28 Popcorn Recipes Your Family Will Love

April 07, 2020
Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
Take your next movie night up a notch with one of our 28 creative twists on classic buttered popcorn. From spiced up versions of your favorite snack (this Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary is always a winner) to adorable treats for kids (like these Unicorn Snack Bars!), you're sure to find something the whole family will love in this collection of easy popcorn recipes. 
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Salted Butterscotch Popcorn

Greg DuPree
Salted Butterscotch Popcorn Recipe

Enjoy this Christmas tin treat year-round with a Scotch-infused caramel sauce and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. We love it as a salty-sweet ice cream topping, but the gourmet popcorn holds its own as an addictively delicious party snack, too.

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Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe
Make a batch of this delicious popcorn for your next movie night and you’ll start a new tradition. Flavored with olive oil, fresh rosemary, Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic, it’s a sophisticated take on a favorite snack. This popcorn recipe can be tailored to what you like or have on hand.

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Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae

Time Inc. Video Studio
Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae Recipe

This decadent sundae delivers the best of salty, sweet, creamy, and crunchy all in one bowl. 

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Big Tin Popcorn Cake 

Time Inc. Video Studio
Big Tin Popcorn Cake  Recipe

You know those giant popcorn tins—featuring the three signature flavors: butter, cheddar, and caramel—that you’re bound to receive at least one of every year, but never actually finish? Transform the rest into this fun and easy tricolored  “cake.” 

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Scrambled Eggs With Popcorn

photo by Towfiqu Photography via getty images
Scrambled Eggs With Popcorn Recipe
The eggs in this easy and fun breakfast dish are tender, but have some really interesting textural contrast. The corn flavor was more subtle than you get with chilaquiles, but pronounced enough to be pleasantly present.

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Grits With Popcorn

PHOTO BY COLTER LONGSHORE
Grits With Popcorn Recipe
Pop a whole mess of popcorn on the stove, soak handfuls in water and butter, force the soggy kernels through a sieve, then repeat, scraping all the runoff into a bowl. Dress up popcorn grits with hot sauce, a fried egg, and even some extra popped popcorn; or go sweet and cover it with maple syrup and toasted nuts.
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Miso-Caramel-Tamari Popcorn Mix

Jennifer Causey
Miso-Caramel-Tamari Popcorn Mix Recipe

A slightly thicker caramel and the addition of whole roasted almonds turn traditional caramel popcorn into gift-worthy popcorn mix. We use less sugar in the glaze and cut the sweetness with mild white miso (fermented soybean paste) and tamari (a richer, wheat-free soy sauce) for a salty-savory note that makes the snack incredibly addictive.

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Coconut-Pecan Caramel Popcorn

Photographer: Gina DeSimone; Prop Stylist: Kashara Johnson; Food Stylist: Briana Riddock
Coconut-Pecan Caramel Popcorn Recipe
With the addition coconut flakes and pecans, this is the amped-up version of your traditional caramel popcorn is all kinds of addictive. Once you make a batch, chances are it will disappear before the day is out—so consider doubling the recipe.

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Pumpkin Maple Popcorn

Sara Tane
Pumpkin Maple Popcorn Recipe
This classic movie theater treat has taken on a sweetly spiced persona just in time for cozy nights during cool weather. The popcorn is coated in a pumpkin maple sauce that forms a crispy, candy-like crust on the outside of popcorn for a glossy finish.
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Umami Popcorn

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Umami Popcorn Recipe
If you’re worried that this crunchy snack will taste like fish, rest your fears. The anchovy paste simply lends rich umami depth and a good salty kick. We use a fair amount of fresh thyme here, too, for even more savory notes; it adds a woodsy, earthy flavor that other herbs just don’t quite have.

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Candy Corn Popcorn Balls

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Candy Corn Popcorn Balls Recipe

If kids are helping shape these treats, make sure the marshmallow mixture is cool enough for them to handle. Store the confections in an airtight container for up to three days.

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Savory Pixy Stix Popcorn

Savory Pixy Stix Popcorn Recipe

This easy to make, fairy-dusted snack is sweet with a surprisingly spooky spiced kick. 

