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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

    By: Jessica · Posted: Oct 24, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe 17 comments
    5 from 42 votes
    Easy marshmallow popcorn balls recipe

    Marshmallow Popcorn Balls: These simple and delicious popcorn balls come together in minutes for the perfect snack or sweet treat, using only simple ingredients that you may already have on hand!

    Quick Overview: In only 20 minutes, you’ll have these delicious popcorn balls ready for eating! Whether that’s for a Halloween treat or just for a quick dessert!

    These simple and delicious popcorn balls come together in minutes for the perfect snack or sweet treat.

     

    Let me start out by saying, I love to make any type of popcorn recipe.

    Plain, buttered, sweet, or savory I will take it all. So naturally, I was very excited for the opportunity to pull together a delicious and simple marshmallow popcorn ball recipe to share with you all.

    Love easy vintage snacks like this one? Try this old-fashioned peanut brittle next.

    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
    • Popcorn Balls without Corn Syrup
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
    • Variations
    • How long are popcorn balls good for?
    • So Many Reasons to Make Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
    • Want More Portable Treats?
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Hey Fantabulosity readers, it’s Meg again popping in from Meg’s Everyday Indulgence with another fun and delicious recipe to share with you all.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • They’re made without corn syrup! So if you want to do without that, you can use marshmallows that don’t have corn syrup!
    • Made with marshmallows and other ingredients that you probably already have on hand! (We love anything “marshmallow”, especially this marshmallow fruit dip!)
    • They’re fun to make with the kiddos.

    Popcorn Balls without Corn Syrup

    What I also love about this recipe, is that it doesn’t use corn syrup. Most marshmallows have corn syrup but if you get marshmallows such as Dandies All Natural Marshmallows, the ingredients do not list corn syrup.

    Ingredients

    Let’s start by discussing these Popcorn Balls’ ridiculously easy ingredient list.

    Ingredients You’ll Need:

    • Plain popped popcorn
    • Butter
    • Marshmallows
    • Kosher salt
    • Pure vanilla extract
    ingredients on the table for popcorn balls

    How to Make Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

    First, you need to pop your popcorn. I used my air popper to pop the popcorn and ended up needing about ½ cup of popcorn kernels.

    You can also pop your kernels on the stovetop or even use plain microwave popcorn.

    You’ll need 16 cups of popcorn for the recipe, and once the popcorn is popped, make sure to remove any unpopped kernels.

    This step may seem tedious but you don’t want to bite into a hard kernel while enjoying your popcorn ball.

    Set the popcorn aside.

    Marshmallows + Butter

    Next up, melt the butter and marshmallows in a large stockpot. Make sure it’s big enough to hold all your popcorn which you’ll be adding in a minute. (Image 1 below.)

    Once the butter and marshmallows are melted together, (Image 2 below) remove from the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla extract. (Image 3 below.)

    Stir in the popcorn. Keep stirring to ensure every piece is coated in marshmallowy goodness.

    Let it cool for a few minutes, until it’s a good temperature for you to handle with your hands. This next step is vital in your popcorn ball success.

    step by step collage of making marshmallow popcorn balls

    Shape into Popcorn Balls

    Spray your hands well with nonstick cooking spray. Otherwise, you will end up with a huge sticky mess on your hands.

    Measure out 1 cup of the mixture and roll into a ball. (Image 6 below.)

    how to shape marshmallow popcorn balls

    Place on parchment paper and keep moving until all your popcorn mixture has been used up. (See image below.)
    You will probably need to respray your hands a few times throughout the process.

    popcorn balls on parchment paper on baking sheet

    Variations

    You can simply serve your popcorn balls as they are or you can jazz them up in several different ways.

    The easiest way to fancy them up is to add a long, festive toothpick. I grabbed these cute picks at Hobby Lobby and they came in a pack with a variety of fun, bright colors.

    These simple and delicious popcorn balls come together in minutes for the perfect snack or sweet treat.

    Another cute option that would be a huge hit with adults and kids alike, sprinkles! After you’ve shaped your popcorn balls, roll them in sprinkles. You can make them festive for any holiday or event.

    My last fun idea to make these a little extra special involves food coloring. Mix in food coloring after melting the butter and marshmallows to make these popcorn balls any color you want.

    Can’t you see cute little pink or red popcorn balls wrapped in cellophane for a fun Valentine’s surprise?!

    marshmallow popcorn balls on table

    How long are popcorn balls good for?

    It can vary but if stored well, in an airtight container, they should be good for up to 5 days!

    So Many Reasons to Make Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

    There are so many reasons to make these popcorn balls. My kids were more than happy to be my little taste testers on this recipe for their after-school snack.

    They would also be a really fun and different option for a bake sale or potluck at school or church. I always love it when there is something besides the typical cookies or brownies to choose from.

