Garrett Popcorn Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Sep 4, 2026 
This sweet, salty, and decadent Garrett popcorn recipe has become one of my favorite snacks to make at home. Every handful is filled with kernels coated in a rich caramel and cheesy topping that makes you feel like you’re strolling down Michigan Avenue in the windy city!
When you think of Chicago, what food comes to mind? Probably hot dogs and deep dish pizza. But did you know that the windy city is also famous for gourmet popcorn? Yep, known as Garrett’s popcorn, this rich treat combines crunchy caramel corn with sharp, cheesy flavors that fulfill every craving at once. So, when I returned home, I naturally wanted to make a copycat version, and let me tell you this recipe does not disappoint! I love making a giant batch of this savory-sweet treat for movie nights, game day, or whenever we have friends over. I serve it alongside a roster of my favorite snacks, including spicy oyster crackers. It also makes the cutest homemade gift, especially during the holidays. I package a giant heap of these kernels into a festive tin can, box, or into a jar, and wrap it up with a beautiful bow.
Laureen – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I absolutely love Garrett’s popcorn. The 1st time we went to Chicago after a great shopping trip down Michigan Ave, I stopped in at Garrett’s popcorn, my son’s name is Garrett so I had to get one of those decorative tins. Thanks for the recipe.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Easy to Make – One of my absolute favorite things about this Garrett popcorn recipe is how easy and simple it is to make! There’s nothing better than making a gourmet restaurant dish at home, and this recipe definitely fits the bill. Just a few stirs, some popping kernels and a good shake, and you’ll have the best batch of popcorn on hand in no time.
The Perfect Sweet and Salty Snack – Sometimes I’m craving something sweet, and other times something salty. But then there are days when I’m craving a sweet and salty snack, and it’s in those, well, complicated moments that I reach for a hefty handful of this popcorn.
Great for Gifting – Another thing that I adore about this homemade Garrett popcorn recipe is that it makes the perfect gift. Made with an abundance of love and care, I like to pour it into a beautiful tin container or box, and wrap it up with a pretty bow. Just think how your friends will respond on Halloween if you hand them a bag of salty-sweet Chicago popcorn, instead of stale mini chocolate bars. Or what about edible gifts for Christmas? Also check out my microwave caramel popcorn recipe!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Popped corn – This simple and delicious recipe starts off with heaps of freshly popped corn! I use about half a cup of kernels, and they make a perfectly light and fluffy base that soaks up all those cheesy and caramel flavors.
- Brown sugar and corn syrup – Every good caramel requires two things… A good quality brown sugar for color and sweetness, and corn syrup to give it that signature smooth texture.
- Vanilla extract – To round out all that sugar, I use a splash of vanilla extract which also gives it added depth and serious flavor!
- Butter – A really good popcorn wouldn’t be really good popcorn without butter! To make both the caramel and cheesy toppings, I use melted unsalted butter because it adds a ton of richness.
- Baking soda – This is kind of like my secret ingredient, and make sure you don’t skip it! Baking soda makes the hot caramel lighter and easier to spread over all of that popcorn.
- Cheddar cheese powder – For that savory cheesy topping, I start off with cheddar cheese powder. It creates those signature tangy and bold flavors that pair perfectly with the sweet caramel.
- Ground mustard – For some subtle added savory flavors, I use a pinch of ground mustard. It really helps the cheddar cheese pop, too.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Pop – Before I do anything, I pop up about 6 quarts of fresh popcorn in the microwave. Once they’re ready, I divide them up evenly into 2 paper bags. I always make sure to remove any un-popped kernels because no one likes snacking on those… Accidentally!
Make the caramel – To start off that sweet half, I melt some brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, a pinch of sea salt and a splash of vanilla in the microwave. Once it starts to boil, I mix in the baking soda and then I pour the entire mixture over one of the popcorn bags. The really cool thing about this step is that the caramel will start to bubble and foam because of the baking soda, so don’t worry!
Shake – Then, I shake up the paper bag so that all of the pop corn gets coated in that delicious caramel sauce. I pop it back into the microwave for about a minute, shake it again, and then microwave it once more for about 45 seconds. Then, I open the bag and break apart any clumps of pop corn. I let it cool down to room temperature until the popcorn has hardened.
Make the cheesy coating – To start off that savory half, I open the second bag of popped popcorn and I pour in the butter. I shake that up really well, add in the cheese and mustard powders, and then shake it up again. I pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and then I let it cool down.
Combine – Finally, I combine the caramel popcorn with the cheese popcorn into one container. Now, I’m ready to dig in!
Recipe Variations
- Spicy – If you love spicy snacks, then you should definitely add a pinch of cayenne pepper into the cheesy coating. It adds just the right amount of heat without overpowering the sweetness from the caramel.
- Chocolate chips – Sometimes, I like to add in some mini white, dark or milk chocolate chips into the finished popcorn. It adds subtle texture and just some extra sweetness for those of us who have an insatiable sweet tooth.
- Nuts – You can also sprinkle some chopped peanuts, pecans, cashews or almonds into the caramel coating for some much needed crunchiness and an extra hint of saltiness.
- Pretzels – During the holidays, feel free to toss in a couple of pretzels and colorful sprinkles!
