Description
These Halloween Popcorn Balls are a festive and fun treat perfect for the spooky season. Made with sweet melted marshmallows, neon green food coloring, and decorated with Halloween-themed M&M’s and sprinkles, these popcorn balls are easy to make and a colorful addition to any Halloween party or snack table.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 2 envelopes of microwave popcorn, popped (~18 cups popped popcorn)
Marshmallow Mixture
- 8 cups miniature marshmallows
- ½ cup butter
- Neon green food coloring gel (2-3 drops, more if needed)
Toppings
- 1½ cups M&M’s – Halloween colors
- Halloween sprinkles
Instructions
- Pop the Popcorn: Pop the 2 envelopes of microwave popcorn as per package instructions. Remove any unpopped kernels by pouring the popcorn over a cooling rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet, allowing kernels to fall through. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper for later use.
- Prepare the Mixing Bowl: Spray an extra-large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking, then add the popped popcorn to the bowl.
- Melt the Marshmallows and Butter: In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 8 cups of miniature marshmallows with ½ cup butter, stirring constantly until fully melted and smooth.
- Add Coloring: Stir in 2-3 drops of neon green food coloring gel into the melted marshmallow mixture. Add more coloring drops as necessary to achieve a vibrant green color, and stir thoroughly to mix.
- Combine with Popcorn: Pour the colored marshmallow mixture over the popcorn in the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir and coat the popcorn completely and evenly with the mixture.
- Add Decorations: Add 1½ cups of Halloween-colored M&M’s and Halloween sprinkles to the coated popcorn. Stir gently to distribute them evenly throughout the mixture.
- Shape the Popcorn Balls: Spray your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking and shape the mixture into balls of your desired size. If your hands become sticky, respray them as needed. Place the shaped balls on the parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Set the Popcorn Balls: Roll the shaped popcorn balls in additional Halloween sprinkles for decoration. Place on the baking sheets and let them cool and set completely. You might need to reshape the balls a few times while they set to maintain their shape.
Notes
- Removing Unpopped Kernels: Using a cooling rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet makes it easy to separate kernels from popcorn by letting kernels fall through the rack.
- Shaping Tips: Shape a few popcorn balls at a time and revisit them to repress as needed until marshmallow sets fully. This prevents crumbling and keeps them compact.
- Storage: Store the popcorn balls in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh for several days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 popcorn ball
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
