Popcorn Ball Recipe

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Crunchy and sweet, these nostalgic Popcorn Balls are so easy to make in minutes. A fun treat for the holiday season.

Prep Time10

Cook Time6

Cooling Time:10

Total Time26

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kellie

Cost: $5

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
In a lightly greased roasting pan, spread out the popcorn and warm in the oven while you make the sugar mix.
Cook the sugar mixture. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue cooking at a low boil for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 235°F–240°F on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage), if using a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the vanilla, followed by the baking soda.
Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla completely, this action may cause some bubbling.
Add in the baking soda, stirring completely.
Remove the pan of popcorn from the oven. Pour the mixture over the warmed popcorn.
Using a wooden spoon/spatula, mix the sugar mixture with the popcorn, about 2 minutes. Once combined, allow the mixture to cool, 2-3 minutes.
Set a parchment lined cookie sheet to the side.
To form the balls, grease your hands with cooking spray or softened butter and grab a large handful (about palm size) and press firmly to form the popcorn mixture into a ball. (If the balls don’t come together right away, put the glazed popcorn back into the oven for 2 minutes, rest for 1 minute and restart molding. Sometimes the mixture cools quickly.)
Place each ball on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet to set, approximately 10 minutes.
Serve at your next Movie Night!

Once the mixture is covered in the sugar coating, its important to let it set for at least 2 minutes. Since the pan was in the oven, it will keep the mixture pliable to mold into a ball.
Use caution when molding, some spots might* have a few pieces of sugar mix that will still be hot to the touch.
Popcorn: Plain popcorn works best. Remove any unpopped kernels before beginning. If you're using salted popcorn, reduce or omit the added kosher salt.
Shaping: Work while the popcorn mixture is warm and pliable. If it cools too quickly and won't hold together, return it to the 250°F oven for 2 minutes, rest for 1 minute and continue shaping.
Storage: Cool completely before wrapping each popcorn ball individually. Store in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within a few days for the best texture.
Candy thermometer: If using a candy thermometer, cook the syrup to 235°F–240°F, the soft-ball stage. This helps the popcorn balls hold together while keeping the coating from becoming too hard.