Christmas Popcorn is a fun and festive treat to make for the holiday season to share with family and friends. Everyone loves the cheerful snack mix that's perfect to serve while decorating the tree and singing Jingle Bells.
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With only 6 ingredients and no baking required, make this sweet and crunchy white chocolate-covered popcorn that has lots of colorful candies and sprinkles mixed in. Be warned, you will be asked for the recipe and to make this delicious snack again!
We love our Christmas treats, but spending hours in the kitchen to make something special shouldn't take all day. After all, we have presents to wrap and parties to go to. That's why this recipe is a favorite, you can have this treat ready to eat in less than an hour.
This is a small-batch recipe with just six cups of popcorn.
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More Easy Christmas Treats
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Make these Candy Cane Scones for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert, it wouldn't be Christmas at our house without these sweet scones.
Ingredients
- Popcorn - You can use a bag of store-bought popcorn or pop your own with corn kernels or microwave it.
- White chocolate candy melts -you can also use white chocolate chips, or a bar of white chocolate.
- Pretzels - the small pretzels work the best, either the twists or pretzel sticks.
- M&M's - look for the Christmas red and green package.
- Red and Green sprinkles - nonpareils, candy sequins, or jimmies work the best for this recipe. Here I mixed all of these together. Or try this pretty St. Nick's Sprinkle Mix.
- Salt - this is up to you. If you like sweet and salty add a pinch of salt.
Let's make a Christmas snack
Step 1. Pop the corn if you are making homemade popcorn and remove any of the unpopped kernels. See the recipe card below for popping instructions. Or use microwave popcorn. Add the popped corn to a large pan.
If you are using store-bought popcorn, pour the bag of popcorn into a large pan that is big enough to stir the popcorn mixture.
Step 2. Break up half of the pretzels and spread both the broken and whole pieces of pretzels over the popcorn.
Step 3. Top with the M & M's
Step 4. Place the candy wafers in a small bowl and melt them in the microwave at 50% power in increments of 30 seconds. Stir the candy between each increment until it's melted and smooth.
Step 5. With a spoon, drizzle the melted white chocolate over the top of the popcorn.
Step 6. Stir the white chocolate to cover the popcorn mixture, then add the sprinkles on top and stir again. I find using two spoons helpful when stirring.
Step 7. Let the popcorn sit for an hour to let the chocolate harden, or place it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Store the popcorn in an airtight container for up to three days.
It's been known that Santa likes popcorn too, so make sure to leave him a bowl to munch on while delivering presents.
Variations
Because we all like something different
- Use red and green candy melts to add more holiday colors
- There are so many flavors of M&M's so use your favorite
- Add mini marshmallows
- Rice Chex cereal adds another crunchy layer that tastes great
- Add some nuts like cashews or pecans
- You don't have to make this popcorn just for Christmas, it's perfect all year long. Feel free to change out the sprinkle colors of the M&M's and add your favorite crunchy treats.
- Want more popcorn, just double the recipe.
Christmas Popcorn makes the perfect gift
We all love getting edible gifts and this popcorn is so easy to wrap up in different ways.
Fill cellophane bags with popcorn and tie the top with a decorative ribbon.
Those pretty Christmas tins are just perfect to fill with this mix and it also keeps the popcorn mix fresh.
More to make and eat!
Love it? Pin it to your Snack board to SAVE it!
Recipe
Christmas Crunch
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Equipment
- 13 x 9 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 6 cups popped popcorn Pop your own - see below for the how-to's, use plain (unbuttered) microwave popcorn, or buy from the store. It all works!
- ½ cup white chocolate wafers 4 ounces - You can also use white chocolate chips, or a chopped white chocolate bar
- ¼ cup Christmas M&M's 2 ounces
- 1.5 ounces pretzel twists
- ½ teaspoon red sprinkles Add extra spinkles if you like
- ½ teaspoon green sprinkles
- pinch salt optional if you want a sweet and salty flavor
Homemade Popcorn
- ¼ cup popcorn kernels 2 ounces of kernels
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn
- Pop the corn if you are making homemade popcorn and remove any of the unpopped kernels. See below for instructions. Or use microwave popcorn.If you are using store-bought popcorn, pour the bag of popcorn into a large pan that is big enough to stir the popcorn mixture. If you like sweet and salty this is the time to add a pinch of salt over your popcorn.
- Break up half of the pretzels, then add them on top of the popcorn.
- Add the M&M's on top of the pretzels.
- Add the candy melts to a small bowl and melt the wafers in the microwave in increments of 30 seconds, until it's melted and smooth. Make sure to stir each between the heating increments.
- With a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the popcorn mixture and mix the popcorn. It's easier to do with two spoons. Add the sprinkles to the popcorn and mix again to combine.
- Let the popcorn sit for about an hour to let the white chocolate harden, or place it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. This holiday popcorn is ready to enjoy. Store the popcorn in an airtight container for up to three days.
Homemade Popcorn
- Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat.
- Place a few kernels of corn in the pot and when they start popping add the rest of the popcorn.
- Cover the pan with the lid and gently shake the pan over the burner while the corn is popping. If you can keep the lid slightly off the pan the steam can escape and the popcorn will be crispier.
- Listen for the corn to stop popping then remove it from the heat and immediately pour the popcorn in a large pan.
Notes
- Use different colors of candy melts
- Add different flavors of M and M's
- Add Rice Chex cereal
- Add more of the white chocolate coating
- There are so many sprinkle variations and this St. Nick's Sprinkle Mix has all the colors already mixed for you.
Nutrition
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About Jere'
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
JD Alewine
These will be served every Christmas at our house from now on!
Jenn
I made this for an early holiday party and it got gobbled up! Everybody asked for the recipe but I'll make it again for the family soon!
Relle
So festive and perfect for the holidays.
Shruthi
Oooh, I have been looking for a recipe like this forever and the test run was amazing. All the textures and flavors just play so well together.
Gen
I made this together with my 5-year-old niece and she had the BEST time! Plus we both loved eating it. We'll have to make this a tradition.
Jere Cassidy
This is such a kid-friendly recipe. Glad you enjoyed it.
Liz
I love, love white chocolate and this snack mix was so yummy and addictive!!