Peanut Free Peppermint Cocoa Popcorn
Chocolate and peppermint is one of those combinations that feels festive no matter the season, and this baked popcorn delivers both in every crunchy, candy-coated handful. The coating comes together with coconut oil, maple syrup, and cocoa powder — no dairy, no corn syrup, and absolutely nothing that would raise a red flag for anyone avoiding peanuts or peanut-adjacent ingredients. That low-and-slow oven bake is the real secret here, giving the cocoa glaze time to dry down into a crisp, almost chocolatey shell rather than a sticky mess. A hit of peppermint extract keeps things bright and cool against the deep, slightly bitter cocoa, and the optional scatter of chopped dark chocolate melts just enough on the hot popcorn to add little pockets of richness throughout. Store-bought flavored popcorns can be a minefield of shared-facility warnings, so making a batch at home means you know exactly what went into the bowl. It breaks apart into satisfying clusters and packs beautifully into bags or tins, making it just as good for gifting as it is for snacking straight off the baking sheet.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the popcorn
- ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the coating
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- 1 oz dark chocolate (>70% cacao), finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover with the lid, and cook, shaking the pot every 30 seconds, until the popping slows to 2–3 seconds between pops. Remove from heat immediately and transfer the popped corn to the prepared baking sheet, discarding any unpopped kernels.
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