6 Popcorn Seasoning Recipes To Make At Home (2024)

Posted on Published:

Categories Appetizers, Recipes

Popcorn seasoning recipes are so easy to make at home. You can skip all the unwanted salt and preservatives that store-bought versions have, plus save money by making your own!

This post will walk you through six easy, healthy seasoning recipes made with spices from your pantry.

6 Popcorn Seasoning Recipes To Make At Home (1)

Popcorn Seasoning Recipes

If you’re bored with plain popcorn, try mixing things up with these six easy popcorn seasoning recipes.

  • These recipes use simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
  • These ingredients are inexpensive, healthier and taste better than any store-bought seasoned popcorn.
  • These recipes can easily be whipped up for healthy snacks, movie night, game night, or after school snacks.
  • Butter or oil is used to help the spices and seasonings stick to the popcorn.
  • This is a very inexpensive snack! Four cups of popcorn plus seasonings cost about $1.50 each!(prices will vary slightly depending on where you live).

All of these recipes use healthier ingredients than the store-bought versions that contain a lot of preservatives and excess salt. Instead, these recipes use fresh healthy spices to flavor your popcorn.

6 Popcorn Seasoning Recipes To Make At Home (2)

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make these flavors:

  • POPCORN: You can use store-bought popped popcorn or pop it yourself at home with a popcorn popper, which is the most affordable option.
  • BUTTER: Each recipe below uses 2-3 Tbsp of melted salted butter with 4 cups of popcorn.
  • OIL: If you’d prefer not to use butter, you can also use cooking oil. My personal favorites are coconut oil or avocado oil.
  • SUGAR: A few recipes use sugar to sweeten the popcorn. You can use coconut sugar, brown sugar or monk fruit sweetener (it’s sugar-free).
  • CHEESE: Grated cheese tastes great on popcorn! The recipes below use cheddar cheese and freshly grated parmesan.
  • SPICES: Spices are one of the easiest and healthiest ways to create popcorn seasonings. Chili powder, garlic powder, dried herbs, cumin, cayenne powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and paprika all taste great in a variety of combinations.
6 Popcorn Seasoning Recipes To Make At Home (3)

How To Make Popcorn Seasonings

Here’s an overview of how to make the popcorn seasonings with the full recipe instructions at the bottom of this blog post.

  1. BUTTER: Add the popcorn and melted butter to a large bowl. Toss together so popcorn is evenly coated.
  2. SPICES: Sprinkle all other ingredient flavors and toss together. Feel free to add more seasonings if needed. Serve and enjoy!

Make a big batch of the spice mix and store the leftovers! You can store the popcorn seasonings in anairtight container in a cupboard. Exclude the perishable ingredients such as butter, oil and cheese and add those right before serving.

6 Popcorn Seasoning Recipes To Make At Home (4)

Variations

Popcorn Without Butter– You’ll need butter or oil to help seasonings stick to the popcorn. If you don’t want to use butter, you can use any cooking oil. For example, melted coconut oil, avocado oil, canola oil etc.

Popcorn Without Sugar – Some of these recipes use sugar to add sweetness. You can use a sugar-free lakanto monkfruit sweetener in replacement.

6 Popcorn Seasoning Recipes To Make At Home (5)

More Easy Healthy Snack Ideas

Here are some more healthy energy snacks to try:

  • Six Energy Ball Flavors – You can make six flavors from one base recipe.
  • Superfood Granola – Avoid the extra sugar from store-bought versions and make your own instead!
  • Healthy Banana Splits – Create a breakfast bar of different toppings in separate bowls for every family member to assemble their own. So yummy.
  • Sheet Pan Nachos With Ground Beef – Everything is baked together for an easy and fun dinner idea.

Did you love this popcorn seasoning recipe? Be sure to leave a rating below!

6 Popcorn Seasoning Recipes To Make At Home (6)

Easy Popcorn Seasoning Flavors

4.74 from 15 votes

Save Recipe! Pin This Print It

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Cheesy Spicy Popcorn:

Oregano Basil Herb Popcorn:

Italian Parmesan Popcorn:

Spicy Popcorn:

Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn:

Dill Pickle Popcorn

Gingerbread Spice Popcorn:

Instructions

  • Add the popcorn to a large bowl. First, drizzle melted butter overtop and toss with the popcorn to evenly coat. Next, sprinkle the rest of the flavor ingredients overtop and toss them all together. Taste and add more seasonings if needed for desired flavor. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

  • Test the flavors to see if you want to add more seasonings. Feel free to add as much as you’d like!
  • Cheesy popcorn can be microwaved for a few seconds to help melt cheese (optional).

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.

Save This Recipe:Follow us on Pinterest @MadeByAndi

6 Popcorn Seasoning Recipes To Make At Home (2024)

FAQs

What are some good seasonings to put on popcorn? ›

Toppings
  • Melted butter.
  • Sea salt.
  • Ranch seasoning.
  • Tajín.
  • Cheddar seasoning.
  • Caramel sauce.
  • Sprinkles.

How to make popcorn better at home? ›

For savory popcorn: Olive oil, kosher salt, and nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is the perfect seasoning if you want cheesy flavor but also want vegan popcorn seasoning. For sweet popcorn: Olive oil, cinnamon, and a dash of brown sugar. This will satisfy your sweet cravings without making your teeth hurt!

