Popcorn Toppings Bar Recipe
Dec 23, 2023 Updated Aug 14, 2025
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Popcorn seasoning doesn’t just have to be sweet or salty! With this popcorn toppings bar, you can lean into your favorite flavors: sugary, salty, chocolaty, nutty, or all of the above. In my experience, the best part about this board is that you can switch up your toppings as you go–or just eat them on their own (that’s why I add a lot of my favorite movie theater candies).
So, whip up some popcorn and put out your favorite toppings for a fun make-your-own adventure. It’s perfect for movie nights and watching awards shows, like the Oscars (check out my Oscars Party Board)!
For more bar ideas, try my Ice Cream Sundae Bar, French Fries Bar, Cheesecake Toppings Bar, Pizza Toppings Bar, and Taco Party Bar.
Stove Top Popcorn Recipe
You could easily make microwave popcorn, but there’s just something about making it on the stove! There’s, of course, the classic Jiffy Pop stovetop popcorn, but I’m a big fan of doing it all myself.
All you need is a heavy-bottom pot with a lid, oil, salt, and some popcorn kernels. Give this recipe a try!
That said, if you’re not feeling like making it from scratch, these are my favorite microwave brands for this toppings board:
Butter (salty):
- Act II Butter Lovers
- Pop Secret Movie Theater Butter
- Orville Redenbacher’s Movie Theater Butter
- Jolly Time Blast O Butter
Kettle Corn (sweet):
- Orville Redenbacher’s Kettle Corn
- Pop Secret Kettle Corn
- Boomchickapop Lightly Sweet Kettle Corn
Plain or Lightly Salted:
- Skinny Pop Sea Salt
- Orville Redenbacher’s Naturals Simply Salted
Best Popcorn Bar Toppings
Popcorn
- Butter popcorn of your choosing
Toppings
- Melted butter
- Sea salt
- Ranch seasoning
- Tajín
- Cheddar seasoning
- Caramel sauce
- Sprinkles
Sweets
- Oreos, quartered
- Sour gummy worms
- Mini peanut butter cups
- Whoppers
- Red licorice bites
Savory Snacks
- Goldfish
- Pretzels
- Roasted peanuts
- Roasted pistachios
How To Make a Popcorn Bar
- Place the melted butter, sea salt, ranch seasoning, Tajín, cheddar seasoning, caramel sauce, and sprinkles in separate small bowls. Arrange the bowls in the center of the board.
- Arrange the Oreos, sour gummy worms, mini peanut butter cups, Whoppers, red licorice bites, Goldfish, pretzels, roasted peanuts, and roasted pistachios (I mixed the peanuts and pistachios together) in separate sections around the board, being sure to separate similar colors.
- Serve the popcorn in a big bowl on the side for people to serve themselves, or serve it in individual bowls!
Pro tip: Feel free to keep savory to one side and sweet on the other, or alternate sweet and savory for a little bit of flavor mingling!
Other Popcorn Seasonings & Toppings Ideas
Feel free to swap in your favorite toppings! Like:
Sweet
- Melted chocolate drizzle
- Cinnamon sugar
- Caramel drizzle
- Peanut butter drizzle
- Butterscotch drizzle
- Lucky charms marshmallows
- Candied bacon
Savory
- Nutritional yeast
- Truffle oil
- Chopped bacon
- Furikake
- Dill pickle seasoning
- Buffalo seasoning
- Parmesan cheese
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Jalapenos
- Garlic powder
- Ketchup
Better yet, go with a theme (you know how I love a theme!):
Halloween
- Orange sprinkles
- Black sprinkles
- Mellocreme pumpkins
- Candy corn
- Orange Oreos
- Count Chocula
- Milky Way Midnight Minis
- Twix Minis
- KitKat Minis
- Gummy Eyeballs
Movie Night
(Check out my Movie Candy Board for inspo!)
- Movie theater butter
- Nacho cheese powder
- Plain M&Ms
- Peanut M&Ms
- Snow Caps
- Buncha Crunch
- Mike and Ike
- Sour Patch Kids
- Mini Twizzlers
- Cookie Dough Bites
Holiday
- Peppermint bark
- Hot cocoa
- Red Oreos
- Peppermint pieces
- Red sprinkles
- Green sprinkles
- Gingerbread cookie crumbles
- Peanut brittle
- York Peppermint Patties
Valentine’s Day
(Find more ideas in my Valentine’s Day Candy Board!)
- White chocolate drizzle
- Chocolate sampler
- Sour Patch Kids Hearts
- Red Pop Rocks
- Cupid’s Blend M&Ms
- Brownie bites
FAQs
Toppings are going to be more mix-ins and won’t necessarily “stick,” but for seasonings, you can toss popcorn in melted butter or oil or even spritz it very lightly with water or vinegar first.
For butter, seasonings, and drizzles, it’s best to add them when the popcorn is warm. For other toppings and mix-ins, you can add them whenever you want–hot or cold.
For savory popcorn, I like to use avocado or olive oil (you can also use canola!), but for sweet popcorn, I go for coconut oil.
For this board, all the toppings can be prepped and put in bowls well ahead of time! For the crackers and cookies, just be sure to keep them sealed tightly with plastic wrap. However, the popcorn should not be made in advance for optimal freshness!
If you have leftover popcorn, store it in an airtight container at room temperature. Plain popcorn will keep for about a week, but it’s always best to eat it right after popping!
Show Me Your Popcorn Toppings
I hope this post inspires you to make this popcorn bar. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the snacks and spreads you create from my tips. If you make something inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttooproudtomeg so I can see and share!
And, If you liked this recipe, please rate and review.
Popcorn Toppings Board
Ingredients
Popcorn
- Butter popcorn of your choosing
Toppings
- Melted butter
- Sea salt
- Ranch seasoning
- Tajín
- Cheddar seasoning
- Caramel sauce
- Sprinkles
Sweets
- Oreos quartered
- Sour gummy worms
- Mini peanut butter cups
- Whoppers
- Red licorice bites
Savory Snacks
- Goldfish
- Pretzels
- Roasted peanuts
- Roasted pistachios
Instructions
- Place the melted butter, sea salt, ranch seasoning, Tajín, cheddar seasoning, caramel sauce, and sprinkles in separate small bowls. Arrange the bowls in the center of the board.
- Arrange the Oreos, sour gummy worms, mini peanut butter cups, Whoppers, red licorice bites, Goldfish, pretzels, roasted peanuts, and roasted pistachios (I mixed the peanuts and pistachios together) in separate sections around the board, being sure to separate similar colors.
- Serve the popcorn in a big bowl on the side for people to serve themselves, or serve it in individual bowls!
Photos by Haley Hunt Davis of Salt Worth Creative. Food styling with Ryan Norton.
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This is genius because you actually only have to make popcorn, but end up with a million different combinations with the toppings!
Yay. Exactly what I was going for. So glad you like the idea.
I love this idea! I often have a separate bowl of candy to add into my popcorn but making it a board makes it so much for fun!