This Bacon Cheddar Popcorn is a ridiculously addictive snack that’s perfect for movie nights or game day. It’s made with real bacon fat and sharp cheddar powder for deep, savory flavor. You’ll love the smoky, cheesy crunch in every bite.
Craving a delicious Bacon Cheddar Popcorn? You've come to the right spot! From Savory Snacks favorites to amazing Chicken Thigh Recipes recipes, there's something here for everyone.
Why You’ll Love This Bacon Cheddar Popcorn
Irresistibly addictive: Salty bacon and sharp cheddar create a crave-worthy combo.
Real ingredients: Uses rendered bacon fat and quality cheddar powder for authentic flavor.
Perfect texture: Popping in bacon fat yields a sturdy, crunchy base.
Crowd-pleasing snack: Gourmet, approachable, and always a hit.
Ingredients & Tools
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 1/2 cup white cheddar powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional, for extra cheesiness)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (optional, for finishing)
Tools: A large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid (Dutch oven is ideal), a baking sheet, paper towels, a small mixing bowl, and a large serving bowl.
Notes: The quality of your bacon and cheddar powder really makes a difference here. A good, smoky bacon will render out more flavorful fat, and a high-quality cheddar powder—not the dusty, bright orange stuff—will give you a rich, authentic cheese flavor that coats the popcorn beautifully.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 210 kcal |
| Protein: | 8 g |
| Fat: | 14 g |
| Carbs: | 12 g |
| Fiber: | 2 g |
Serves: 4-6 | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Total Time: 25 mins
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Choose your bacon wisely. Thick-cut bacon is your friend here. It renders more fat and provides meatier, crispier crumbles. Look for a naturally smoked variety if you can—it adds a deeper flavor layer that powder alone can’t achieve.
- Don’t skip the bacon fat for popping. This is the flavor secret weapon! Popping the kernels in the rendered bacon fat infuses them from the inside out with a subtle, smoky saltiness that forms the perfect base for the cheese powder. It’s a game-changer.
- Invest in good cheddar powder. The flavor of your popcorn hinges on this. Look for a powder made with real cheese, often found in bulk food sections or online. Avoid anything with a long list of unpronounceable ingredients—the simpler, the better and more cheesy it will taste.
- Get your mise en place ready. Popcorn moves fast once it starts popping. Have your lidded pot ready, your cheese mixture whisked together in a bowl, and a large serving bowl standing by. A little prep prevents a lot of stress and potential burning.
How to Make Bacon Cheddar Popcorn
Step 1: Render the Bacon. Start by placing your bacon slices in a cold, large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium. Cooking it slowly from a cold start helps render the fat evenly, giving you crispy bacon and plenty of liquid gold (the fat) to cook with. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the bacon is deeply browned and crisp. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Leave all the beautiful bacon fat in the pot.
Step 2: Prepare Your Flavor Dust. While the bacon is cooling, it’s time to make the magic powder. In your small mixing bowl, whisk together the cheddar powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt. If you’re using the nutritional yeast for an extra umami kick, add it now. Whisk it all until it’s completely uniform in color—you don’t want any clumps of a single spice. Crumble the cooled bacon into very small bits and set aside about two-thirds of it; we’ll add the rest to the powder mix later.
Step 3: Pop the Corn in Bacon Fat. Make sure you have about 3 tablespoons of bacon fat in your pot. If you have a little more, that’s fine; if you have less, supplement with a neutral oil like canola. Heat the fat over medium-high heat. Test the temperature by adding 2 or 3 popcorn kernels to the pot. Once those kernels pop, you know the fat is hot enough. Immediately add the remaining 1/2 cup of kernels, give the pot a quick shake to coat them in fat, and cover with the lid.
Step 4: The Perfect Pop. As the kernels begin to pop, gently shake the pot back and forth continuously over the burner. This movement prevents the popcorn at the bottom from scorching and encourages all the kernels to pop. You’ll hear the popping sound go from a rapid fire to a slow, sporadic pop. Once there’s about 2 seconds between pops, immediately remove the pot from the heat and take the lid off. This prevents the steam from making your popcorn soggy.
