Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 140 g popcorn, popped
- 280 g confectioners' sugar
- 65 g marshmallows
- 248 g corn syrup
- 57 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml water, cold
- 3 g salt
- food coloring
Optional Mix-ins
- candies or sprinkles
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 106 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 59 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 5 mg
- Potassium
- 22 mg
- Calcium
- 1 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 9 mg
- Phosphorus
- 23 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 20 mcg
- Water
- 11 g
- Caffeine
- 4 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 93°C (200°F) and place the popped popcorn on a sheet pan inside to keep warm.
Combine confectioners' sugar, marshmallows, corn syrup, butter, water, salt, and food coloring in a medium saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows melt and the texture is smooth.
Place the warm popcorn in a large mixing bowl and pour the hot marshmallow syrup over it.
Stir the popcorn with a spatula until every kernel is evenly coated with the syrup.
Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes until it is cool enough to handle safely.
Grease your hands with butter and compress 120ml (1/2 cup) portions of the mixture into balls.
Place the balls on a parchment-lined pan to cool completely, then wrap each in plastic wrap.
Chef's Notes
- Discard unpopped kernels before adding the syrup to avoid dental injury.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Popcorn balls are falling apart
Cause: The mixture cooled too much before shaping or was not compressed firmly enough.
Fix: Briefly warm the mixture in the oven at 93°C (200°F) for 2-3 minutes to soften the syrup.
Prevention: Shape the balls while the mixture is still warm and use firm pressure.
Cultural Context
Popcorn balls are a quintessential American treat, particularly popular during autumn harvest festivals, Halloween, and holiday gatherings. Their simple ingredients and festive appearance make them a beloved homemade confection, often associated with childhood memories and community events.
