So…when I was a little kid, I had a pet goldfish. During this time, my mom instructed me never, ever, ever to put my toothbrush down on the bathroom counter because I would surely get salmonella poisoning. Well, in the 29 years and 11 months that I’ve been alive, I’ve had fish for about 2 1/2 of those years, I do not currently have fish, and yet I am physically incapable of putting my toothbrush down on any kind of counter. In hotels. On counters that I have just disinfected. It’s a curse.
So remember a few years ago when a man became severely ill from lung-related complications because he ate too much microwave popcorn? In my brain, I know that I only eat microwave popcorn a few times a year, that it is a treat and by no means a habit, whatever. Yet the whole microwave popcorn has lodged its way into my subconscious the same way the goldfish thing did and I have since become nearly incapable of eating microwave popcorn. In my neurotic brain, it’s like eating wonderful, tasty death.
A few days ago, we received a comment from some wise, willful, wonderful woman (I don’t actually know if she’s willful, but we’ll give out an imaginary set of cookware to the first person who gets the reference) about how to pop popcorn in a brown paper bag. “Surely,” I thought, “this is a ruse.” I couldn’t believe I’d never heard of it before. I was convinced my lunch bag would burn. That there would be kernels, both popped and unpopped, all over my microwave. Then I googled it and stumbled across the fact that Alton Brown subscribes to the same method. Except that he staples his bag shut, which I canNOT wrap my brain around–I don’t care if he is Alton Brown, my microwave is the last vestige of wedding appliances and kitchenware that is still functioning, and it also looks like some kind of alien communication device, and I am not prepared to part with it over a couple of staples.
So then I went digging through my freezer for my popcorn, but then I realized that in June, during one of the darkest, most horrible nights of my life when my tooth abscessed and I thought I was going to die (to the point where, on top of about 8 ibuprofen, I drank some mouthwash in the hopes that it would take the edge off the pain, but not to the point where I considered calling our dentist friend before the semi-reasonable hour of 6:00 am), I used the frozen popcorn as a sort of ice pack. Not totally sure why I didn’t just use ice–maybe it was the mouthwash talking. In an effort to expunge all memories of that horrible night, I think I tossed the popcorn. So I had to send my husband out in the almost-middle of the night to buy popcorn so I could try this out. And it WORKED! I was amazed! And so relieved that I wasn’t going to die of some lung- and popcorn-related ailment from my 2-bags-a-year popcorn habit.
So what do you need? Popcorn. Salt. Butter. At least if you’re me–I’m kind of a purist that way.
You also need plain brown lunch bags. And tape. 
I’m pretty sure you don’t even have to tape the bags, although I tried it out several ways and had the best success with the taped bag. Again, I didn’t even venture into staple territory.
Alton recommends using oil, but I tried it both ways and I didn’t notice a difference in the taste between the oiled and non-oiled popcorn, but the non-oiled popcorn was virtually fat free, lower in calories, and less messy. So it gets my vote.
All you do is place 3-4 tablespoons of unpopped (duh, but it had to be said, right?) popcorn into a brown paper bag. Then you fold it over twice,
and tape it.
I pushed the air out–not in an obsessive, vacu-seal type of way, I just laid the bag flat on the table and pushed it once or twice. Then I laid it in the microwave and popped it for 2 1/2-3 minutes. 
It varied every time, even in my microwave, but it’s the same rule as regular microwave popcorn: once the popping slows down and you hear 1-2 seconds between pops, pull it out and shake it a few times and then carefully open it.
Then I added about a teaspoon of melted butter, a sprinkling of kosher salt, and we had an easy, neurosis-free snack in just a few minutes!
1/4 c. of unpopped popcorn is a great-sized (like, you could share and not be sad) high-fiber snack, and it only has 130 calories. A teaspoon of butter adds another 30-35 calories. You could add flavored salts like seasoning salt, Cajun or Creole seasoning, or even our Garlic Bread Seasoning. So how is that for the coolest thing you’ve seen today? Or maybe I just need to get out more…
Brown Paper Bag Microwave Popcorn
Recipe on Our Best Bites, courtesy of Linda, our Cool Reader of the Day
1/4 c. unpopped popcorn kernels
1 brown paper lunch bag
Tape
Seasonings like melted butter, kosher salt, seasoning salt, Creole or Cajun seasoning, bacon salt, or Garlic Bread Seasoning
Place unpopped popcorn in the brown paper lunch bag. Fold the bag over twice, tape it shut, and gently push the air out. Pop for 2 1/2-3 minutes or until there are 1-2 seconds between pops. Remove the bag from the microwave and shake gently before carefully opening the bag. Season as desired.
