3 Thanksgiving-inspired popcorn recipes

A fall twist on a classic snack

Forget about microwave popcorn bags! Making homemade popcorn is simple, inexpensive and delicious. These Thanksgiving-inspired versions take movie night to a whole new level.

It's always a great time to enjoy popcorn, but these fall versions add a special holiday twist! Enjoy them during movie nights or put them out as a fun appetizer at your next holiday party. You can certainly buy plain popcorn at the grocery store to use in these recipes, but popcorn is actually very easy to make at home. Unpopped kernels will stay fresh with your dry goods for quite some time, so this is both an economical and convenient way to enjoy popcorn. Check out these simple instructions on how to make foolproof air-popped popcorn at home.

Pumpkin caramel popcorn

Makes 15 cups

Ingredients:15 cups plain popped popcorn1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, cubed3/4 cup sugar1/4 cup light corn syrup1/4 cup molasses1 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice1/4 teaspoon saltDirections:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Place the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the butter, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a boil. Stir briefly to combine the ingredients and then allow them to boil for three minutes without stirring.Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately pour onto the popcorn. Stir until evenly coated.Spread the popcorn evenly on the prepared sheet pan and place in the oven. Allow to cook for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes.Remove from the oven and break into pieces (or enjoy as clusters). Serve popcorn warm or at room temperature.

Brown butter sage popcorn

Makes 15 cups

Ingredients:15 cups plain popped popcorn1 stick (4 ounces) butter, cut into pieces8 sage leaves1/4 teaspoon saltDirections:

Place the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Once the butter has melted, add the sage leaves to the pan. As the butter begins to foam and bubble, whisk it regularly.Continue whisking for several minutes until little brown specks begin to appear on the bottom of the pan. Once the butter has a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool with the sage leaves.Once the butter has cooled to lukewarm or room temperature, remove the crispy sage leaves and allow them to drain for a moment on a paper towel. Chop the leaves and set them aside.Toss the browned butter with the popcorn. Add additional salt if desired. Garnish with chopped sage leaves.

Gingerbread popcorn

Makes 15 cups

Ingredients:15 cups plain popped popcorn1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, cubed3/4 cup sugar1/4 cup light corn syrup1/4 cup molasses1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon ground cinnamonPinch of fresh grated nutmeg1/4 teaspoon saltDirections:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Place the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the butter, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a boil. Stir briefly to combine the ingredients and then allow them to boil for three minutes without stirring.Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately pour onto the popcorn. Stir until evenly coated.Spread the popcorn evenly on the prepared sheet pan and place in the oven. Allow to cook for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes.Remove from the oven and break into pieces (or enjoy as clusters). Serve popcorn warm or at room temperature.

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