Easy Cinnamon Bun Popcorn
Just four easy ingredients and 3 minutes to make this healthy, delicious cinnamon bun popcorn for a snack to enjoy anytime! Naturally vegan and gluten free, this recipe also boasts over 20 grams of protein per serving!
“Someone’s burnt popcorn again!”
If there were five lines which I heard on repeat during my 6 month study exchange in New York, that would be one of them. The other four-
“I’m skipping class today!”
“DON’T PUT YOUR LAUNDRY IN THE WASHER AND WALK AWAY!”
“They served {insert animal of choice) food in the dining hall today.”
“I’m skipping class today!”
So skipping class was easily the most heard/used phrase in my college. Personally, I always would lament about the smell of burnt popcorn condensing the 7th Floor of the J building.
Between the hours of 9pm and 5am, there would always be the smell of popcorn seeping through our rooms. Most of the time, it would be the delicious, buttery smell which made you want to chuck a pie at your sister in joy and turn on a movie. If heaven could have a scent, it would definitely be buttered popcorn, followed by freshly baked FRENCH bread (no other country, please) and Vanilla Cupcake scented candles from Yankee Candle.
Oh man, I did NOT just admit the latter.
Confession- Upon returning from college, I brought back my mum and sister the Vanilla Cupcake scented candles yet conveniently forgot to give it to them. 🙂
Back on topic- Popcorn. Sometimes, however, one of my dorm mates would keep the popcorn in the microwave for that extra second longer and it would just wreck the whole atmosphere- Literally. This smell would make you want to chuck a pie at your sister in frustration and yell at your TV like Tyra does to her top model minions. Fortunately, we knew who those dorm mates guilty of the overcooking were and were able to ban them from the kitchen altogether.
Success.
If there is one (legal) food I would associate dorm life and college living with, it would be popcorn. Our college took this food group (yes, it’s a food group in itself) so seriously, there were weekly trips to our local Walmart to stock up on packets for hungry students who were incapable of taking the 2 minute (Free) shuttle bus down there to buy it themselves.
I may have been one of them.
As I’m working with Kohl’s this quarter on their #makeyourmove campaign and creating easy and fun recipes which kids or college students can make, popcorn HAD to be one of them. While instant microwave popcorn is delicious and easy, doing it yourself is just as simple, much cheaper AND….you can jazz it up and make it just a little bit fancy without sacrificing health or taste!
This easy, healthy cinnamon bun popcorn is a delicious twist which just uses four ingredients! You can easily make this in the microwave using the infamous paper bag method (per single serve- Add 1/4 cup kernels in a large paper bag and pop for 2.5 – 3 minutes- depending on microwave) or use this popcorn maker or even stovetop (my preferred method). All you need to do once the popcorn is cooked is lightly spray it with coconut oil (or any liquid- you can even use water BUT it becomes soggy), and add the cinnamon bun protein mix and voila- A delicious snack to enjoy which tastes like a cinnamon bun AND gives you a protein boost!
For those not keen on using protein powder, enjoy the option without it- The flavour still tastes similar! For those who don’t want to make popcorn from scratch, you can use an even easier way- Just use packed air popped corn and add the flavour mix!
Make this Easy (and healthy!) Cinnamon Bun Popcorn but make sure you’re not the culprit leaving the burnt lingering smell. My sister doesn’t need (another) pie thrown at her in frustration.
Easy Cinnamon Bun Popcorn
Ingredients
Popcorn
- 5-6 cups air popped popcorn using the paper bag method/stovetop or instant package
Cinnamon bun mix
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder optional*
- 2 T+ granulated sweetener of choice I tried coconut sugar, a stevia granulated blend and standard white sugar**
- Coconut oil cooking spray sub for any spray of choice- Can use water but see notes
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the cinnamon, sea salt, protein powder (if using it), granulated sweetener and mix well.
- Pour your popcorn in a large bowl or extra large paper bag. Spray with the cooking oil spray to cover the popcorn.
- Pour the cinnamon bun mix over it and shake well until combined- If it isn't sticking well, add a dash more cooking spray.
- Enjoy!
Notes
** Adjust to taste. My protein powder was sweetened so I kept it at 2 tablespoons.
If you use water, you need to eat your popcorn immediately to avoid it getting soggy.
Healthy Three Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Bars
Three Ingredient No Bake Fudge
This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Kohl’s.
