Buttery Buffalo Popcorn (Video!)

Happy rainy Friday! If you live anywhere along the east coast, you’ve likely been drowning in windy, nasty weather all week. ☔️???? Here in New Jersey, the weather reports all indicate that the rain won’t be letting up anytime soon. I have to say, though, it’s actually nice to have a rainy weekend on the horizon. There’s less pressure to go out and do something because everyone just wants to hunker down and do nothing. I love activities, but man, I really love doing absolutely nothing, and it seems like such a rarity these days.

For a lot of folks, “doing nothing” on the first weekend in October pretty much equates to watching a lot of football. And while I can’t say that’s quite how I’ll be spending my weekend, I do have a recipe that’s the perfect snack for both football-watching and nothing-doing alike. Buttery. Buffalo. Popcorn. YES.

It’s spicy, tangy, and just a little bit sweet; a flavor profile I picked up from an iconic local dive bar that’s known for their sweet take on buffalo wings. If you’re from South Jersey, you definitely know I’m talking about the Pic-a-Lilly, and if you don’t, you need to go find out STAT. That little hint of sweetness calms down the spice and gives that addictive sweet-and-salty quality that you just can’t get enough of. 

In addition to the spicy, tangy and sweet notes, this popcorn is also super buttery. Not only is butter a key ingredient in buffalo sauce, but butter and popcorn are well known best friends. I use Finlandia butter, which is new to the US market (but you may have had their cheeses), and it’s definitely worth trying. It’s a real, imported European butter, which means it has a higher butterfat content than regular butter. And since it’s made from the milk of (mostly) grass-fed cows, it has a deeper, more pronounced buttery taste.

This recipe makes enough for two people, but I can easily polish off a batch on my own. It can be scaled up to serve more, but I highly recommend doubling – or even tripling – the recipe, even if it’s only for two (or, um, one if you’re me). You won’t be able to stop eating it, and by eating, I mean shoveling it into your mouth like a lunatic (guilty). 

This post has been sponsored by Finlandia Butter and Cheese. All opinions are my own.

I’ve partnered with Finlandia to create a series of videos using their products in some really awesome recipes, so be prepared for lots more buttery, cheesy goodness to come your way this fall.

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Buttery Buffalo Popcorn

• Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 15
• Total Time: 25

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (recommended: Frank’s Red Hot)
• 4 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon salted Finlandia butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup popcorn kernels

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Pour the honey and hot sauce in a small pot over medium heat and bring up to a simmer. As soon as it begins to bubble, turn off the heat and stir in 4 tablespoons of butter until melted. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil and remaining tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, give the pot a shake, then cover and turn the heat down to medium. Wait for the kernels to begin popping and give the pan a shake every so often to help the process along. Once the kernels begin to pop, crack the lid open a tiny bit to allow some steam to escape.
3. Once the popping slows to a few seconds between pops, remove the lid and pour the buffalo sauce all over. Stir until all kernels are evenly coated with sauce, then transfer to a baking sheet and spread out into an even layer. Bake for exactly 10 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool. Serve warm.

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Notes

• Baking the popcorn in the oven allows it to dry out a bit and helps the seasoning to adhere. This step can be omitted if desired, however it will result in a wetter consistency. For a spicier popcorn, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and if using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the sauce.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2