Homemade Microwave Popcorn Made in a Brown Paper Bag
Save RecipeHi Bold Bakers!
When making fresh Popcorn at home you usually have to buy those store-bought microwave packets. They are a fast convenient solution, right? But did you know you can make it yourself in just 2 MINUTES in the microwave with only a brown paper bag and some popcorn kernels? It sounds crazy but when you try it you won’t believe the results.
Homemade Microwave Popcorn is the best kind of fast food. It is low-fat, gluten free, inexpensive and a great snack food. The best thing about making your own is that you get to control the ingredients that go into it, like real butter instead of a “butter-like substance” and so on. I’ll show you 3 Big & Bold Popcorn Flavors including Movie Theatre-Style Popcorn, Cheese & Rosemary Popcorn, & the most impressive Microwave Caramel Corn!
Popcorn can be a delicious blank canvas for you to add your favorite flavors and seasonings to. Some of my personal favorites are the original Movie Theatre-Style Popcorn. It’s buttery, salty and you can sneak it into the cinema in your handbag.
Microwave Movie Theatre-Style Popcorn
- ⅓ cup (60g/2oz) popcorn kernels
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons (1 ½oz/45g) butter, melted
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Put the popcorn kernels in a medium brown paper bag. Roll the top of it closed nice and tight. This will keep in the steam while cooking
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Place the bag upright in the microwave (not on it’s side)
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Cook for roughly 1 minute 35-50 seconds or until the kernels stop popping at the rate of at least 1 per second. Keep an eye on it (NOTE: my microwave is 1200 watts so your cooking time may vary depending on your microwave)
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In the brown paper bag, pour in the melted butter and shake the bag while pouring the butter in a slow stream. Enjoy immediately
*make sure there are no holes in your brown paper bag
* stay close by the microwave while cooking so you can hear it pop, the popcorn can burn if cooked too long
*Place bag standing upright, not on its side
*store popcorn in an airtight container for 2 days.
Weight Watchers Point: 4 Smart Points:8
Cheese & Rosemary Microwave Popcorn
Another incredible flavor is Cheesy Popcorn. I have always loved cheesy popcorn ever since I was a kid. My mum used to give us a bag going to school. My Cheese & Rosemary Microwave Popcorn is a little bit of a sophisticated version of what I grew up with but also a nod to the original. You can find my Cheese & Rosemary Microwave Popcorn recipe here.
Microwave Caramel Popcorn
Microwave Caramel Corn, who knew that was possible? Not me until recently. You will have to see it to believe it but trust me. Out of a brown paper bag comes crunchy Caramel Corn that is covered in a crisp shell of caramel that you would only imagine would have to be baked to get those results. You can find my Microwave Caramel Corn recipe here!
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, and I’m passionate about sharing my years of experience to show you how to make game-changing baking recipes with over-the-top results! Join more than 1 Million other Bold Bakers in the community for new video recipes every week!
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Loved it!!! Thank youuuuuu.
Exactly what I needed for my kids.
My pleasure 😀
Absolutely loved this! I’m still in disbelief I could have been making this all these years rather than buying pre-packaged popcorn bags. Thank you for the video and tips…Bigger Bolder Baking strikes again with another great recipe!
Hi Leticia,
Thank you for this kind review.
Haha! now you can keep less things in your food pantry too, so win win!
Gemma 😉
Love this idea so much!! What about churo
( cinnamon sugar ) pop corn or a moose tracks popcorn?
Haha! Chloe, now you are talking! Yummy, we need to get experimenting here at BBB, I wil lget it on my list, thank you,
Gemma 🙂
Fun & yum! I will say, I made my popcorn on the stove as usual using 1/2 cup of popping corn. I made the full recipe for the caramel sauce, but only used about 1/2 of it (and then ate all of the caramel corn!!).
Hi jill,
Haha! I think this is one of the most addictive substance on the planet!
Good for you, thank you for telling us about it,
Gemma 🙂
I’m still amazed at how popcorn in a paper bag turns out (perfect!), and now. . .caramel corn in the microwave, too! The last time I made caramel corn was so much more time intensive with the baking involved. Getting it all done in the microwave is genius. Just need to be careful handling that bag of caramel corn coming out of the microwave because it IS hot!
Hi there,
thank you, that is great, and a good tip too! Yes, it is HOT, and will need to be handled carefully from the microwave.
Great review, thank you for taking the trouble,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma, WOW, I never would have believe that I could make popcorn with a bag and no oil…Turned out great, Thanks!!
