Made with mini-marshmallows and decorated with sprinkles and M&Ms, my Christmas popcorn balls are the gooey, fun popcorn balls that you remember, and they are so easy to make! I use a little corn syrup mixed with butter and marshmallows, then add some popped corn. You can have these cute little popcorn balls ready in about an hour!
Do y’all love popcorn balls? I remember my mother making these when I was a kid. She made chocolate popcorn balls, which were my favorite. But these Christmas ones are so cute, and I love using different decorations, like red and green M&Ms or just red and green sprinkles. You can also add some drops of food coloring to turn the balls red or green.
I like to serve these marshmallow popcorn balls on a dessert table with other Christmas desserts like my Red Velvet Cake Cookies, Chocolate Covered Ritz Crackers, and Reindeer Sugar Cookies. And I love having goody bags filled with my English Butter Toffee. Serve alongside Mistletoe Margaritas or Gingerbread White Russian, and you have a perfect Christmas dessert party.
Testing results for
- We tried making popcorn balls without marshmallows, but we prefer the texture and taste with marshmallows.
- We tested this recipe with microwave popcorn, and our tasters overwhelmingly preferred regular popcorn. I just recently treated myself to this Dash popcorn maker on Black Friday and absolutely love it! It makes popping corn so easy, and the cleanup and counter space needed are minimal.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Popped popcorn: Go ahead and pop the corn before you get started, and give it time to cool off. Don’t add salt or butter to your popcorn.
Light corn syrup: I know corn syrup is the villain these days, but it’s necessary for this recipe to help the popcorn stick together.
Mini-marshmallows: You could probably use big marshmallows and cut them up if that’s all you have.
Christmas candies/sprinkles: I like using red and green M&Ms and red and green sprinkles, but you can really use anything you like in this recipe.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
Join Southern Food and Fun Community group
and Southern Potluck group!
And please follow us on social media:
Christmas Popcorn Balls with Marshmallows
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10-12 cups freshly popped popcorn
- ¼ cup butter (salted or unsalted is fine – if using salted decrease the amount of salt to taste).
- ⅓ cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup mini-marshmallows
- 1/4-1/2 cup sugar (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt (less if using salted butter).
- Christmas candies/sprinkles
Instructions
- Pop 10-12 cups freshly popped popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. Cover to keep it warm. You can even stick the bowl in a warming oven or drawer. Warm popcorn helps prevent the syrup from cooling too quickly.
- In a medium sauce pan, combine1/4 cup butter (salted or unsalted is fine – if using salted decrease the amount of salt to taste).r, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, and 1 cup mini-marshmallows. If the syrup is not sweet enough for your liking you can add 1/4-1/2 cup sugar (optional) starting with 1/4 cup. You can use a thermometer if you want it up to “candy” consistency and bring the syrup to 235 degrees.
- Remove syrup from heat and add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon salt (less if using salted butter)..
- Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and mix well. Coat your hands with butter or oil, or grab some food-safe gloves, and start forming the popcorn mixture into balls. Don't compress the balls too much, which makes them hard to eat; however, you need to form them firmly enough that they will stick together.
- While the popcorn ball is still warm and sticky either sprinkle over or roll ball in candies. Gently press the candies to the balls to help them adhere.
Notes
- For the best texture, use freshly popped popcorn, as stale popcorn can make the balls chewy.
- Lightly butter or spray your hands before shaping to prevent sticking, and be careful not to over-compress the popcorn balls so they remain light and airy. The corn syrup and marshmallow mixture gets very hot, so handle with caution when pouring and mixing.
- You can adjust the sugar to taste depending on how sweet you like your popcorn balls. Adding vanilla and salt at the end enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Work quickly when forming balls because the syrup hardens as it cools. Decorate with candies or sprinkles while the balls are still warm for the best adhesion. Let the popcorn balls cool completely before storing them in an airtight container to maintain freshness. I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap so they don’t stick together in the container.
- These treats are perfect for gifting, holiday parties, or enjoying as a fun, festive snack at home.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
We found that wrapping the balls individually with plastic wrap (or wax paper or parchment if you don’t use plastic wrap) helps prevent them from sticking together. Then place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature.
While technically the marshmallow popcorn balls will last about a week, they are best eaten the day they are made. After a couple of days, the popcorn will start to taste stale. But kids generally don’t care and eat them anyway!
Stir frequently and cook slowly to avoid scorching the syrup. You can cook until the marshmallows are all melted and the syrup is blended, or use a thermometer and cook until the soft-ball candy stage.
Nothing’s worse than biting into a popcorn ball and chomping down on a popcorn kernel. I like to pour my popcorn out onto a large baking sheet or piece of parchment paper so it’s easy to see and pick out any unpopped kernels.
Scoop up the syrup-coated popcorn and form it into loose balls without compacting it too much. If you compress the balls too much, they will be hard to bite into. The popcorn will be hot right after you pour the syrup on, but it cools quickly so you have to work fast.
Coat your hands with butter or oil before you start shaping the popcorn balls.
You can, but the balls will not stay together as well.
