Chocolate Covered Popcorn Recipe

If you are looking for a great recipe that combines the salty and the sweet, then we have the perfect popcorn concoction that should be right up your alley. Recipe developer Kit Hondrum of Kit's Kitchen came up with this chocolate covered popcorn recipe that tastes just as amazing as it looks. "I got my inspiration for this recipe from the amazing chocolate covered popcorn sold at Peterbrooke Chocolatier (founded in Jacksonville, FL)," Hondrum explains. "The white chocolate drizzle and flaky sea salt are my personal touches though!"

There are a lot of things to love about this snack, but Hondrum gives a great answer as to what she loves the most. "My favorite part of this recipe is definitely the flavor! I love a good sweet and salty combo," she shares. We would have to agree with her, wholeheartedly. There are also plenty of good excuses to serve this popcorn and it will surely please a crowd. "This recipe is great to bring to holiday gatherings and will quickly disappear," Hondrum says. "It's super addictive!" The holidays are just around the corner, so be sure to lock down this recipe before your first party.

Once you are ready to get started, make a list of ingredients needed to whip up this recipe. It's always a good idea to check at home for items that you may already have. For starters, you will need some chocolate. You can choose if you'd prefer milk, semisweet or a combination of both. Hondrum uses milk chocolate as the base and white chocolate as a drizzle for some extra flavor. Additionally, it's no shock that the recipe also calls for some buttered popcorn. The last ingredient that you will need is some flaky sea salt, which gives this recipe that wonderful sweet and salty contrast.

Now that you have everything in front of you, it's time start the prep work. First, grab your milk or semi-sweet chocolate and melt it over a double boiler. If you haven't done this before, don't worry, it's really simple. "A double boiler (bain marie) is a gentle way to heat something (most commonly chocolate and eggs, I believe) over simmering water but not directly touching it," Hondrum shares. "You can place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water or buy an actual double boiler (which looks like a pot on top of a pot)." Hondrum also notes that you can heat the chocolate in the microwave, just be sure to do so in short increments.

Next, take out a standard-sized baking sheet. You won't be doing any baking but it's great to use because it has a large surface area and it's flat. You can either line it with a baking sheet or with parchment paper, whichever is easier for you to get your hands on. The paper or parchment will help prevent the chocolate from sticking to the pan, and it will also make clean-up a whole lot easier. We call that a win-win. Once you have lined the sheets, pour the popcorn on top and spread it into an even layer.

Now comes the fun part. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn in an even layer. "If chocolate is too thick to pour, you can thin with coconut oil (a few teaspoons at a time). If you're melting chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars, that can make it too thick," Hondrum notes. On the other hand, if you use too much coconut oil, the chocolate may become too thin, meaning that you'll have to store the popcorn in the refrigerator. Now, stick the baking sheet into the freezer for about 10 minutes. This will help the chocolate to harden a little. 

While your popcorn is in the freezer, grab your white chocolate and melt it. You can either use the double-boiler as you did before, or you can use a microwave.
Now, take the popcorn out of the freezer and use a fork or spoon to drizzle the white chocolate over the milk chocolate layer. That's a whole lot of chocolatey goodness! Now, place the popcorn in the freezer for another two minutes so the white chocolate can also harden.

Once you take the popcorn out of the freezer, sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt. If sea salt isn't your thing, there are a few subs you could use instead. "You could sprinkle with holiday sprinkles or edible glitter for a fun touch, or maybe coconut flakes if you love coconut like me," Hondrum shares. Pop the popcorn in the freezer for another 20 minutes or until it hardens. Then, remove the popcorn from the freezer and break it into large pieces. That's all you need to do aside from enjoying the popcorn. "Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days," Hondrum notes. What a fun and tasty recipe — perfect for the holidays!