Every Spring when the blossoms start bursting forth on the trees, I get the song “Popcorn Popping” stuck in my head. Did you grow up singing that one too? Anyway, it always reminds me that it has been ages since the last time I made popcorn balls! These marshmallow popcorn balls are super easy and fun to make and my girls are always begging to help. A single batch makes about 8-9 popcorn balls, but if you happen to be making them for a party you can have lots of fun making different colors and flavors. These popcorn balls are one of our kids’ favorites treats. Be sure to check out these other reader-favorite kid-pleasers: Layered Rainbow Jello, S’mores Snack Mix, and Easy Flower Pretzel Bites. Sometimes when I make layered rainbow jello, I have to buy the larger size boxes of jello in order to get specific colors and will have half the package leftover. These easy marshmallow popcorn balls are the perfect way to use those up because it takes 1 small package or ½ of a larger package of gelatin mix to color and flavor a batch of popcorn balls. If you don’t want fruity popcorn balls at all, you can omit the jello altogether and just do plain white popcorn balls, dye them with food coloring (affiliate link), or decorate the popcorn balls with sprinkles, M&M’s, etc. But we love the fun, fruity flavor of the jello popcorn balls, especially cherry, grape, and lime. You can literally make these for almost any holiday though, not just Easter. Use berry blue, cherry, and a batch of plain marshmallow popcorn balls for a 4th of July party, or lime and raspberry for Christmas. It’s totally up to you.
How to Make Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
Start by popping lots and lots of popcorn. You can use an air-popper if you have one, which does speed things up a bit since it’s so hands off, but I prefer stovetop popcorn. You need about 11-12 cups of popcorn for each batch of popcorn balls. Melt butter in a large heavy duty pot. I think a heavy duty pan like a dutch oven is perfect for making treats like this because the marshmallows don’t scorch on the sides like with a thinner pan. I tried making these in the microwave once, but it made a gigantic mess, so I always stick to heating the butter and melting the marshmallows on the stovetop. Once the butter is melted, stir in a 10-ounce package of miniature marshmallows and a 3-ounce box of flavored gelatin, along with 1 tablespoon of water. Cook and stir over medium heat just until the marshmallows are completely melted, then remove from the heat. Add the popcorn and stir with a wooden spoon until all of the popcorn is coated in the gooey, sticky marshmallow mixture. The next part gets messy, but it’s lots of fun. Rub your hands with a little butter so the popcorn doesn’t stick to them and scoop about 1 cup of the mixture out, shaping it and pressing it into a compact ball then setting it on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper while you form the remaining popcorn balls. Be careful as the melted marshmallow mixture might be hot, especially on little hands if your kids are helping you! It helps to spray a measuring cup with cooking spray and using it to scoop out evenly-proportioned marshmallow popcorn balls. You may need to re-butter your hands partway through the process. If the popcorn balls aren’t holding their shape very well, give them a few minutes to cool, then squeeze them together again. These easy marshmallow popcorn balls are best fresh or eaten within a day or two. They are especially fun wrapped up in cellophane and given out individually for a special treat that kids will love!
More Fun Dessert Recipes
Puppy Chow (aka Chex Mix Muddy Buddies) Soft Funfetti Whoopie Pies Best Homemade Granola Bars Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bars Grandpa Johnson’s Easy Homemade Rocky Road Fudge Easy Caramel Pecan Brownies Twix Caramel Popcorn
Churro Popcorn
Classic Nanaimo Bars
Easy S’mores Popcorn Balls
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