Popcorn Seasoning Five ways
On December 16, 2024
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My Homemade Popcorn Seasoning blends liven up movie nights and make perfect holiday gifts. With five unique blends, there’s one for everyone.
Homemade Popcorn Seasonings
Skip the plain butter and salt, because it’s time to bring that gourmet, artisan popcorn experience to your backyard. Whether you’re settling in for movie night or looking for the perfect handmade gift, these five (that’s right, five!) versatile seasonings will turn ordinary popcorn into a gourmet snacking experience. From savory BBQ to aromatic rosemary black pepper, each blend is quick to make and brings its own unique flavor profile to your favorite snack. Pop down to the next section to choose your favorite, and let’s make some gourmet popcorn at home.
Popcorn Flavor Seasonings
Whether you like your popcorn savory, sweet, or even smoky, I’ve got a seasoning blend perfect for you. Take a look at these flavor options to find one or more you love, then mix ‘em up and get to popping.
BBQ Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Garlic Parmesan Seasoning
- 1-2 Tablespoons grated parmesan
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Ranch Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon whole celery seeds
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Rosemary Black Pepper Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons rosemary
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Sweet & Salty Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
The Best Popcorn for Seasoning
Believe it or not, there actually is a type of popcorn that’s best to use when adding your own seasoning. I love making some air-popped popcorn, then sprinkling on some of my favorite seasoning. Because this style of popcorn doesn’t have any added oils or butters, your seasoning will stick well without getting soggy. You can use microwave popcorn if you have to, but make sure to use a plain option without any butter. Whichever route you go, make sure to shake your seasoning on while your popcorn is still warm from popping.
Buttering Homemade Popcorn
You can still have that classic buttery taste if you want, and it will taste way better than anything you’ll get at the theater. Just melt your butter completely, then mix in your chosen seasoning before drizzling over your warm popcorn. The butter helps your seasoning stick perfectly to every kernel, creating that movie theater-style experience right at home. Just make sure to drizzle your butter-seasoning mixture while the popcorn is still warm from popping.
How to Make Popcorn Seasoning
The hardest part about making these popcorn seasonings at home is not eating them before the popcorn is ready. There’s no cooking or complicated steps involved, so making a variety is a snap. Just follow these simple steps, then shake, sprinkle, and savor:
- Pick your favorite. Check out the BBQ, Garlic Parmesan, Ranch, Rosemary Black Pepper, and Sweet & Salty, so you can decide which one you want to make. I love offering a variety of flavor profiles for my guests, so I like to have multiple options on hand. These blends don’t take long to make, so the people you love get a gourmet experience with minimal work for you.
- Mix it up. Gather the ingredients for your desired seasoning, then combine them all in a small bowl. Give everything a good stir with a whisk or fork so you can break up any clumps. You want a nice, even blend so it’s easy to shake on your warm popcorn.
- Sprinkle or store. You can use any one of these seasonings right away, or store them for later use. The important thing is sprinkling your chosen seasoning on your popcorn right after it pops, so it’s still warm.
Storage and Shelf Life
All of these seasonings are best on freshly popped corn, but that doesn’t mean you have to use them right away. Place whichever blend you make in a glass spice jar, and store in your pantry. The flavor will stay fresh for up to 6 months for you to use on popcorn, or anything else you want to blast with flavor. After that, you may way to freshen up your seasoning supply with a fresh batch.
More Seasoning Recipes to Try on Popcorn
After you taste how delicious popcorn is when you use your own seasoning, you’ll be making your own blends all the time. I’ve got all kinds of recipes for rubs and seasonings, so you can find something you love. You can find them all in the Rubs Section of the site, or you can download the Hey Grill Hey App. For now, here are some fun blends to try at your next movie night:
Five Popcorn Seasoning Recipes
Enjoy some handfuls of popcorn with homemade seasonings, then give the recipe a 5-star rating. I want to hear all about which blend your family loved the most, so tell me in the comments section below. I love seeing what kind of creative ways you use your recipes, so don’t forget to snap a few pictures of your movie night munchies. Tag @heygrillhey on Instagram and Facebook so we can all drool over your perfect popcorn.
When you want to take your seasoning game to the next level, you need to check out The Grill Squad. I’ve got a whole class to walk you step-by-step through the process so you can make your own seasonings, rubs, sauces, and glazes. After you understand the basics, you can create your own unique blends at home like a true Backyard BBQ Hero.
Homemade Popcorn Seasoning Five Ways
Ingredients
BBQ Popcorn Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Garlic Parmesan Popcorn Seasoning
- 1-2 Tablespoons grated parmesan
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Ranch Popcorn Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon whole celery seeds
- teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Rosemary Black Pepper Popcorn Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons rosemary
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Sweet & Salty Popcorn Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the seasoning. Combine all the ingredients for your desired seasoning in a small bowl, or make a batch of each for variety. Mix together using a whisk or fork to ensure there are no clumps.
- Use or store. Use your seasoning immediately or store for later use. When seasoning your popcorn, it’s best to sprinkle on right after your popcorn comes out of the popper. Store any unused seasoning in a glass spice jar for up to 6 months for the best flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
