5 Seasoning Blends That Transform Your Popcorn

Even in its unadorned state, popcorn is a treat. Only a sprinkle of salt and a little bit of butter is necessary to turn the popped grain into the perfect snack. However, this doesn't mean that you need to keep your popcorn so simple. In fact, it makes for a great canvas for pretty much any flavor profile, be it sweet, savory, or somewhere in between. Take, for example, the iconic Chicago-style popcorn mix, which consists of caramel-covered and cheesy popcorn mixes that have been blended together. This popcorn medley draws customers from across the country to the Windy City for just one bite, and may be a contributing factor as to why popcorn is Illinois' official snack food. It goes to show that additional seasoning can completely transform this movie theater fare into something truly outstanding. 

True, it can be difficult to know where to start when flavoring your own popcorn. Luckily, we've got five spice blends that can really send this snack from microwave stand-by to crave-worthy delight. Whether you decide to buy a pre-made mix or make it yourself, these seasonings will change the way you look at popcorn.  

Though the creamy, wet nature of the dressing may seem incompatible with a bowl of crunchy popcorn, the zingy, herbaceous flavors of ranch can be added by using a dry seasoning blend. Now, you can easily find a ready-made pouch or shaker of dry ranch seasoning to add to your bag of popcorn, but you can also make the blend yourself.

To replicate the flavors of ranch dressing, you'll need a few ingredients, including dried dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. If you want to keep the tangy aspect of the sauce, you can also add powdered buttermilk, which is similar to milk powder but made with buttermilk. If you don't wish to incorporate dairy, you can replace the buttermilk powder with nutritional yeast, which will offer a similar tangy flavor. Simply mix all of your dry ingredients together and dust over your popcorn. As an added bonus, you can sprinkle this homemade mix on other foods as well, such as chicken soup or macaroni and cheese.

First we cooled things down with ranch, and now we're going to spice things back up with a Buffalo sauce-inspired seasoning blend. You may think Buffalo sauce can't be translated into powder form, but all you'll need are a few key spices. After all, while recipes vary, Buffalo sauce is essentially a combination of cayenne, hot sauce, vinegar, and butter. 

To make a Buffalo seasoning blend, combine salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and other spices of your choosing. You can also add in vinegar powder for that signature Buffalo tang. From there, the seasoning blend can then be mixed in with well-buttered popcorn. Consider pairing this spicy snack with a bowl of ranch dressing seasoned popcorn to create a hot and cool duo that mimics the classic combo of Buffalo wings and ranch dressing. Your popcorn version of the dish will be even better, as it comes without the typical saucy mess.

Now let's move on to a blend that celebrates umami. Often used to dress up white rice, furikake is a seasoning mix that consists of seaweed flakes (nori), sesame seeds, fish flakes, soy sauce, and sugar. In the Japanese language, the word means "to sprinkle," so why not sprinkle it on a bowl of delicious popcorn? To get your own furikake blend, head to your local grocery store or, better yet, to a specialty Asian food market to discover an even wider range of options. You can further customize your popcorn by drizzling soy sauce infused butter over the bowl of popcorn or, if you're really feeling spicy, using chili crunch oil instead. 

However, sticking with the plain seasoning blend is good all on its own. It may seem like an incongruous topping for popcorn — fish flakes and sugar? — but the flavors actually meld very well. The toasted sesame seeds, for example, will bring out the warmth of the popcorn's flavor, while the nori and fish flakes add complexity to what might otherwise be a simple dish. 

Cheesy kernels can be found in almost any snack shop, but have you ever thought of making it for yourself? It's easier than you think! You can, of course, buy a pre-mixed cheddar seasoning blend, or use the cheesy flavor pack found in boxed macaroni and cheese packages. But if you want something a bit more customizable, try making it yourself. 

To make a cheddar seasoning blend, combine powdered cheddar with salt. Yep, that's it; you have cheddar popcorn seasoning. If you want to take it further, think of this as a building block to creating a more complex seasoning. By adding in garlic and onion powder you can incorporate even more savory dimension. Additionally, mixing in dried chives or mushroom powder can bring some real umami to the table. 

Alternatively, if you want some cheesy flavor without the dairy, you can always swap out your cheese powder for nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free powder that has a similar flavor to cheese. As a vegetarian option for parmesan, consider combining it with cracked pepper to create a great Cacio e Pepe-style popcorn seasoning. 

Though caramel popcorn is a popular treat in its own right, there are many different ways to add a sweet addition to your freshly popped kernels. Adding a pumpkin spice blend to your bowl, for example, will give you a perfectly buttery and aromatic alternative. It's the historical spice blend that launched a million lattes and pumpkin pies, so why not add it to your container of kettle corn? 

Consisting of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, the pumpkin spice alone isn't sweet enough, so you'll want to combine your blend with some sugar prior to sprinkling on your popcorn. Either white or brown sugar works for this, though brown sugar will give it a more caramel-like taste. The seasoning works great with plain, freshly buttered popcorn, but you can also drizzle in melted white chocolate and stir in dried cranberries for an extra boost of sweetness and tang.