How to Make Microwave Popcorn In a Brown Paper Bag

Homemade popcorn is one of the best snack foods to enjoy. You can pop fresh popcorn at home with no equipment or oil needed with this simple homemade microwave popcorn in the microwave in a brown paper bag recipe.

How to Make Microwave Popcorn In a Brown Bag

Popcorn has been a go-to snack in our house for a long time. I started with buying the microwave popcorn bags and soon realized that many of them are filled with chemicals on top of being super greasy. 

Making homemade popcorn is simple and a great healthy snack for the kids. You don’t need any fancy equipment either, there is no need to have a pot on the stove or to buy an air-popped popcorn popper. All you need is the microwave and a brown paper bag. You don’t need any oil either, which makes the clean up super easy because there is just about no mess.

If you are having a family movie night at home, having a big bowl of popcorn to enjoy with the movie is a must. After popping the homemade popcorn add some toppings, put the movie on, and enjoy the family time.

My kids like to call it Paper bag popcorn, I like to call it the BEST EVER Microwave popcorn!

Popcorn Recipes

Sometimes I like to get creative and have fun with our homemade popcorn. These are a few of our favorite recipes to use homemade popcorn in.

• White Chocolate Popcorn
• Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn
• Homemade Kettle Corn
• Grinch Popcorn Balls
• Grinch Popcorn
• Sweet and Salty Popcorn Snack Mix

Tips for Making Brown Bag Popcorn

• Choose the Right Bag. Make sure you’re using a plain brown paper lunch bag. Avoid bags with prints or coatings, as they may not be microwave-safe.
• Use the Right Corn. Use popcorn kernels specifically labeled for popping. Avoid using sweet corn or other types of corn, as they won’t pop well.
• Measure Properly. Use about 1/3 cup popcorn kernels per brown paper bag. Overfilling the bag can lead to unpopped kernels and burning the popcorn.
• Fold the Bag. Fold the top of the bag over twice to seal it shut. This will prevent the popcorn from popping out during cooking.
• Stay near the microwave. Stand near the microwave while your popcorn pops and listen to the popping. Because microwaves differ so much, it is hard to give the exact amount of time that your microwave will take to finish popping the popcorn kernels. 

Popcorn Topping Ideas

When making this homemade popcorn, I think the best way to top it is with homemade ghee and a sprinkle of salt, but there are many different popcorn topping ideas that you can do to change up the flavor of the popcorn. After the popcorn has popped, pour it into a bowl and then add your toppings. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently stir the popcorn to get the toppings coated on the popcorn.

Classic Butter popcorn. Melted butter is a timeless choice for popcorn. Drizzle it over the popped kernels and toss to ensure even distribution. You can also use clarified butter (ghee) for a richer flavor. I prefer to use ghee instead of butter because it doesn’t make the popcorn soggy.

Salt. A sprinkle of salt enhances the natural flavor of popcorn. You can use regular table salt or try specialty salts like sea salt or Himalayan pink salt for a gourmet touch.

Parmesan Cheese. Grated Parmesan cheese adds a savory, umami flavor to popcorn. Sprinkle it generously over the hot popcorn and toss to coat.

Garlic Powder. Garlic powder adds a delicious savory flavor to popcorn. Sprinkle it lightly over the popcorn for a hint of garlic goodness.

Cinnamon Sugar. For a sweet treat, mix cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle it over the popcorn. It’s perfect for satisfying sweet cravings.

Sriracha. For those who enjoy a spicy kick, drizzle Sriracha sauce over the popcorn. Be cautious with the amount, as Sriracha can be quite spicy.

Ranch Seasoning: Ranch seasoning mix adds tangy flavor to popcorn. Sprinkle it over the popcorn and toss well to coat evenly.

How do you know when Microwave Popcorn in a Bag is done popping?

When you first put the popcorn in the microwave the popcorn kernels will start popping rapidly. As the popcorn cooks the amount of popping kernels you hear will slow down, when you hear a one-second pause between the popping that is when you want to remove the popcorn from the microwave.

Because all microwaves heat and cook differently it is hard to tell you the exact time it will take for the popcorn to be done. I start my cook time at 2.5 mins and then stand near the microwave listening for the popping to slow down. 

What Size Brown Bag do I need for Paper Bag Popcorn?

The best bags to use are the lunch sack sized brown paper bags. 

How to Store Fresh Popped Popcorn

Before storing leftover popcorn, allow it to cool completely to room temperature. Hot or warm popcorn can create condensation inside the storage container, which will cause it to get soggy. 

Put the cooled popcorn in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. Glass jars, plastic containers, or resealable plastic bags work well for this purpose. Make sure the container is clean and dry before adding the popcorn.

How long is Fresh popped popcorn Good For?

Fresh popped popcorn is best eaten in the first 3 days after popping it, it can last up to a week if stored in an airtight container properly.

Brown Bag Microwave Popcorn Ingredients

Popcorn kernels. All you need is basic popcorn kernels, however, you can use the organic popcorn kernels, the white or yellow popcorn kernels all the same.

Brown paper lunch bag. You can grab brown paper lunch bags on Amazon! I like to keep a stock of them so we can make as much microwave popcorn whenever we want to.

How to Make Homemade Popcorn in the Microwave Step-by-Step Instructions

Place the popcorn kernels in the paper bag. Fold the top of the brown lunch bag, by folding it 2-3 times over.

Place the brown lunch bag with the popcorn kernels in the microwave and set your timer for 2.5 minutes on high. (Cooking time will range from 2-2.5 minutes).

Listen to the popcorn kernels popping and when the popping has a one-second gap in it remove the bag of microwave popcorn from the microwave.

After cooking, let the bag sit for a minute or two to allow steam to escape and the popcorn to cool down before opening.

Open the brown paper bag ever so slightly and shake it upside down over a small bowl to remove any popcorn kernels that didn’t pop. 

Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and season with toppings as desired.

Snack Recipes

• Auntie Anne’s pretzel Bites recipe
• Auntie Anne’s pretzel recipe
• Slow Cooker Chex Snack Mix
• Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Dogs
• Homemade Cheez-its
• Auntie Anne’s Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

More Recipes you will love! 

• Homemade Alfredo Sauce
• Microwave Sweet Potato
• Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe

Do yourself a favor and print out the How Many Cups in a Quart and other liquid measurements printable to help you with your measurements in the kitchen! I have mine hanging on my fridge and it makes a super easy cheat sheet for whenever I am cooking and need to use liquid measurements.