Step 5: The First Toss. Carefully pour the hot popcorn into your large serving bowl. Drizzle with the optional melted butter if you’re using it—this helps the powder stick even better. Sprinkle about half of your cheddar powder mixture over the top. Using two large spoons or clean hands, toss the popcorn vigorously, lifting from the bottom to coat as much surface area as possible. The popcorn should be warm enough to help the powder adhere nicely.
Step 6: The Final Assembly. Now, add the remaining cheddar powder and the reserved crumbled bacon bits. Toss one more time, until everything is evenly distributed. You’ll notice the popcorn taking on a beautiful, speckled appearance from the spices and bacon. Do a quick taste test and add an extra pinch of salt if needed. Serve immediately while it’s still wonderfully warm and crispy.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Not recommended—moisture makes popcorn soggy.
- Freezer: Freeze in an airtight bag up to 1 month.
- Reviving: Spread on a baking sheet and warm at 300°F for 5 minutes to restore crunch.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A crisp, refreshing salad — Something like a simple arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the popcorn beautifully and balances the meal.
- Spicy buffalo chicken wings or cauliflower wings — The cool, creamy blue cheese or ranch dressing paired with the spicy heat is a classic flavor combo that works wonderfully with the cheesy, smoky popcorn.
- Grilled sausages or hot dogs — Serve this popcorn as a fun, gourmet side instead of chips or fries at your next barbecue; the flavors are a natural fit.
Drinks
- A cold, crisp lager or pilsner — The carbonation and mild bitterness of the beer cleanse the palate perfectly after each rich, cheesy handful.
- A dry hard cider — The slight sweetness and apple notes in the cider provide a fantastic contrast to the salty, savory, and smoky flavors of the popcorn.
- Iced black tea with lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the tannins and citrus act as a great palate cleanser, making each bite of popcorn taste like the first.
Something Sweet
- Deep, dark chocolate brownies — The intense chocolate flavor is a perfect, decadent follow-up to the salty snack, creating a satisfying sweet-and-salty finish to your gathering.
- Classic chocolate chip cookies — You can’t go wrong with this timeless pairing. The sweet, buttery cookies are a comforting and familiar end note.
- Fresh fruit platter with berries and melon — For a lighter finish, the natural sweetness and juiciness of the fruit are incredibly refreshing and help balance the savory intensity.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Burning the bacon fat. If your pot is too hot when you add the popcorn kernels, the residual solids from the bacon can burn, giving the entire batch a bitter, acrid flavor. Always do the test with a few kernels first.
- Mistake: Adding the cheese powder to the hot pot. Never sprinkle your seasoning into the pot while the popcorn is still in it. The direct heat from the pot will cause the cheese powder to clump up and seize, creating a gummy, uneven mess instead of a fine, even coating.
- Mistake: Using soggy, under-crisped bacon. If your bacon isn’t properly rendered and crispy, the bits will become soft and chewy when mixed with the popcorn, ruining the perfect texture contrast. Take the time to get it truly crisp.
- Mistake: Seasoning cold popcorn. The warmth of the freshly popped corn is what helps the powder adhere. If you let it sit and cool down completely before seasoning, the powder will just fall to the bottom of the bowl.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Grate your own cheese for a next-level experience. If you have a dehydrator, you can make your own cheddar powder by grating sharp cheddar, dehydrating it until brittle, and then blitzing it in a spice grinder. The flavor is incomparably rich and complex.
- Tip: Add a pinch of citric acid. For an extra tang that mimics the sharp bite of really good cheese, add an 1/8 teaspoon of citric acid (sometimes sold as “sour salt”) to your powder mix. A little goes a very long way, so use it sparingly.
- Tip: Make it in batches for a crowd. Don’t try to double the recipe in one pot. The kernels won’t pop evenly, and you’ll end up with a lot of unpopped kernels. It’s much better to make two separate, perfect batches.
- Tip: Re-crisp leftover popcorn. If you have leftovers (a rarity, I know!), spread them on a baking sheet and pop them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes. This will bring back their signature crunch.
FAQs
Can I make this popcorn vegan?
