Halloween Popcorn Balls Are the Ultimate Salty-Sweet Snack

Calling goblins young and old! These festive Halloween popcorn balls are a fun Halloween-themed twist on a retro recipe, made by tossing popped popcorn in a homemade syrup and mixing in your favorite candy. It's a fun treat to make at home this fall with the leftovers from your trick-or-treat haul.

Related: Harvest Party Halloween Chex Mix Is the Fall Treat That Keeps on Giving

What's so great about this recipe is that it's very customizable. You can use your Halloween candy favorites like Reese’s Pieces, crushed Butterfinger, sprinkles, or candy corn. These popcorn balls can be made even more by adding in melted chocolate chips.

To give them as gifts, place each treat on a cupcake liner and then place it in a clear treat bag tied with ribbon.

Ingredients You Need for Halloween Popcorn Balls

• Popped popcorn

• Butter

• Sugar

• Dark corn syrup, like Karo

• White vinegar

• Salt

• Vanilla extract

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Candy toppings or sprinkles

How to Make Halloween Popcorn Balls

More Halloween Recipes to Try:

• 30 Easy Halloween Treats

• 21 Jack-o’-Lantern Recipes for Halloween

• 15 Easy Halloween Dinner Ideas for Kids

• Halloween Cookie Cake

• Candy Corn Chocolate Bark

Halloween Popcorn Balls

Ingredients

• 18 to 20 cups popped popcorn

• 1 Tbsp butter, softened (plus extra for hands)

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 cup water

• ½ cup dark corn syrup, like Karo

• 1 tsp white vinegar

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

• 1 (12-oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Candy toppings or sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 200°F. Put popcorn in a large aluminum roasting pan and place in the oven to warm.

2. Butter sides of a heavy saucepan with 1 tablespoon butter. Then add sugar, water, corn syrup, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan and reduce heat to medium. Boil at a steady rate, stirring occasionally, until thermometer reaches 250°F.

3. Remove thermometer and remove pan from heat. Stir in vanilla. Remove popcorn from oven. Quickly pour syrup over popcorn. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to coat popcorn. Let cool a few minutes until popcorn can be handled.

4. Working in batches, add popcorn to a mixing bowl and mix in candy and sprinkles. Butter hands and quickly shape popcorn into 3-inch balls, pressing gently to hold together. Place on waxed paper.

5. Melt chocolate chips in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring at 20 second intervals until smooth. Dip popcorn balls halfway into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle chocolate with chopped candy or sprinkles. Cool on waxed paper.

Kitchen Counter

Per serving: 319 cal, 13g fat, 5mg chol, 3g prot, 52g carbs, 43g sugar, 2g fiber, 207mg sodium