The Sugar Swap You Need To Make For More Caramelized Kettle Corn

Whether you're in the midst of a movie marathon, enjoying a day at the amusement park, or simply craving something sweet, there's nothing quite like kettle corn. Popcorn's sugary cousin has been enjoyed for centuries due to its perfect blend of salty and sweet flavors. While it's definitely an experience to snack on kettle corn out of one of the huge, multi-gallon bags they sell at the state fair, you can also make it in the comfort of your home with just some popcorn kernels, sugar, oil, and a proper cooking vessel. If you really want to take your kettle corn to the next level, swap out plain white sugar for brown sugar.

Brown sugar is basically just white sugar with molasses. Both types of sugar are derived from sugarcane by using a process that separates the naturally occurring sugar crystals and molasses. White sugar has had all the molasses removed from it, while brown sugar has had it added back in. Due to the presence of molasses, brown sugar has a warm, caramelly flavor that will really elevate your kettle corn.

You can make kettle corn with brown sugar the same way you would with white sugar. Start by oiling the bottom of a large pot, using ¼ cup of an oil that can withstand high heat. Cover the pot and put it on a burner set to medium for around a minute until it's hot enough, which you can test by tossing in a few kernels and waiting for them to pop.

Next, dump in ¼ cup of kernels and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and stir it a bit before you cover the pot again. Shake up the kernels as they pop by moving the pot back and forth while it's on the stovetop for around 90 seconds, being careful not to burn yourself. Keep shaking until the popping slows down; once it has settled, turn off the heat, toss in a pinch of salt, give it another shake, serve, and enjoy! 

The molasses in the brown sugar will caramelize the end result, giving the whole snack a toasty taste that you couldn't achieve using plain white sugar. All that's left to do is store it properly so none of your delicious snack goes to waste.