Candy Corn Popcorn Balls
It’s Fall!
And these Candy Corn Popcorn Balls are the easiest and cutest fall treats to make for the kids at Halloween or just any ol’ day! I’ve been a bit intimidated by the whole popcorn ball thing in the past due to having to use a candy thermometer and all. But these are super simple! Have you kids help you make the balls after you pour the candy over them! They’ll think it’s a blast!
Think Rice Crispy Treasts meet popcorn balls and you have an easy and festive snack for your little ones, or yourself in just a few minutes!
Watch how easy they are!
This is one of those recipes where it’s important to prep before. Anytime you’re heating gooey candy stuff, it’s a good idea to be ready to use it quickly so I prepped mine ahead of time. Here is what you’ll need.
First you’ll need 12 cups of plain popped corn, as in, not floating in butter or with cheese or butter on it. I have an old fashioned air popper but you can buy microwave in plain bags I believe.
I thought twelve cups sounded like a lot but it really wasn’t. It only took 1/2 cup of unpopped corn to make 12 cups of popped! However, it took this giant plastic white bowl to fit it all. Remember you need room for mixing!
Now the other ingredients to have on hand are…
*1 cup of candy corn
*1 cup of Reese’s Pieces
*1/4 cup of butter (or 1/2 stick)
*4 cups of mini marshmallows
*1 t. pure vanilla extract
*1/4 t. salt
*Also have on hand some cooking spray to spray your hands with. Butter will also work.
*Also have a long sheet of wax paper, or parchment paper on a cookie sheet to put your finished popcorn balls on.
Dump both of the candies in with your popped corn and shake the bowl a bit to let it go to the bottom. You don’t want to pour hot stuff on top of candy or you’ll have a mess.
The easiest way to make this is with the microwave, but since I’m making this on my TV segment and there is no microwave currently on the Rise & Shine kitchen set, I chose to show you that you can also do it on a pan on the stove. I’ll give both directions as we go so pick your own way!
Melt 1/2 stick of butter or 1/4 cup in the microwave on high for 30 seconds to one minute or just melt it over medium heat in a large saucepan.
Add in four cups of mini-marshmallows and stir them around for about 2 minutes (or add the marshmallows to the butter and put back into the microwave for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes) Remove the bowl from the heat or microwave and stir for a bit until the marshmallows completely melt and get nice and creamy. Then add in the salt and vanilla. (I plumb forgot to take pictures at this point.) Pour the hot gooey mixture right over the popped popcorn.
Then take a large spoon and mix it up really well. After awhile I just sprayed my hands.
And used my hands to mix it up – your hands are a great mixing tool.
Then we each got a handful (like the size of a snowball, or about one cup) and used our hands to compress the popcorn into balls.
You have to press quite firmly to make it hold. Lay them out on your lined cookie sheet to cool.
We decided to go one step further and put candy sticks on ours. You could also use popsicle sticks.
Don’t forget to mold and compress them again around the stick pretty firmly or the stick will slide right out.
Placing them on a cute platter or a cake stand would be a great way to serve these for Halloween trick or treaters coming in from the cold or at a fall party!
Or if you wanted to give folks a take-away-treat, wrap them in cellophane and tie them with a pretty orange or brown bow.
And there you have it…Candy Corn Popcorn Balls! Hope you enjoy them!
- 12 cups plain popped popcorn
- 1 c. candy corn
- 1 c. Reese's Pieces
- ¼ c. butter (1/2 stick)
- 4 c. miniature marshmallows
- 1 t. vanilla
- ¼ t. salt
- Dump popcorn in very large bowl and add candies.
- In microwave, heat butter on high starting with 30 seconds, then check and add additional microwave time if needed.
- Add marshmallows and microwave an additional 2 minutes.
- Remove and mix until marshmallows are smooth.
- Add vanilla and salt and mix well.
- Allow to cool a minute or two then pour over top of popcorn and candy and mix well with large spoon.
- Spray hands with cooking spray or butter hands to prevent sticking.
- Use approximately one cup per ball and mold with hands like a snowball pressing to form popcorn ball compacting them well to stay together.
- Place on sheet of wax or parchment paper to cool.
- Insert sticks if desired.
- Also cute with ribbon tied around the stick. Can wrap in plastic wrap for gifts!
