All-American Snack (Recipe: Homemade Microwave Popcorn) | Syrup and Biscuits (2024)

Homemade Microwave Popcorn. A DIY version of everyone’s favorite snack. All you need is a small brown paper bag, popcorn kernels, oil, and salt. .

Snacks are important actors in American culinary culture. We love nibbling on morsels. Personal preference dictates sweet or salty selections and the winner in the Little Debbie versus Cheetos battle.

Golden Flake potato chips are original to the South and gained a lot of fame by co-sponsoring with Coca-Cola, the television show of the legendary Alabama football coach, Bear Bryant. Coach Bryant and his guests would drink Coca-Cola from little glass bottles and eat Golden Flake potato chips from a bowl while discussing Alabama football. Homespun, comfortable and a sign of much simpler times.

In the category of All-American snacks, popcorn carries a high rank. Popcorn has been enjoyed for generations. The cooking methods have varied from using a heavy pot on the stove top to Jiffy Pop to microwave.

I thought microwave popcorn was the greatest advancement in snacking since Little Debbie learned to make neat little cakes in individual packages. Now,they’re telling us that the lining in the microwave popcorn bag creates some sort of substance that might make our heads fall off. Honestly, is there anything we breath or put in our mouths these days that isn’t killing us? The list is getting shorter and shorter and shorter……

Homemade microwave popcorn uses ordinary brown paper bags and takes away the risk of losing your head. At least, I think it does. Well, the FDA warns against using brown paper bags for cooking. They say the brown paper bags weren’t designed for cooking and might not be safe. Now that I’ve let you know what the FDA thinks about homemade microwave popcorn in brown paper bags, I’ll teach you how to make it.

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Homemade Microwave Popcorn

1/4 cup popcorn kernels

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt

Place popcorn kernels and oil in a lunch size brown paper bag. Fold the top over and crease the seam. Repeat. It’s not necessary to tape or staple the fold.

Shake well to make sure all the kernels are covered with oil.

Place on a plate or napkin in the microwave with folded side up.

Microwave until the you only hear one pop every two to three seconds. Remove and salt while still hot.

Here’s important things to know:

(1) Make sure the popcorn kernels are fresh.

(2) When removing the popped popcorn from the microwave, BE CAREFUL. The oil spots on the bag are HOT. Protect you hands when handling the bag.

(3) I tried several ratios of popcorn to oil and 1/4 cup popcorn: 1 teaspoon oil produced the most consistently good popcorn. I lost count of how many bags I popped trying to get it just right.

(4) It’s important to cook the popcorn long enough. If the bag’sremoved too soon, the popcorn won’t betender. One pop every two to three seconds is exactly where it needs to be.

(5) I use table salt. The grains of kosher and sea salt are too big and won’t adhere to the popped kernels.

(6) The bag will have lots of oil on it when the popcorn’s done. That’s how it’s supposed to be. The brown paper lunch bag doesn’t have a coating to make it moisture proof. I think that’s the reason it won’t make our heads fall off. If this comment makes no sense to you, read the top part of this post.

(7) Some of the kernels will remained unpopped. Regardless of the cook method, popcorn does that to us. It’s trying to make us mad.

(8) Since the bag isn’t moisture proof, oil gets on the outside during cooking. Protect your microwave by placing the bag on a plate or paper towel prior to cooking.

All-American Snack (Recipe: Homemade Microwave Popcorn) | Syrup and Biscuits (3)

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Homemade Microwave Popcorn

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup popcorn kernels
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil or your favorite cooking oil
  • salt

Instructions

  • Place popcorn kernels and oil in a lunch size brown paper bag. Fold the top over and crease the seam. Repeat. It’s not necessary to tape or staple the fold.

  • Shake well to make sure all the kernels are covered with oil.

  • Place on a plate or napkin in the microwave with folded side up.

  • Microwave until the you only hear one pop every two to three seconds. Remove and salt while still hot.

  • Here’s important things to know:

  • (1) Make sure the popcorn kernels are fresh.

  • (2) When removing the popped popcorn from the microwave, BE CAREFUL. The oil spots on the bag are HOT. Protect you hands when handling the bag.

  • (3) I tried several ratios of popcorn to oil and 1/4 cup popcorn: 1 teaspoon oil produced the most consistently good popcorn. I lost count of how many bags I popped trying to get it just right.

  • (4) It’s important to cook the popcorn long enough. If the bag’s removed too soon, the popcorn won’t be tender. One pop every two to three seconds is exactly where it needs to be.

  • (5) I use table salt. The grains of kosher and sea salt are too big and won’t adhere to the popped kernels.

  • (6) The bag will have lots of oil on it when the popcorn’s done. That’s how it’s supposed to be. The brown paper lunch bag doesn’t have a coating to make it moisture proof. I think that’s the reason it won’t make our heads fall off. If this comment makes no sense to you, read the top part of this post.

  • (7) Some of the kernels will remained unpopped. Regardless of the cook method, popcorn does that to us. It’s trying to make us mad.

  • (8) Since the bag isn’t moisture proof, oil gets on the outside during cooking. Protect your microwave by placing the bag on a plate or paper towel prior to cooking.

Tried this recipe?Mention @syrupandbiscuits or tag #syrupandbiscuits!