Delighted you liked it 🙂
Best,
Gemma.
I made your Carmel corn recipe for a get together I was hosting and it turned out perfectly! Love the taste! My husband polished it off that night and is requesting more! Love your recipes! Thanks for sharing your talent and all your hard work! 😋
Hi Kris,
Now the secret is to show your husband how to do it, then you sit back, and receive all offerings gratefully! lol.
I am really happy to hear this, always ood to have such a lovely review,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
I tried it 3 rounds and the kernels did not turn out well. I over burned ..think its easier to mix the caramel in a bowl. Great recipe and I will keep trying. Cheers
Hi,
oh that’s funny. Is there a lesser power you could cook them out? sounds like your microwave is quite strong.
Keep at it 🙂
Gemma.
My microwave is 1270 watts. If I put on MID the kernels took a long time to pop.So I put on HIGH and its a bit difficult to control. Will keep trying. Cheers
Yeah it sounds like it was too high. Everyones microwave is different. It can be trail and error sometimes.
I love that you are preserving! Keep going 🙂
I took the popcorn out of a microwave popcorn bag, rinsed it with hot water to get off the solid oils and dried it so I could try this! 8-D ha, ha
I now have a bag of plain popcorn so I’m OK. I was just impatient to try it!
Like so many other recipes, it saves money and calories!
Good job Lynnie, very environmentally friendly too 🙂
Oh wow!! What a way to start a weekend! Just opened my Facebook and there it was..My favorite snack caramel pop corn!! Will buy kernels today and definitely try :p
Hi Archana,
Haha, i think this is everone’s secret pleasure, enjoy!
Gemma 🙂
cant wait to try the caramel popcorn it looks amazballs
Do try this,
Gemma 🙂
I’ve watch your video and now i must read your blog too hehehe i wondering to have my own homemade popcorn but i am on diet now,, could you suggest topping that morr healthy and easy? Thank you so much ?
Hi Asrida,
Yes, just have it with a little salt, or pepper or spice of your choice,
Gemma 🙂
Thank you so much Gemma xoxo
Will try your suggestion later ???
You are welcome Asrida,
Gemma 🙂
The secret so that the popcorn doesn’t shrink when you add the butter or the Caramel Corn is to make sure the butter is cooled after it is melted and just warm. Once it’s just warmed you can add it to the popcorn and it won’t shrink or anything.
Thanks Gemma for all your recipes. I just tried the caramel popcorn . It looks perfect and crunchy , but its way too salty, what’s your advice, i used the exact measures you wrote.
Hi Lama,
Ah! there is a trend at the moment for salted caramel, if this is not to your taste reduce the salt next time,
Gemma 🙂
I love your recipes 🙂
Thank you so much Yianna 🙂
Pls can you make peeps?
I tried it and it turned out perfect! But I tripled the recipe so I used a large paper bag and felt the urge to staple it so that it doesn’t explode… I’m halfway there, saving the recipe portion so that I could add my caramel.
Thanks Gemma, you just saved me some $s and time 🙂
Delighted to hear that, George. I wouldn’t recommend stapling the bag. Thanks so much for visiting my website 🙂
Thank you. I will love a great recipe for our favorite popcorn
Thank you.
Great recipe! The caramel corn tasted much better than the kind you can buy. Only problem I noticed was the butter being absorbed into the paper bag instead of the popcorn, but this was really only a problem with the cheese & rosemary style where the cheese would stick to the buttered paper. Putting the popcorn into a bowl and mixing with a spatula solved that problem though, so I’ll definitely make this again!
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Thanks for the tip, Julia. Really glad you liked these recipes 🙂
I looove the caramel it is delicious I am eating some while typing this at the moment actually!
Fantastic Lara! Delighted you like this recipe 🙂
Hey Gemma,
I just loved the pop corns, they were mouth melting.?
I request you to please focous on egg less baking things like eggless red velvet cake/cupcake.??
I also request you to try out for some momo’s?
I will add it to my list. Thanks so much for visiting my website 🙂
Can you make a red velvet lizard shape cake my brothers birthday is almost here and I want to surprise for him plz plz plz ??
Hi Michelle,
I think you could use my red velvet cake recipe and maybe find a snake cake tin. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to fit it in. Here is my recipe for red Velvet Cake red velvet cake
love this. thanks so much!!!
i’m curious – which brand of popcorn kernels did you use? they pop so big? the popcorn in my country (israel) turn out pretty small and flimsy, and i’ve been trying to buy different brands online to see which ones pop the biggest. no luck so far… maybe the ones you used are available?
