Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe
When I think of Fall, caramel comes to my mind in many different ways. Specifically, caramel apples, but that’s a separate post! (Ha) The other treat I can’t get out of my head is popcorn balls. While there are many different varieties and ways to make popcorn balls, my Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe seems to be a favorite for my picky husband, and I’m not mad about it.
Besides being the perfect blend of sweet and sticky, the gooey texture with that little bit of chew sends them over the edge. My picky husband also recommended that I add peanuts for a crunch, and once again, his instincts were right on. This is one of the most delicious snacks of the season, and you’ll be completely missing out if you don’t give them a chance!
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Now, it’s time for a confession. (I’m sure I’ve stated this on my blog before.) I’m not a HUGE fan of popcorn. It always gets stuck in my teeth, and I find it annoying. I’d much rather have chips or a piece of candy, but my crew are POPCORN LOVERS. And believe it or not, they’ve rubbed off on me. And although I don’t reach for popcorn often, I don’t mind making a little “popcorn bar” for my peeps on family movie night or weekly game night and have grown, dare I say, mildly fond of this buttery treat. (As long as I can floss immediately after!)
But I think I like popcorn at home because I add different things to it. I “jazz” it up and introduce extra flavors and textures. And that’s what I like about my Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls. You have the salted, buttery popcorn with the caramel’s sweetness, the marshmallows’ stickiness, and finally, that much-needed crunch from the peanuts. It works on every level! (If you are weird about adding peanuts, leave them out. These popcorn balls are phenomenal with or without them!)
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Although I think this recipe is perfect just the way it is, I strongly encourage you to take the simple base that I’ve given you and make up your varieties. Your kiddos might like chocolate, M&M’s, or even candy corn in their popcorn balls. (Yes, I said candy corn. I’ve made a popcorn ball with them, and it’s so good! You get an extra “chew” with that addition.) No matter what, you can’t go wrong if you choose toppings that your kiddos enjoy.
MAKING A POPCORN BAR: (toppings to include)
- Gooey Caramel Sauce—Make this caramel sauce and allow people to drizzle as much or as little as they like on their bowls.
- Melted Chocolate – Melting the chocolate makes it easy to drizzle on top of each bowl of popcorn.
- Chocolate chips—If you prefer to have your chocolate in a small bite, don’t melt it. Keep it as chips, and enjoy! (They will slowly melt with the warmth of the fresh popcorn anyway. And you can pick so many different flavors: white chocolate, pumpkin spice, caramel, toffee, etc.)
- Coconut flakes – Trust me. If you like coconut, it’s good!
The History of Popcorn
GREAT OCCASIONS FOR EASY GOOEY CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS:
- Halloween parties: With the kids running around in costumes and trick-or-treating, this is the perfect treat for a night filled with hustle and bustle.
- Party favors: Popcorn balls are already wrapped individually, making them a practical and fun way to send homemade treats to your guests as they leave.
- Fun activity: This recipe is great for little hands that want to get in the kitchen and help you out. (Just let the caramel cool enough so they don’t burn their little fingers.)
Tips for Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe:
- Fill a cup with cold water to dip your hands in between forming each popcorn ball. I have found this way more effective than using non-stick cooking spray to keep the popcorn from sticking to your hands. You are working with extremely sticky ingredients, so it’s an issue. But the water completely solves that problem!
- When forming the popcorn balls, I squeeze them generously to ensure they stick together well. Otherwise, they might begin to separate and fall apart while cooling on the wax paper.
- Feel free to use microwave popcorn if you don’t want to make your popcorn using my stovetop method. (You need 20 cups of popped popcorn.)There’s no shame in taking a shortcut!
Make Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe with me on YouTube!
Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 cup of kernels (I prefer yellow)
- 1 stick of salted butter
- 4 tablespoons of avocado oil
- 11. oz. bag of chewy caramels
- 5 oz. Marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup dry roasted salted peanuts (optional)
Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe Instructions:
MAKING THE POPCORN:
- First, pour 3 tablespoons of avocado oil into a large pot and turn it on medium-high heat.
- Second, add 1 of the unpopped kernels to the oil and wait for it to pop. (This is what we call our “test” kernel. It will tell us when the oil is hot enough.”
