How to Make Homemade Popcorn in the Microwave: A quick and easy way to pop microwave popcorn, without oil, in a brown bag, and it’s ready in minutes!
Homemade microwave popcorn has become a nightly staple in our household. It all started when we were visiting with some friends and I had mentioned to them how I hated how the store-bought microwavable popcorn has nasty chemicals in it. They then told us how they microwave their own popcorn in a brown paper bag, and that they love it.
“Whoa, does that really work? No oil, no nothing?”
“Nope!”
How to Make Homemade Popcorn in the Microwave
We tried this as soon as we got home. But to our dismay, our first “brown bag” popcorn test run, ended up with popcorn EVERYWHERE, and it was a huge mess.
Then my brilliant, yes BRILLIANT husband, came up with an amazing idea, and it has worked like a charm ever since. I’ll show you how we pop it without a mess! (I’ll show you the “how-to,” through the photos, but there’s also a recipe below!)
Brown Bag Microwave Popcorn:
We grab two brown paper bags, and pour a cup of popcorn kernels in the bottom of one paper bag.
Open the other brown paper bag, and slide that over the top of the other, creating a closed package for the popcorn to pop in.
How long to Cook Popcorn in the Microwave?
We have one of those “popcorn,” sensory cook buttons on our microwave, but when prepping this post, I paid attention to how long the popcorn popped in ours so I could give you a cooking time.
HOWEVER, each microwave setting can be different. So I really recommend to start with 3-4 minutes and listen for the corn to stop popping. When you hear it really slowing down, stop the cooking process and pull it out of the microwave. (CAUTION: HOT!!)
Lay the brown bag on it’s side, and cook.
Flavor ALL of It:
After trial and error, we’ve also figured out our favorite ways to flavor up the popcorn.
Doesn’t it drive you nuts when you go to the movies; you sit down in your comfy chair to the enjoy the movie, dig in and eat your popcorn… only to find that the popcorn is so bland and nasty after the first layer is gone? (Right, I know that life could be worse. But when that bag of popcorn takes a 1/4 out of my child’s college fund, it’s pretty disappointing when the flavor is gone before the movie even starts.)
So we figured out a way to make the flavor last, and “STICK,” to the popcorn, so we can enjoy every stinking bite… all the way down to the bottom!
Pull the popcorn bag out of the microwave and gently (CAUTION: HOT!!) pull the two bags apart. (NOTE: It’s best to hold the bag over your bowl as you pull apart in case some of the popcorn falls out.)
Seasoning & Flavoring Tutorial:
First we put a small layer of the popped popcorn in a large bowl.
Then we grab one of our favorite popcorn seasonings, (Kernel Season’s flavorings are our favorite!!!) and we sprinkle a layer of that on the popcorn in the bowl.
Then, we grab the Orville Redenbacher’s butter flavor topping, (also our favorite) and drizzle a layer of butter on top.
THEN… we sprinkle another layer of seasoning. (Sometimes mixing up the flavors for a bit of fun!)
Next it’s time for another small layer of popcorn…
Then repeat the seasoning process:
Seasoning • Butter Topping • Seasoning • New Layer of Popcorn
Homemade Popcorn in the Microwave
Ingredients
- 2 brown paper bags
- 1 cup uncooked popcorn kernels We use Orville Redenbacher Corn or even off-brand yellow popping corn.
- Popcorn Seasoning We LOVE Kernel Season's
- Popcorn butter topping We LOVE Orville Redenbacher's
Instructions
- Open one brown paper bag, and pour in the cup of kernels.
- Using the other brown paper bag, open it up and slide it down on top of the other, creating an enclosed bag for it to pop in.
- Place the bag on it's side in the microwave and cook for 3-4 minutes, listening for the kernels to slow down.
- NOTE: Each microwave is different and cooking times may vary. We use our popcorn sensing button, and it pops for about 3 minutes.
- Remove popcorn from microwave, and gently pull the two bags apart from one another.
- Caution: HOT!!
- Pour one layer of the popcorn in to a large bowl.
- Sprinkle with popcorn seasoning desired
- Then drizzle popcorn butter on top
- Repeat with another layer of seasoning.
- Add another layer of popcorn, and repeat the seasoning process until all of the popcorn has been seasoned.
Popcorn Must Haves… Of Course!
I had a bit of fun finding popcorn accessories for this post! Aren’t the bowls below so so cute!? Then, we use the kraft boats when we have a lot of people over! Last, I actually use that wire basket to store all of my popcorn fixings in my pantry, so it’s all in one place when I’m ready to make it! Just pull the basket out and roll with it!
We’re the “Popcorn People”
Now, after perfecting the homemade microwave popcorn recipe, we even have family asking for it when they come over. It’s one of the best things to snack on all day long, and to finish off an evening in front of our favorite current Netflix binge!
I hope you enjoy it, and let me know how you like it! You may just be hooked like we are!
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Noah Stump says
When I pop a 1/2 cup of popcorn I have enough popped corn to fill 3 of this bags. What size bags are you using? I assumed you were using 5 x 3 x10 inch bags. Are you positive of these popcorn measurements?
Jessica says
Hello Noah… thank you for your question! I do actually use bigger brown bags than that! They make different sizes so it does sound like yours are smaller. Definitely feel free to cut the measurements down so they fit in your bags. This is a very forgiving “recipe” so a good idea to keep in mind is to at least cover the bottom of your brown bag and since every microwave (and power level) can be different, definitely watch/listen for the “popping” to slow down as you cook, at least for the first time. Then you can know what works for your microwave/bags moving forward!