• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Short Order Cook

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Food & Fun
  • Products I Love
  • Travel & Dining
  • Meet Angela
    • Bluesky
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Food & Fun
    • Products I Love
    • Travel & Dining
    • Meet Angela
    • Bluesky
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Holidays

    Updated: Sep 19, 2024 · Published: Aug 30, 2021 · by Angela · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    Halloween Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

    Jump to Recipe

    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.

    Halloween Popcorn Balls closeup of orange popcorn balls ready to eat

    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.

    Plate with orange colored popcorn balls with halloween candy corn and marshmallows.

    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.

    Halloween Popcorn Balls ingredients in bowls on the table

    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:

    1. Pop the Popcorn
    2. Melt the Marshmallow Mixture
    3. 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!

    Halloween Popcorn Balls parchment paper clipped to the sheet pan

    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.

    Halloween Popcorn Balls popcorn measured out and some in the big mixing bowl

    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. 

    Halloween Popcorn Balls marshmallows in the pot

    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.

    Halloween Popcorn Balls add colored marshmallow mix to the popcorn

    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.

    Halloween Popcorn Balls closeup of green monster popcorn balls with blue m&ms sprinkles and googly candy eyes

    Here is a quick tutorial if you want a candy corn version with autumn colors of orange, brown, & yellow.

    Adding color to the marshmallow.

    Add orange food coloring to the marshmallow mix.

    Halloween Popcorn Balls candies ready and orange marshmallow added to the popcorn

    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.

    Halloween Popcorn Balls close-up of orange popcorn ball with m&ms and candy corn

    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.

    Halloween Popcorn Balls about a dozen popcorn balls lined up on a parchment paper lined baking sheet

    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!
    Two pictures of different popcorn balls, one green colored with blue candies and candy eyes and an orange halloween candy corn decorated balls.
    Halloween Popcorn Balls featured overhead of popcorn balls on a plate and some to the side with marshmallows and candy corn on the counter

    Halloween Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

    Angela
    Halloween popcorn balls are the easy festive holiday treat that all ages will love. This recipe is for both orange and monster treats. These marshmallow popcorn balls are loaded with fun candies and chocolate - perfect for costume parties & trick or treating.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share on Facebook
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Forming and Rest Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 balls
    Calories 212 kcal

    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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

    Nutritional information will not be exact since each popcorn ball will be different in size, candies, etc. 
    STORING:
    • 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

    Calories: 212kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 138IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.4mg
    Keyword Autumn, candy, chocolate, decorate, dessert, easy, eerie, entertaining, fall, festive, food coloring, fun, green, Halloween, holiday, kid favorite, no bake, orange, party, scary, snacks, spooky, sprinkles, sweet
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More No-Bake Halloween Treats

    Here are similar recipes to try:

    • NUTTER BUTTER GHOST COOKIES
    • WITCH HAT COOKIES
    • PUMPKIN DECORATED PRETZEL TWISTS
    « Keto & Low-Carb Halloween Candy, Treats, & Drinks
    Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #434 »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Andrea Metlika says

      August 30, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      5 stars
      These are so fun and festive! I can't wait to make these with the grandkids.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        August 30, 2021 at 8:51 pm

        Have fun making these popcorn balls for Halloween with your grandkids. I hope they have fun with grandma and you all enjoy them.

        Reply
    2. Alison says

      August 30, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        August 30, 2021 at 8:50 pm

        You have some lucky trick-or-treaters to get these homemade Halloween popcorn balls!

        Reply
    3. Teodora Grujic says

      August 30, 2021 at 3:17 pm

      5 stars
      This is so fun! I can't wait to try it this Halloween!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        August 30, 2021 at 8:49 pm

        Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Jamie says

      August 30, 2021 at 3:21 pm

      5 stars
      I know my niece is going to LOVE making this with me! It's such a fun idea too!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        August 30, 2021 at 8:49 pm

        I love cooking with family. Have fun together and happy Halloween.

        Reply
    5. Megan Ellam says

      August 30, 2021 at 3:42 pm

      5 stars
      These look so great. I have bookmarked it for some fun Halloween cooking. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        August 30, 2021 at 8:49 pm

        thank you for bookmarking it for later. I cannot wait to hear what you try out.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Angela the short order cook on a step stool reaching into the top kitchen cupboard.

    Hi, I'm Angela I’m Angela, a petite mom that loves to cook, eat, drink, & explore all things food. As a former personal chef & caterer, I specialize in family recipes that taste great & are easy to make. I rely on my trusty stool every day to create & test recipes I know you will love.

    More about me →

    This site has links to products/services that may make us a commission. #ad

    Popular

    • Red Velvet Brownies with Cake Mix cut in squares on a counter with white chocolate chips.
      Red Velvet Brownies with Cake Mix
    • Deep Fried Sweet Potato Fries featured close up with dipping sauces on the bottom
      Deep-Fried Sweet Potato Fries
    • 4- Ingredient Key Lime Pie in graham cracker crust topped with whipped cream.
      Easy 4- Ingredient Key Lime Pie
    • Naked Chicken Wings on a plate.
      Naked Chicken Wings
    • How to Cook Turkey Bacon in the Microwave Oven featured
      How to Cook Turkey Bacon in the Microwave Oven
    • Fried Spaghetti with Eggs featured closeup overhead of bowl filled and topped with parmesan and parsley
      Fried Spaghetti with Eggs
    • Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream Overhead two bowls of ice cream and black napkin.
      Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream
    • A set of black pots and pans.
      Best Pots & Pans for Gas Stove
    Try Audible Plus
    Join Amazon Prime - Watch Thousands of Movies & TV Shows Anytime - Start Free Trial Now
    Create an Amazon Wedding Registry
    Shop Amazon - Create an Amazon Baby Registry

    The Short Order Cook LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

    Top Categories

    • Main Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Italian
    • Holidays
    • Southern
    • Recipe Roundups

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Disclosure Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Meet Angela
    • Meet the Family

    Copyright © 2019- 2025 The Short Order Cook LLC, All Rights Reserved. All recipes, original photos, and articles on this site are the property of The Short Order Cook LLC. You are welcome to share an original photo ONLY with an accompanying do-follow link to this site. Publishing any item as if it were your own is prohibited & illegal. The Short Order Cook tests every recipe & never uses AI to create recipes or images.

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read Privacy Policy
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT