How to Make Buttery Movie Theater Popcorn at Home

I am a bonafide, certified, card-carrying popcorn lover! I have been since I was a kid, when my parents would hand me a little red plastic cup of crunchy popcorn to enjoy while we snuggled up to watch movies almost every night.

My love for popcorn carried me right on through to buckets of movie theater popcorn during date nights when I was a teenager, shared bags of microwave popcorn with my dorm mates in college, and finally to my own kitchen with my own family, where I have absolutely perfected the best method for buttery, crunchy, salty movie theater-style popcorn right at home on the stovetop.

Why does movie theater popcorn taste better?

There are three things that make movie theater popcorn delicious: butter, salt, and COCONUT OIL. Bet you didn’t expect that last one! Most movie theaters cook their popcorn in a coconut oil blend, which adds an interesting depth and sweetness to the popcorn. You’d never say “Hey, this popcorn tastes like coconut!” but you’d definitely say “Hey, this popcorn doesn’t taste right!” without it. 

What do I need to make movie theater popcorn?

For a large batch of popcorn (enough to satisfy 2-4 movie snackers), you’ll need:

• 1/2 cup of popping corn kernels—I like using Sprouted Popcorn because sprouted corn can be easier to digest, but the regular stuff works, too!
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil—For the best flavor, look for “virgin” or “unrefined” coconut oil.
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter—Salted or unsalted, either works. 
• Fine salt—I like sea salt, but regular table salt does the trick, too.

What is the best oil for popcorn?

Coconut oil is the very best oil to use for popping popcorn. You’re looking for virgin (AKA: unrefined) coconut oil. It’s what makes popcorn taste like the stuff from the movies. Refined coconut oil will work from a method perspective, but it won’t give quite the same movie theater taste.

Can I pop popcorn using butter instead of oil?

Using butter to pop the kernels sounds like it would add another layer of buttery flavor to your popcorn, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Butter has a much lower smoke point than coconut oil, which makes it tricky to get delicious popcorn instead of burnt popcorn. 

How do you make movie theater butter for the popcorn?

The truth is, the “butter” at the concession stand is actually butter-flavored oil. But at home, you can use the real stuff! But before you melt butter and pour it on top, it’s important to clarify the butter to keep your popcorn from going soggy. This is because butter has a high water content. 

It sounds complicated, but clarifying butter is actually a breeze in the microwave, and it removes enough of the water to leave you with buttery, perfectly crunchy popcorn. Here’s how you do it:

1. Put stick of butter in a glass measuring cup. You’ll need to use the spout later.
2. Microwave on high for 30-40 seconds, or until the butter is all melted and foamy.
3. Let the butter cool for 1-2 minutes. You should start to see the butter separating into three layers—foam, clarified butter, and milk solids. Don’t worry if the layers aren’t super clear. We’re not looking for perfection here, just to get rid of enough water to keep our popcorn crunchy.
4. Take a spoon and skim off as much of the foam on top as you can. Again, no need to be perfect.
5. You’ll be left with a very clear, very yellow layer of clarified butter, with a layer of milk solids underneath. 
6. When it’s time to dress your popcorn, pour the clear, yellow clarified butter onto the popcorn, leaving the milk solids behind.

You can also do this process with a pan on the stovetop if you don’t have a microwave. Just heat the butter until foamy, and then follow steps 3-6 above.

Can’t I just use ghee instead of clarifying the butter?

You sure can! Ghee is shelf-stable clarified butter that is perfect for melting and drizzling on popcorn. Saves a step!

Is there a faster way to clarify butter?

If clarifying your butter seems like an annoying step to do each time you make movie theater popcorn (it really isn’t, it’s probably a two-minute process), you can make a large batch of clarified butter and stash it in the fridge in a jar for months at a time. Then, just melt a little bit as you need it. Because most of the water and milk solids are removed from the butter when it’s clarified, it keeps for much longer than standard butter.

Alright, teach me how to pop popcorn on the stove!

First up, you’ll want a big pot with a lid for this. Why? Well, popcorn expands! I don’t recommend using a heavy pot (like a Dutch oven), because you’ll need to shake the pot throughout the popping process. And man, cast iron is hard to shake. 

Now that you’ve selected your pot, here’s the method you’re going to follow for making your popcorn:

1. Put your pot on high heat and add in the coconut oil.
2. Once the oil is completely melted, add in your popcorn kernels.
3. Swirl the pot around so that each and every kernel gets a nice little coating of coconut oil, and is more or less in a single layer.
4. Every now and again, give the pan a good shake to mix up the kernels and keep them from burning. 
5. After your first kernel pops, put on the lid of the pot, slightly ajar to release steam, because if you don’t you’ll have popcorn flying all over your kitchen.
6. While the popcorn is popping, keep shaking the pot frequently to prevent burning. Within a few minutes, you’ll hear the popping slow down. Turn off the burner and just let it sit for a few minutes. 

I have popcorn and clarified butter. Now what?

Now, grab your measuring cup of butter and start to slowly stream it onto the popcorn. At first you’ll see nothing but clear, bright yellow clarified butter.

But as you get to the end of the clarified part, you’ll start to see that third opaque, white layer—the milk solids. Stop right then! We just want the clarified butter on our popcorn—not the milk solids. 

Stir up your popcorn really well to make sure every kernel gets a touch of butter. Sprinkle on your desired amount of salt (if you used salted butter, you might want to go light on the salt at first). You can also feel free to add other flavorings (garlic salt, ranch mix, etc.) during this stage—but I’m a purist and usually just use salt as a popcorn topping.

Can you make movie theater popcorn in an air popper or in the microwave?

We love our air popper in our house, but for true, authentic movie theater taste, you’re going to need to bust out the coconut oil and a pot and make it on your stove top. If you can’t break up with your air popper or cooking in the microwave, air-popped popcorn with clarified butter and salt is still incredibly delicious!

Want more popcorn recipes like this one?

• Caramel Corn. With just a few ingredients (and no corn syrup), you can make your own caramel popcorn at home
• Chicago Mix Popcorn. You have to try this blend of cheesy popcorn and caramel corn. 
• Kettle Corn Recipe. The simplest way to make everyone’s favorite sweet and salty snack at home.
• Popcorn Seasonings. These seasonings were made for roasted pumpkin seeds, but they are just as tasty on popcorn!

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