25 Deliciously Healthy Popcorn Recipes
From Sweet to Savory to Kinda Spunky … Popcorn Toppings and Seasoning Recipes for Any Mood or Occasion!
If you’re a regular THKer (you totally rock!!), then you remember we just shared a fantastic and absolutely simple method for popping 100% butter-free and oil-free popcorn, right in your microwave.
Steaming hot, it’s perfect in its own all-natural way – so fresh and nutty, and literally the easiest thing you’ve ever made in your whole life. Like, the entirety of your life.
Easiest. Ever.
But, while that incredibly simple microwave popcorn really is scrumptious in all its whole-grain glory, sometimes you might want to kick it up a notch. It could start with a little sprinkle of salt … but then maybe you want to kick it up another notch! Mmmmmmm … we get it!
We’d actually started brainstorming some really great recipes for popcorn seasonings …
But then, sadly, three of our four kiddos got braces. (You see the problem already, don’t you?) Yeah – orthodontics kinda take all the fun out of family popcorn night! Makes testing deeee-licious popcorn toppings in front of kids who can’t have any feel like a cruel, cruel joke. So, we put our own ideas on hold (for now) …
And what did we do instead???
Well, we turned to some of the most amazing bloggers out there in the ‘sphere, and are giddy-excited to share the very best popcorn seasonings, toppings, flavor combos and mix-ins we could find!
Oh … and … these are all healthy, too! You saw that coming, right?
There are thousands (millions! billions!) of popcorn recipes on the web … but most (while they may sound yummy) are just not very healthy things to add to a beautifully, perfectly popped bowl of fluffy, whole-grain goodness (aka popcorn!).
We were searching for delicious AND healthy!
Something a little better for you than movie theater popcorn. (Which, in case you were wondering, is not good for you. A small bag will not only set you back $6, but can also contain more than 600 calories and 40 grams of fat. Yeeeesh.)
We’ve got something way better! Actually, 25 somethings! Our list of healthy popcorn recipes will have you poppin’ every day to the tune of a new flavor!
We were literally cheering on the phone as we discussed these! Oh yes, friends … they’re that good. Cheer worthy.
No matter what you’re craving, we’ve got a flavor combo you’ll love! From recipes that’ll satisfy your sweet-tooth to ideas for when you need something a little salty. And if you just can’t decide between those, we’ve got spunky flavors that are the perfect blend … a little sweet, with a kick!
So, mix away! And hey … happy snacking!!
Pssssst … the collaged photos below are formatted so that (on most computers and some mobile devices), you can simply mouse over the photos to see each recipe’s name, and then click directly on the image you’d like to read more about. Alternately, you can also just click on the text links below each photo to view the full recipes, too!
Sweet Popcorn Recipes (from left to right):
Mint Chocolate Chip Glazed Popcorn from Brianne at Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Peach Colada Popcorn Snack Mix from Meg at The Housewife in Training Files
Chocolate Popcorn from Annemarie at Real Food Real Deals
Maple Gingerbread Popcorn from Annemarie at Real Food Real Deals
Kettle Corn from Britney and Cherie from Grain Crazy
Vanilla Almond Popcorn from Annemarie at Real Food Real Deals
Tropical Popcorn Snack Mix from Amy at Amy’s Healthy Baking
Pumpkin-Glazed Popcorn from Annemarie at Real Food Real Deals
Clean Eating Caramel Popcorn from Tiffany at The Gracious Pantry
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Savory Popcorn Recipes (from left to right):
“Cheesy” Taco Popcorn from Jen at Frugal Living Mom
Rosemary Parmesan Popcorn from Caroline at Taste Love & Nourish
Chili Cheese Popcorn from Kellie at The Suburban Soapbox
Skinny Buttered Popcorn from Amy at Amy’s Healthy Baking
Wasabi Soy Sauce Popcorn from Pamela at Brooklyn Farm Girl
Garlic Parmesan Popcorn from Sylvia at Feasting at Home
Sriracha Popcorn from Caroline at Taste Love & Nourish
Smoky Curried Popcorn from Julie at Savvy Eat
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Spunky Popcorn Recipes (from top to bottom, starting from left):
Chipotle Brown Sugar Lime Popcorn from Danae at Recipe Runner
Glazed Mexican Chocolate Popcorn from Brianne at Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Popcorn Three Ways from Arielle at Arielle Likes to Cook
Ras el Hanout Popcorn from Autumn at Autumn Makes and Does
Sea Salt Honey Coconut Popcorn from Katie at 24 Carrot Life
Thai Lime & Chili Popcorn Snack from Deanna at Teaspoon of Spice
Coconut Curry Popcorn from Jesse Lane at Jesse Lane Wellness
Perfect Popcorn Spice Mix from Cat at Breakfast to Bed
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SO much inspirations and genius ideas for my favorite snack ever!
We love making a big bowl and snacking away, too!! These flavors are all so yummy – it’s hard to decide which one to make next! 🙂 Happy snacking!! ~G&S
Thank you so much for including my recipes ladies! 🙂 I remember when I had braces… I tried eating a whole apple instead of cutting it up into slices like the orthodontist said. I ended up with curlicues of fruit through every wire! Needless to say, I paid very close attention after that and never ate anything on the “forbidden” list, especially popcorn. Hope your kiddos get their braces off soon!
Of course, Amy!! Thank you for coming up with delicious recipes!! Your idea for the Skinny Buttered Popcorn is just so, so smart! Everyone loves the classic flavor, but we certainly don’t love eating all.that.butter. Your spritzing idea is just genius!! And I’ve been a fan of your Tropical Popcorn Snack Mix from day 1!! 🙂
Good thing our kids are staying away from the forbidden foods list … not sure that curlicues of food stuck in the wires is quite the look they are going for! Lol! Cute story! 😀 ~Gretchen
I’m always amazed at the popcorn flavorings that people do. So creative and awesome. I’m so “traditional” (read boring!) with my popcorn – I cook it in a pot on the stove in a little oil and add salt. My husband likes kettle corn, so I make that for him sometimes. One of the ideas I always think is cool is adding M&Ms to hot popcorn do it gets all melty. But I haven’t actually tried that yet.
Well, your “boring” popcorn days are over, my friend! I know you love healthy ideas (although those M&Ms sound like a fun experiment :D), so you’ll be happy as can be with all these recipes! We really searched to narrow our picks down to ones that were totally mouthwatering … AND healthier, too! Pop on … 😀 ~Shelley
Wow! For a popcorn-obsessed girl like me, this page is invaluable! These are such great finds! I love the way you organized by flavors…we always change things up depending on what we are in the mood for. Thanks so much for sharing my links! Pinning this so I can come back to it over and over! 🙂
Thanks so much, Caroline! We were really, really excited about all these awesome recipes, too (and are totally looking forward to trying them when our braces-wearing kiddos aren’t looking! 😀 )! So happy to have been able to include your Rosemary Parmesan and your Sriracha Popcorn recipes – absolutely deeeeee-lish!!! ~G&S
Oh my gosh, what a great collection of popcorn recipes! I used to make popcorn all the time, because it was so easy and so good, but these flavor combinations add a whole new level of greatness to popcorn! Delish!
Hi, Kristi! Isn’t popcorn just the easiest snack!?!? You’ve gotta get poppin’ again, girl! And now you have so much new inspiration! Yay! Hey – and Happy Halloween! 😀 ~G&S