These healthy popcorn recipes feature homemade popcorn seasonings and healthy popcorn toppings for a simple, satisfying snack. We'll also answer your questions on how to make homemade popcorn!
If you love salty snacks but are looking for something a little (or okay, a lot) healthier than the standard chips and crackers, my healthy popcorn recipes are the perfect solution!
One of my go-to gluten free snacks, popcorn is anything but boring. You can make it sweet, savory, or even spicy. You can add in dried fruit or nuts and seeds to give some extra flavor and protein. Homemade popcorn is super simple and always a winner with kids. You really can't go wrong!
Homemade popcorn is also the perfect travel snack. Whether you're going on a road trip or packing snacks for the airplane, popcorn is fun with that satisfying salty crunch, but still a healthy (and budget friendly!) snack. (Check out more ideas for healthy travel foods!)
If you're looking for healthy school lunch ideas, popcorn is also a great addition there. To take it to the next level, set out some healthy popcorn toppings and add-ins at the beginning of the week and let your child create their own healthy popcorn recipe, mixing in nuts and dried fruit of their choice. They can enjoy it all week long and you can enjoy a break from the not-so-healthy snack requests.
If you find the seasonings aren't sticking to the popcorn, you can spray the popcorn with olive oil or avocado oil before adding the spices to help them stick.
Enjoy!
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3 Healthy Popcorn Recipes
This first recipe if for my spiced popcorn mix. It's nice and savory and walnuts add some extra crunch, as well as some serious staying power due to the healthy fats.
Spiced Popcorn Mix
Ingredients
- 2 T cumin
- 1 T paprika
- 1 T oregano
- 1/2 T turmeric
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 bag air popped popcorn* (~ 14 cups)
- 2 cups walnuts
Instructions
- Combine the spices to create a spice mix.
- Toss 1 bag air popped popcorn with 1/4 cup spice mix.
- Add the walnuts to the mix.
Notes
Nutrition
Next we have Cinnamon Toast Popcorn, perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth! It's lightly sweetened with maple syrup and cinnamon brings out the sweetness. If you'd like to add some extra healthy popcorn toppings, mix in some slivered almonds.
Cinnamon Toast Popcorn
Ingredients
- 6 cups air popped popcorn*
- 2 T coconut oil
- 5 T maple syrup
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 F.
- In a small pot over med heat warm 2 T coconut oil, 5 T maple syrup, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt until melted.
- In a large bowl, pour mixture over 6 cups popcorn and stir until well coated. Pour onto parchment lined sheet pan.
- Bake in oven for 10-12mins.
Notes
Nutrition
Finally, here's my recipe for popcorn with dried figs and pecans. The figs lend a nice sweetness to this mix while the pecans give a great crunch.
Popcorn w/ Dried Figs & Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 large bag air popped popcorn* (~14 cups)
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 2 cups chopped dried figs
- 1 T pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Quarter the dried figs and chop pecans.
- Toss 1 bag air popped popcorn with 1 T pumpkin pie spice.
- Add dried figs and pecans into popcorn mix.
Notes
Nutrition
What is the nutrition like for these healthy popcorn recipes?
Homemade popcorn on its own has some serious nutritional value. Add in nuts and dried fruit? It's a super healthy snack packed with vitamins! Here's some more information on what some of the ingredients in our healthy popcorn recipes offer:
- Popcorn: Made from a special kind of corn, popcorn is a whole grain, naturally gluten free food. It's high in manganese, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc and also contains moderate amounts of vitamins B1, B3 and B6. Popcorn is also an excellent source of fiber. Despite all of these benefits, it's important to choose high quality popcorn – many microwave varieties contain harmful chemicals and low quality oils.
- Walnuts: Many consider walnuts to be the healthiest nut, in part due to their high antioxidant content. They may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes, as well as supporting healthy brain function and healthy gut bacteria. They are a true super food!
- Pecans: Pecans and other nuts are considered excellent for heart health and they also add healthy fat to help keep you full.
- Figs: Good for digestion and heart health, figs are high in copper and vitamin B6.
- Cinnamon: Frequently used in traditional medicine, cinnamon is good for your heart and also may help stabilize blood sugar. Research also suggests that cinnamon may help lower cholesterol.
- Turmeric: Turmeric is widely considered the healthiest spice around due to its potential to prevent and slow cancer, lung disease, and brain disease.
What is air popped popcorn?
Air popped popcorn is popped without any oil. Popcorn kernels have a small amount of water inside of them and hot air can be used to make this water expand and cause the popcorn to pop.
You can buy air popped popcorn or you can make your own. You can buy a microwave air popper or you can actually just use a standard brown paper bag using the below method from Epicurious.
