Description
These festive Christmas Popcorn Balls are a delicious and fun holiday treat, combining buttery melted marshmallows, crunchy popcorn, colorful M&M candies, and sprinkles. Perfect for gifting or enjoying at holiday parties, these popcorn balls are easy to make and bring a cheerful burst of flavor and color to your seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn Base
- ½ cup unpopped popcorn kernels
Marshmallow Mixture
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 (10 ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Toppings
- 1 cup red and green M&M candies
- ⅓ cup festive sprinkles
Instructions
- Pop the Popcorn: Pop your popcorn kernels using your preferred method, such as on the stovetop or in a popcorn maker. Once popped, carefully remove and set aside any unpopped kernels to avoid biting into them later.
- Melt Butter and Marshmallows: In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the unsalted butter completely. Add the miniature marshmallows to the pot, stirring frequently until they melt down into a smooth, sticky mixture without burning.
- Coat the Popcorn: Remove the pot from heat and immediately pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the popped popcorn. Gently stir the mixture to thoroughly coat all the popcorn pieces.
- Add Candies and Sprinkles: When the mixture has cooled slightly but is still pliable, use a rubber spatula to carefully fold in the red and green M&M candies along with the festive sprinkles. This will evenly distribute the toppings without melting them.
- Form Popcorn Balls: Spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Scoop about one cup of the coated popcorn mixture and gently press it together to form a ball. Repeat to make additional balls. Keep the cooking spray nearby to reapply as needed while shaping.
- Set and Serve: Place the formed popcorn balls on a sheet of wax or parchment paper and allow them to cool at room temperature until firm and set, about 30 minutes.
Notes
- Store popcorn balls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness and texture.
- You can customize your popcorn balls by using different colored candies and sprinkles to match any holiday or party theme.
- If mixture becomes too sticky to form, allow it to cool a bit longer or lightly oil your hands again.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 popcorn ball
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