    Make them festive, wrap them in cellophane, and add them to the kids’ Easter baskets for a delicious homemade addition.

    popcorn balls on white table cloth

    Want More Portable Treats?

    If you are looking for more delicious, portable sweets like these marshmallow popcorn balls, you have to try this cookie dough fudge, hot chocolate muddy buddies, caramel corn, and chocolate + peanut butter energy bites.

    Recipe

    marshmallow popcorn balls on white background

    Easy Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

    Jessica Burgess
    These simple and delicious marshmallow popcorn balls come together in minutes for the perfect snack or sweet treat.
    5 from 42 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 popcorn balls
    Calories 209 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 16 cups popped popcorn (½ cup kernels) Here is how to pop popcorn!
    • 10 ounces mini marshmallows 6 cups
    • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • Nonstick spray

    Instructions
     

    • Go through popcorn and remove any unpopped kernels. Set aside. Lay a rectangle of parchment on the counter.
    • Heat a large pot (big enough for the popcorn) over medium low heat. Add butter and marshmallows. Stir until melted.
    • Remove from heat and stir in kosher salt and vanilla extract.
    • Add popcorn to pot and stir until completely coated. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.
    • Spray hands well with nonstick spray. Measure out a cup of the popcorn mixture. Roll into a ball.
    • Set on prepared parchment. Repeat until you have used all the popcorn. Store in an airtight container.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1ball | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 209IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords halloween treats, popcorn balls, popcorn recipe
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

      5 from 42 votes (37 ratings without comment)

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    1. Heather says

      December 29, 2024 at 7:29 pm

      5 stars
      Easy to follow, tasty recipe! I made it using seasonal maple-flavored marshmallows (Dandies) it was delicious! The maple leant it a more caramel flavor and we really enjoyed it! Love this alternative to crispy rice treats or more labor-intensive real caramel. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 31, 2024 at 9:05 am

        Oh that all sounds amazing, thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Vanessa Mckay says

      December 20, 2023 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      It was a perfect recipe, just the right amount of all the ingredients!! They were a big hit!! I rolled mine in Nerds candy which gave them an extra tangy crunch!

      Reply
    3. Pennie says

      October 31, 2023 at 10:23 am

      One popcorn ball does not have 1127 calories

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        November 01, 2023 at 8:50 am

        Thank you for the heads up Pennie. The nutrition numbers were off for some reason and this has been updated.

        Reply
    4. Barbara says

      October 31, 2023 at 9:56 am

      5 stars
      Made these for my grandchildren for Halloween Came out good

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        November 01, 2023 at 8:46 am

        I’m so happy that you liked these popcorn balls, thank you so much!

        Reply
    5. Deb says

      October 29, 2023 at 9:08 am

      Great recipe! I thought it would take much longer to make.

      Reply
    6. Michelle says

      December 06, 2022 at 9:15 pm

      Can you sub the butter for coconut oil? Or something else to make it dairy free?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 08, 2022 at 1:33 pm

        Hhi Michelle! I haven’t tried that but if you do, I’d love to hear how they turn out. Have you ever tried the Country Crock plant butter? I’ve been really impressed with that, so you may try that! (The sticks, not the spreadable.)

        Reply
    7. Julie Leonard says

      November 09, 2022 at 7:30 pm

      I love love this recipe ❤️my Mom used to make popcorn balls like this❤️ I was given a giant bag of movie theater popcorn❤️ OMG😉 make this recipe with movie theater popcorn😁 it will blow your mind🤣 thank you for the recipe❤️

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        November 10, 2022 at 10:13 am

        Oh my goodness, Julie! Making these with movie theater popcorn sounds amazing!! Thank you for sharing and for taking the time to share that with us!

        Reply
    8. Rosalie says

      June 24, 2022 at 1:26 am

      5 stars
      Wow….these are so good and easy. Thank you so much.
      How far in advance do you think I can make them?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        June 24, 2022 at 6:35 pm

        Thank you Rosalie! So glad that you liked these popcorn balls too! Ooooh, good question. If stored well, in an airtight container, they should be good for up to 5 days… but honestly, we think they’re better if eaten closer to when they were made.

        Reply
    9. Veronica says

      September 11, 2021 at 11:50 pm

      Question?? What marshmallows are you all using?? I have been to 3 of our local grocery stores and cannot find them made without high fructose corn syrup??!! Thank you in advance!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        September 12, 2021 at 11:54 am

        Hi Veronica! Have you tried these marshmallows without corn syrup?

        Reply
    10. Kim Beaulieu says

      April 18, 2021 at 8:33 pm

      5 stars
      These were amazing!!!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! - Owner and Creator of the blog and brand, Fantabulosity.

    I’m here to teach you how to make quick and easy recipes, using simple ingredients, that your family will love.

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