What is the healthiest thing to put on popcorn? ›

8 Healthy Popcorn Toppings Sure to Amaze
  • 8 – Apple Pie Popcorn. You'll swear you're chowing down on a very light and delicate apple pie. ...
  • 7 – Pumpkin Glazed Popcorn. ...
  • 6 – Lemon Kale Popcorn. ...
  • 5 – Lime Cilantro Popcorn. ...
  • 4 – Italian Breadstick Popcorn. ...
  • 3 – Rosemary, Black Pepper and Parmesan Popcorn. ...
  • 2 – Peanut Butter Popcorn.
Dec 4, 2015

What is good to mix with popcorn? ›

Popcorn Toppings & Mix-Ins To Try
  • NUTS OR SEEDS. Macadamia nuts, peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc.
  • DRIED FRUIT. Coconut chips, raisins, cranberries, pineapple, mango) I especially love those without added sugar.
  • FREEZE-DRIED FRUIT. ...
  • CHOCOLATE CHIPS OR CHUNKS. ...
  • MELTED CHOCOLATE. ...
  • CANDIES OR EXTRAS. ...
  • SEASONINGS.
Jun 16, 2020

How to make popcorn in 7 steps? ›

Homemade Popcorn
  1. Step 1: Materials Needed. Stove & pot. ...
  2. Step 2: Heating. Pour the oil in the pot and turn the stove to a medium temperature.
  3. Step 3: Pour in Kernels. Pour the popcorn kernels in the pot. ...
  4. Step 4: Put Top on Pot. ...
  5. Step 5: Shake the Pot. ...
  6. Step 6: Take Top Off the Pot. ...
  7. Step 7: Season. ...
  8. Step 8: Make Separate Bowl.

What is the secret ingredient in popcorn? ›

The flavor all comes down to one ingredient: Flavacol. You've likely never heard of Flavacol because, really, only movie theaters use it. Essentially, it's butter-flavored salt. It's a really fine, bright orange powder that adds that buttery flavor you crave and the signature yellow color.

How to make popcorn for dummies? ›

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the popcorn kernels and sprinkle with salt to lightly cover the layer of kernels. Add the butter to the pot and cover with the lid. As the kernels start to pop, shake the pan back and forth across the burner until the popping slows down.

How to make popcorn taste nicer? ›

Add some cinnamon for a warm and cosy flavour, or try nutritional yeast for a totally cheesy taste. Get creative and experiment with different ingredients to find your perfect popcorn snack!

Do you add seasoning before or after popping popcorn? ›

You add seasoning after popping the popcorn. However, keep in mind to always add your seasoning while the popcorn is still hot. That way, moisture residue from popping steam will help your seasoning stick to the popcorn.

Is popcorn OK to eat everyday? ›

However, moderation is key. Even though it is much more filling than many other snack foods, it can still be fattening if you eat too much of it. Popcorn is high in fiber, relatively low in calories and has a low energy density. Eating it in moderation may help with weight loss.

What spices taste good on popcorn? ›

Combine melted butter, paprika, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl; pour over popcorn and stir until it is somewhat evenly coated.

How to get seasoning to stick to popcorn without butter? ›

If you prefer to skip butter and oils all together, but still want salt and seasonings to adhere to your popcorn, consider using a light mist of vinegar or melted ghee on the freshly popped kernels. The moisture can help the toppings cling to the popcorn without adding extra fat.

What do you sprinkle on top of popcorn? ›

Go check them out:
  1. Chili Powder. The first popcorn topping on our list is chili powder, and it's something you likely already have at home. ...
  2. Everything Bagel Seasoning. ...
  3. Crushed Pretzels & Chocolate. ...
  4. Cayenne Pepper & Cumin. ...
  5. Olive Oil & Parmesan. ...
  6. Chili Lime. ...
  7. Garlic Powder & Paprika. ...
  8. Peanut Butter.
Jan 3, 2023

How to get flavour to stick to popcorn? ›

One surefire way to enhance seasoning stickiness is to make sure your popped corn has some sort of moisture on it - essentially a popcorn coating. You can use a drizzle of melted butter, a spritz of truffle oil, a glaze of caramel or even toss the popcorn in a bit of melted ghee.

How do you add flavor to air popcorn? ›

If you use oil for popping your popcorn, the seasoning will stick to it easily. However, to get flavor and stick to air-popped popcorn without fat, you can mist your popped popcorn with a bit of water or some other liquid. Sprinkle your popcorn as you move it to the bowl with a little liquid spray bottle.

What seasoning do movie theaters use for popcorn? ›

2045 Flavacol popcorn salt. Here's a quick explanation of how I used it at the theater: I would put the kernels into the kettle, dump a scoop of flavacol seasoning into the vat, press the button that dispensed the oil, and closed the lid.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Trent Wehner

Last Updated:

Views: 6112

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Trent Wehner

Birthday: 1993-03-14

Address: 872 Kevin Squares, New Codyville, AK 01785-0416

Phone: +18698800304764

Job: Senior Farming Developer

Hobby: Paintball, Calligraphy, Hunting, Flying disc, Lapidary, Rafting, Inline skating

Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.