10+ Healthy Seasonings For Popcorn

Popcorn is a readily available snack whether you pop it on the stove, in an air-popper, or choose time-saving microwaveable popcorn. Instead of making plain popcorn, try one of the many topping options available.

Serve topped popcorn at a movie night at home or bring it as an inexpensive dish to a party or gathering. Experiment with different topping options until you find your favorite with these Healthy Seasonings For Popcorn.

Healthy Seasonings For Popcorn

Caramel

Caramel topping turns popcorn into a sweet, sugary snack similar to many of the store-bought caramel corn varieties on the market. Mix 1 pat butter, 2 cups brown sugar, and 1/2 cup corn syrup in a saucepan.

Heat for four minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the burner then add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Pour the mixture over popped popcorn that's spread out on a baking tray.

Bake at 250 F for one hour. Use as much or as little caramel topping on the popcorn as desired, depending on your preferred sweetness.

Cheese

A variety of cheeses work well as a popcorn topping. Sprinkle grated hard cheeses, such as Romano and Parmesan, directly on the popcorn before serving. Or use a more smooth-textured shredded cheese such as cheddar. Sprinkle the cheese onto the popcorn then mix it in thoroughly.

Chili Powder

Add some spice to popcorn snacks with chili peppers. Use chili pepper powder alone or combine it with red pepper flakes. Butter the popcorn first so the topping sticks to the kernels.

Use 1/2 tsp. chili powder and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, or adjust the amount to your taste preference.

Nuts

Nearly any type of nut makes a suitable topping for popcorn. You can also use nuts in combination with other toppings. Crushed or chopped peanuts or walnuts go particularly well with popcorn.

If you use salted nuts, there is no need to add additional salt to the popcorn. Honey-roasted nuts add a sweet flavor to popcorn that isn't overwhelming.

Curry

Use your favorite ready-made mild or hot curry powder to flavor buttered popcorn. Add a small amount of cayenne pepper or turmeric to add an extra kick of flavor to the curry mix.

Chocolate

Chocolate-topped popcorn is suitable as a snack or a dessert. Melt chocolate chips or semi-sweet baking chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave to create a sweet topping.

Drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn before serving. Add salted nuts for a salty and sweet taste combination.

Salted

Salted is the original and still the all-time favorite. The only seasonings that are used are oil and salt. Today, the salt might vary from ultra-fine to sea salt.

Butter

Buttered popcorn can come in two forms, as an oil or as a powder. When you go to your local theater, it's traditionally an oil that's warmed and tossed with freshly popped popcorn.

Ranch

Ranch topping for popcorn is not the usual dressing that comes on your salad. Ranch topping is a power with the same seasonings that are in ranch dressing like onion and garlic powder.

Barbecue

Just like potato chips, popcorn has taken on barbecue flavor. Barbecue topping is salty and smoky with a hint of sweetness just like your favorite barbecue sauce.

Jalapeno

Jalapeno is a topping that adds a little heat to your popcorn. It comes in powdered form, unlike the jalapenos you get on your nachos.

This topping usually contains garlic salt, onion powder, jalapeno powder, and paprika.

Kettle

Kettle corn is one of the oldest toppings dating back to the 1800s. Traditionally, it's cooked in a cast iron pot over a fire but today it is either made in a microwave with the same topping.

Kettle corn topping is simply salt and sugar.

Candied

Candied corn uses the same coating as candied apples. The candy hardens around the popcorn giving it an extra sticky crunch.

Fruit flavors, cinnamon, or vanilla are added along with food coloring to give the candy extra flavor.

Who doesn't love popcorn? You can find popcorn just about anywhere like the movie theater, ballparks, county fairs, and grocery stores.

The best part of each place you can get popcorn is that each kind tastes a little different. Today more than ever you can find multiple varieties of toppings for your popcorn.

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