Description
These Purple People Eater Halloween Popcorn Balls are a fun and festive treat perfect for Halloween celebrations. Made with homemade popcorn coated in a purple-tinted marshmallow mixture, they’re decorated with Bugles as horns and large candy eyes to create cute, spooky little monsters. Easy to make on the stovetop, these colorful popcorn balls are sure to delight kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 5 Tablespoons popcorn kernels (to make 10 cups of popped popcorn)
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Marshmallow Binding Mixture
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Purple food gel or food coloring, to taste
Decorations
- 12 Bugles corn snacks (horns)
- 12 large candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn: Heat the vegetable oil and popcorn kernels in a large stock pot over medium heat with the lid partially ajar. Cook until the kernels have mostly popped, about 7 minutes, then remove the popcorn and transfer to a large bowl.
- Prepare the marshmallow mixture: In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mini marshmallows, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir continuously until the marshmallows have completely melted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Color the marshmallow mixture: Add purple food gel or food coloring into the melted marshmallow mixture until you achieve a color slightly darker than desired, since the popcorn will lighten it.
- Combine popcorn and marshmallow: Pour the popped popcorn back into the pot with the purple marshmallow mixture. Stir well to coat the popcorn thoroughly.
- Form popcorn balls: Wet your hands and grab approximately 3/4 to 1 cup of the coated popcorn mixture. Press and compact it firmly into a round ball shape, then place on parchment or wax paper. Repeat for all the mixture.
- Decorate with horns: While the popcorn balls are still tacky, gently press one Bugle chip into the top of each ball at a slight angle toward the front, resembling horns.
- Add candy eyes: Press one large candy eyeball onto the front of each popcorn ball to create a face.
- Set and cool: Allow the popcorn balls to sit until no longer sticky, approximately 30 minutes, before serving.
Notes
- You can use pre-popped plain popcorn instead of popping your own kernels. Avoid flavored or seasoned popcorn as it will alter the taste.
- On average, each tablespoon of kernels yields about 2 cups of popped popcorn.
- Bugles are perfect for horns due to their size and shape, but any similar horn-shaped snack will work as a substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 popcorn ball
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
