Halloween Popcorn Balls Recipe
These caramel popcorn balls are a delicious, sweet treat with a rich and buttery caramel drizzle. Perfect for a fun snack or a festive treat, the recipe can be adjusted to make caramel popcorn clusters or shaped into classic popcorn balls.
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Candy thermometer (or cold water for testing)
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula
Ingredients
- For the Popcorn:
- 7 to 9 cups popped popcorn preferably not microwave
- For the Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract added after cooking
Instructions
Prepare the Popcorn:
- Pop the corn (preferably using stovetop or air-popped) and place it in a large mixing bowl, ensuring it is free of unpopped kernels. Set aside.
Make the Caramel Sauce:
- In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, light corn syrup, salt, and butter.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 250°F (hard-ball stage) on a candy thermometer. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test it by dropping a small amount of the mixture into cold water — it should form a hard ball when ready.
- If you prefer a softer caramel for drizzling, you can stop cooking at a slightly lower temperature.
Add the Vanilla:
- Once the caramel reaches the desired temperature, remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract.
Drizzle the Caramel Over Popcorn:
- Pour the caramel sauce in a thin stream over the popped popcorn, stirring constantly to coat the popcorn evenly.
- If you are making caramel popcorn clusters, allow the mixture to cool slightly before handling.
Shape into Balls (Optional):
- If you'd like to make popcorn balls, lightly grease your hands with butter or oil and shape the coated popcorn into balls while the mixture is still warm.
- Let the popcorn balls cool completely on a lined baking sheet.