Absolutely! For a vegan version, skip the bacon and use 3 tablespoons of refined coconut oil or avocado oil for popping. For the “bacon” flavor, add a tablespoon of liquid smoke and a teaspoon of smoked salt to your cheese powder mixture. Use a high-quality vegan cheddar powder and nutritional yeast is a must here for that cheesy flavor.
What’s the best way to store leftovers?
Store any leftover popcorn in a large zip-top bag or an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The texture is best the day it’s made, but the flavor will still be great. Just avoid the fridge, as the moisture will make it stale and soft very quickly.
My cheese powder isn’t sticking to the popcorn. What did I do wrong?
This usually happens for one of two reasons: the popcorn wasn’t hot enough when you seasoned it, or you didn’t have a “glue.” The optional melted butter or the residual bacon fat on the popcorn acts as a glue for the powder. Make sure you toss the hot popcorn with your fat of choice before adding the powder to help it adhere.
Can I use pre-cooked bacon or bacon bits?
You can, but you’ll miss out on two key things: the flavor from rendering your own fat to pop the corn, and the superior texture of freshly crisped bacon. Pre-cooked bacon often doesn’t get as crisp, and bagged bacon bits have a very different, sometimes artificial, flavor. For the best results, cooking your own is highly recommended.
Can I use an air popper instead of the stovetop method?
You can, but you’ll lose a significant amount of the foundational bacon flavor. The stovetop method using bacon fat is integral to the recipe. If you must use an air popper, toss the finished popcorn with a tablespoon or two of warm, rendered bacon fat (which you’d have to cook separately) before adding the cheese powder to compensate.
Bacon Cheddar Popcorn
Make the best Bacon Cheddar Popcorn with real bacon fat and sharp cheddar powder. This addictive snack is perfect for game day or movie night. Get the easy recipe now!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
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6 slices thick-cut bacon
-
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
-
1/2 cup white cheddar powder
-
1 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
-
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more to taste)
-
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional, for extra cheesiness)
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted, optional, for finishing)
Instructions
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Start by placing your bacon slices in a cold, large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium. Cooking it slowly from a cold start helps render the fat evenly, giving you crispy bacon and plenty of liquid gold (the fat) to cook with. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the bacon is deeply browned and crisp. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Leave all the beautiful bacon fat in the pot.01
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While the bacon is cooling, it’s time to make the magic powder. In your small mixing bowl, whisk together the cheddar powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt. If you’re using the nutritional yeast for an extra umami kick, add it now. Whisk it all until it’s completely uniform in color—you don’t want any clumps of a single spice. Crumble the cooled bacon into very small bits and set aside about two-thirds of it; we’ll add the rest to the powder mix later.02
-
Make sure you have about 3 tablespoons of bacon fat in your pot. If you have a little more, that’s fine; if you have less, supplement with a neutral oil like canola. Heat the fat over medium-high heat. Test the temperature by adding 2 or 3 popcorn kernels to the pot. Once those kernels pop, you know the fat is hot enough. Immediately add the remaining 1/2 cup of kernels, give the pot a quick shake to coat them in fat, and cover with the lid.03
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As the kernels begin to pop, gently shake the pot back and forth continuously over the burner. This movement prevents the popcorn at the bottom from scorching and encourages all the kernels to pop. You’ll hear the popping sound go from a rapid fire to a slow, sporadic pop. Once there’s about 2 seconds between pops, immediately remove the pot from the heat and take the lid off. This prevents the steam from making your popcorn soggy.04
-
Carefully pour the hot popcorn into your large serving bowl. Drizzle with the optional melted butter if you’re using it—this helps the powder stick even better. Sprinkle about half of your cheddar powder mixture over the top. Using two large spoons or clean hands, toss the popcorn vigorously, lifting from the bottom to coat as much surface area as possible. The popcorn should be warm enough to help the powder adhere nicely.05
-
Now, add the remaining cheddar powder and the reserved crumbled bacon bits. Toss one more time, until everything is evenly distributed. You’ll notice the popcorn taking on a beautiful, speckled appearance from the spices and bacon. Do a quick taste test and add an extra pinch of salt if needed. Serve immediately while it’s still wonderfully warm and crispy.06
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