This easy Peanut Butter Popcorn recipe has fresh popped popcorn tossed in an incredible 4-ingredient peanut butter sauce! I love to toss in some Reese’s Pieces and enjoy this 15 minute treat for movie and game nights! Looking for more snack recipes? Try Caramel Popcorn, Cowboy Caviar, Sweet Chex Mix, or Chex Mix! How to…
This easy Peanut Butter Popcorn recipe has fresh popped popcorn tossed in an incredible 4-ingredient peanut butter sauce! I love to toss in some Reese’s Pieces and enjoy this 15 minute treat for movie and game nights!
There’s lots to love about this easy Peanut Butter Popcorn recipe, made with pantry staples in about 15 minutes. I’ll whip it up for a family movie night or a “late night” snack for my kids when they have friends over.
Make it your own by customizing the base recipe with other mix-ins. I like to replace a few cups of the popcorn with pretzels, Chex cereal, and other candy like marshmallows, candy corn, or chopped up candy bars.
How to make Peanut Butter Popcorn:
Pop popcorn and add to a extra large bowl.
Make Sauce: Stir together honey and sugar in a pot over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
Combine: Slowly pour HALF of the peanut butter sauce over the popcorn, gently stirring to coat. Add more, to your liking (you may not use it all). Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations:
Fall Party Mix: Replace one cup of popcorn with one cup of pretzels. Add some candy corn and Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s.
Toppings: After tossing the popcorn in the creamy peanut butter sauce, add some M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, chocolate chips, or chopped Butterfinger.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn: Allow peanut butter popcorn to cool, then drizzle with melted chocolate.
This easy Peanut Butter Popcorn recipe has fresh popped popcorn tossed in an incredible 4-ingredient peanut butter sauce! I love to toss in some Reese's Pieces and enjoy this 15 minute treat for movie and game nights!
Pop popcorn and add to an extra large mixing bowl.
Peanut butter sauce: In medium saucepan over medium heat add honey and sugar and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil then boil for 2 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
Combine: Slowly pour HALF of the peanut butter sauce over the popcorn and gently stir to coat. Drizzle more peanut butter sauce, until your desired coating is reached (you may not use it all, depending on preference). Add Reese's pieces, chocolate chips or other candy, if desired.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.
Video
Notes
Yield: about 10 cups popcorn. Serving size 1 cup.Storing Instructions: Store peanut butter popcorn in an airtight container for up to one week.Fall Party Mix: Replace one cup of popcorn with one cup of pretzels. Add some candy corn and Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s.Toppings: After tossing the popcorn in the creamy peanut butter sauce, add some M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, chocolate chips, or chopped Butterfinger.Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn: Allow peanut butter popcorn to cool, then drizzle with melted chocolate.
I originally shared this post October 2016. Updated August 2021and October 2024.
The material in this blog post references the trademarked brand “Reese’s.” The use of this trademark is for informational and editorial purposes only and does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Hershey Company or any of its affiliates.
Zebra Popcorn is a fun and easy recipe that you can make at home with only 3 ingredients! It is the best movie night recipe that you can make with the kids and it’s a copycat recipe of that expensive popcorn you find at the mall – but made at home! Why you’ll LOVE this…
Zebra Popcorn is a fun and easy recipe that you can make at home with only 3 ingredients! It is the best movie night recipe that you can make with the kids and it’s a copycat recipe of that expensive popcorn you find at the mall – but made at home!
Why you’ll LOVE this recipe
Zebra Popcorn is caramel corn that is then coated in stripes of regular and white chocolate. That is how is gets its name – because is looks like a zebra! I prepared this recipe a little differently. In my version of it I used store bought sweet & salty popcorn so you don’t have to make caramel corn from scratch!
This recipe can be sweet & salty for a delicious after school snack, or it can be more sweet for an after dinner movie watching treat! It’s so quick and easy to make and is done in no time!
Ingredients Needed
Popcorn: Use whatever popcorn you like best – if you can find a big bag of Kettle Corn (any brand) that’s best – but caramel corn works too.
Candy Melts – I don’t recommend using chocolate chips as they’ll melt faster in your hands when eating. Look for candy melts in the baking aisle – Ghirardelli is the best. Traditionally this gourmet popcorn uses two types of melted chocolate: white chocolate and semi-sweet or milk chocolate.
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
How to make Zebra Popcorn
Spread popcorn on a large cookie sheet that’s been covered with parchment paper.
