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Best Ever Popcorn Balls

These popcorn balls are sweet, crunchy, irresistible treats to share and enjoy.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 20 people
Calories 3400.8 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl For combining popcorn and syrup mixture.
  • 1 Saucepan Medium-sized for cooking the syrup.
  • 1 Heatproof Spatula or Whisk For stirring the syrup and tossing the popcorn.
  • 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons For accurate ingredient measurement.
  • 1 Cooking Spray Essential for greasing hands to prevent sticking while shaping.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 5 quarts plain popped popcorn
  • ¾ cup light corn syrup
  • ¼ cup butter or margarine
  • 2 teaspoons cold water
  • 2 ⅝ cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 cup marshmallows
  • cooking spray

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients. Place popped popcorn into a large bowl. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Combine corn syrup, butter, water, confectioners' sugar, and marshmallows in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat and stir until the marshmallows have melted and the mixture comes to a boil. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Carefully pour hot marshmallow mixture over popcorn and toss together to coat each kernel evenly. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Grease hands with cooking spray and quickly shape coated popcorn into balls before it cools too much to shape. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Wrap balls with cellophane or plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Serve and enjoy! Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

Timing is crucial for successful popcorn balls. Ensure all ingredients are pre-measured and ready. The marshmallow-syrup mixture cools and hardens quickly, so be prepared to work fast when shaping the balls. Thoroughly grease your hands with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking and make shaping easier. For enhanced flavor, a pinch of fine sea salt added to the syrup can balance the sweetness. Consider adding a few drops of vanilla extract to the syrup for an aromatic boost. Ensure your popcorn is fresh and fully popped, removing any unpopped kernels beforehand to avoid hard surprises in the finished product. To prevent them from sticking together, wrap each ball individually.