Description
These Halloween Popcorn Balls are a festive and fun treat perfect for celebrating the spooky season. Made with crispy popcorn coated in a smooth, sweet marshmallow and butter mixture, then dipped in bright white candy melts and decorated with creepy candy eyeballs, these popcorn balls are easy to make and sure to delight kids and adults alike. They’re great for Halloween parties, trick-or-treating snacks, or a creative seasonal dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn Base
- 16 cups popped popcorn (about 1 standard size bag of popcorn)
Marshmallow Mixture
- 10 oz mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup (57g) butter (1/2 stick)
Candy Coating and Decoration
- 1 bag Wilton bright white candy melts
- Candy eyeballs (regular sized)
Instructions
- Prepare Popcorn: Place the popped popcorn into a large mixing bowl. If mixing in one bowl is too cumbersome, divide the popcorn between two large bowls for easier handling.
- Melt Marshmallow Mixture: In a large pot over medium heat, combine the mini marshmallows and butter. Stir occasionally until the mixture becomes smooth and fully melted, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Coat Popcorn: Pour the melted marshmallow and butter mixture evenly over the popcorn (divide between bowls if applicable). Use a spatula to gently stir and coat all the popcorn pieces thoroughly with the sticky mixture.
- Form Popcorn Balls: Butter your hands lightly to prevent sticking and begin shaping the coated popcorn into balls. You can make traditional round balls or form taller shapes resembling ghosts or other Halloween figures as preferred.
- Set Popcorn Balls: Place the formed popcorn balls on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Let them cool and firm up for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.
- Melt Candy Coating: Following the package instructions, melt the Wilton bright white candy melts. Optionally, add a bit of vegetable shortening or oil to thin the melted candy for easier dipping.
- Dip and Decorate: Dip the tops of each popcorn ball into the melted white candy melts, then return them to the baking sheet. Allow the coating to set for 1–2 minutes until slightly firm but still tacky. Quickly press candy eyeballs onto the tops of the balls, taking care so they stick well but do not slide off due to hot chocolate.
- Final Setting and Serving: Let the candy coating fully set before serving. If preparing in advance, store the popcorn balls in an airtight Tupperware container. For a spooky festive presentation, display them on a tray layered with Halloween-colored M&Ms and add fake spiders for decoration.
Notes
- Butter your hands well before forming the popcorn balls to minimize sticking.
- Work quickly when adding candy eyeballs to the melted candy—if the candy is too hot, the eyes may slide off.
- Popcorn balls can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- You can customize shapes beyond balls to fit various Halloween themes like ghosts or pumpkins.
- Adding vegetable shortening to candy melts thins the coating for easier dipping.
- For vegan or gluten-free variations, ensure marshmallows and candy melts fit dietary requirements.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 popcorn ball (assuming 9 balls per batch)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
