Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Glaze and Base
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 21 g corn syrup
- 1 g salt, to taste
- 15 ml water
- 50 g popped popcorn
- 3½ g ground cinnamon
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 166 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 102 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 16 mg
- Potassium
- 48 mg
- Calcium
- 12 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 19 mg
- Phosphorus
- 47 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 53 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 10 g
- Caffeine
- 2 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt, and water in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Stir the mixture until the butter melts and it forms a bubbling syrup. Cook for 1 minute until it smells toasty.
Add the popped popcorn to the pot and toss every 2 to 3 seconds until it begins to brown lightly.
Continue tossing the popcorn constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until it is deeply golden brown.
Remove the pot from the heat. Sprinkle the ground cinnamon over the popcorn and toss to coat evenly.
Transfer the coated popcorn to the prepared sheet pan and spread it into a single layer.
Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes until the popcorn is a shade darker.
Place the pan on a wire rack and let the popcorn cool for 5 to 10 minutes until the coating hardens.
Toss the popcorn to break up any large clumps before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Use pre-popped popcorn that is plain or lightly salted for best results.
- Store in an airtight container immediately after cooling to maintain crispness.
Storage
Reheating: Re-bake at 150°C (300°F) for 5 minutes if it loses crispness.
Troubleshooting
Popcorn is chewy or sticky after cooling
Cause: Insufficient baking time or high humidity
Fix: Return to the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 5 minutes.
Prevention: Ensure the oven is fully preheated and bake for the full 10 minutes until dark golden.
Glaze tastes bitter
Cause: Sugar was scorched during the stovetop tossing phase
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Keep the popcorn moving constantly and remove from heat as soon as it turns golden.
Cultural Context
Cinnamon toast popcorn is a modern American snack that takes inspiration from the classic comfort food of cinnamon toast. It's a playful and accessible treat, often found at parties, movie nights, or as a sweet and salty indulgence.
