Caramel popcorn balls dipped in chocolate and coated with sprinkles are such a enjoyable and straightforward selfmade deal with. These popcorn balls are completely holiday-worthy and nice for customizing relying on the season!
When you’re searching for an analogous scrumptious selfmade deal with, strive my marshmallow popcorn balls, subsequent! I additionally love gifting these popcorn balls with a jar of spiced nuts as a festive, straightforward meals present.
These chocolate caramel popcorn balls have all the time been a success with the entire household. My father? Massive fan. He all the time stated that these caramel popcorn balls reminded him of his youth. In the meantime, my daughter all the time had probably the most enjoyable dipping the chocolate-covered popcorn balls into the sprinkles! They’re really a household affair (and a scrumptious one at that). I make these popcorn balls yearly across the holidays and we make a day out of it, full with sizzling chocolate and a Mariah Carey soundtrack.
Why You’ll Love These Caramel Popcorn Balls
- Simple to make. Making popcorn balls all the time feels a bit like arts and crafts in one of the best ways. It’s very straightforward, and my model makes use of caramel candies for additional comfort. There’s no have to boil your individual sugar to make caramel from scratch except you wish to.
- Get the children concerned! These chocolate caramel popcorn balls are an effective way to rope little ones into Christmas “baking”! There’s not truly any baking concerned, and it’s a great deal of enjoyable to form and dip the popcorn balls into chocolate after which pile on the sprinkles.
- Adaptable. Popcorn balls aren’t only for Christmastime, and there are many methods to alter up the sprinkles, and so on. to go well with nearly any event.
- Nice for gifting. I really like giving chocolate caramel popcorn balls out as social gathering favors and last-minute items! Wrap them up and tie them with a ribbon, straightforward peasy.
What You’ll Want
You’ll want popcorn, in fact, and some additional substances which might be more than likely hanging out within the pantry already. Along with the substances I cowl under, you’ll additionally want popsicle sticks! Scroll all the way down to the printable recipe card for the entire record with quantities and recipe particulars.
- Popcorn – This recipe requires 14 cups of plain, popped popcorn. This feels like rather a lot, however actually, 14 cups of popped popcorn = 1 cup of kernels, which is sufficient to make 10 popcorn balls.
- Caramel Candies – I all the time have a package deal (or 5) of Brach’s Milk Maid Caramel Sweet in my cabinet this time of the yr. Any chewy caramel sweet will work on this recipe. Generally, you’ll have to unwrap them individually.
- Butter – This may be salted or unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
- Chocolate Chips – Semisweet or darkish chocolate chips, melted in a double boiler or the microwave. You may also use chopped chocolate, which melts even smoother.
- Sprinkles – I exploit crimson and inexperienced Christmas sprinkles, however the great thing about this popcorn balls recipe is you can customise the decorations for any vacation. Use crimson, white, and blue sprinkles for the 4th of July or orange sprinkles for Halloween popcorn balls!
The best way to Make Popcorn Balls
Confession time: The primary time I made these chocolate caramel popcorn balls, I burnt the caramel. I regarded away for what felt like a second and bam! Burnt. It occurred SO FAST. So, let this be a warning that melting caramel on the stovetop requires your full consideration. General although, the steps are tremendous straightforward:
- Put together the caramel popcorn. Pop your plain popcorn, both air-popped or within the microwave. Subsequent, soften the unwrapped caramel candies in a saucepan with softened butter. Afterward, pour that over the popcorn, and toss to coat. Let that cool a short time you put together the chocolate for dipping.
- Soften the chocolate. Warmth the chocolate chips within the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between till they’re melted and easy. You may also soften the chocolate over a double boiler on the stovetop.
- Form the popcorn balls. Now, it’s time to get a bit messy! Ensure that the caramel-covered popcorn is cool sufficient to deal with. Then, grease your fingers with butter, and form the popcorn into balls. I often make mine concerning the dimension of a softball, however you may make them smaller, it’s as much as you.
- Dip in chocolate. Press a popsicle stick into every popcorn ball. Separately, dip the balls into the melted chocolate after which instantly into the sprinkles. Set the dipped caramel popcorn balls apart on wax paper when you end the remaining.
Recipe Suggestions
- Don’t let the caramel corn cool for too lengthy. The caramel actually wants solely a minute or two to chill off earlier than you can begin shaping your popcorn balls. When you wait too lengthy, the caramel will begin to harden.
- Work shortly. On that word, as soon as the caramel popcorn is cool sufficient to the touch, work shortly when shaping the balls whereas the caramel remains to be good and malleable.
- Grease your fingers. Ensure that your fingers are buttered or greased with a little bit of cooking spray earlier than you form your popcorn. I hold a dish with butter shut by so I can freshly grease my fingers earlier than shaping every ball.
Simple Variations
- Completely different chocolate. Dip the popcorn balls in white chocolate, melted peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips. You may also use coloured sweet melts!
Go away them undipped. After all, in case you’d favor to skip the chocolate, that’s wonderful, too! After shaping the caramel popcorn balls, coat them in sprinkles whereas the caramel remains to be heat. - Peppermint. As an alternative of sprinkles, dip the chocolate-covered popcorn balls into crushed sweet canes or peppermint sweet for one more vacation model.
- Colours. Add just a few drops of meals coloring to the caramel to dye these popcorn balls any colour that matches your social gathering theme.
- Combine-ins. Stir mix-ins like M&Ms or mini marshmallows into the popcorn earlier than shaping. Watch out to not overdo it, although, as too many add-ins can forestall the popcorn from sticking.
- Halloween. Make Halloween popcorn balls with orange sprinkles, and you may even fold sweet corn or Reese’s Items into the caramel popcorn.
- Extra holidays and events. Roll the chocolate caramel popcorn balls in crimson, white, and blue sprinkles for Memorial Day and July 4th, pink or blue sprinkles for child showers, or any colours you’d like relying on the event.
The best way to Retailer
These chocolate caramel popcorn balls style the perfect on the day they’re made, however you may wrap them in plastic wrap or parchment paper and hold them at room temperature for as much as 3 days.
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Pop the popcorn. Pop the popcorn based on the instructions on the package deal. Place the popped popcorn in a big bowl. Put aside.
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Soften the caramel. Put the unwrapped caramel candies and butter in a medium-sized saucepan; cook dinner over medium-low warmth and stir till melted and easy.
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Mix. Take away the caramel from the warmth and pour it over the popcorn. Combine till all of the popcorn is effectively coated. Let stand for a few minutes to chill.
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Soften the chocolate. Within the meantime, put together your chocolate chips by melting them both within the microwave or over a double boiler. Soften them till easy.
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Form the popcorn balls. Grease your fingers with butter and form the popcorn into the scale of a softball.
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Dip! Stick a popsicle stick in every popcorn ball and dip every popcorn ball into melted chocolate, then roll in sprinkles. Place on waxed paper till the chocolate is about. Serve.
Energy: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fats: 5g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Ldl cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Dietary information is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might range based on the substances and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed information.