• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Whole New Mom
  • Resources
  • About
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • Recipes
  • Natural Remedies
  • Healthy Home
  • Wellness
  • Clean Beauty
    • Beautycounter
  • Gardening
  • Essential Oils

Home » Perfect Basic Popcorn Recipe

Perfect Basic Popcorn Recipe

by Adrienne 19 Comments Published January 19, 2011 Updated: May 16, 2020

This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission. Learn more in our disclosure.
214shares
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Looking for a healthy alternative to processed and boxed snacks? Here is a great homemade popcorn recipe, plus some other helpful options.

Homemade Popcorn Recipe

 

Wishing you had something other than butter and salt to top your popcorn?  Or do you need some prodding to give up those artificially colored "cheeze flavored" topping mixes?

Well, I have some great solutions for you.

As I mentioned in my post on popcorn being a healthy snack for your budget, a homemade popcorn recipe can really help with your family food budget, and it can also be a lot of fun if you vary the toppings (make sure you check out the links at the bottom of this post for some of our family's favorites :-)!)

But it is also important to start with the right foundation -- the perfect popcorn.

First, You Need to Start with a Great Popper

Again, I mentioned the stainless steel hand crank popper in yesterday's post on how popcorn is a great boon for your budget. If you are really proficient in the shaking-the-pan-over-the-stove-burner method, then that is great too, but our family has gotten so much use out of this popper and I was never really successful at the shaking the pan method.  And with this popper, even our kids can do it.

Stovetop Popcorn Popper

We do, however, typically have them stand in an ultra-safe kids learning tower (our tower can support 500 pounds safely) while popping. That way there is no fear of them toppling off of a chair and getting injured.

Now, back to the homemade popcorn recipe.

Recipe Notes

  • We always use organic popcorn due to the proliferation of genetically modified corn on the market.  (According to this article in the Washington Post, in 2009, already 80 percent of corn was genetically modified.
  • The salt that we use and love is Real Salt which you can purchase in various locations. It is a wonderful, non-bleached, natural salt with no additives (did you know that regular table salt is bleached and has chemical additives to keep it from clumping -- and some brands even have added sugars!).  We get ours (and our organic popcorn) through our family's buying club with Country Life Natural Foods and I confess that I purchase the large 25 pound bag. Great price and salt doesn't spoil! And between all the popcorn and regular cooking and baking that I do, and our daily saline washes and the regular soaking of nuts and seeds, we use up salt very quickly!
  • Coconut oil is a wonderful choice for popping corn.  It has a high smoke point which means that it is fairly-stable cooking oil.  You do not want to use olive oil for your popcorn as its smoke point is too low.  Butter is also not a great choice but it is a fine topping option.  Basically, cook your popcorn at a temperature at which you do not produce a bunch of smoke, because the abundance of smoke indicates that you are damaging the fat.
  • I like to use 2 Tbsp oil for most batches. Plain popcorn has a fairly-high glycemic load so adding the extra fat tempers that a bit. Sometimes I use 3 Tbsp, but the resulting product might seem a bit heavy to you.  Try it and decide what amount you like.

Perfect Basic Popcorn

This homemade popcorn recipe is a super quick treat that you can whip together in a flash. It is also very frugal, and you can top it however you like! Any time you would like an easy snack, skip the microwaved junk from the store and throw some popcorn in the popper instead.
Print Rate
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Ingredients

  • 1-3 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup popcorn
  • salt

Instructions

  • Put oil and popcorn into the popper over medium heat.
  • Turn crank slowly at first and then quickly once the popping starts.
  • Stop cranking when no more popping is heard.
Tried this recipe?Mention @wholenewmom or tag #wholenewmom!

That's it!

So, now that you have this easy homemade popcorn recipe that you are armed with one step towards more healthy snack eating, you can really serve up some fun, healthy snacks in the kitchen by trying our family's favorite popcorn recipes:

  • Caramel Nut Buttery Popcorn
  • Herbes de Provence Popcorn
  • Seasoned Popcorn

Do you have any favorite budget-friendly snacks in your home?

Any favorite popcorn flavors to share?

(Photo Credit)

214shares
Struggling to Eat Healthy?
Get My 5 Secrets to Make Healthy Eating EASIER
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Join our subscribers who get content directly to their inbox.
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your inbox for an email from me!

Come join our Healthy Living Community on Facebook

Join our Facebook Group

Related Posts

Dairy-Free Chocolate / Carob Silk Pie
Vegan French Silk Pie with Grain-Free Crust (dairy, grain and sugar free)
Ever gone to make Chocolate Chip Cookies but someone had eaten almost all of your chips? Here's the solution!
Kitchen Sink Chocolate Chip Cookies - gluten free & vegan option
If you or someone you love is unable to eat solid foods for awhile due to swallowing issues, illness, or they just don't want to eat, try this DIY Meal Replacement Shake | natural Pediasure® alternative. No icky additives and no preservatives.
DIY Meal-Replacement Shake - like Pediasure

About Adrienne

Adrienne Urban is the Founder and Owner of Whole New Mom. She has a background in research, journalism, insurance, employee benefits, financial markets, frugal living, and nutrition. Seeking a better life for herself and her family, she uses research and consults with many physicians and other practitioners to find solutions to the variety of issues they have dealt with including life-threatening food allergies and thyroid and adrenal concerns. WholeNewMom.com is the result of her experiences and knowledge gained throughout the process. Posts are reviewed and verified by the Whole New Mom team.

