery, sweet, and just the right amount of salty. When I asked what her secret was, she revealed that she used buttery microwave popcorn before she added the caramel sauce. It was perfect!
So, when I set out to make the most delicious batch of soft, chewy Peanut Butter Popcorn, I decided to add the secret ingredient: Butter Flavored Microwave Popcorn. It really does taste extra delicious and the perfect salty-sweet treat!
What Goes Into Peanut Butter Popcorn?
To make Peanut Butter Popcorn, you only need five ingredients:
- Creamy Peanut Butter (not the natural type of peanut butter that needs to be stirred)
- Popped Popcorn (I recommend butter flavored microwave popcorn)
- White Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
You likely have all of these simple ingredients already sitting in your pantry, so you’re just minutes away from a really tasty treat!
Just make sure you’re using a classic creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. You don’t want the natural peanut butter because they separate and the more oily texture doesn’t work as well in a treat like this.
How to Make Peanut Butter Popcorn
To make Peanut Butter Popcorn, start by getting the corn popped. If you’re using microwave popcorn, two bags of popcorn is all you need. If you’re using an air popper, about 1/3 cup of kernels should turn into 10 to 12 cups of popped corn.
Once the corn is popped, combine the sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Bring to a boil, then take it off the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until the mixture is creamy and smooth. It really is that simple!
However, if you’re not using microwave butter popcorn, you might want to add a pinch or two of salt into the sauce for a bit of extra flavor.
When the peanut butter sauce is ready and while it’s still hot, just pour the peanut butter mixture over your popped corn in a large bowl, drizzling it around, and then quickly stir with a rubber spatula until all of the popcorn is completely coated. You’ll want to be careful as you stir not to crunch up the popcorn kernels too much.
As soon as it’s all mixed, you’re ready to start snacking!
The combination of salty butter microwave corn and the sweet caramel peanut butter coating is a flavor duo to die for! Every bite is soft, chewy, and downright addicting.
It’s also a flexible recipe. If you like really gooey, soft caramel corn, just add less popcorn. Likewise, if you want it a little bit crunchier, just add a cup or two more popcorn. You can make it however you like it!
We cannot get enough of this Peanut Butter Popcorn recipe!
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Peanut Butter Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 cups popped popcorn microwave butter popcorn recommended
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter not natural peanut butter
- splash of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pop your popcorn of choice and set the warm popcorn aside in a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup and white sugar. Stirring often, bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Immediately drizzle the peanut butter sauce over the popcorn and gently toss and stir until the popcorn is completely coated with the peanut butter sauce. Eat immediately for soft, chewy peanut butter popcorn!
Comments & Reviews
dezi says
Made it, love it. Thank you.
Tara Noland says
Awesome, so glad you enjoyed it!