- Paprika – For some subtle smoky flavor, add a pinch of smoked paprika into the cheesy mixture!
Serving Suggestions
This is the type of sweet and salty snack that won’t last very long. My advice? Make A LOT of popcorn because it disappears in minutes. Whether you’re hosting a party, game day, or packaging it up as a cute homemade gift, here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this delicious Chicago style popcorn!
- Pour it into a giant bowl for movie night and drizzle on some chocolate sauce or add in fresh shredded cheese.
- If you’re watching a game, serve it alongside these Philly cheesesteak sliders, cast iron deep dish pizza, chili wings with lime and some buffalo chicken dip!
- Add it to an impressive snack board along with some pretzels, salted caramel candies, almonds, peppermint patties and bacon pecan brittle.
Storing
Once the popcorn is cooled, store in airtight containers or zip bags to keep the popcorn fresh. It can last for about a week, but it will get stale after too much time!
Definitely don’t try freezing this popcorn, and avoid the refrigerator because the texture and flavors will totally change.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make caramel corn without burning the sugar, you have to watch the caramel carefully in the microwave. Then you will pour the caramel mixture over the popped popcorn and microwave carefully. Shake the bag and check on it periodically to make sure the caramel is even distributed and not burnt! Be careful when handling the hot caramel popcorn because it will be very hot.
Yes! In fact, this is an excellent snack to make ahead of time because it’s easy and it takes no time to whip together!
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Looking for More Snack Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
Garrett Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
For the Caramel Corn:
- 3 quarts popped popcorn from about 1/2 cup kernels
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the Cheese Corn:
- 3 quarts popped popcorn from about 1/2 cup kernels
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese powder
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard powder
- 2 large paper grocery bags
Instructions
- Pop 6 quarts of popcorn according to package instructions and separate into 2 large clean paper grocery bags. (Based on the size of my largest pot, I do this in two batches.) Be sure to pick out any un-popped kernels.
For the Caramel Popcorn:
- Place the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt and vanilla in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir, then microwave another 2 minutes, until boiling. Immediately stir in the baking soda and pour over the popcorn in one bag. (The baking soda will cause the caramel to foam up.)
- Fold the top of the paper bag over a couple times and shake well. Place the bag in the microwave and cook for 1 minute. Shake the bag vigorously again and microwave for 45-60 more seconds. Check at 45 seconds to make sure it’s not burning. Open the bag and pour the caramel corn out on waxed paper. Break up clumps if needed. Cool completely to harden. *Every microwave is a little different. After the caramel corn cools completely, if it does not crisp up, put it back in the bag and microwave for another 30-45 seconds.
For the Cheese Corn:
- Open the top of the second bag and shake vigorously as you slowly pour the butter over the popcorn. Then mix the cheese powder and mustard. Shake vigorously again, as you sprinkle the cheese mixture over the popcorn. Close the bag and fold the top down. Give the popcorn one last hard shake to thoroughly coat. Place the bag in the microwave and microwave for 30-45 seconds to dry out the popcorn. Then allow it to cool before mixing.
- Once both popcorns are ready, mix by hand and store in an air-tight container until ready to serve.
I’ve been wanting to make cheddar and caramel popcorn for the past few weeks and you just gave me the push to do it. Trying out this recipe tomorrow!
I love that you can use cheese powder! Woot, woot! Super easy! :) When we lived in Chicago, it was such a treat to share this favorite with guests. Love that I can make it at home here in Mississippi now!
I only the love the cheese popcorn at Garrett’s because I am not a sweet eater. Can’t wait to make it!!
Such a delicious treat! Can’t wait to make it at home. When I moved to Chicago I thought everyone that loved this was nuts. When I finally Garretts Chicago Mix a try I was kicking myself that I hadn’t done it sooner. Thanks for sharing!
I have a serious craving and my boy whose sitting next to be is bugging to get down to make it, looks so so good.
My two favorites! I always went for the cheese popcorn first and the caramel second! YUM!
What a fun popcorn mix – I’ve never heard of it before – sweet and salty!
I’ve never had the original, but I want this!!
Now I have a massive popcorn craving! This looks so good!
Unfortunately, this is nothing like Garrett’s. That’s because Garrett’s does not use a powdered cheese, they use real cheese and create a sauce. Powdered cheese just doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to be Garrett’s! Sorry. :-( I love cheese popcorn, but I REALLLLLLLY love Garrett’s cheese popcorn! lol
Ah yes, if only we all had Garrett’s Equipment in our homes. Cheese powder is real cheese that has been dehydrated and is a pretty good substitute if you don’t have the ability to spray cheese sauce at home. Why don’t you try it? You might be impressed! :)
I don’t remember the first time I had it but I fell for that killer combination right away!
We are a popcorn family! Thanks for this recipe. Thanks also for posting about eating places in Asheville. We ate our way through this past weekend, trying a couple of new places. The Gourmet Chips were fantastic! We loved the Italian flavored ones and the
B-B-Q ones were good also. Thanks. So many places… So many trips to Asheville……great!
Hi Shelby, so glad you had fun in Asheville. Hope you try the popcorn… it’s pretty great!