Cheers, hugs and handshakes for supporting companies and brands which help in making The Big Man’s World continue to grow and allowing me to do what I love.
Those who’ve stayed on a college campus- Any popcorn horror stories?
Is there any smell better than buttery popcorn? Yes. Yankee Candles.
I totally remember that constant burnt popcorn smell my freshman year in the dorms! Now I make popcorn so rarely my kids go wild when it finally happens!
Seriously, sometimes the burnt popcorn smell was worse than….some perhaps illegal scents!
Om. Nom. Nom. And I was largely spared horrific burnt popcorn smells as I lived in the single that was in the stairwell. I also got to see all the walks of shame. Which were popcorn worthy 😀
LOL!!!! BEST. COMMENT. EVER.
Dear Arman, I have that exact popcorn maker. I received for Christmas and I use it all the time. Before then I used the stove top because believe it or not, I don’t have a microwave! But I love my new air popper. I tend to make my popcorn spicy but I love your sweet cinnamon mix…my family would enjoy the change too. Have a wonderful day, Catherine
Oh nice! From now on, I’m testing out everything in the oven too 🙂
Those cupcake scented candles are MY LIFE. Seriously, I could just sit around and smell them forever,
Or I could just sit around and eat this popcorn forever. Which I think is a very solid life choice, since I’m obsessing over it! Pinned!
LOL. I legit want to eat them.
Ok, I definitely need some of this popcorn!
YES. STAT.
This just made me so sad that I can’t make popcorn at my office. One of our co-workers has a really weird aversion to the smell and has basically mandated that none of us are allowed to make popcorn at work. Terrible, right?
I lived off ramen noodles and Mexican food in college, but I do remember having quite a bit of popcorn as well.
WHAT? I think that would be grounds for being fired 😉
Hahaha…you just admitted that you watch Top Model and burn Yankee Candles. 🙂 But then you totally made up for it with this popcorn. What an awesome flavor combo! I love playing with popcorn flavors, but I usually go the savory route. This sweet version is going to have me craving popcorn all day long now!
……Shhh. The tribe has spoken. Wait, that’s Survivor. Sorry David. You are NOT America’s next top model.
Okay, I shall go now.
I love coconut candles.. they’re definitely my favorite smell in the world. This popcorn looks amazing! My mom used to doctor up popcorn all the time and something silimar to this was always a good choice1
Thanks so much, Morgan!
This popcorn is such an interesting flavor combo,Arman – I don’t think I’ve ever had protein powder sprinkled popcorn before!
Now I cannot wait for you to come up with another version that smells like the “Vanilla Cupcake scented candles from Yankee Candle”!
Not even kidding, Shashi- I’ve already got 3 recipes done to share 😀 Cake batter too!
Arman – this looks so delicious! I’m with Shashi, I’ll be waiting for a yummy sequel!
YES! Not kidding- I have three flavours coming up! 🙂
I still have stains on a really nice pan from trying to make popcorn with very little oil and burning it… now I stick to the kernels in a paper bag in the microwave method 😉
Smart woman! 😀
This is so funny! There was a major amount of popcorn in my dorm. Also ramen and pizza too. No wonder I turned the Freshman 5 into the Freshman 15! Lol. This looks amazing. I’ve never done much with protein powder beyond the basic smoothie, so I love this alternative idea.
Hahaha the infamous freshman 15! Thanks heaps, Katie!
This is definitely the most creative way I’ve ever seen protein powder used! I’m impressed that you were able to get 20g of protein into this recipe (WHATTT) and transformed a stereotypically unhealthy college essential into a post-workout snack. Props to ya 😉 .
OH! And on the topic of things every college student eats, at UCSB (at least my freshman year) it’s those microwavable Kraft Mac and Cheese single serving containers. So good.
Okay, those are Niki’s staples- not even kidding and she’s not even in college. What a disappointment!
Popcorn is probably the most perfect thing ever- so light and it goes with everything! I sound like I am advertising a purse. I have never heard anyone mention smelling popcorn at a dorm, thats definitely something I will note. If my roommate were to over burn popcorn I don’t know what I would do :P.
Hahaha let’s have a popcorn party!
Ummm that vanilla scented candle is sort of amazing so…totally justified. Also, burnt popcorn is seriously gross. I would know.
YESS. Candles FTW