By Becky Hardin
Updated Jul 31, 2025
I’m obsessed with making my own Popcorn Salt—it’s so simple, anyone can do it! You can customize it with just about any flavor you like, and it makes such a fun and thoughtful housewarming or hostess gift. I sprinkle it on everything from veggies to popcorn, and it instantly adds a pop of flavor to whatever I’m cooking.
Pin this recipe for later!
5-Star Review
“This does sound like a great idea for some gifts—maybe wedding favors! Thanks for the inspiration!” -Ally
Easy Popcorn Salt Recipe
I had so much fun putting this recipe together because it’s just that easy—and once I realized how simple it is, I couldn’t help but dream up a bunch of different flavor variations to share with you. Whether you’re craving something salty and savory or sweet and snackable, there’s a popcorn salt for every mood.
Once you’ve nailed the basic method, the possibilities are endless. Think umami-rich mushroom salt, herby Italian seasoning , cheesy nutritional yeast, bold everything bagel seasoning , cozy cinnamon sugar—you can truly let your creativity run wild!
Tips for Beginners
- Use a good-quality fine sea salt.
- If you use flakes or rock salt, you’ll need to grind the salt further in a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder to get a finer consistency.
- You can easily adapt the flavors with different herbs, spices, sauces, and syrups.
- If your flavor of choice is wet (wine, sauce or syrup) then you’ll need to bake the salt in the oven to dry it out. Dry flavorings such as herbs and spices will be ready immediately.
Ingredients1x2x3x
Bacon Parmesan Salt
- ▢ 1 cup iodized salt
- ▢ ¼ cup cooked bacon crumbles
- ▢ ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Buffalo Salt
- ▢ 2 tbsp Buffalo sauce
- ▢ 1 tbsp ranch seasoning
- ▢ 1 cup kosher salt
Chocolate Wine Salt
- ▢ 750 ml chocolate wine 1 bottle, I used ChocoVine brand
- ▢ 1 cup sea salt
Instructions
Bacon Parmesan Salt
- Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fully combined. 1 cup iodized salt, ¼ cup cooked bacon crumbles, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Buffalo Salt
- Preheat the oven to 170°F (or the lowest setting on your oven).
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. 2 tbsp Buffalo sauce, 1 tbsp ranch seasoning, 1 cup kosher salt
- Spread salt on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 2 hours. Every 30 minutes, flip the salt to make sure it doesn’t burn or meld together.
- Put salt back into food processor and pulse once more. The salt should break up and form a finer consistency. Enjoy!
Chocolate Wine Salt
- Preheat oven to 170°F or your oven’s lowest heat setting.
- Pour bottle of wine into a medium saucepan and simmer on low heat until it reduces significantly and becomes a syrup. This might take 45–60 minutes. Take off the heat. 750 ml chocolate wine
- Place salt and wine reduction in food processor and pulse until well combined. The mixture will be relatively sticky. 1 cup sea salt
- Spread mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chop up as much as possible to spread the salt.
- Bake for 2 hours, flipping and chopping it every 30 minutes.
- Once dried out, return the salt to a food processor and pulse. The salt should break up and form a thinner/more salt like consistency.
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Baking Sheet
Becky’s Tips
- Recipe adapted from Chew Town .
- Each recipe will yield approx. 1-1½ cups of seasoning . Use 1 tablespoon per 5 cups of popped popcorn.
- Nutritional information is based on the bacon Parmesan salt.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Popcorn Salts Step by Step
Bacon Parmesan Salt
Pulse the salt: Put 1 cup of iodized salt, ¼ cup of cooked bacon crumbles, and ¼ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese in a food processor and pulse until fully combined.
Buffalo Salt
Pulse the salt: Preheat your oven to 170°F (or the lowest setting on your oven). Place 2 tbsp of Buffalo Sauce, 1 tbsp of ranch seasoning, and 1 cup of kosher salt in a food processor and pulse until combined.
Bake the salt: Spread the salt on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 2 hours. Every 30 minutes, flip the salt to make sure it doesn’t burn or meld together.
Break up the salt: Put the salt back into the food processor and pulse once more. The salt should break up and form a finer consistency. Enjoy!
Chocolate Wine Salt
Cook the syrup: Preheat your oven to 170°F or your oven’s lowest heat setting. Pour 750 mL (1 bottle) of chocolate wine into a medium saucepan and simmer on low heat until it reduces significantly and becomes a syrup. This might take 45 minutes to an hour. Take off of heat.
Bake and pulse: Place 1 cup of sea salt and the wine reduction in a food processor and pulse until well combined. This mixture will be relatively sticky. Spread the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chop up as much as possible to spread the salt up. Bake for 2 hours, flipping and chopping it every 30 minutes. Once dried out, return the salt to a food processor and pulse. The salt should break up and form a thinner/more salt-like consistency.
How to Store
Store leftover popcorn salt in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
I love using the Buffalo popcorn salt as a secret weapon to kick up the flavor in some of my favorite Mexican-inspired meals. Sprinkle it over chicken fajitas to add a zesty, spicy edge. For beef enchiladas , it adds an extra layer of smoky heat. And when it comes to fresh salsas , just a pinch of this bold seasoning can bring out the brightness of the tomatoes and lime.
Use the bacon salt to flavor your next batch of mac and cheese , and the chocolate salt would be the perfect way to flavor my Texas sheet cake skillet !
more popcorn recipes to try
Easy Cookies and Cream Popcorn
Homemade Kettle Corn (Popcorn Seasoning)
Chocolate Popcorn
Popcorn Salt Recipe (3 Ways)
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
Bacon Parmesan Salt
- 1 cup iodized salt
- ¼ cup cooked bacon crumbles
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Buffalo Salt
- 2 tbsp Buffalo sauce
- 1 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 1 cup kosher salt
Chocolate Wine Salt
- 750 ml chocolate wine 1 bottle, I used ChocoVine brand
- 1 cup sea salt
Instructions
Bacon Parmesan Salt
- Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fully combined. 1 cup iodized salt, ¼ cup cooked bacon crumbles, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Buffalo Salt
- Preheat the oven to 170°F (or the lowest setting on your oven).
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. 2 tbsp Buffalo sauce, 1 tbsp ranch seasoning, 1 cup kosher salt
- Spread salt on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 2 hours. Every 30 minutes, flip the salt to make sure it doesn’t burn or meld together.
- Put salt back into food processor and pulse once more. The salt should break up and form a finer consistency. Enjoy!
Chocolate Wine Salt
- Preheat oven to 170°F or your oven’s lowest heat setting.
- Pour bottle of wine into a medium saucepan and simmer on low heat until it reduces significantly and becomes a syrup. This might take 45–60 minutes. Take off the heat. 750 ml chocolate wine
- Place salt and wine reduction in food processor and pulse until well combined. The mixture will be relatively sticky. 1 cup sea salt
- Spread mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chop up as much as possible to spread the salt.
- Bake for 2 hours, flipping and chopping it every 30 minutes.
- Once dried out, return the salt to a food processor and pulse. The salt should break up and form a thinner/more salt like consistency.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Chew Town .
- Each recipe will yield approx. 1-1½ cups of seasoning . Use 1 tablespoon per 5 cups of popped popcorn.
- Nutritional information is based on the bacon Parmesan salt.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