All you need to do is pour about 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels into a brown paper bag (think old school lunch bag). Then tightly fold the top of the bag a few times. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, listening for when the pops are a few seconds apart.
Then your popcorn is ready to season with one of our homemade popcorn seasoning recipes!
This method has all of the convenience of microwave popcorn without the harmful PFOAs in the microwave bags you can buy at the store.
You can of course also buy a standard air popper. It's super easy to use and you'll quickly make up the cost of buying a few bags of popcorn.
How to Make Homemade Popcorn – Do I need a popcorn maker?
While many people love the convenience of an air popper, you do not have to have one to make homemade popcorn. You can also easily make delicious homemade stovetop popcorn!
For this method, pour 2-3 tablespoons of high quality oil into a dutch oven over medium heat. Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil all work well.
Test the oil to see if it's hot enough by tossing a few kernels into the oil to see if they sizzle. When the oil is hot, pour in 1/2 cup of kernels and put the lid on the pot, cracking it a bit to let steam escape. Cook for 2-3 minutes, gently shaking the pot to help distribute the kernels so they all pop. When the popping sounds are a few seconds apart, your homemade popcorn is ready! Simply Recipes has more details on the stovetop method.
While this method isn't totally oil free, it is so much healthier than movie theater or microwave popcorn. Plus it's totally delicious!
More Healthy Popcorn Seasoning & Healthy Popcorn Toppings Ideas
Oh my, where to begin? Basically, anything you might enjoy in trail mix makes an excellent addition to a popcorn mix. You can also use a variety of spices and seasoning mixes to give your popcorn a flavorful twist. Here are a few of my favorite homemade popcorn recipe add-ins!
- Coconut chips
- Mini chocolate chips if you're in the mood for more of a treat
- Dried cherries
- Goji berries
- Pepitas
- Shelled pistachios
- Dried herbs for a savory mix (dill or rosemary would be delicious!)
- Red pepper flakes
- Curry powder
- Nutritional yeast for a cheese-like flavor and a major vitamin boost
- Rosemary pecans
FAQ – Everything You Want to Know about Healthy Popcorn Recipes
What are some healthy popcorn toppings?
There are many healthy popcorn toppings but I would argue herbs and spices are one of the healthiest choices, as they are generally nutritional superstars and it's hard to get enough of them! Try turmeric and black pepper for a super healthy choice. Drizzling olive oil on popcorn is also a nice way to add some healthy fats, and to help your healthy popcorn toppings stick.
How do I help the seasonings stick to the popcorn?
If you're using air popped popcorn and you find the seasonings aren't sticking to the popcorn, you can drizzle or spray the popcorn with olive oil or avocado oil before adding the spices to help them stick.
Is there a healthy popcorn to eat?
Absolutely! Either air-popped popcorn or homemade stovetop popcorn are healthy choices.
How healthy is popcorn without butter?
Popcorn without butter (or other less-than-healthy ingredients) is quite a healthy snack. It's a whole grain and includes quite a bit of fiber as well as some healthy vitamins and minerals. It is high in carbohydrates so I love mixing with some nuts for a balanced snack.
Is making popcorn on the stove healthier?
Yes! Making popcorn on the stove is absolutely healthier than prepackaged microwave popcorn. You can control the amount of salt and oil and there are no weird chemicals to contend with. Air popping popcorn is also a healthy choice.
What is the healthiest oil to pop popcorn on the stove?
Coconut oil, avocado oil and olive oil are all healthy oils to choose for popping popcorn on the stove.
I want more healthy gluten free snacks!
While fruit or sliced veggies are of course excellent options for snacking, sometimes you feel like something a little more special. Here are a few of my favorite, totally crave-able gluten free snacks:
Guacamole Stuffed Peppers
Any snack that's veggie packed AND feels like a treat is a winner in my book. These guac stuffed mini peppers fit the bill!
Easy Paleo Ranch w/ Veggies
Dipping makes veggies so much more fun but you don't want to choose a dip that totally negates the nutrition of the veggies! Our paleo ranch is the perfect solution. The salsa ranch in this post also makes an excellent dip for veggies!
High Protein Almond Butter Energy Bites
If you're in the mood for more of a sweet snack, you can't go wrong with these almond butter energy bites! Like our healthy homemade popcorn recipes, they're totally customizable to fit your family's preferences.
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I love these ideas. I’ve made popcorn on the stove, but just switched to an air popper. I don’t understand how you put seasonings on them though. Our air popped kernels are so dry all the seasoning just falls to the bottom. I am also struggling because if I warm up oil on the stove to put on them I think I might as well have just made my old stove top kind since I’m now dirtying a pan anyway. My Mom sprays her popcorn before adding seasoning, but I assume the spray is bad. How do you get your seasoning to stick? I’d love your tips! Thanks!