How to Pop Popcorn in a Paper Bag in the Microwave (It’s Simple!)
Updated Sep 20, 2024
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Jump into my quick and easy guide on how to pop popcorn in the microwave using just a paper bag — no oil or equipment needed!
Table of Contents
- How to Pop Popcorn in the Microwave Using Just a Paper Bag
- How do you know when the popcorn is done?
- What are some ways to spice up traditional popcorn?
- What size paper bag do I use to pop popcorn?
- How to Pop Popcorn in a Brown Paper Bag in the Microwave Recipe
- Looking for more healthy and easy snack ideas?
- More popcorn recipes you’ll love:
How to Pop Popcorn in the Microwave Using Just a Paper Bag
Making popcorn has never been easier! It’s one of my all-time favorite easy and healthy snacks for the whole family. And did you know you can make popcorn in a brown paper bag in the microwave? It’s so simple and doesn’t require any popcorn-making gear that you might’ve *thought* you needed to make popcorn at home (I know that’s what I thought!).
I’m not a huge microwave person, but this is completely an exception because this method is a lifesaver. You don’t need an air-popper, stovetop-popper, or any oil, and you can ditch the store-bought chemical-filled microwaveable popcorn, too! Making it in a paper bag in the microwave is silly easy, and you can have a whole-grain, fiber-filled snack on the regular with little effort on your part! Score.
(I also love adding a little butter and salt. So delicious.)
How do you know when the popcorn is done?
The goal is to pop as many kernels as you can, without burning the popcorn. The time that will take varies depending on the age and water content of the kernels, your area’s climate, and your microwave.
Be sure you stick close by while it’s popping so you don’t end up with burnt popcorn. Listen as it begins to rapidly pop, and when there’s a one-second pause in popping, it’s done. Go ahead an open the microwave and remove the bag.
What are some ways to spice up traditional popcorn?
Butter and salt are always a favorite topping, but you can also get creative and try recipes like my chili lime popcorn, my homemade Caramel Sauce, the best sticky caramel corn, or this fun (and non-sticky) spiced caramel corn with white chocolate. All of them are delicious!
What size paper bag do I use to pop popcorn?
You can use just about any size brown paper bag that will fit in your microwave. The little lunch sack size is easy to find, but there’s a size just a bit bigger which also works great.
How to Pop Popcorn in a Brown Paper Bag in the Microwave
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup popcorn kernels
- 1 medium brown paper bag
- Melted butter and salt or other seasonings to taste
Instructions
- Add the popcorn to the paper bag and fold the top over a time or two.
- Microwave on high until the popping has a one second gap in it, 1.5-2.5 minutes.
- Stop the microwave, dump the popped popcorn into a large bowl and season as desired.
- Repeat as needed to get the desired amount of popcorn.
Notes
- The goal is to pop as many kernels as you can without burning the popcorn. The time that will take will vary depending on the age and water content of your popcorn, your climate/weather, and your microwave.
- Don’t walk away from the popping or you’ll end up with a bag of burnt popcorn. Stand there and listen until, after the popping starts going rapidly, you hear a one second pause in popping. As soon as you hear that little break, stop the microwave.
Nutrition
Looking for more healthy and easy snack ideas?
- No-bake oatmeal bites
- Snacks in a jar
- Easy applesauce cookies
- Easy & Healthy Banana Muffins Made in the Blender
- Extra Protein Oatmeal Bites
- 9 Energy Bites Recipes Everyone Needs
- Healthy Honey Coconut Granola Recipe
- Healthy Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie
More popcorn recipes you’ll love:
- Gooey Marshmallow Popcorn with Chocolate
- Pretty in Pink Valentine’s Popcorn
- White Chocolate Caramel Corn
This post was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in July 2019.
I hope you found this hack for how to pop popcorn in the microwave using just a paper bag just as genius and exciting as I did! Enjoy fresh popcorn any day of the week and pop on.
DO NOT DO THIS- I just set my microwave on fire
When it cools down enough to asses the damage, I’m hoping that I won’t have to go buy a new one
Thanks a lot
Good
Great recipe and tips! I was able to make a couple batches of yummy, oil-free popcorn and sprayed it all with liquid aminos after I took the popcorn out of the microwave. Thanks for the easy, tasty recipe!
This was good. I made it in a bag too when i was a kid, but I didn’t pick up staples at the store, so this was perfect. I added too many kernels, so maybe do a fourth of a cup instead.
@ Jens Kemp….Wow, Melissa is so fortunate she has you to correct her.
And that’s all I have to say.
I am going to try this.
I qas looking for a got air popper and found not one made in the US.
A good cast iron fryer with a lid works great and can be found made in the US!
Loved this, Melissa! I just started WW again and this saved me some points. I used 1/3 cup popcorn and a bigger brown bag than the lunch ones. I cooked it for about 3 minutes, and poured it into a bowl. I seasoned with “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter Spray”, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
So good and zero WW Points.
Thanks Melissa!
Found this recipe, read the comments and wanted to add in my 2 cents because I’m pretty happy with how this is turning out. I originally Googled “Healthy lo-cal snacks”. I need to munch and crunch a LOT and the prepped stuff is so expensive! So here is what I settled on, just my 2nd attempt following your tips. WALMART brown paper lunch bags “BIG SIZE” . 1/3 cup (measured) of any corn kernels. 3 mins exactly in my big microwave. Dump it all out onto a cookie sheet. Spray with canola oil. THEN season as desired. It really does need at least salt in my opinion. I then select from one of several popcorn seasoning options I get from Walmart. From sweet to spicy and in between. SO EASY.
You started a sentence with and, you can’t do that.
And that is how you make someone’s day! 😉
I had been making popcorn in a bag for awhile, but I was laying the bag on it’s side. So many kernels didn’t pop. For some reason I set the bag upright with this recipe and more kernels did pop. It has worked better for me upright. A friend shared your recipe with me.