Popcorn Balls

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Snap, Crackle, Pop! Time to ring in the New Year with some delicious treats to devour! I made these Popcorn Balls for Christmas, yet they can be whipped up for any occasion. Simple ingredients, minimal preparation time and cheap ingredients are used. 

While making this, I did find that the temperature needs to be exactly 260 degrees, so make sure to use a candy thermometer. Otherwise the batch will become too hard and the popcorn balls will not be edible. 

This is a fun, family oriented, and kid friendly recipe, where everyone can get involved. Some advice, the mixture is sticky, so remember to coat your hands in cooking spray before forming the popcorn balls. I am curious to see if you have any tips to making these? My batch did turn out stiffer than I wanted, and I know that was because I did not get the temperature exact. This is a recipe you will have to follow precisely, but the outcome is worth it! 

Enjoy these fun, festive and yummy Popcorn Balls to ring in the New Year! 

 Ingredients: Sugar, popped popcorn, M&M’s, corn syrup, vinegar, butter and vanilla extract 

  Combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar in a heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved

Continue cooking without stirring until mixture reaches 260ºF on a candy thermometer, 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and butter, mixing until butter has melted

 Pour mixture over popcorn and stir to coat

 Let stand for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture has cooled slightly

 Grease hands with cooking spray and form mixture into 12 balls, each 2 1/2 to 3 inches

Press M&M’s into each ball

 Allow to cool on lined baking sheet

Table of Contents

Ingredients

  • 2 bags of popcorn
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 
  • 1 cup red and green M&M’s 

Directions

  1.  Place popcorn in a large bowl.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper. Combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar in a heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
  3. Continue cooking without stirring until mixture reaches 260ºF on a candy thermometer, 12 to 15 minutes.
  4. Remove pan from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and butter, mixing until butter has melted.
  5. Pour mixture over popcorn and stir to coat. Let stand for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture has cooled slightly.
  6. Grease hands with cooking spray and form mixture into 12 balls, each 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Press M&M’s into each ball.
  7. Allow to cool on lined baking sheet.

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