Halloween Popcorn Balls

These Halloween Popcorn Balls are so much fun to make with kids. Loaded with Reese's candies, marshmallows, and pretzels for a bit of crunch and of course some candy eyes for extra Halloween fun! Perfect for party favors too!

5 from 6 votes

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Course: Snacks to Share

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 5

Additional Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: popcorn balls

Author: Jennifer Stewart

Equipment

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter salted
40 marshmallows regular or 4 cups of mini marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 cups of freshly popped popcorn ½ cup of kernels or the equivalent of
1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces candies divided
1/2 cup Reese’s Peanut candies divided
1 cup pretzel sticks broken into 1/4 inch pieces
Candy Eyes optional

Instructions

Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter and set it aside.
Pop popcorn according to machine instructions and place it in the buttered 9x13
baking dish. Or use ready-made popcorn.
In a large pot or dutch oven melt butter on medium-low heat.
Once the butter is melted add the marshmallows mixing occasionally until melted
evenly.
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.
Stir to combine.
Carefully add the marshmallow mixture to the popcorn, pretzels, and half the candy while using a buttered silicone spatula to mix. (It will be very sticky!)
When the mixture is cool enough to handle, generously butter clean hands or use non-stick spray and divide the popcorn into 12 equal sections. (You can also separate it in the pan by cutting squares with a knife)
Take each section and form it into a ball.
Return the ball to the buttered baking dish and continue until all balls are formed.
Place balls on a sheet of wax paper and add the remaining candy and candy eyeballs to decorate.
Allow to cool and enjoy!

Notes

You can use store bought popcorn but making it homemade is the best. Here is a great recipe for popping popcorn. If you use microwave popcorn, it will take two 3.5 ounce bags. Be sure to use plain!

You can freeze the popcorn kernels to help them pop. Be sure to remove any unpopped popcorn kernels before forming balls.

Chop or break the pretzel sticks into smaller pieces for easier mixing. You can also use the mini twists and break them up too.

An easy tip for removing them is to pour the popcorn over a cooling rack. The unpopped kernels will fall through leaving the popped pieces on top.

If you use nonstick spray on your hands you might need to spray your hands multiple times while forming the balls to keep them from sticking to the marshmallow.

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