The Movie Theater Snack That Gives Your Popcorn A Spicy-Sweet Kick

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Popcorn is a delicious snack inextricably linked with going to the movies. For many film fans, a trip to the theater isn't complete without a big, buttery bowl of it, often accompanied by a soda and a package of movie theater candy. To not only recreate this feeling at home, but kick it up a notch, you can combine popcorn with Hot Tamales for a treat that's equal parts salty, spicy, and sweet.

The recipe begins by making your snack as usual. You can use a pre-made package of "movie theater" popcorn to get the appropriate levels of butter, or you can make it from scratch using your own kernels and butter. Even if you don't have a dedicated maker, there are tons of ways to cook popcorn at home. Then, you'll want to mix a package of Hot Tamales, a cup of sugar, half a cup of corn syrup, and half a cup of water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once the candies are fully melted (it should reach about 300 degrees Fahrenheit), pour the blend over your popcorn. This is best done over a baking sheet so you can coat all your pieces evenly and break them up a bit after the melted candy cools. Then, you'll have a delicious snack that will bring the fun of movie theater snacking straight into your living room.

Though Hot Tamales popcorn is reminiscent of the movies, you can't actually bring it into a theater, since most will not let you bring your own food. Luckily, you can enjoy a slightly less fancy version by simply purchasing movie theater popcorn and Hot Tamales, then incorporating the candy directly into the popcorn. This is a classic technique that, while not blending the flavors as seamlessly as the full recipe, will still lend a spicy kick to your popcorn. You can also do this with other candies, if you prefer a sweeter kick: M&M's and Smarties are common choices, but Tasting Table has tons of other suggestions for mixing candy with popcorn as well.

If you really want a spicy kick drizzled over your popcorn, you can add Sriracha sauce to your movie theater popcorn instead. Sriracha2Go sells a Sriracha keychain on its own site and Amazon, which you could use to bring the sauce into a movie theater and drizzle it over your popcorn. While you may be stopped from bringing in actual food, movie theater employees will likely not notice or care that you have a keychain of Sriracha sauce, especially since it's not something the theater itself sells. You could even put your own homemade Sriracha in the keychain for the absolute best taste.