DIY Halloween Popcorn Balls in under 30 Minutes

Last Updated on May 26, 2023 by Michele Tripple

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There’s no more classic pair than popcorn balls and Halloween. Halloween Popcorn Balls are so much fun to make and will get everyone in the spooky fall spirit! 

Halloween Popcorn Balls Recipe

halloween popcorn balls on a wooden cutting boards with halloween sprinkles

I have the fondest recipes of sitting with my friends as a child and eating popcorn balls, with my hands and face absolutely covered in Halloween-colored sticky mess. 

Now as a mom it’s so fun to be able to share those memories with my kids! Halloween popcorn balls are an absolute staple of the fall season in my home and with this easy recipe, it can be a staple in yours too!

If you want to make an entire party out of these fun Halloween treats, try our homemade caramel apples and our candy apples, both perfect for fall, and a couple Halloween Minute to Win It Games, Skeleton Puns or Spine Tingling Scary Riddles for a fun party for all ages.

Why DIY Halloween Popcorn Balls Are the Best Treat

Caramel apples, spooky cupcakes, and candy corn are all great… but let me tell you why DIY Halloween popcorn balls are the very best Halloween treat!

First of all, they are a great party activity or family activity. Your kids will love getting their hands sticky and making these yummy treats. The best thing about DIY Halloween popcorn balls is that you can totally put your own spin on them by adding your favorite candy to them as well. 

Second, they make great favors! You could hand them out as a Halloween party favor, bring them to your kids’ school, or drop them off at neighbors’ houses. Just bag them up in some treat bags and tie them off and you’re ready to go!

Halloween Popcorn Balls Recipe

DIY Halloween monster popcorn balls

Serves: 20

Prep time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for Halloween Popcorn Balls

How to Make this Halloween Popcorn Balls Recipe

  • The first thing that you want to do to make your own DIY Halloween popcorn balls is to get your popcorn ready. You can pop your popcorn however you like, but if you need some help check out our tips below!
bowl of popcorn for DIY popcorn balls
  • When your popcorn is ready, grab a large stockpot and heat the butter over medium heat. 
  • Melt butter. 
butter in pan
  • Add in the marshmallows and stir them until they are completely melted. Make sure that you stir continuously because they will melt fast and you don’t want them to burn!
marshmallows in pot
  • Remove the pan from the stove and add in the food coloring. 
  • Add as much coloring as you need to get the marshmallow mixture a nice bright purple color. 
process shot for halloween popcorn balls melted butter and marshmallows
  • Next, you can add your popcorn and stir gently until the popcorn is completely covered in marshmallow. 
  • Let the mixture sit for a few minutes until it’s cool enough to handle. 
  • Once cool, spray your hands with cooking spray and start scooping out popcorn in heaping tablespoons. 
popcorn died purple
  • Form the scoops into balls, making sure to compact the balls as much as you are able. 
  • Roll each ball in your sprinkles and add some monster candy eyes to your liking. 
rolling DIY popcorn balls in sprinkles
  • Stick a paper straw into each popcorn ball and let them cool completely before serving. 

Tips and tricks for DIY Halloween Popcorn Balls

  • Popping popcorn can be done so many ways. If you don’t have a popcorn popper, you can use a large pot with a few tablespoons of hot oil and add in your kernels. Shake the pop with the lid on until they are all popped. If you want to simplify this process, you won’t regret purchasing an air popper! The Presto Air Popper is such an inexpensive option that will get you your popcorn without any effort!
  • To get 16 cups of popped popcorn, you will want to use about ⅔ cup of popcorn kernels. If you want to be safe, you can make a little extra. I’m sure your family won’t mind the little popcorn snack if some is leftover!
  • Be careful not to let your popcorn mixture sit too long before forming it into balls. The longer it sits the harder it will be to form your perfect Halloween popcorn balls. 

What size should I make my DIY Halloween popcorn balls?

This is totally up to you! I like to use about a heaping tablespoon of the popcorn mixture when I’m forming my popcorn balls, but you could make them larger if you’d like.

If you are planning on serving these to young children, I would recommend that you keep them pretty small. They’ll be safer and more manageable to eat for those little mouths. 

halloween pop corn balls with paper straws in them

Storage

Room Temperature

You’ll want to store your DIY Halloween popcorn balls in an airtight container to keep the popcorn nice and fresh. I like wrapping each individual ball in plastic wrap because I feel like it seals it up the best. 

You could also put several in a large Ziploc bag or in a large airtight container. 

They will stay fresh for about 3-5 days. 

Freezer

If you would like to freeze them you will want to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a Ziploc freezer bag. They will last for up to 2 weeks. 

To defrost, just place on the counter and let them come back to room temperature. 

Check out these other great fall recipes:

Love what you see? Leave a comment and don’t forget to rate it below! We always love knowing how your recipe turns out! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @micheletripple to show me your finished product!

Yield: Makes 20 balls

DIY Halloween Popcorn Balls

DIY Halloween Popcorn Balls

There’s no more classic pair than popcorn balls and Halloween. Halloween Popcorn Balls are so much fun to make and will get everyone in the spooky fall spirit!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 16 cups popped popcorn (around 2/3 cup kernels)
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 16-ounce package mini marshmallows
  • Purple gel food coloring
  • Halloween sprinkles
  • Candy eyes
  • Paper straws

Instructions

    1. Heat the butter over medium heat in a large stockpot.
    2. When the butter has melted, add the marshmallows and stir until melted.
    3. Remove the pan from heat and add three to four drops of purple gel food coloring. Stir until well mixed and the marshmallows are bright purple.
    4. Add the popcorn to the pan and stir to coat.
    5. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. When it’s cool enough to touch, spray nonstick cooking spray on your hands and scoop out heaping tablespoons of the popcorn mixture.
    6. Roll the mixture between your hands to form a ball, then squeeze the ball until it’s compact.
    7. Roll each popcorn ball in sprinkles, then decorate with candy eyes.
    8. Stick a paper straw into the top of each popcorn ball and allow it to cool completely before serving.

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