Popcorn balls used to be the treat everybody handed out at Halloween. Neighbors wrapped them in wax paper or plastic, tied them with a ribbon, and kids came home with a few in their bags. Somewhere along the way, wrapped store candy took over, but the popcorn ball never stopped being good.
This is the easy version: popcorn coated in melted marshmallow and butter, shaped by hand into soft, chewy balls. There’s no hot sugar syrup and no candy thermometer, so it’s safe enough to make with grandkids helping. It takes about 20 minutes and makes a dozen.
Why You’ll Love These Popcorn Balls
- Only 4 main ingredients. Popcorn, marshmallows, butter and a pinch of salt.
- No candy thermometer. Melted marshmallow does the work that hot syrup used to do.
- Soft and chewy. They hold together without being hard on your teeth.
- Cheap to make. A bag of marshmallows and a little popcorn feed a crowd.
- Easy to dress up. Add candy corn, sprinkles or a little orange food coloring for Halloween.
What You’ll Need
- Popped popcorn. You need about 12 cups, which is roughly 1/2 cup of kernels popped on the stove or in an air popper. Plain popcorn works best. If you use microwave popcorn, choose a lightly salted or plain kind, not extra-butter, and pick out any unpopped kernels.
- Mini marshmallows. One 10-ounce bag. Fresh marshmallows melt smoother than an old, dried-out bag.
- Butter. Three tablespoons, salted or unsalted.
- Salt. A pinch, if your butter and popcorn are unsalted. It keeps the balls from tasting flat.
- Vanilla extract. Half a teaspoon, optional, but it gives that old-fashioned bake-sale flavor.
- For Halloween: a few drops of orange food coloring, a handful of candy corn, or Halloween sprinkles.
How to Make Popcorn Balls
1. Get the popcorn ready. Put the popped popcorn in your largest bowl and pick out any unpopped kernels. Nobody wants to bite into one of those.
2. Melt the marshmallows. In a large pot over low heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and stir constantly until they are completely melted and smooth. Keep the heat low so the marshmallow doesn’t scorch.
3. Flavor and color. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. For orange popcorn balls, stir in a few drops of food coloring now.
4. Coat the popcorn. Pour the melted marshmallow over the popcorn and stir with a buttered spatula until every piece is coated. If you’re adding candy corn, fold it in now.
5. Shape the balls. Let the mixture cool for a minute or two, just until you can handle it. Butter your hands well, then scoop up about a cup of the mixture and gently press it into a ball about the size of a baseball. Don’t squeeze too hard, or they’ll turn dense.
6. Let them set. Place the balls on wax paper or parchment and let them set for about 30 minutes before wrapping or serving.
Tips for Perfect Popcorn Balls
- Butter your hands, and keep buttering. Re-butter every two or three balls so the mixture doesn’t stick to you.
- Work while it’s warm. As the marshmallow cools, it gets harder to shape. If it stiffens, warm the bowl for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave.
- Low heat for the marshmallows. High heat makes them stringy and can burn the bottom of the pot.
- Press gently. A light press gives soft, chewy balls. Packing them hard makes them tough.
- Wear clean food-safe gloves if you like. Buttered gloves make it even easier for little hands.
Fun Variations
- Caramel popcorn balls: Melt 1/2 cup of caramel bits with the butter before adding the marshmallows.
- Peanut butter popcorn balls: Stir 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter into the melted marshmallow.
- Chocolate drizzle: Drizzle melted chocolate over the set popcorn balls.
- Popcorn ball pops: Press each ball around a lollipop stick for easy handing out.
Wrapping and Storage
Once they’re set, wrap each popcorn ball in plastic wrap or a small treat bag and tie it with a ribbon. Wrapped this way, they stay soft at room temperature for about 2 days. Unwrapped, they dry out and go stale quickly. Don’t refrigerate them; the cold makes them hard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my popcorn balls falling apart?
The marshmallow mixture didn’t coat the popcorn evenly, or it cooled too much before shaping. Stir well, and shape while the mixture is still warm.
Can I make them the day before Halloween?
Yes. Make them the day before, let them set, and wrap them individually so they stay soft.
How many popcorn balls does this make?
About 12 baseball-size popcorn balls, or around 18 smaller ones.
Can I use large marshmallows?
Yes. Use the same weight, about 10 ounces, which is roughly 40 large marshmallows. They take a little longer to melt.
Wrap a few in wax paper, tie them with orange ribbon, and you’ll have a Halloween treat that tastes like it came straight from the 1960s.
Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls
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Ingredients
- 12 cups popped popcorn about 1/2 cup kernels, unpopped kernels removed
- 3 tbsp butter plus more for your hands
- 10 oz mini marshmallows
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 1 pinch salt
- orange food coloring and candy corn optional, for Halloween
Instructions
- Put the popped popcorn in a very large bowl and remove any unpopped kernels.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat, add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Off the heat, stir in the vanilla, salt and food coloring if using.
- Pour the marshmallow over the popcorn and stir with a buttered spatula until evenly coated. Fold in candy corn if using.
- Cool 1 to 2 minutes, butter your hands and gently press about 1 cup of the mixture into each ball.
- Place on wax paper and let set for 30 minutes before wrapping.