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Spicy Seaweed Popcorn Seasoning

Spicy Seaweed Popcorn Seasoning Recipe

Sprinkle over warm popcorn for a new way to snack during your favorite movie.

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Bacon-Peanut Popcorn Balls

Photo: Ryan Liebe; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl    
Bacon-Peanut Popcorn Balls Recipe

Take movie night to the next level with these delectable snack-size treats. Best of all, they're only 110 calories per serving! 

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Almond Toffee Popcorn

Almond Toffee Popcorn Recipe

Dress up your popcorn with the perfectly paired flavors of almond and toffee.

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Unicorn Snack Bars

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Deb Wise
Unicorn Snack Bars Recipe
These sweet unicorn treats are adorable enough to serve at a birthday party, but easy enough to throw together for after-school snacks during the week. Adding almonds and apple chips into the mix make these snack bars more substantial and flavorful than a plain rice cereal treat.

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Togarashi-Spiced Snack Mix

Greg Dupree
Togarashi-Spiced Snack Mix Recipe
Nanami togarashi is a Japanese spice blend of red pepper, sesame seeds, seaweed, and dried citrus that offers all kinds of new possibilities to popcorn, Rice Chex, and any other salty snack food. Combine with shrimp chips, spicy wasabi peas, and soy-glazed macadamia nuts for the best party mix ever.

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Rocky Road Popcorn Balls

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Guess what? This is a whole-grain dessert. To keep the ­stickiness at bay, wear latex gloves coated with cooking spray as you shape the popcorn balls.
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Smoked Paprika Popcorn

Photo: Thomas J. Story
Smoked Paprika Popcorn Recipe

Inspired by the explosion of pre-popped popcorn on the market, we came up with some fresh and easy snacks of our own. The key to flavorful popcorn is to toss it very well with the butter first, then with the seasonings.

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Rosemary Popcorn

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
Rosemary Popcorn Recipe
Did you know that popcorn has a lot of bulk for its calories, so it helps fill you up? And this herb-seasoned version is ready in just minutes!

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Marshmallow Popcorn Treats with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Photo: Jason Varney; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Marshmallow Popcorn Treats with Dark Chocolate Drizzle Recipe

Reminiscent of classic popcorn balls, these salty-sweet treats make for awesome low-fat, lunch box-friendly snacking. Make a batch with the kids this weekend to enjoy throughout the week.

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Sesame-Soy Nut and Pretzel Mix

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Thom Driver
Sesame-Soy Nut and Pretzel Mix Recipe

Full of salty nuts, pretzels, and cereal and doused with a butter- and Worcestershire-based glaze, the classic snack mix racks up sodium quickly (and who honestly stops at the barely 1/2 cup serving suggestion?). Our Asian-inspired mix saves 160mg sodium per serving with plenty of crunch and bold, salty flavor in a more generous 3/4 cup portion.

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Candied Apple Popcorn Balls

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Candied Apple Popcorn Balls Recipe

Guess what? This is a whole-grain dessert. To keep the ­stickiness at bay, wear latex gloves coated with cooking spray as you shape the popcorn balls.

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Caramel-Walnut Snack Mix

Time Inc. Video Studio 
Caramel-Walnut Snack Mix Recipe

 Pack it up for a tailgate,  package it for holiday gifting, or put it out for a party—this easy snack mix is the perfect all-purpose formula for salty-sweet crunch

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Smoky Barbecue Popcorn

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Smoky Barbecue Popcorn Recipe

Upgrade a classic concession-stand snack with fancy flavors.

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Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls Recipe

Guess what? This is a whole-grain dessert. To keep the ­stickiness at bay, wear latex gloves coated with cooking spray as you shape the popcorn balls.

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Sticky Seaside Kettle Corn

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Rachel Burrow and Claire Spollen
Sticky Seaside Kettle Corn Recipe

Pop up a summery snack the entire family will enjoy. Leftover popcorn? No problem. The kettle corn can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

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BBQ-Ranch Popcorn

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
BBQ-Ranch Popcorn Recipe
Try other flavors, like chili powder-lime zest and cinnamon-sugar.
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