Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

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!

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

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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?!

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.

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