These fun, freaky, & festive Halloween Marshmallow Popcorn Balls are the easy holiday treat that all ages will love. They are sticky, gooey, and packed with candies.
Why this Popcorn Candy Balls with Marshmallows Recipe is Amazing: My recipe is not just one, but TWO Halloween treat ideas; a silly green monster eye popcorn ball and a colorful orange candy corn popcorn ball design.
Grab your friends and family members because everyone will want to help make, shape, decorate --- and of course, eat these.
Ingredients
For this Halloween popcorn ball recipe, you will need freshly popped white popcorn to start. Plus a few items to act as the sticky colored melted marshmallow "glue" to hold them together.
Then the fun items are left - your favorite Halloween candies. Start with candy coated pieces, candy corn, sprinkles, & go crazy. You can also leave out the food coloring and make white ghost popcorn balls with just some fun CANDY EYES added.
Here are the ingredients needed to make this recipe:
- White Popcorn Kernels - freshly pop them, don't used already popped corn for best results.
- Salted Butter - to help melt down the marshmallows.
- Mini Marshmallows - slowly melted for the chewy & sticky texture that holds the balls together in the round shape.
- Gel Food Coloring - blue, orange, green, purple, - any color will work.
- Candy - candy corn, M&Ms, Reese's Pieces, etc.
- Sprinkles - fun colors.
- Candy Eyes - the silly edible eyeball are great for a scary, ghoulish, & creepy aesthetic.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Popcorn Balls
Because the nature of this recipe is very sticky, having the right equipment ready before you begin is key. You will need cooking spray and parchment paper to deal with the gooey texture.
Here are the easy steps for making this recipe:
- Pop the Popcorn
- Melt the Marshmallow Mixture
- Mix & Form the Popcorn Balls
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
Begin by prepping a large baking sheet with some parchment paper. Hold it in place by fastening a binder clip on the pan edge - viola!
1 - Pop the Popcorn
Pop your popcorn using your preferred method. You will want 10 cups of unsalted popcorn for this recipe.
Add it to a very large mixing bowl. You will want enough room to add more ingredients in later steps.
2 - Melt the Marshmallow Mixture
On the stovetop on medium-low heat melt the butter in a large pot. Once the butter has melted, add the marshmallows. Using a rubber spatula, stir constantly until it is all melted together. Turn immediately to the lowest setting once it is smooth.
Once it is melted, the food coloring will need to be added quickly and stirred in. If you are making both, pour ½ of the marshmallow mixture into a bowl.
3 - Mix & Form the Popcorn Balls
Using a rubber spatula, mix one or each colored marshmallow mix into the bowl of popcorn & stir. Immediately add desired candies - except eyeballs, those work best on the exterior of the balls.
Once mixed, sprayed your hands with the cooking spray. Grab a handfull or mixture & shape into a ball by pressing firmly together to get each to stick.
Sprinkle on any additional sprinkles or candies to have some show on the outside - eyeballs are my favorite! Once formed, place each on the parchment paper to set.
Here is a quick tutorial if you want a candy corn version with autumn colors of orange, brown, & yellow.
Add orange food coloring to the marshmallow mix.
Mix in Reese's pieces & candy corn for a full fall harvest look to the popcorn balls.
After about 20-30 minutes, the Halloween popcorn balls will be ready to eat. They will be chewy, sticky, sweet, and rich.
Serving Suggestions
These are best to eat on the same day. So if you are having a Halloween party and making treats for the kids, make the popcorn balls the same day you want to enjoy them.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 Tip - work fast so you can get them shaped before they cool.
- Make sure to spray your hands with cooking spray so your hands do not stick when shaping the balls.
- If you wish to make these for bake sales or need to wrap them individually, use parchment paper, gather at the top, & tie close with a fun ribbon or string.
- Be warned - when kids help they will eat the candies so buy extra or you may not have any eyeballs make it onto the balls?
- What candies did you add - leave a comment below & let me know!
Halloween Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
Equipment
- popcorn maker
- sheet pan
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- ½ Cup unpopped white popcorn kernels ( for a total of 10 c popped popcorn)
- ¼ Cup salted butter
- 10 ounce mini marshmallows
- ½ Cup candy corn
- ½ Cup M&M candie
- 2 Tablespoons sprinkles
- gel food coloring - green, red, & yellow
- Wilton's candy eyes
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Fasten a binder clip on the pan edge to hold it down as seen above.
- Pop your popcorn using your preferred method. You will want 10 cups of unsalted white popcorn for this recipe.Add it to a large mixing bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Use a bowl large enough that will hold all the ingredients including the added candies you will be using. If you are making two kinds, divide into two sprayed mixing bowls.
- On the stovetop on medium-low heat melt the butter in a large pot. Once the butter has melted, add the marshmallows. Using a rubber spatula, stir constantly until it is all melted together. Turn immediately to the lowest setting once it is smooth.
- Once it is melted, the food coloring will need to be added quickly and stirred in. You can make one or both of these two Halloween-themed popcorn ball ideas. If you are making both, pour ½ of the marshmallow mixture into a bowl. Then to the bowl add the green food coloring. Stir to combine. To the remaining marshmallow in the pot, add equal amounts of red and yellow to make orange. Stir to combine.
- To make monster popcorn balls, use the green-colored melted marshmallow mixture. Add this to the popcorn and then quickly add the candies you will be using for this. I used ¼ c blue M&Ms and sprinkles.To make orange or pumpkin-themed popcorn balls, use the orange melted marshmallow mixture. Add this to the popcorn and then quickly add the candy corn & ¼ C M&Ms.
- Spray your hands with the cooking spray before forming the balls. Grab a handful of the popcorn mixture & shape each into a ball. Be sure to press together with both hands firmly to make the popcorn balls as tight as possible. For the Monster balls, sprinkle a few additional sprinkles on the outside as well. Finally, add the eyeball candies from Wilton’s and press firmly.
- Once all were formed, they go on the parchment paper to set. They may start to fall apart and the chocolate candies may melt a bit. That is ok, as they cool go back with your sprayed hands and press them back together. After about 20-30 minutes, the Halloween popcorn balls will be ready to eat. Enjoy!
- These are best to eat the same day. However, to store leftover popcorn balls, place them in an air-tight container in a single layer with parchment sheets between layers if you need to stack them. They will keep for up to 2 days.
Notes
- To store leftover popcorn balls, place them in an air-tight container in a single layer with parchment sheets between layers if you need to stack them. This will ensure they do not stick together. They will keep for up to 2 days.
- I do NOT recommend freezing them.
Nutrition
More No-Bake Halloween Treats
Here are similar recipes to try:
Andrea Metlika says
These are so fun and festive! I can't wait to make these with the grandkids.
Angela says
Have fun making these popcorn balls for Halloween with your grandkids. I hope they have fun with grandma and you all enjoy them.
Alison says
These are so fun and cute! I love the monster themed ones. I think I'll make them as a treat to pass out to our trick-or-treaters this year!
Angela says
You have some lucky trick-or-treaters to get these homemade Halloween popcorn balls!
Teodora Grujic says
This is so fun! I can't wait to try it this Halloween!
Angela says
Enjoy!
Jamie says
I know my niece is going to LOVE making this with me! It's such a fun idea too!
Angela says
I love cooking with family. Have fun together and happy Halloween.
Megan Ellam says
These look so great. I have bookmarked it for some fun Halloween cooking. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Angela says
thank you for bookmarking it for later. I cannot wait to hear what you try out.