Halloween Marshmallow Popcorn Balls with M&Ms

Ingredient Notes

• Popcorn: Store-bought popcorn works great for these. If you want to pop your own, pick out every unpopped kernel first. You don’t want to bite into a hard kernel in a chewy popcorn ball. Ouch.
• Sea salt: You’ll need salt only if your popcorn is unsalted. This teaspoon is where the salty half of sweet and salty comes from, so don’t skip it.
• Mini marshmallows: Minis melt quickly and evenly, so the marshmallow gets smooth and doesn’t burn or overcook. This is my trick to keep the popcorn balls soft and chewy instead of firm.
• Halloween M&Ms: I like making these with Halloween M&Ms (the black and orange blend). You can also use Reese’s Pieces or candy corn. Whatever you pick, freeze it first (more on that below).
• Sprinkles: I use a naturally colored Halloween mix with little pumpkins and ghosts. A couple of tablespoons go into the popcorn, and the rest coat the outside of the popcorn balls. Freeze your sprinkles too! This keeps the colors from running into the warm marshmallow.
• Candy eyeballs: These are totally optional, but they make the balls extra spooky and fun.
• Gluten-free: Popcorn is naturally gluten-free. Check the labels on your marshmallows, M&Ms, sprinkles, and candy eyeballs to double-check.

How to Make Halloween Popcorn Balls

The full steps are in the recipe card below. Here’s what to look for along the way.

Step 1: Use your biggest bowl. Ten cups of popcorn needs room to toss without spilling over the sides. If you’re adding salt, toss it in now so it spreads out before the marshmallow goes on.

Step 2: Melt the butter, then add the marshmallows and keep stirring. Pull the pan off the heat as soon as the last lump melts. It should look smooth and glossy, not bubbling. Marshmallow that boils sets up firmer, and you lose that soft chewiness we’re after.

Step 3: Pour the marshmallow over the popcorn right away, while it’s still runny. Fold from the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Keep going until there’s no plain popcorn hiding at the bottom.

Step 4: Wait 2 minutes before adding the candy. This short rest takes a little heat out, so your cold candy stays in one piece. You want whole, shiny M&Ms, not streaks.

Step 5: Time to shape! Grease or wet your hands first, or the marshmallow will stick to you instead of the popcorn. I use a ¼ cup cookie scoop so every ball comes out the same size. That matters when you’re handing them out to a room full of kids! Press until the ball holds together when you open your hand.

Step 6: Roll each ball in the sprinkles while it’s still a little tacky, so they stick. Press on the candy eyeballs last. Let them set on the parchment for about 20 minutes, until they hold their shape when picked up.