Description
These Buttered Popcorn Sugar Cookies combine the nostalgic crunch of buttery popcorn with soft, sweet sugar cookie dough. With a unique twist of popcorn pieces folded into the batter and a delicate sprinkle of flaky salt on top, these cookies offer a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, making them a fun and irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup unpopped popcorn kernels, divided
Cookie Dough
Instructions
- Prepare the popcorn: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Test the heat by adding 1 teaspoon of popcorn kernels; when they start popping, add the remaining kernels. Cover and cook, shaking occasionally until popping slows to about 5 seconds between pops, about 2 1/3 to 3 minutes.
- Separate the popcorn: Pour the popped popcorn into a large bowl, avoiding any unpopped kernels. You should have about 5 1/2 cups. Wipe the pot clean with a paper towel.
- Melt the butter: Return the pot to low heat, add 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, and cook, stirring occasionally until fully melted but not browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately pour into a large heat-proof bowl and let cool for 30 minutes.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda until combined.
- Preheat oven and prepare pans: Arrange two oven racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the cookie dough: To the cooled melted butter, add 1 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and glossy. Stir in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until fully incorporated and a smooth dough forms.
- Prepare popcorn for dough: Break up the popcorn into small, irregular pieces slightly larger than peas, leaving some whole pieces, and discard any hard kernels. Gently fold the popcorn pieces into the cookie dough.
- Shape the cookies: Using a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough into 32 balls (about 2 rounded tablespoons each). Place balls at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Optionally, sprinkle with flaky salt on top.
- Bake the cookies: Bake two sheets at a time, rotating pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through, for 11 to 13 minutes until cracks start forming but cookies do not brown much. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Bake remaining cookies: Bake the last sheet of cookies similarly, letting the baking sheet cool for 15 minutes if reusing. Rotate halfway through baking for even cooking.
Notes
- Be cautious when popping popcorn as kernels and popped corn may jump out of the pot.
- Ensure butter is melted fully but not browned to maintain a smooth texture and flavor.
- Breaking popcorn into uneven pieces gives delightful texture to the cookies.
- If flaky salt is unavailable, you can omit it or substitute with a light sprinkle of coarse sea salt.
- Cooling cookies on the baking sheet before transferring prevents breakage.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