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All-American Snack (Recipe: Homemade Microwave Popcorn) | Syrup and Biscuits (2024)

FAQs

What can I put on microwave popcorn to make it taste better? ›

Nutritional yeast, MSG, miso, Parmesan cheese, dulse granules, mushroom powder, fish sauce, and shrimp paste are all savory powerhouses that will make any bowl of microwave popcorn sing.

How to make perfect microwave popcorn? ›

Microwave Popcorn
  1. Remove plastic overwrap. ...
  2. Place in center of microwave, with the correct side up as indicated on bag.
  3. Set power on HIGH for 4 minutes.
  4. DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED WHILE POPPING. ...
  5. For best results, stop microwave when popping slows to 2 to 3 seconds between pops. ...
  6. Bag is HOT! ...
  7. AVOID CONTACT WITH ESCAPING STEAM.

How to make buttery popcorn in the microwave? ›

Microwave the butter until it melts; about 30 seconds if whipped and 1 minute if cold. Place the popcorn you just popped into a bowl. Take out butter and pour over the microwave popcorn. Toss the popcorn to allow the butter to coat it evenly.

How do you pop all popcorn kernels in the microwave? ›

Add the popcorn kernels to a medium to large glass bowl (make sure it's tempered glass) and place a ceramic dinner plate on top of the bowl to act as a lid. Microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, then stop when you hear a few seconds between pops.

Why do you put water in the microwave before popcorn? ›

Try microwaving a glass of water first to help create a humid environment for your kernels. This will help the kernels remain tender, rather than tough. Then let your microwave work its magic, but make sure not to leave your microwave unattended when popping!

What to avoid in microwave popcorn? ›

Even so, microwave popcorn can be extremely high in saturated fat and sodium, both of which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. To reduce your risk, either choose "light" microwave popcorn or use an air popper. You should also go light on the salt and butter, or skip them altogether.

How do you make microwave popcorn fluffier? ›

Once the microwave is preheated, you can then add your microwave popcorn and prepare it as you usually would. The idea behind this trick is that, thanks to the increased temperature of your microwave, your popcorn will be fluffier and more kernels will pop than normal.

Can you microwave 2 bags of popcorn at the same time? ›

However, since it only takes a couple of minutes to cook a bag, I would just cook a bag at a time. There would be issue if you were trying to add more bags than will stay on the turn table as it helps even out the cooking.

How do you make microwave popcorn taste like the movies? ›

The secret is to pop it in coconut oil and add Flavacol. Flavacol is a flavored salt that theaters use when popping the popcorn. You can buy Flavacol on Amazon.

What do movie theaters use for butter? ›

Movie theaters use butter-flavored oil, which has a lower water content than butter so it makes popcorn less soggy. Real clarified butter has the same effect. To make it, melt 2 sticks butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Let sit for a few minutes; the butter will separate into 3 layers.

What can I do with expired popcorn kernels? ›

add some coconut oil to a pot, add the corn kernels, salt, stir and once sizzling, lower the heat to medium high, cover and move them often so they don't burn, turn off the heat, add a bit of spray oil, an additional pinch of salt. and lots of nutritional yeast if desired. toss and get ready to eat.

Can you microwave popcorn in a Pyrex bowl? ›

Step 2: Place your popcorn kernels into a 1.5 or larger quart bowl. Place a 1/4 cup of kernels in a 1.5 or larger quart bowl. I LOVE using my Pyrex 1.5 or 2.5 quart bowl. A single serve regular sized bowl will also work for this recipe.

Can I put a bowl of popcorn kernels in the microwave? ›

Can I pop plain popcorn kernels in a microwave? A: Yes, it's a cinch to zap your way to this addictive snack. Here's how: Place 1/3 cup kernels (no oil needed) in a large microwave-safe bowl; cover with a microwave-safe plate and cook on High 2 to 3 minutes or until popping slows.

How do you make microwave popcorn taste like movie theater? ›

The secret is to pop it in coconut oil and add Flavacol. Flavacol is a flavored salt that theaters use when popping the popcorn. You can buy Flavacol on Amazon.

What can I add to popcorn for flavor? ›

The savory one includes smoked paprika, onion powder, a little cumin, a pinch of cayenne, and fine salt. Both are open to variation, depending on my mood and what's in the pantry. Another great flavor to add to popcorn is grated parmesan, but only if you've got the good stuff.

What can I add to popcorn to make it taste better? ›

What can I add to popcorn for flavor?
  1. Garlic powder or garlic salt.
  2. Dried parsley and grated Parmesan.
  3. Nutritional yeast, which is a healthy—but still flavorful—alternative to cheese.
Dec 22, 2020

What tastes good on top of popcorn? ›

13 Popcorn Toppings That Sound Weird But Are Apparently Delicious, According To Twitter
  • Ketchup. ...
  • Chocolate Syrup. ...
  • Crab Meat. ...
  • Ramen Seasoning. ...
  • Cream Cheese. ...
  • Ranch Dressing. ...
  • Cinnamon and Cayenne Pepper. popcorn with cinnamon and cayenne pepper 🔥 ...
  • Sriracha...and Peanut Butter. Here are some things I have eaten that are great:
May 17, 2023

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