How We Picked The Best Popcorn Seasoning—Plus Advice & Tips

We admit it—we are suckers for stove-popped popcorn. You don’t need any special gear and it is quick . . . and fun!

When it came to judging the best popcorn seasoning, we started with our favorite popcorn recipe from Alton Brown. (Important tip: Brown swaps in ghee for butter . . . and we agree this works well).

In our tests, we noticed that seasonings don’t stick well to air-popped popcorn. If don’t use oil-popped popcorn, try spray-on butter to make the seasoning stick. 

Finally consider this tip for storing popcorn: never put it in a freezer or refrigerator. Instead, use an air-tight container and put the popcorn in a cool, dry place. (Freezing or refrigerating popcorn causes more un-popped kernels, since the cold dries out the kernel).

Meanwhile, here are the winners of our blind tests for the best popcorn seasoning. Enjoy!

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We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

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