10 Genius Ways to Use Popped Popcorn as an Ingredient

published Jan 27, 2015
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Pouring popped popcorn from pot into a wooden bowl.
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

Eating a plain bag of popcorn by itself is a great way to snack. It’s also incredibly easy to dress up popcorn with spices, salt, and the fat of your choosing (coconut oil, yum). But if you want to push the boundaries of what those small, yet mighty kernels are capable of, step right up.

Have you tried popcorn in oatmeal? In cookies? On soup? Trust us — it may sound crazy, but popcorn goes way beyond the snack bowl, as these 10 fabulous ideas from food blogs can attest.

But first, you gotta make some. Pick a method and pop away:

1. Mix popcorn into your homemade granola bars – A Full Measure of Happiness

Popcorn in a granola bar is crunch at its finest.

Popcorn, like chocolate, is basically heaven. Why shouldn’t you have both?

Use a spiced popcorn recipe to crunch up a boring soup.

This carb on carb action is almost too much to handle. In a good way.

Doesn’t chocolate bark look so much prettier with all that fun stuff on it?

6. Add popcorn as a garnish to ice cream or creamsicles – Half Baked Harvest and Erika Rax

Cold and sweet and salty and crunchy and perfect. Oh yes.

This is sneaky in the best way possible.

8. Sandwich it between pastry dough – Sugary & Buttery

For a kids birthday party, or your birthday party. I won’t judge.

9. Add some popcorn to your brownie – Eat the Love

You know what makes a chocolate brownie even better? By adding a thick layer of caramel popcorn on top of it, duh.

Is this breakfast? A snack? A dessert? I don’t care. I want it.