Melt both candy coating according to package directions in the microwave. Place each in a small sandwich bag. Cut the tip off the white chocolate and drizzle all over the popcorn. Repeat with semi-sweet chocolate.
Expert Tips
If you have piping bags, you can use those, but a sandwich bag is a great alternative. All you need to do it cut the tip off of a corner of the bag and drizzle!
Use the kinds of chocolate you like – mix and match your favorites.
Let the recipe fully chill and harden on the large baking sheet before serving or packaging.
You can even make this in small batches by using single serve packages – or package it up for gifts.
I love starting this recipe with packaged popcorn because there will be less unpeopled kernels plus it’s so easy!
FAQs
How do you store this recipe?
Store this recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Spread Kettle Corn on a large cookie sheet that's been covered with parchment paper.
Melt both candy coating according to package directions. Place each in a small sandwich bag.
Cut the tip off the white chocolate and drizzle all over the popcorn. Repeat with semi-sweet chocolate.
Chill until set, about 20 minutes. Break up pieces and serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
You can make your own caramel corn for this if you prefer but starting with pre-popped is so much easier. Use your favorite brand and flavor of popcorn – either caramel corn or kettle corn.
Everyone knows that popcorn is the best movie snack! In my house, we love popcorn and make it all of the time for movies, game days, or just an every day snack. We love using a popcorn maker, it’s way better than microwave popcorn. It’…
Everyone knows that popcorn is the best movie snack! In my house, we love popcorn and make it all of the time for movies, game days, or just an every day snack. We love using a popcorn maker, it’s way better than microwave popcorn. It’s easy to make and so delicious, especially with melted butter and…
It’s spooky season y’all! And these Popcorn Balls are perfect for the occasion. They’re slightly salty, sweet, chewy, and super fun to make! I always get a nostalgic feeling when I share recipes that were popular during my childhood and this one is no exception. This budget-friendly snack comes together with just a few simple ingredients, and in less than 30 minutes we have a fun Halloween treat that will brings back the feeling of being a kid all over again!😊
But don’t limit this tasty popcorn ball recipe to just halloween, they’re also perfect for Christmas, football games, or any special party occasion!
What Are Popcorn Balls?
If you’ve never heard of Popcorn Balls then you’re in for a treat! They’re a classic sweet snack that’s been around for years and is often enjoyed by both kids and adults alike. They’re made by melting a few sweet ingredients together, like sugar and marshmallows, and then pouring the hot sugar mixture over freshly popped popcorn. Then this is where the fun really begins.
You can add different add-ins like sprinkles or crushed candies, then shape and form the coated popcorn into fun-sized popcorn balls! You’ll often see these in stores during the holidays like Halloween or Christmas, but they are so much more fun to make at home!
Ingredients For Popcorn Balls
Here are the main ingredients you need to make these sweet, chewy, popcorn balls:
Popcorn Kernels – We’re making homemade popcorn friends! Yes, the kind that you make on the stovetop. Stovetop popcorn has a much better flavor than microwave popcorn and it’s a whole lot cheaper. We’ll share some brief instructions for making stovetop popcorn below, but if you’re looking for a full step-by-step, check out our How to make Stovetop Popcorn blog post.
Sugar and Corn Syrup – A mix of sugar and corn syrup creates the soft candy that coats the popcorn balls. Using a little corn syrup in addition to the sugar helps stabilize the mixture so it doesn’t crystalize, making this recipe much more foolproof and perfect for beginners.
Butter – Butter gives the candy coating a nice rich flavor and helps soften the candy just a bit.
Marshmallows – Marshmallows add extra sweetness and give the popcorn balls a gooey, chewy, texture similar to Rice Krispie treats.
Vanilla extract – And just a little vanilla extract for extra flavor!
Popcorn Ball Variations
Popcorn balls come in lots of fun shapes, sizes, and variations. Here are a some ideas if you want to put a little extra razzle-dazzle on your popcorn balls:
Festive Sprinkles – These popcorn balls aren’t just for halloween. Celebrate any occasion with colorful sprinkles like red & pink for valentines day or red, green, and white for Christmas! To add sprinkles, roll the popcorn balls in the sprinkles just after forming, while the candy is still warm so it sticks.
Melted Chocolate – We played around with drizzling a little bit of melted chocolate over the top for a little sweetness and contrast.
