DIY Christmas Popcorn Tins

Give the gift of DIY Christmas popcorn tins at the holidays. They’re easy-to-make, inexpensive gifts that spread holiday cheer far and wide with a mixture of sweet and salty treats.

a closed tin of popcorn with popcorn overflowing on a white background

There is nothing like receiving a popcorn tin for Christmas. Or Christmas in July.

Okay, maybe it’s kind of a dumb gift, but if you’re a popcorn lover? (Like me!) They’re a perfect gift. So thoughtful!

My dad used to bring one home from work at the holidays, and my siblings and I always fought over them. That’s when I fell in love with holiday popcorn tins.

It’s always so hard to decide how to ration out each compartment. I always take a little of each. Butter, then cheese, then caramel.

top view of a popcorn tin with three kinds of popcorn

Christmas popcorn tins make great gifts, but they can really add up. You can spend anywhere from $10 on a cheap one to $60 on a fancy name brand popcorn tin. That adds up!

Look, I know it’s easy to run to the store and grab a popcorn tin as an easy gift. I don’t judge. (And I’d happily eat one, thank you very much.)

But if you want to save yourself a trip to the store (who doesn’t?) and if you are into saving money (who isn’t?), then making a few DIY Christmas popcorn tins is a great gift you can put together for under $5 each. 

How? Buy, or reuse, your own empty Christmas tin and pop your own popcorn! I like to use shallow cookie tins rather than the big cans, because it’s less popping for me but still a great gift.

And you don’t even have to give them for Christmas. They make great gifts for teachers or for housewarming gifts.

popcorn spilling out of christmas popcorn tin

What flavors of popcorn go in a Christmas popcorn tin?

Traditionally, you’ll find most holiday popcorn tins are filled with a trio of butter popcorn, caramel corn and cheesy popcorn.

three kinds of popcorn kernels on a white background

But there are so many other flavors of popcorn you can incorporate into a homemade Christmas popcorn tin.

Gourmet popcorn tin flavors

Aside from the traditional popcorn tin flavors of butter, caramel and cheddar, there are so many other flavors you can use to customize a popcorn tin.

Try a mixture of one sweet flavor and two salty for the ultimate crunchy combo, or go all-in on three flavors of either all-sweet or all-savory.

an open tin of christmas popcorn

Sweet popcorn ideas

There are tons of sweet options you can use in your DIY popcorn tins.

  • Puppy Chow Popcorn — Popcorn coated with chocolate and peanut butter and dusted with powdered sugar, like the classic holiday snack mix (also known as muddy buddies).
  • Chocolate Cake Popcorn — Flavored with two kinds of melted chocolate, this one is also dusted with colorful sprinkles.
  • Bourbon Caramel Popcorn — Sea salt and bourbon add complexity to the typical caramel popcorn flavor.
  • Cookies + Cream Popcorn — White chocolate and Oreo crumbles make for a sweet mix.
  • Moose Munch Popcorn — A mix of chocolate and caramel popcorn that is sure to please anyone.
a polka dot christmas popcorn tin

Savory popcorn ideas

Sweet always goes well with salty. You have lots of choices besides butter and cheese flavors for popcorn.

  • Olive Oil Popcorn — Simple can be better with popcorn, as this one is just flavored with olive oil and sea salt.
  • Chipotle Lime Popcorn — Zesty and a little spicy, this one packs a mean punch. Or crunch?
  • Pizza Popcorn — Popcorn mixed with herbs, garlic and parmesan cheese and tastes like everyone’s favorite pie.
  • Herb Butter Popcorn — Buttery popcorn gets a mix of herbs for a savory snack.
  • Pesto Popcorn — Basil pesto flavors this popcorn for a summery spin.
a green DIY christmas popcorn tin on a white background
top view of a popcorn tin with three kinds of popcorn

DIY Popcorn Tins

Yield: 3 cups popcorn
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Make your own holiday popcorn tins for gifts. Popcorn lovers will adore them!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Prepare your popcorn flavors and let cool/dry before placing in tins.
  2. Cut a piece of cardstock paper or cardboard that is the same diameter as your popcorn tin, and about 1 inch taller. Fold it in half. Cut a second piece that is half the diameter. Arrange them in the tin so that they are creating equal sections inside the tin.
  3. Fill each cavity with 1 cup of each flavor of popcorn.
  4. Carefully remove the cardboard.
  5. Cover the popcorn tin. If you don't plan to open the tin right away, cover with plastic wrap before adding the lid. The popcorn will keep for about 10 days.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 320mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 0gSugar: 31gProtein: 5g

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