How to Make Popcorn Balls

This guide takes you through the step-by-step process of making tasty popcorn balls. You'll only need a few basic ingredients and the process is easy and fun, making it a great activity for kids and adults alike. Popcorn balls make sweet treats for any holiday or special occasion.
How to Make Popcorn Balls Tips
1. Pop the popcorn directly before you begin making the balls. Fresh popcorn will result in better-tasting popcorn balls.
2. Form the popcorn balls while the liquid mixture is still hot.
3. For an easier formation process, grease your hands with vegetable shortening before forming the popcorn balls.
4. Pack the popcorn balls loosely. If they are packed too tightly, they will be difficult to eat.
5. For colored popcorn balls, add a few drops of food coloring to the liquid mixture before forming them.

Introduction
- Popcorn balls are commonly associated with Halloween and the holiday season, but they can be enjoyed year-round. These delightful desserts are ideal for any celebration, but you don't need a special occasion to make them. The process of making popcorn balls is perfect for kids, making it a fun family activity.
What You'll Need
- You don't need a lot of ingredients or equipment to make popcorn balls. This recipe will make about 20 average-sized popcorn balls. You can halve or double the recipe for more or less depending on your needs.
- Ingredients
  - 2/3 cup popcorn kernels
  - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  - 1 cup sugar
  - 2 tablespoons butter
  - 1/4 cup molasses
  - 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  - 3/4 tablespoon salt
  - 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- Equipment
  - Large saucepan with lid
  - Small saucepan
  - Spoon
  - Spatula
  - Parchment paper
  - Plastic wrap
Step 1: Pop the Popcorn
- Before you begin making the popcorn balls, you must first pop the popcorn kernels.
1. Pour the vegetable oil into a saucepan. You can also use any other oil that has a high smoking point,GoodEatsFanPage.com: Oil Smoke Points such as soybean, olive or sunflower oil.PureZing: Healthiest Oils
2. Set the stove burner to medium heat.
3. Tilt the pan so the oil completely covers the sides and bottom. This will keep the kernels from sticking to the pan.
4. Place a few kernels in the pan. If they pop, the pan is hot enough to proceed. If these test kernels don't pop, wait until the pan heats up a bit more.Cookography.com: Stovetop Popcorn
5. Pour all the kernels into the pan.
6. Put the lid on the pan. Tilt the lid slightly to allow steam to vent from the pan.Chowhound.com: Popping Your Own Popcorn
7. Shake the pan gently from left to right so the heat reaches all the kernels. This also ensures that the oil will coat each kernel.DVO.com: Get Poppin'
8. Remove the pan from the stove once the popping sounds cease. This usually takes approximately three minutes.Epicurious.com: Plain Popcorn
9. Pour the popped popcorn into a bowl immediately.
Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients
- Once your popcorn is fully popped, you have a few things to do before you can begin forming the popcorn balls.
1. Sift through the popped popcorn and remove any kernels that did not pop. It can be dangerous to bite into a popcorn ball that contains unpopped kernels.Kidsacookin: Chewy Popcorn Balls
2. Combine the sugar, butter, molasses, corn syrup and salt into a sauce pan over medium heat.
3. Keep the mixture over the heat for about three minutes, stirring continuously.DivineDinnerParty.com: Popcorn Ball Recipe
4. Remove the pan from the stove top.
Step 3: Make the Popcorn Balls
- Now that all your ingredients are ready, you need to act quickly to form the popcorn balls.
1. Pour the mixture over the popped popcorn.
2. Coat all the popcorn with the liquid, using a spatula to do so.
3. Grease your hands with vegetable shortening. This will prevent the coated popcorn from sticking to them as you form the balls.RecipeZaar.com: The Best Popcorn Balls
4. Form the mixture into balls. The size of the popcorn balls is up to you.
5. Place the balls on parchment paper and allow them to cool completely.MarthaStewart.com: Popcorn Balls
6. Once cool, wrap each popcorn ball individually in plastic wrap. This makes for easy storage and travel.
Variations
- Once you've made standard popcorn balls, you can experiment with a variety of different types. In addition to common variations, you can also invent a few of your own!
1. To make chocolate popcorn balls, melt a handful of chocolate chips into the liquid mixture.Steaks-Guide.com: Popcorn Balls
2. For additional sweetness and a gooier consistency, add one cup of marshmallows to the stove top mixture.AllRecipes: Best Ever Popcorn Balls
3. Stir jelly beans into the popcorn and liquid mixture before forming the balls.JellyBelly.com: Christmas Popcorn Balls
4. For peanut butter lovers, add three tablespoons of peanut butter to the mixture.Popcorn.org: Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls
5. Decorate the popcorn balls with candy corn or gummy worms for festive Halloween treats.HolidayCrafter.com: Halloween Candy Popcorn Balls DivineDinnerParty.com: Popcorn Ball Recipe
6. For colorful popcorn balls, mix a few drops of your favorite food coloring into the liquid syrup mixture.BigOven.com: Popcorn Balls Recipe
Conclusion
- Feel free to add any other complementary ingredient to the popcorn ball recipe to create popcorn balls that suit your taste. You'll love the fun process of making popcorn balls almost as much as their taste!
Additional Popcorn Balls Recipes
- - Old Recipe Book: Popcorn Snacks
  - About.com: Quick and Easy Popcorn Balls
  - ChefMom: Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
  - Food Network: Popcorn Balls Recipe
  - Taste of Home: Peanut Candy Popcorn Balls
  - Eden Organic: Popcorn Balls
  - CD Kitchen: Fruity Popcorn Balls
  - Group Recipes: Chocolate Marshmallow Popcorn Balls