Easy 3 Ingredient Marshmallow Popcorn Balls (No Corn Syrup)
These easy, 3 ingredient marshmallow popcorn balls are the perfect old-fashioned treat. You do not need corn syrup for this recipe, and the popcorn balls come together in just 15 minutes!
Sweet and chewy, these delicious fall treats combine butter, marshmallows, and vanilla for an old-fashioned dessert everyone will love.
Jamie’s Recipe Summary! – Easy 3 Ingredient Popcorn Balls
- Taste: Sweet, buttery, rich
- Texture: Chewy, firm, and slightly sticky fun!
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Skill level: Beginner, kid-friendly
- Tools needed: Medium pot, baking sheet, parchment paper
- Why is this the best recipe? Quick and easy to make, these popcorn balls are the perfect fun treat to make with kids. You only need 3 ingredients to make this Halloween dessert, and they are done in a few minutes!
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Just like my old fashioned kettle corn, these homemade popcorn balls are made from simple ingredients–we’ve avoided the corn syrup and food coloring in this recipe and stuck to whole ingredients like butter and vanilla.
My ten-year-old daughter, Cece, created this recipe on a stormy Halloween night- the perfect cozy fall evening for paleo hot chocolate or warm homemade applesauce.
While the wind whipped and feet crunched through damp leaves, she set these nostalgic treats on the porch for trick-or-treaters.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These popcorn balls are quick and easy to make. Here’s why you’ll love them:
- Easy: This holiday treat is made with just 3 simple ingredients, all easy to find at the store
- Fast: This is a fast and simple recipe- coming together in minutes.
- Classic: Just like easy chocolate fudge with sweetened condensed milk or chocolate truffles, these classic popcorn balls are reminiscent of years gone by and can be shared by young and old alike!
- Simple: We use wholesome butter instead of oils.
Key Ingredients
Se recipe card for details on all ingredients and amounts.
- Popcorn: any type of un-popped popcorn will work.
- Marshmallows: mini marshmallows work best because they melt faster than the large variety.
If you have extra marshmallows and want to make more Halloween treats, try these chocolate rice krispy treats.
Variations
- If you like, decorate your popcorn balls with edible candy eyes so they look like ghosts or goblins – pictured below!
- Coat them with festive sprinkles, or add some chocolate chips to the mixture!
- Add in 1/2 cup brightly colored cereal, like fruity pebbles, for a fun upgrade.
How To Make Easy Popcorn Balls
This is an easy stove top recipe. Start by popping 8 cups of popcorn (1/2 cup of kernels) into a large bowl and cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1: Over medium heat in a large saucepan, melt 1/4 cup salted butter. Add the entire bag of marshmallows, stirring until melted. If using, add in a teaspoon of vanilla and stir until combined.
Step 2: Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and mix with a spoon or spatula until it is well coated with the marshmallow mixture. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, but not too long.
Step 3: Next, coat your hands with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Form the popcorn into soft balls (the size of a one-cup measuring cup), and set on waxed paper or parchment paper. They will be sticky!
Step 4: Form 8 popcorn balls and set them on the tray. You’re all done! It’s really that easy.
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Jamie’s Recipe Tips
- Instead of using a baking sheet, you can stick the popcorn balls into cupcake liners. The liner will make it easy to share this delicious treat with friends or family.
- Remove any popcorn kernels you see prior to dumping the popcorn into the marshmallow mixture.
- Make sure to coat your hands with lots of butter or nonstick cooking spray in order to prevent the sticky popcorn balls from sticking to your hands!
- You can use an air popper, stove-top, or microwave popcorn for this recipe. Microwaved popcorn may effect the flavor.
How To Store
These old-fashioned popcorn balls are best eaten fresh. However, you can store them in an airtight container or in plastic wrap for up to a week.
3 Ingredient Popcorn Balls Faq’s
The best coating for popcorn balls is a mixture of melted marshmallows and butter.
Old fashioned popcorn balls are made by melting butter and marshmallows on the stovetop, then drizzling it over popped popcorn and forming ball shapes.
Melted butter and marshmallows work together to create a sticky substance that holds marshmallow balls together.
More Easy Family Recipes
We love easy family-friendly recipes here like old fashioned snickerdoodles cookies, 3 ingredient pie crust, and crockpot applesauce.
If you tried this 3 ingredient marshmallow balls recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
3 Ingredient Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
Equipment
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 medium pot
- 1 Spatula
- 1 baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper
Ingredients
- 16 oz mini marshmallows 1 bag
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 8 cups popped popcorn
- 1 tsp vanilla OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Pop the equivalent of 8 cups of popcorn (this should be 1/2 cup popcorn kernels). Remove any kernels and set aside.
- Melt butter over medium heat, then add the bag of mini marshmallows. Stir continuously until melted.
- Pour the melted marshmallows over the bowl of popcorn and stir until all popcorn is coated.
- Grease hands with butter or cooking spray. Form balls into popcorn balls the size of one measuring cup and set on waxed paper. Enjoy!
We love to make these easy, 3 ingredient popcorn balls for Halloween night. Using just butter and no added corn syrup, this simple recipe is one of our family’s favorites, and we hope you love it too!