Previous Post: « Homemade Popcorn - The Healthy Budget Snack
Next Post: Herbes de Provence Popcorn »

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




     

  1. Carol

    November 20, 2016 at 4:28 pm

    I have heard recently from Dr. Steven Masley, a functional doctor that coconut oil should not be used on high heat that it destroys the good part of the oil and makes it not so healthy. Have you heard about this? I have been using avacado oil but my husband really liked the coconut oil.

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      November 21, 2016 at 3:32 pm

      I have heard that the smoke point is lower. I try to cook our popcorn on a lower heat. It does take longer, however.

      Reply
  2. Jane

    July 11, 2015 at 8:50 am

    hi!
    Can't one use a microwave to make the organic corn ? I've heard a paper bag works well.

    Jane

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      July 11, 2015 at 10:45 am

      Yes, I have heard that too. I personally don't like to use the microwave, as I am concerned about the health effects on the food, but you can do it in a pinch or if you aren't concerned. Take care.

      Reply
  3. John

    December 29, 2013 at 6:14 pm

    Why do you say popcorn has a high glycemic load? It's actually low-to-moderate on the glycemic index (55) and definitely has a low glycemic load (<10)

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      December 30, 2013 at 9:40 am

      You know, I am not sure. I just saw that as well.....I guess I've been told it so many times. I just saw that it's 55 for air popped. I couldn't find info for what it is popped in oil. Any idea?

      Reply
  4. Linda Traylor

    December 28, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    Yes, Dr Mercola, who probably teaches more about the dangers of GMO than anyone, said in his blog that popcorn cannot be genetically modified ... and so I do not worry about that ONE problem when making popcorn. BTW, if you Google whirlypop, you can find everything you need to know about how to pop corn as well as find the popper.

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      December 28, 2013 at 8:08 pm

      Glad to hear it. But some of it sure tastes like it's been modified into styrofoam :(.

      Reply
  5. Linda Traylor

    December 28, 2013 at 7:01 pm

    This is exactly the way I make popcorn and everyone loves it... I bought a whirlypop about 30 years ago and have used that for making popcorn ever since. When I could buy coconut oil, I began using that .. 5? years ago. All this makes for the very best popcorn and I eat it when I want a snack... I tell everyone to get this kind of popper... wonderful tool.

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      December 28, 2013 at 7:04 pm

      We love it too!!

      Reply
  6. Lori

    July 09, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    There is (currently) no GMO popcorn in the world. I was told this by an exec at Jiffy Pop who sent me some info that I have since deleted. Are you aware of this fact? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      July 10, 2013 at 9:24 am

      I heard that. I do find it hard to believe b/c some of the popcorn I've tried tastes like cardboard. But for now I am happy to hear it.

      Reply
  7. Torie

    March 11, 2012 at 11:04 pm

    When using an air popper like we have, would you suggest adding some melted coconut oil to the finished popped corn before adding seasonings like your herbs de provence?

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      March 11, 2012 at 11:27 pm

      Hi Torie. You will need to add something moist to the popcorn or the toppings won't stick. Coconut oil sounds great! I've heard natural palm oil is wonderful but I haven't tried it yet. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  8. Angela

    March 01, 2012 at 9:43 pm

    I LOVE making popcorn. My favorite is a sugar-free, organic Kettle Korn. It's really fast, easy and super healthy. It doesn't get much better than that!

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      March 01, 2012 at 9:55 pm

      Thanks for sharing, Angela. I'm OK with that. I know sharing links can be hard to discern - when it's OK and when it's not. I've flubbed myself. I look forward to trying your version!

      Reply
    • Traci

      August 18, 2013 at 2:31 am

      darn, your link expired.

      Reply
  9. shelley

    February 17, 2011 at 8:18 pm

    My hubby just informed me that he'd like to have popcorn!! Looks like we need to stock the shelves over here.

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      February 18, 2011 at 10:33 pm

      Uh oh….Country Life has great organic popcorn…you can order with us next time 🙂

      Reply
Please note: these comments do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of Whole New Mom.

Primary Sidebar

adrienne author of whole new mom blog

Welcome! I'm Adrienne, and I'm here to show you that Healthy Living Doesn't Have to Be Hard! Here, you'll find basically everything you need to make healthy living doable--healthy & easy flexible recipes, tips for clean beauty and a natural home, essential oils, beginner gardening tips, and more. Learn more about me here.

Struggling to Eat Healthy?Get My FREE EASIER Healthy Eating Tips!
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Join our subscribers who get content directly to their inbox.
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing! Check your inbox for your guide!

POPULAR POSTS

Need a delicious, quick and healthy meal? Try this Easy Baked Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe. They taste like you spent a TON of time in the kitchen, but they come together in a flash. Grain & Egg Free (with AIP and THM:S options) and they freeze well too!

Easy Baked Chicken Nuggets {gluten free with paleo option}

healthy fudge on white parchment paper with knife in background

Adaptogenic Phat Fudge Remake

gluten free chili mac in white bowl with spoon

Gluten-free Chili Mac (dairy-free & keto option)

This Egg Roll in a Bowl has all of the great flavor of Egg Rolls, but it's an Easy One Pan Meal without the grain wrapper!

Egg Roll in a Bowl - low carb, whole30, keto, paleo, AIP

<script>

Disclaimer

Cookie Policy

HTML Sitemap

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2021 Whole New Mom on the Foodie Pro Theme

214shares
  • 23
x
Get My Easier Healthy Eating Guide
No spam here (ick!). You can unsubscribe anytime (no hard feelings!)
Invalid email address
Welcome! Check your email for your Guide!
x
Struggling to Eat Healthy?
Try My EASY Healthy Eating Tips!
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Join our subscribers who get content directly to their inbox.
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.