Popcorn Popping Tips - How to pop mushroom popcorn great every time

By Farmer Bob (Bob Ralph), the first-generation farmer who grows every kernel of Princeton Popcorn in Princeton, Kansas. Updated September 2026.

Two shapes, three kernels

Popcorn pops into one of two shapes, and the shape decides how you should pop it. We grow both.

• Butterfly (also called snowflake) pops into irregular pieces with wings that catch butter and salt. Tender, and the classic movie-theater look.
• Mushroom pops into a round, sturdy ball that holds up to caramel, chocolate and kettle coatings without breaking.

All three are naturally gluten-free, non-GMO whole grain popcorn. Rule of thumb: mushroom = stovetop, butterfly = anything. Can't decide? The Movie Night Kit lets you pick White Butterfly, Mushroom or a mix, with our Movie Theater Butter coconut oil.

Why mushroom needs high heat

A mushroom kernel needs fast, even, intense heat to open into a full, round ball. Hot oil over high heat wraps every kernel in that heat. Too little heat and it stays small, lopsided and chewy — and in a microwave, which heats unevenly, you get a bowl of half-pops. Butterfly kernels open easily with less intense heat, so they handle medium-high on the stove, the dry heat of an air popper, and the microwave.

Pick your fat

Popcorn pops best when the oil sits between 400°F and 460°F. A fat that smokes below that burns before the corn pops, and the popcorn tastes bitter.

• Great: Farmer Bob's Beef Tallow (~400°F, rich and savory), refined coconut oil, refined peanut oil (allergen), refined avocado oil, high-oleic sunflower or safflower, ghee.
• Good: canola oil.
• Use with care: virgin coconut oil and extra-virgin olive oil — both can smoke and turn bitter.
• Topping only: butter (it burns at about 302°F, before the corn pops). Skip: flaxseed oil.

If it smokes, it's too hot. Pull the pot off the burner for 30 seconds, then turn the heat down a notch. Keep a lid close by.

Stovetop popcorn, two ways

The stovetop gives you the most control and the best mushroom popcorn. Either way takes about 4–5 minutes.

Path A: crank popper

1. High heat for mushroom kernels, medium-high for butterfly. Add 1½ Tbsp PPC-083 for every ¼ cup of kernels.
2. Drop in 3 test kernels and close the lid.
3. When all 3 pop, the oil is ready. Add the rest of the kernels.
4. Crank steadily the whole time. Moving kernels don't scorch.
5. When pops slow to about 2 seconds apart, pull it off the heat.
6. Dump it into a big bowl right away and salt while it's hot.

Farmer Bob uses the Heavy-Duty Stovetop Popper in our test pop kitchen.

Path B: heavy pot with a lid (the 30-second rest)

1. Heat the oil and 3 test kernels with the lid on: high heat for mushroom, medium-high for butterfly.
2. When all 3 pop, take the pot off the heat. Add the rest of the kernels, cover, and count 30 seconds.
3. Back on the heat with the lid slightly ajar.
4. When pops slow to about 2 seconds apart, pull it off and pour it into a bowl.

Off the heat, every kernel warms up together, so they pop in one burst: fewer burned, fewer unpopped. Use a 3-qt pot or larger, keep kernels in one layer, and never walk away from a hot pot.

Hot-air popper

Preheat the empty popper for about a minute if your manual allows, set a big bowl under the chute, add kernels up to your popper's max (usually ½ cup) and nothing else, and switch it off when pops slow to about 2 seconds apart. Air-popped corn is dry, so drizzle a little melted PPC-083, toss, then salt. Large Yellow is our air-popper pick; Baby White works in most poppers, but its small kernels can blow out of strong-fan models.

Microwave: butterfly kernels only

Put ¼ cup of Baby White or Large Yellow kernels in a 3-qt or larger microwave-safe glass bowl, cover with a microwave-safe plate turned upside down, and microwave on high: 2½–3½ minutes at 1,100 W or more, 3–4 minutes at 900–1,000 W, 4–5 minutes at 700–800 W. Stop at 2 seconds between pops. The bowl and plate get very hot — use potholders and lift the plate away from you. Never microwave mushroom kernels.

Troubleshooting

• Lots of unpopped kernels: the kernels dried out or the oil wasn't hot enough. Store airtight and wait for all 3 test kernels to pop.
• Chewy popcorn: steam trapped under the lid. Vent the lid and move the popcorn to a bowl the moment it's done.
• Mushroom pops small or lopsided: heat too low. Mushroom has to have high heat — pop it on the stovetop with oil.
• Salt won't stick: season while it's hot, and drizzle a little melted oil first on air-popped corn.

Store it right

Popcorn pops on the water inside the kernel, and the sweet spot is about 13.5–14% moisture. We dry our crop to that range and bag it to hold it there. Keep kernels airtight — roll the resealable bag down tight after every scoop — at room temperature in the pantry. Never the fridge or freezer; the fridge dries kernels out. Sealed kernels keep 1–2 years.

Frequently asked questions

How much popcorn per person?

Figure 2 Tbsp of kernels per person, which makes about 4 cups popped. ¼ cup of kernels makes about 7–8 cups. For a crowd, pop more batches, not bigger ones.

What's the difference between mushroom and butterfly popcorn?

Shape. Mushroom pops into round, sturdy balls that are best for caramel and coatings; butterfly pops into tender, winged pieces that catch butter and salt.

Can you microwave mushroom popcorn?

No. Mushroom kernels need fast, even, high heat; a microwave gives you half-pops. Use butterfly kernels in the microwave.

What's the best oil for popcorn?

For movie-theater flavor, butter-flavored coconut oil like our PPC-083. Any fat that handles 400°F or more works, including beef tallow, refined coconut, peanut, avocado and high-oleic sunflower oil.

Is popcorn a whole grain?

Yes. Popcorn is 100% whole grain and naturally gluten-free. Air-popped is the lightest at about 31 calories a cup (USDA).

Popcorn is a choking hazard for children under 4. Unpopped kernels can crack a tooth, so pick them out before serving.