This Pumpkin Flavored Homemade Microwave Popcorn is a healthy, vegan-friendly and protein packed fall treat! Perfect for kids and adults on movie night!
Pin Pumpkin Flavored Homemade Microwave Popcorn
Originally posted Sept 26/2014. Photos updated Oct 27/2017
Are you ready for Pumpkin round dos?
If you weren’t aware, that means “two” in Spanish. We’re being supa fancy and bi-li-ng-gu-allllll here in FFF land today.
Side note: Did I tell you that I won the “Top Spanish Student Award” when I was in grade 12? I bet I didn’t even have to tell you since you can sense my language-ular prowess through my knowledge of “dos.”
That’s what I thought.
We don’t really need to discuss the necessity of eating ALL the things pumpkin once the fall hits. I mean, why would you want to limit your intake of healthy pumpkin cheesecake bars, pumpkin blondies OR paleo pumpkin cake bars? And we also don’t really need to discuss how yummy popcorn is. Especially if you COMBINE the two and make pumpkin spice caramel corn. It’s just a known fact amongst the whole entire galaxy.
Whether it’s movie night, snack time (currently obsessing over peanut apple bites with kettle corn)…maybe even dinner? It’s ALWAYS delicious.
BUT, we are going to discuss it in this microwave popcorn recipe anyway.
I’ve mentioned a few times my undying commitment to popcorn eat-age. I don’t know what it is about it, but it just gets my taste buds partyin’ all OVA the place.
That’s a fun mental picture.
However, there’s a problem with my popcorn addiction. I – GASP – do not own an air popper! Which, is when I wondered how do you cook popcorn in the microwave?
Spoiler alert: you use a boring old paper bag!
How to make homemade microwave popcorn in a paper bag:
- Put your uncooked popcorn kernels into a paper bag and fold the top over loosely.
- Place the bag upright (so it’s standing up with the fold at the top) into the microwave.
- Cook until there are about 3 seconds between pops – this took me 1 min 40 seconds in a 1000 watt microwave.
- ENJOY!
HOW-EV-ER, there was another problem with my popcorn addiction: this flavored popcorn recipe is lacking in one of my other favorite things. PROTEIN.
UNTIL NOW.
Not that I knew how to make popcorn in a paper bag, I needed to solve the protein-less popcorn dilemma once and for all.
You guys. I seriously can not stop snacking on this pumpkin spice popcorn. It’s sweet, crunchy and has a whole lotta pumpkin spice yum…ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
It’s basically the super hero of your next snack time. Or dinner time. I promise I won’t tell anyone if I see your weekly dinner plan reads: Pumpkin Flavored Homemade Microwave Popcorn.
You know what it also has? Whole grain goodness, PROTEIN and a little bit of addicting creamy coconut BLISS.
Because, you know, every person needs a little bit of that in their life.
P.s Don’t be alarmed when your coconut butter mixture is a little grainy – TOTALLY normal. Just make sure you really get your hands in there to coat it on the popcorn so it doesn’t hang out in not-so-yummy chunks at the bottom of the bowl.
Did I mention that it comes together in about 5 minutes and, I THINK it may even vanish in less time than that.
Not that I know anything about that.

Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Pecans
- 1/4 Cup Popcorn kernels (about 6 1/2 Cups Popped)
- 1/4 Cup Coconut butter
- 2 Tbsp Coconut oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Maple syrup
- 5-6 Tbsp Vanilla protein powder, of choice **
- 2 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat you oven to 400 degrees. Bake the pecans on a small baking sheet until lightly toasted, about 8-10 minutes. Once toasted, roughly chop and set aside.
- While the pecans toast, pop the popcorn using preferred method of popping. To make it in the microwave, place the popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag and fold the top over loosely. Place upright in the microwave and cook until there are a few seconds between pops - about 3 seconds between. I have an 1000 watt microwave and it took about 1 minute 40 seconds.
- While the popcorn pops, combine the coconut butter, coconut oil and maple syrup in a small pot on medium/low heat and warm until the mixture is fluid, mixing together well. It will be grainy from the coconut butter.
- Pour the mixture into a LARGE bowl and add in the popped popcorn. Toss until evenly coated. I find it's easiest to use your hands to really rub the coconut butter mixture into the popcorn, as it's on the thick side.
- In a LARGE Ziploc bag (I used a gallon bag) shake together the protein powder, pumpkin pie spice and a pinch of sea salt.
- Add the popcorn into the bag, close the zipper and shake around until the popcorn is evenly coated. Taste and add an additional Tbsp of protein, if desired. Add the pecans and shake around.
- DEVOUR!
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAG @FOODFAITHFIT AND #FOODFAITHFITNESS ON INSTRAGRAM! I LOVE SEEING YOUR RECIPE RECREATIONS! 🙂
Want more healthy snacks?
Paleo Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
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Chelsea+@chelseasmessyapron says
LOVE popcorn! I’d take three bags of this please 🙂 And great flavors! Pinned!
Taylor Kiser says
Thanks so much girl! 😀
Priscila says
Oh wow, this looks so heavenly…. Im definitely going to try this. Hey by any chance do you know what the nutrition facts per serving are?
Taylor Kiser says
Nope – I’m sorry! As someone is recovered from Anorexia, I don’t provide nutrition info as counting calories is a trigger for me. again, so sorry!
But thanks for the love!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Popcorn is, hands down, my FAVORITE snack of all time. This chocolate and pumpkin protein popcorn recipe is really clever! Definitely something I have to try out!
Taylor Kiser says
Thank you so much babe! I hope you LOVE it! <3