Food Coloring – Wanna change the color of these to match your party theme or just for fun? Drop a few drops of food coloring into the sugar mixture when you add the marshmallows and butter. For Halloween, it would be super cool to add a few drops of orange food coloring into the sugar mixture, then stick a pretzel stick in the top of the popcorn balls to make mini pumpkins!🎃
Miniature candies or marshmallows – If you want to really jazz up your popcorn balls, add in some mini candies like m&ms or mini colored marshmallows. Stir these into the popcorn mixture just before shaping. Just be careful not to add too many extra add-ins or they may not stick to the popcorn balls.
Other flavored extracts – You could also use other flavor extracts (in addition to or in place of the vanilla) to flavor the popcorn balls, like peppermint, butterscotch, maple, or even cherry!
Recipe Tips
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making these sweet treats:
Be very careful when boiling the sugar and corn syrup. The mixture will be piping hot!
Be fairly swift when mixing the sugar mixture with the popcorn to keep it from hardening too fast.
Things get pretty sticky pretty fast. So be sure to grease your hands with a little bit of cooking oil or cooking spray before you start touching and shaping the popcorn balls.
Once the popcorn is just cool enough to touch, it’s go time! Move quickly when forming each popcorn ball so your sugar doesn’t harden too fast.
How To Store Popcorn Balls
Enjoy these popcorn balls right away or wrap them in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and store at room temperature for up to 3 days; although they definitely taste better when enjoyed the same day.
Add the oil and one kernel to a 6-quart or larger pot. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat onto medium-high. Wait for the test kernel to pop. Once the kernel pops, add the rest of the kernels, replace the lid, and give the pot a swirl to coat the kernels in the hot oil. Wait for the kernels to begin to pop.
Once the kernels begin to pop rapidly, crack the lid a little bit to allow excess steam to escape. Pop the rest of the kernels. Continue popping until they slow to about one pop every other second. Once popped, transfer the popcorn to a large bowl and set aside.
Add the sugar, corn syrup, and salt to a separate medium saucepan and heat over medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the pot comes to a boil, boil the sugar mixture for 2 1/2 minutes.
Next remove the saucepan from the heat and add the butter, vanilla extract, and marshmallows. Stir quickly to melt the ingredients into the sugar mixture.
Once everything has melted, pour the sugar mixture over the cooked popcorn. Mix together quickly with a rubber spatula to coat the popcorn.
The popcorn will be slightly hot from the hot sugar mixture, so allow it to cool slightly. Once it's slightly cool enough to touch, rub a dab (about 1/4 tsp) of cooking oil into your hands, grab a small handful of popcorn, and start to form 3-inch round popcorn balls. Place each popcorn ball on a parchment lined baking sheet to finish cooling and to set.
Be sure to work quickly because if the sugar mixture cools too much, it will be hard to form the popcorn balls. You should be able to make 12 3-inch popcorn balls. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
In a 6-quart or larger pot, add 3 Tbsp cooking oil and one popcorn kernel. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat onto medium-high. Wait for the test kernel to pop. Once the kernel pops, add the remaining 1/2 cup of yellow popcorn kernels, replace the lid, and give the pot a swirl to coat the kernels in the hot oil. Wait for the rest of the kernels to begin to pop.
Once the kernels begin to pop rapidly, crack the lid a little bit to allow excess steam to escape. Pop the rest of the kernels. Continue popping until they slow to about one pop every other second. Once popped, transfer the popcorn to a large bowl and set aside.
In a separate medium saucepan, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, and 1/4 tsp salt and heat over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and begin to stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the pot comes to a boil, boil the sugar mixture for 2 1/2 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add 2 Tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup marshmallows. Stir quickly to melt the ingredients into the sugar mixture.
Once everything has melted, pour the sugar mixture over the cooked popcorn. Mix together quickly with a rubber spatula to coat the popcorn.
The popcorn will be slightly hot from the hot sugar mixture, so allow it to cool slightly. Once cooled, rub a dab (about 1/4 tsp) of cooking oil into your hands, grab a small handful of popcorn, and start to form 3-inch round popcorn balls. Place each popcorn ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet to finish cooling and to set.
Be sure to work quickly because if the sugar mixture cools too much, it will be hard to form the popcorn balls.
You should be able to make 12 3-inch popcorn balls. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
15-minute snack hack Peanut Butter Popcorn 
Everyone knows that popcorn is the best movie snack! In my house, we love popcorn and make it all of the time for movies, game days, or just an every day snack. We love using a popcorn maker, it’s way better than microwave popcorn. It’s easy to make and so delicious, especially with melted butter and… 
