Keto Popcorn Recipe – Low Carb Keto Snack

Popcorn is synonymous with home movies and going to the movies and is many people’s go-to snack. Whether you’re watching a film at home or on the big screen you need to know what you are eating and if store-bought popcorn is a keto-friendly treat.

Keto Popcorn Recipe in a bowl - Yummy Keto Cooking

What are the carbs in popcorn?

One cup of air-popped popcorn contains 5 grams net carb (6.2 grams of carbs and 1.2 grams of fiber). This is relatively low making popcorn a suitable food on a keto diet.

Popcorn nutrition

Here are the nutrition facts for 1 cup of plain air-popped popcorn:

Calories: 31
Total carbohydrate: 6.2g
Fiber: 1.2g
Protein: 1g
Sodium: 0.6mg
Total fat: 0.4g
Total sugar: 0.1g
Cholesterol: 0mg

Is popcorn keto?

You are probably wondering, can you eat popcorn on keto? As we saw above, popcorn has only 5g of net carbs so you can technically fit popcorn into your keto diet as it is. But beware, it can become a non-keto snack, depending on what you top it up with.

When adding toppings on popcorn, you should high carb content like non-keto caramel, otherwise you will reach your daily carb target after a few mouthful.

When following a low carb diet you need to know the list of 'treat foods' you can consume while sticking to a low carb life. Read on to find out why I prefer using my keto popcorn recipe.

Is store-bought popcorn keto?

Store bough popcorn is usually quite high in carbs as it tends be flavored with carb rich toppings like caramel. Needless to say it make the carb scale explode. Same is usually true with pre-packaged microwave popcorn.

I always recommend making stovetop popcorn at home. It is a safer option as you control the ingredients used and you can therefore have a precise idea of the amount of carbs. Make sure to portion it out, homemade popcorn is so good, it is incredibly easy to over-eat!

That is why I recommend trying this delicious keto popcorn recipe!

Keto Popcorn Recipe about to be eaten - Yummy Keto Cooking

How to make low-carb popcorn

Our homemade keto popcorn recipe is crispy, crunchy and seriously yummy, and tastes like cheese puffs. After you taste these you won’t believe how low in carbs they are. This recipe from Yummy Keto Cooking is made with just 2 or 3 ingredients, it’s easy to make and delicious in taste. This cheesy keto popcorn recipe can be enjoyed with friends and a nice mug of keto coffee.

Keto Popcorn Ingredients

1 cup cheddar cheese
⅓ tsp sea salt
2/4 tsp sweet corn extract, optional

Step by step instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 Fahrenheit (175 Celsius)
Place a baking sheet on a baking tray.
Cut the cheese into small cubes and place them in a bowl. Let the cheese dry out for by leaving the bowl in a cool area for at least 24 hours.
On the following day, take them out and sprinkle the sea salt and the sweet corn extract.
Bake them in the oven for 5-10 minutes until they look puffy.
After taking them out of the oven, leave them to cool down before serving.
Enjoy!

Top Tips

These cheese puffs are so simple they are almost impossible to miss. Follow those tips for a perfect taste and texture:

If your keto popcorn don't puff enough, you likely need to let the cheese dry out longer, up to 48 or even 72 hours.
Making those keto popcorn can get a bit messy as the cheese may pop around with the heat. Make sure to clean your oven after it has cooled down. The cheese is usually very easy to remove. Alternatively you can add another shelf above the baking shelf.
Once they have cooled down, you can use a low carb seasoning to give extra taste. Ma favorite is sweet and salty keto popcorn, I just sprinkle a bit of monk fruit sugar. Other option include sprinkling a bit of shaved parmesan cheese or oregano. Possibilities are endless!

How to store these keto popcorn cheese puffs

To keep our keto popcorn fresh and crunchy, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They are quite sensitive to temperature and humidity conditions so if your kitchen gets a bit hot put them in the fridge instead. These keto popcorn are so much better when they are crunchy.