Homemade Microwave Popcorn couldn’t be easier. Just put some popcorn in a bag and put it in the microwave!
Did you know that you can make microwave popcorn without the expense of purchasing microwave popcorn at the grocery store? My friend taught me how over the summer and it is actually super simple!
There won’t be any mystery ingredients, fake butter, or preservatives in your batch microwave popcorn when you make it yourself. Plus, you can make as little or as much as you want. Just pop another bag, or fill it with less to begin with.
Supplies for Making Popcorn
All you need it a brown paper lunch bag, popcorn kernels, a 1/3 measuring cup, tape, and a microwave!
How to Make Homemade Popcorn
Step 1:
Add 1/3 of a cup of unpopped popcorn kernels to a brown paper lunch sack.
You can opt to make less popcorn if you’d like a small batch, but don’t add more than 1/3 cup at a time to the bag.
Step 2:
Fold the top inch of the bag down 2-3 times and secure with a small piece of tape. This will keep popcorn from popping all over your microwave.
Note: I have done this without the tape. I wanted to test that process out too. Sometimes stray popcorn does make its way out of the bag, depending on how full the bag is and how tightly the bag is folded down.
Step 3:
If your microwave has a “popcorn” button –
Place the bagged popcorn in the microwave, folded side up. Close the door. Press the “popcorn” button and let cook until there are 5 seconds in between pops.
If your microwave does not have a “popcorn” button –
Place the bagged popcorn in the microwave, folded side up. Close the door. Cook for 1 – 3 minutes on full power until there are 5 seconds in between pops. This will depend on your microwave wattage, so it is best to hang out by the microwave and play it by ear until you’ve determined timing that best fits your microwave.
Step 4:
Remove the bag from the microwave. Pour the contents in a bowl and drizzle with melted butter or whatever you prefer to flavor with!
Try kicking things up a notch by using fresh rosemary and browned butter for a Rosemary Browned Butter Popcorn or add dried fruits, nuts and seeds for a fun Popcorn Trail Mix.
A Note About Fat, Seasonings, or Other Toppings
Butter, salt, or any other seasonings are best added after the popping process.
Why? It ends up making a big mess and doesn’t actually get evenly distributed on the popped popcorn when you add those things to the un-popped kernels for the microwaving process.
Why Make Your Own Microwave Popcorn?
Making your own microwave popcorn allows you to:
- Save money! Corn Kernels are a lot less pricey than prepackaged microwave popcorn. You’ll get more bag for your buck this way and your kernels will last a long time.
- Be healthier! No mystery ingredients included when you make it yourself rather than using bagged microwave popcorn. Plus, you can control the amount of salt and butter when you add it yourself.
- Produce less waste! You can reuse the bag again and again when you use this method instead of throwing away single use prepackaged microwave bags.
- Save time! Ok, so it doesn’t take a ton of time to get the popcorn popper out if you are going to make popcorn the old-school way, but you don’t have to mess with getting a large and somewhat heavy appliance out or putting it away after.
Planning a dinner party and need some inspiration?
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Did you know: you can make coffee in the microwave, too!
Homemade Microwave Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Popcorn Kernels
Instructions
- Place unpopped popcorn kernels in a brown paper lunch sack.
- Fold down the sack 2-3 times and secure with tape.
- Microwave 1-3 minutes (or use your microwave’s “popcorn” button), stopping it when you hear 5 seconds between pops.
- Pour popped popcorn in a bowl and top however you’d like!