This easy Cinnamon Bun Popcorn recipe is a chewy/crisp popcorn covered in a rich, buttery, cinnamon sugar glaze. Always a hit at dessert or snack time!
Once a week we try to have a family night. We have something easy for dinner, make popcorn, and watch movies. My kids like to have a bag of cheddar cheese popcorn, and I make one of several different kinds of dessert popcorns.
This Cinnamon Bun Popcorn is the one that my kids ask for the most often. It’s a cross between a crispy, candy popcorn and a softer, chewier caramel corn.
The coating is rich, buttery, cinnamon sugar glaze that I think is much easier to make than the glazes that require a candy thermometer.
If you give this Cinnamon Bun Popcorn a try, it may just become one of your favorites, too! And if you’re looking for other easy popcorn recipes, check out more below!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.
- Kosher salt: Or 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.
- Popcorn: Use 9 cups for heavier coating or 10 cups of popcorn for popcorn with less coating.
How to make cinnamon bun popcorn
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 225 F. Line a large rimmed cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat.
Step 2: In a large, heavy pot, melt butter.
Step 3: Add sugars, corn syrup, and salt.
Step 4: Stir, and continue cooking over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.
Step 5: Once at a boil, stop stirring, and cook for 5 minutes. If using a gas stove, you may need to cook it over medium-low heat.
Step 6: Remove from heat, and cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla, and marshmallows.
Step 7: Place popcorn on cookie sheet.
Step 8: Pour cinnamon mixture over popcorn.
Step 9: Bake for 15 minutes, and stir.
Step 10: Continue baking 15 additional minutes. Stir.
Step 11: Bake for 5-10 more minutes. Stir one more time.
Step 12: Let cool on baking sheet.
Recipe Tips!
- Chewy popcorn: The key to keeping the popcorn chewy is to avoid cooking the corn syrup mixture over heat that’s too high and avoiding baking the popcorn too long.
- Drizzle: For popcorn with “icing”, melt white chocolate (either white chocolate chips or white almond bark) and drizzle it over the cooled popcorn.
Storage
Store any leftover cinnamon bun popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature. The popcorn will keep for up to 5 days when properly stored.
More popcorn recipes!
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Cinnamon Bun Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 9-10 cups plain popped popcorn
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 F. Line a large rimmed cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat.
- In a large, heavy pot, melt butter.
- Add sugars, corn syrup, and salt.
- Stir, and continue cooking over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.
- Once at a boil, stop stirring, and cook for 5 minutes. If using a gas stove, you may need to cook it over medium-low heat.
- Remove from heat, and cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla, and marshmallows.
- Place popcorn on cookie sheet.
- Pour cinnamon mixture over popcorn.
- Bake for 15 minutes, and stir.
- Continue baking 15 additional minutes. Stir.
- Bake for 5-10 more minutes.
- Stir one more time.
- Let cool on baking sheet.
Video
Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.
- Kosher salt: Or 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.
- Popcorn: Use 9 cups for heavier coating or 10 cups of popcorn for popcorn with less coating.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 5/16/16.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Allena says
I’ve never made popcorn like this before, forgive my asking but would it work out to simply drizzle the mixture all over the popcorn and let set? Does the baking and stirring do something critical or is it just to allow the mixture to melt and be stirred on the popcorn further? Thank you 😊
Kate says
Hi! Feel free to ask questions! Baking the popcorn helps to set the mixture so that the popcorn gets more of a chewy candy shell on it. Otherwise, it would be gooey. =)
Alison says
I’ve made this recipe about 5 + times now and it always comes out different!! The first couple times were the best (even though I messed up the recipe a bit)
The recipe is a bit confusing having some details left out and some typos but you get the gist of it.
This last time though I’m just lost, it came out SO crunchy. Usually while I’m baking it, it’s gooey and mixes well. But with each time out of the oven it got crunchier and more brittle, how could that be??
Over all it still tasted good, but I love this recipe for the chewiness!
Kate says
Could you please clarify where you’re seeing typos or details left out of the recipe? It could be that your baking soda is old, but without knowing more about what you did or changed, it’s difficult to say why that would have happened.
wendy says
if you drizzle melted white chocolate over the final product, it truly tastes more like a cinnamon bun
Kate says
Great idea!
Lauren Mata says
How long do you think this would last in cool, dry conditions? Thinking about making it as a wedding favor–so yummy!
Kate says
Hi! I think it could potentially keep for about 4-5 days. I hope that helps!
Carole Neale says
I made this for movie night at church and it was a hit! Thanks for posting!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad it was a hit!
Lori says
I think there is a typo in the recipe. I am not sure what it means.
Kate says
Could you please tell me where you think that there is a typo?
Beth Myers says
This is soooo good!
Kate says
Thank you!!
Bianca says
Absolutely delicious, and easy to make. Pretty sure “15 servings” is a typo – we got about 8 servings from this, about 1.25 cups each. Total recipe is roughly 2400 calories, or 300 calories per servings if you divide into 8 servings. (so maybe the recipe meant to say “5 servings”, to go with the listed 553 calories per serving?)
Kate says
Hi! Thank you so much! And thanks for that question! I use a program to figure out the nutritional values, and it had pulled a much larger amount of popcorn than what the recipe listed, which was which the calories were so much higher.
Sydney says
Hi! Is this best served immediately, or will it still be good if I make it one day in advance?
Kate says
Hi! It should be fine a day in advance. However, how crunchy it stays will depend on how humid it is where you live. Hope that helps!
Alison says
When do you add the white sugar?
Kate says
Thanks! You add it with the brown sugar and corn syrup.
Alison says
Thank you! This is an absolute favorite of mine and I get so many compliments on it!
Jessica says
I like this popcorn very much. I’m making it for gifts for friends and family.
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad you like it. =) Thanks for commenting.
Kristie says
Once popcorn is cool, is it crunchy or taffy-like?
Kate says
It’s more taffy-like as it’s chewier rather than crunchy. Hope that helps!
Eden Passante says
Yum!! This sounds amazing!
Kate says
Thanks so much!
Karly says
Movie night just got a whole lot sweeter. This is the perfect snack or sweet treat for any time. Love love love!
Kate says
Thanks so much, Karly!! =)
Happy Valley Chow says
Those look awesome! Great recipe, can’t wait to try. PINNED!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! =)
Roxana says
Family nights are great! I bet your kids love this recipe!
Kate says
Thanks! Agreed! Family night is something that we all really enjoy. =)