- Third, once the “test” kernel has popped, add the rest of the unpopped kernels and shake the pot to ensure they are all covered with oil.
- Next, cover the pot with the lid and shake it occasionally to move the kernels around so they don’t burn.
- Then, once the kernels start popping rapidly, vent the pot slightly by placing the lid to the side. (You want to allow some air into the pot, but don’t uncover it enough that the popcorn shoots out.)
- When the kernels have stopped popping, immediately remove them from the heat to prevent burning.
- Finally, separate the popped kernels from the unpopped kernels and place them into a separate large bowl. (Take your time. This step is incredibly important! Nobody wants to break a tooth!)
MAKING THE CARAMEL:
- First, melt 1 stick of salted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Second, add the marshmallows and unwrapped caramels to the saucepan.
- Third, stir until all of the ingredients are completely melted and bubbling.
- Finally, add the peanuts to the caramel mixture and stir.
MAKING THE POPCORN BALLS:
- First, pour the hot caramel sauce over the popped popcorn.
- Second, using a large spatula, stir the sauce to cover all the popcorn. Wait a moment for the popcorn mixture to cool slightly so that you can form the popcorn balls with your hands.
- Third, dip your hands into the cup of cold water before grabbing a handful of popcorn to create a ball.
- Next, while forming the popcorn ball, squeeze with a good amount of pressure to create tighter balls that will stick together better.
- Then, place the formed popcorn balls on parchment paper or wax paper and let them cool for 20 minutes.
- Finally, enjoy immediately or wrap each popcorn ball in plastic wrap to store for later!
Storage for Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe:
- Store leftover popcorn balls individually in plastic wrap and at room temperature for up to a week.
What are the Macros for Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe?
Makes 14 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 1 ball)
- Calories – 315
- Protein – 4.8 grams
- Carbs – 32 grams (net)
- Fat – 17.8 grams
Check out some of my other treats!
S’mores Recipe with Halloween Marshmallows
Best Chocolate Salted Caramel Apple Bark
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Easy Gooey Caramel Popcorn Balls Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large pot with a lid
- Wax paper or Parchment Paper
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of avocado oil
- 1 cup of kernels I prefer yellow
- 1 stick salted butter
- 1 11 oz. bag of chewy caramels
- 5 oz. Marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup dry roasted salted peanuts optional
Instructions
MAKING THE POPCORN:
- First, pour 3 tablespoons of avocado oil into a large pot and turn it on medium-high heat.
- Second, add 1 of the unpopped kernels to the oil and wait for it to pop. (This is what we call our “test” kernel. It will tell us when the oil is hot enough.”
- Third, once the “test” kernel has popped, add the rest of the unpopped kernels and shake the pot to ensure that they are all covered with oil.
- Next, cover the pot with the lid and shake it occasionally to move the kernels around so that they don’t burn.
- Then, once the kernels start popping rapidly, vent the pot slightly by placing the lid to the side. (You want to allow some air into the pot, but don’t uncover it enough that the popcorn shoots out.)
- When the kernels have stopped popping, immediately remove them from the heat to prevent burning.
- Finally, separate the popped kernels from the unpopped kernels and place them into a separate large bowl. (Take your time. This step is incredibly important! Nobody wants to break a tooth!)
MAKING THE CARAMEL:
- First, place 1 stick of salted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat to melt.
- Second, add the marshmallows and unwrapped caramels to the saucepan.
- Third, stir until all of the ingredients are completely melted and bubbling.
- Finally, add the peanuts to the caramel mixture and stir.
MAKING THE POPCORN BALLS:
- First, pour the hot caramel sauce over the popped popcorn.
- Second, using a large spatula, stir the sauce to cover all the popcorn. Wait a moment for the popcorn mixture to cool slightly so that you can form the popcorn balls with your hands.
- Third, dip your hands into the cup of cold water before grabbing a handful of popcorn to create a ball.
- Next, while forming the popcorn ball, squeeze with a good amount of pressure to create tighter balls that will stick together better.
- Then, place the formed popcorn balls on parchment paper or wax paper and let them cool for 20 minutes.
- Finally, enjoy immediately or wrap each popcorn ball in plastic wrap to store for later!
Video