Questions & Reviews
If your leery of the paper bag…put the 1/4 cup popcorn in a largish microwaveable bowl and cover with a plate. It pops just the same way. No paper bag. No fires. Great popcorn. Try it. My 7 yo has learned to do it on his own when he wants a snack.
I just tried this and it was so good! I think I’ll try different flavored olive oils in the future. Thanks for saving me 20 bucks…I was about to go buy an air popper when I saw this on pinterest 🙂
I suggest you think twice before trying this. Back in the 60’s, this was all the rage – until the fires started. And I speak from personal experience. I burned up my very first microwave popping corn in a brown paper bag. It didn’t happen the first time, or the second. I’d been doing it for a couple of months when it finally happened.
Never again!!
I heard about this technique of popping corn and I have now done it several times. We love it and it really works!
Ive been waiting all week to try this recipe; and today i decided that i must try it already! 30 seconds into the time on the mircrowave, i smelled something burning… i opened the microwave door and the paper bag was already scorched and turning black in places. Needless to say, i didnt continue to pop the popcorn, instead i did it on the stove in a pot. Sad this recipe didnt work for me.
So I just tried this and the bag totally caught on fire. The popcorn looked fine though (although it all ended up in the sink drenched in water so I didn’t taste it). I think I’ll buy a popcorn popper – after I buy a new microwave since mine is now scorched and dead! Sad day.
1 teaspoon of butter? for the bag? or did you mean one teaspoon for each kernel? That’s more the ratio I prefer. Great info. I use a Norpro microwave popcorn cooker and it’s great, too. Got it from Amazon.
I’m not sure if using brown paper bags is totally safe in the microwave. Maybe it depends on the microwave? I just use a glass pyrex baking dish with the cover on and it works great! I like to spray the kernels with butter-flavored cooking spray and salt before popping. Yum!
creepy!!! i was just thinking the other day about looking up online to see if i could cook popcorn in a brown paper bag. i absolutely LOVE your site. i came across it a few days ago and i cant stop visiting it. im seriously addicted!! i made your crepes for breakfast today and they were to die for. (ofcoarse you already knew that.) i will be making them again tomorrow for my husband who when i said the kids and i had them he asked “where’s mine?”
Can’t wait to try. Wish I wasn’t at work so I could try it right now 🙂 I could really use some popcorn, now I’m hungry!
Ok so I just made some. Then I decided to experiment a little and make it in a microwave safe baking dish (the kind with the lid). The first time I kept the lid down for the steam to stay inside and it was wet. The second time I popped the lid up in the corner and it worked great! It took a little longer to cook and I think it had a few more “old maids” but I don’t mind that. I like having it in a dish that can be cleaned and avoid the yucky bag altogether.
Thanks for sharing the popcorn tip!
I suddenly want popcorn and I haven’t even had breakfast.
I use white paper bags as opposed to brown (it’s what I have on hand from kids crafting) and they seem to work fine! I did tape the bag due to the bags being smaller. If I didn’t, popcorn would have popped out! Taping gave more room in the bag for less folding. I have noticed that the popping time does vary each time, also. When I was shopping for kernels, I noticed white and yellow. What’s the difference?
Gosh!!! Thanks a lot for this! Amazing! Stumbled upon this from Make It & Love It.
I just added a link to this from my own blog I recently started. Cool idea!
http://whatwouldangelado.blogspot.com/
Have you ever tried brown paper bag microwave caramel popcorn?
Ingredients:
● 3-4 quarts popped corn
● 1 cup brown sugar
● 1/2 cup margarine
● 1/4 cup white corn syrup
● 1/2 tsp salt
● 1/2 tsp baking soda
Directions:
Place popcorn in a brown grocery bag. In a 1 quart microwave proof bowl or measuring cup, melt margarine with brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil & reset timer for 2 min. Remove from microwave & stir in baking soda. Pour over popcorn. Close top of bag and shake hard. Place bag in microwave & cook for 1 and 1/2 minutes. Shake hard. Repeat. Spray two cookie sheets. Pour popcorn onto pans to cool.
Thanks so much for posting this! So easy and delicious!