National Popcorn Day is January 19, just in time for the NFL playoffs. There’s nothing like fresh popcorn while you’re enjoying the games.
The Popcorn Board reports that Americans eat 13 billion quarts of this treat, so it’s good that one cup or air-popped corn has only 30 calories (35 if oil fried). With popping corn being the number one use for microwaves, you know it’s popular. Here are seven of my favorite popcorn recipes for National Popcorn Day.
Dark Chocolate Caramel Corn
What could be better than homemade hot-from-the-oven caramel corn? Chocolate covered caramel corn! This delicious recipe includes all the steps to make both variations. Recipe here.
Sweet and Spicy Honey Popcorn
Make your movie night or game day is complete with this Sweet & Spicy Honey Popcorn, with just the right amount of heat and sweet to be completely addictive. Recipe and image courtesy of the National Honey Board.
S’Mores Popcorn

S’Mores Popcorn. Photo: Valerie’s Home Cooking.
This delicious version is tossed in a large bowl, with marshmallows and chocolate chips, then coated with a hot-sugar mixture. From Valerie Bertinelli’s cookbook, Valerie’s Home Cooking. Copyright © 2017 Oxmoor House. Photographer Hector Sanchez, Food Stylist Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist Cindy Barr. Recipe here.
Spiced Caramel Popcorn
From Guest Chef Jim Bailey, this recipes combines buttered and salted popcorn with nuts, and dried fruit of your choice. Recipe here.
Vegan Chocolate Caramel Popcorn
This how-to video comes from Guest Chef Carolyn Scott, The Healthy Voyager. She shows you how to create delicious popcorn coated with chocolate and caramel. Originally developed for Halloween, it works perfectly for game day. Video here.
Gluten-Free Seasoned Popcorn
When you combine popcorn with some simple spices and use coconut oil instead of butter, you have a gluten-free snack that is also vegan friendly. From Guest Chef Ashley Pettit, get the recipe here.
Caramel Corn Cupcakes
We’ll end this recipe round-up on a very sweet note with these Caramel Corn Cupcakes from our chefs at The Food Channel. Chocolate cupcakes topped with dark chocolate buttercream frosting and golden buttery-sweet caramel corn drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. Recipe here.
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