Homemade ranch popcorn seasoning recipe

This homemade ranch popcorn seasoning recipe is so tasty and easy to keep on hand for a fun spin on the classic  homemade popcorn.

Try this recipe next time you have movie night, or just for snack time.

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Why would you want to bother making a homemade version of ranch seasoning for popcorn instead of just buying one?

Hidden valley ranch seasoning is admittedly delicious, but this recipe is just as tasty!

Prepackaged seasoning mixes contain anti-caking ingredients such as silicon dioxide, and many preservatives such as monosodium glutamate, and sodium diacetate. 

With a little preplanning, you can make a big batch of your own ranch powder and you’ll be ready to go anytime!

The main ingredient in the homemade ranch popcorn seasoning recipe

Buttermilk powder.

Buttermilk powder can be a little tricky to track down in a grocery store, but I found it on amazon. (No affiliate, just being honest)

It wasn’t very expensive, and will last a long time. If you don’t use it all right away, make sure to transfer it to an airtight container so it doesn’t get all clumpy (I found out the hard way!)

The next ingredient is salt.

I went a little heavier on the salt than I would normally for a spice mixture. If I wanted to mix this with sour cream and marinate some meat with it to grill, I’d scale back on the salt by about half. But, since this is intended for popcorn, the extra salt is essential.

​The next ingredient in our homemade ranch seasoning is…

Garlic powder!

We didn’t want the garlic to overpower everything, so we went with the 1/4 tsp. It’s just enough to let you know it’s at the party, but not over-the-top. 

Next up in this easy ranch popcorn recipe…

Dried dill and Dried chives. 1/2 teaspoon of each. Without these we wouldn’t get to see those hallmark flakes of green in our seasoning! And the flavor is crucial here as well. You can’t have that tangy ranch flavor without dill and chives.

The next spice in our ranch mix is…

Onion Powder.

Onion powder is such a wonderful familiar flavor with so many people. But this one can get a little strong if you’re not careful!

So we are keeping it at a moderate 1/4 tsp. It’s not “ranch” without it, but we don’t want it getting too loud.

Lastly… hear me out…

White pepper.

I know this is not a classic spice that’s usually included in a ranch seasoning, but please give it a try.

The white pepper blends in beautifully, but gives a wonderful subtle warmth that is still enjoyable for the kids. It will give your ranch seasoned popcorn a tiny variation that will keep people guessing.

A little goes a long way with white pepper, so 1/8 tsp is perfect. 

If you’re strongly opposed to using white pepper, simply omit it, or use black pepper and it’ll still be lovely!

Variations…

For other variations, add in some nutritional yeast for a boost in protein and a savory note. For a spicy variation, you could add in a 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and have yourself some spicy ranch popcorn. 

Put it all together!

When you’re ready to make your popcorn, simply pop up 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels in a popcorn maker or on the stovetop in a large pot on high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil.

Some people prefer coconut oil, but I would warn that it’ll change up the flavor profile just a bit. (If you want to use coconut oil, please do!)

 While it’s still hot add in your ranch dressing mix and stir it up for even distribution.

If you really want to make sure your popcorn is evenly coated, lay it on a sheet pan in a single layer and sprinkle evenly. 

If you want to keep it even more simple, you could just sprinkle this seasoning mix over some popped microwave popcorn!

Making your own seasoning mix takes a little bit of time up front, but is always a great thing to have on hand. 

There’s no artificial flavor, and you can trust your ingredients for a healthy snack.

Enjoy this fun popcorn recipe for your next family movie night. Use the printable recipe card at the end of this post and let me know what you think!