Making homemade popcorn seasoning is so much easier than you would think. Today I’m showing you how to make 7 of my favorite popcorn flavors, from herby ranch to gingerbread!
The day I learned that popcorn is a whole grain was a pretty big day. Suddenly my favorite mindless-munching snack was a healthy one, and let’s just say I ate a lot of popcorn after that discovery. But while many store bought flavored popcorns are loaded with butter and sugar, you can make your own homemade popcorn seasoning at home that’s healthier (and cheaper!) than the store bought stuff.
How to make flavor stick to homemade popcorn
There are a few ways to make the seasonings really stick to the popcorn. I always like to spray the popcorn lightly with either flavorless or olive oil (depending if I want the olive flavor to shine through, like in the savory seasoning recipes). Simply spray or drizzle the oil over the popcorn and toss to coat the whole batch. Then sprinkle on your seasoning and toss once more for evenly coated popcorn.
Another way to ensure your seasonings stick is to swap out regular sugar for powdered sugar in the sweet recipes. This light sugar will coat each kernel without all sinking to the bottom. Ready to get popping?
Savory Popcorn Recipes
Ranch Popcorn Seasoning: ½ tsp dried dill, ½ tsp dried chives, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
Dorito Popcorn Seasoning: 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp salt
Taco Popcorn Seasoning: 1 Tbsp taco seasoning, 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Coconut Curry Popcorn Seasoning: 1 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, ½ tsp curry powder, ¼ tsp salt
Sweet Popcorn Recipes
Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn Seasoning: 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt
Gingerbread Popcorn Seasoning: 1 ½ Tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves
Mexican Chocolate Popcorn Seasoning: 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 Tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt, pinch of cayenne pepper
Ingredients
Pick a Seasoning
- Ranch: ½ tsp dried dill, ½ tsp dried chives, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
- Cinnamon Sugar: 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt
- Gingerbread: 1 ½ Tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Coconut Curry: 1 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, ½ tsp curry powder, ¼ tsp salt
- Dorito: 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp salt
- Mexican Chocolate: 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder,1 Tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt, pinch of cayenne pepper
- Taco: 1 Tbsp taco seasoning, 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Base
- 4 cups popped popcorn
- 1 tsp oil 5 mL
Instructions
- Mix: In a small bowl, combine the ingredients to your seasoning of choice.
- Pop: Prepare popcorn in either the microwave or traditionally on the stove. Spray or drizzle oil onto popcorn, tossing to evenly coat.
- Serve: Sprinkle seasoning over popcorn and toss to coat once more. Serve warm.
Tips & Tricks
I first published this recipe over on Amanda’s Cookin’.
David says
I did a 1/2 cup of popcorn in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Butter doesn’t work … it burns everything.
Then drizzled/mixed butter over it & folded in a dash (alternating the folding w/ the dashing) of actual Ranch Salad Dressing seasoning (not the dip version). I thought it came out pretty good … some were a little stronger than others … but all-in-all, I’d definitely do it again.
1/2 cup lifted the lid & overflowed the pan. If you’re a movie & popcorn aficionado, then a 1/2 cup of popcorn makes a huge bowl that will last 1 person pretty much the entire movie. I’ll do a 1/4 cup next time.
I’m surprised that there isn’t a “Kettle Corn” recipe. IDK what’s involved w/ that … just butter & sugar? I might give that a try next time … I’m thinking that I’ll have to sprinkle, fold (is that the right word?), & repeat like I did w/ the Ranch packet.
Jackie Helton says
Just add three tablespoons of granulated sugar to the pot after the kernels start bubbling. I have a popcorn popper that has a handle to mix the kernels, oil and sugar together. It is awesome and as close to the real thing from the fair as you can make at home.