These easy Halloween popcorn balls are the perfect treat for any Halloween party or get together. Enjoy them while handing out candy or make them for your neighborhood party! I love a non-candy treat during the spooky season- there can be so much candy that this salty combination is sure to be a hit.
This popcorn ball recipe is the perfect mix of sweet and salty, and they’re so easy to make- if you like to make rice krispie treats you’ll be really familiar with how to put these together! Just a reminder- make sure your kids are old enough to eat popcorn safely before giving them a treat like this.
Recipe Overview: Halloween Popcorn Balls
Ready In: 15-20 minutes.
Serves: 6 people
Main Ingredients: Popcorn, butter, mini marshmallows and ways to decorate them like using oreo cookies and googley eyes!
Why You’ll Love It: These are so cute and perfect as a spooky sweet treat!
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Key Ingredients
- Popcorn- use microwave or airpopped, stovetop, etc.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (you can use salted as well if that’s what you have)
- 1 bag of mini marshmallows
- Food coloring in green and purple
- Decorative accents like sprinkles, black and white icing, oreo cookies, and googley eyes.
Tips and Alternatives
- Put butter on your hands when forming the popcorn balls- this will help it not be as sticky for you!
- If you’re using a vibrant food coloring color like the purple for the bats, consider wearing gloves. Or just know that food coloring does transfer to skin and will require some scrubbing to get off.
- I did try a natural food coloring for the green monsters and it worked well. For more vibrant colors though I’d still recommend using traditional food coloring.
- Try other flavors of popcorn and add candies into them to create different flavors and combinations. Popcorn and m&m’s is a favorite of mine and works perfect for popcorn balls.
How to Make a Halloween Popcorn Ball
Step 1. Pop your popcorn. On low heat, combine your butter and marshmallows in a saucepan or dish on the stove. Stir until combined and googey.
Step 2. Next add your popcorn to the butter and marshmallow mixture. Stir gently and fold in your popcorn. Separate your popcorn mixture into as many bowls as you are planning to make separate ‘creatures’ for.
Step 3. I separated into 3 bowls- one without any food coloring, one I added food coloring and the third I added purple. I prefer the gel food coloring. into as many bowls as you are planning to make separate ‘creatures’ for. I separated into 3 bowls- one without any food coloring, one I added food coloring and the third I added purple. I prefer the gel food coloring.
How to Make Bat Popcorn Balls
To make a bat shape, cut an oreo in half. Using a knife wiggle it around a bit on the side of the popcorn ball to create a small gap. Then place the oreo ‘wing’ in the hole so that it stays in place. Repeat on the other side.
How to Make Mummy or Ghost Popcorn Balls
For the ‘monster,’ I used green food coloring and black icing. This is my royal icing recipe, for detail work like the smile and scar I added a spoonful of powdered sugar to this recipe to thicken it up.
How to Make a Mummy Popcorn Ball
To make a mummy, you don’t need to add any food coloring to your popcorn. Add googley eyes and then drape thick icing (buttercream, royal, any type you prefer) with a wide icing tip around the popcorn balls creating the ‘wrap’.
Halloween Popcorn Balls FAQ
What kind of popcorn should you use to make popcorn balls?
You can use air popped, microwave, or even some bought from a store.
What kind of food coloring works best for popcorn balls?
Gel food coloring works best- it’s easy to use and a little goes a long ways. My favorite brand is Americolor.
How big should each popcorn ball be?
About one cup is a good size to form a popcorn ball.
How long do popcorn balls last?
Store in an airtight container and they should last 5-7 days.
Get the Recipe
Ingredients
- 8-10 cups popcorn (or 1 microwave bag)
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- oz mini marshmallows ((1 bag))
Decorative Details
- 1 tbsp white frosting (royal icing, frosting, or buttercream. Just needs to be thick enough to stick on top of popcorn balls for mummy design. )
- sprinkles, edible candy eyes (as needed)
- 3-4 oreos, cut in half (for bat wings)
- 3-4 drops green and purple food coloring
Equipment
Instructions
Making the Popcorn Balls
- royal icing, frosting, or buttercream. Just needs to be thick enough to stick on top of popcorn balls for mummy design.
- On low heat, combine your butter and marshmallows in a saucepan or dish on the stove. Stir until combined and gooey.
- Add your popcorn to the butter and marshmallow mixture. stir gently and fold in your popcorn.
- Separate your popcorn mixture into as many bowls as you are planning to make separate 'creatures' for. I separated into 3 bowls- one without any food coloring, one I added food coloring and the third I added purple. I prefer the gel food coloring.
- Grease your hands and scoop out about a cup of the mixture, then form into a ball. Set onto parchment paper.
Making a Bat Popcorn Ball
- To make a bat shape, cut an oreo in half. Using a knife wiggle it around a bit on the side of the popcorn ball to create a small gap. Place the oreo 'wing' in the hole so that it stays in place. Repeat on the other side.
Making a Monster Popcorn Ball
- To make a 'monster,' I used green food coloring and black icing. This is my royal icing recipe, for detail work like the smile and scar I added a spoonful of powdered sugar to this recipe to thicken it up.
Making a Mummy Popcorn Ball
- To make a mummy, you don't need to add any food coloring to your popcorn. Add googley eyes and then drape thick icing (buttercream, royal, any type you prefer) with a wide icing tip around the popcorn balls creating the 'wrap'.
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