Scooped: Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream

I'm supposed to hate movie theater popcorn.

I'm supposed to say it's stale, low-quality kernels drenched in gross fake butter that causes Alzheimer's or something. That it's way too salty and greasy to enjoy in good conscience.

Sorry, but I love the stuff. I really do.

And I love buttered popcorn jelly beans. And extra-extra butter microwavable popcorn. And I love this ice cream, because corn-flavored ice cream blows the pants off vanilla or chocolate, and butter-flavored corn ice cream may be the only thing that tops it.

Buttered popcorn fans, you know who you are. This ice cream is for you.

I'll admit, when it comes to popcorn, homemade may be best for out-of-hand snacking, but fake butter microwavable popcorn is better for this ice cream. Its hydrogenated butter-flavored oils carry more "buttered popcorn" flavor than real butter, and they freeze less hard and clumpy.

The scoop you see in the photo above is studded with some Cracker Jacks for extra-corny flavor, and while I'm happy to have them in there, I'm calling the addition optional. Despite their sugar coating, the Cracker Jacks collapse and lose their crisp crunch in the ice cream. If you don't mind chewy, ice-cream-softened candied popcorn in your ice cream, the Cracker Jacks are a nice addition. If you're not on board, feel free to leave them out.