Oh funny. I use just a generic brand called the ‘snack artist’. Maybe in Israel you have smaller kernels then here. Have a look for that brand and see :). Good luck Maya.
I love your homemade popcorn video and I love you to show use how to make homemade kettle corn please ??
Fantastic Christina! Delighted you like this recipe. I think the caramel one is pretty similar to kettle corn
Wow, Gemma, you’ve done it again. I love the this recipe, it is so easy and my mom always buys the popcorn kernels. Will there be any more recipes for popcorn coming?
Fantastic Jessica! I’m delighted you like this recipes. I will definitely do more and add flavors like BBQ and sour cream. Watch this space.
I love your popcorn recipe
Fantastic Devin! Delighted you like this recipe
Hi Gemma 🙂
Just watched your video and the caramel popcorn looked absolutely delicious as do all your other recipes! I was wondering if I could add melted dark chocolate to the popcorn for chocolate popcorn? I’m not sure how long it’ll last though.. I don’t want it to turn soggy :((
Thanks Gemma
S
Thanks for your question, Sara. I would recommend using sweetened cocoa powder instead if you’d like chocolate popcorn. You can try pouring the melted chocolate over the popcorn, too. But I think it might get a little soggy. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
is there any other flavors like the sweet popcorn that you can get from the stores sometime but not the caramel corn
I actually don’t think I have ever seen a sweet popcorn thats not caramel
Keyarrah, if you add a bit of sugar in with the butter and salt it will make the sweet and salty kind that I think you’re talking about (munching on some as I type and its good!) 🙂 Thanks so much for showing us all how to make popcorn this way, Gemma! All the recipes I’ve tried from yours have been AWESOME! 🙂
Fantastic, thanks a million! Delighted you like my recipes. 🙂
Hi Gemma love this recipe I aways made regular popcorn I can’t believe you can make Carmel popcorn!!! Can you make freach horns please any thanks for this recipe bye
Hi Abbey,
I’m delighted you like my recipes. The caramel corn is crazy i know. I’ll add your request to my list for french horns.
I love your recipes! Keep up the good work,Gemma.Please keep psting more yummy treats! 🙂
Thanks a million Walia. I’m petty proud of these recipes because I just learned you could do make popcorn like this.
Gosh, this reminds me so much of when I was younger, my grandma would pop the popcorn in the pressure cooker and it was unlike any other popcorn! this tastes the same!!!
Wow, that is one smart Granny. I didn’t know you would do it in a pressure cooker.
Another GREAT treat for my Nutrition For Life High School students to make in food lab. Your wonderful & simple recipes are fantastic for my students. Cannot wait to try the caramel
Fantastic Amy! Delighted you like this recipe . Thanks so much for sharing them with your students. The caramel is my fav 🙂
great job and keep up the good work
thanks a million Scott :). Delighted you like it.
Hi Gemma this is sooo cool, these flavers look mouth-watering! But I do not have a microwave!!!!!! Could I also make it in an oven
Fantastic! Delighted you like this recipe. You can make it in an oven at roughly 350oF (180oC) for roughly 8-12 minutes. I depends so just keep an eye on it.
Do you have to use a microwave because i dont have one but can i use a popcorn maker instead
for this recipe you do. You can try cooking it in a pot with oil also. 🙂
That looks amazing! Can you use every kind of paper bag? Because I really do not wanna change my microwave into a fireplace.
As long as it’s paper and not plastic you can use it. Just make sure it is also big enough. Also keep an eye out in grocery stores because they tend to have them for take away food 🙂
I love your hair!!!
This popcorn is great I love it!!!!!!!!!
thanks. It’s called tossing your head around to give yourself big, flowing curls :).
And I’m delighted you liked them popcorn 🙂
I was wondering what other type of bag could I use where I live the brown paper bags are small and hard to find!
As long as it’s paper and not plastic you can use it. Just make sure it is also big enough. Good Luck. Also keep an eye out in grocery stores because they tend to have them for take away food 🙂
I got my bags at BLOOP Family Dollar BLOOP, 40 reg size lunch bags $1.00. So I bought 2 . I’m diabetic and can eat all this unsalted and/or flavored popcorn I want ! Thanks Gemma.
Hi Norma, that is great, I am happy that you found something to suit, I am not famous for low sugar recipes, but will try to pay closer attention to this this year 🙂
How about making simple kettle corn popcorn
I think this is similar to kettle corn 🙂