Caramel popcorn balls dipped in chocolate and lined with sprinkles are such a enjoyable and straightforward do-it-yourself deal with. These popcorn balls are completely holiday-worthy and nice for customizing relying on the season!
If you happen to’re on the lookout for the same scrumptious do-it-yourself deal with, attempt my marshmallow popcorn balls, subsequent! I additionally love gifting these popcorn balls with a jar of spiced nuts as a festive, straightforward meals reward.
These chocolate caramel popcorn balls have at all times been a success with the entire household. My father? Large fan. He at all times mentioned that these caramel popcorn balls reminded him of his youth. In the meantime, my daughter at all times 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
- Straightforward to make. Making popcorn balls at all times 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 must boil your individual sugar to make caramel from scratch except you need to.
- Get the children concerned! These chocolate caramel popcorn balls are an effective way to rope little ones into Christmas “baking”! There’s not really 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 like giving chocolate caramel popcorn balls out as get together favors and last-minute items! Wrap them up and tie them with a ribbon, straightforward peasy.
What You’ll Want
You’ll want popcorn, after all, and some additional substances which are most definitely hanging out within the pantry already. Along with the substances I cowl beneath, 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 seems like so much, however actually, 14 cups of popped popcorn = 1 cup of kernels, which is sufficient to make 10 popcorn balls.
- Caramel Candies – I at all times have a bundle (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. Normally, you’ll must 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. It’s also possible to use chopped chocolate, which melts even smoother.
- Sprinkles – I take advantage of pink and inexperienced Christmas sprinkles, however the great thing about this popcorn balls recipe is which you could customise the decorations for any vacation. Use pink, white, and blue sprinkles for the 4th of July or orange sprinkles for Halloween popcorn balls!
The way to Make Popcorn Balls
Confession time: The primary time I made these chocolate caramel popcorn balls, I burnt the caramel. I appeared 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 clean. It’s also possible to soften the chocolate over a double boiler on the stovetop.
- Form the popcorn balls. Now, it’s time to get a bit of messy! Be sure that the caramel-covered popcorn is cool sufficient to deal with. Then, grease your fingers with butter, and form the popcorn into balls. I normally make mine concerning the measurement of a softball, however you can also make them smaller, it’s as much as you.
- Dip in chocolate. Press a popsicle stick into every popcorn ball. One by one, 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 Ideas
- 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. If you happen to wait too lengthy, the caramel will begin to harden.
- Work shortly. On that be aware, 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. Make certain your fingers are buttered or greased with a little bit of cooking spray earlier than you form your popcorn. I preserve a dish with butter shut by so I can freshly grease my fingers earlier than shaping every ball.
Straightforward Variations
- Completely different chocolate. Dip the popcorn balls in white chocolate, melted peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips. It’s also possible to use coloured sweet melts!
Depart them undipped. After all, in the event you’d choose 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 a number of drops of meals coloring to the caramel to dye these popcorn balls any colour that matches your get together 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 stop the popcorn from sticking.
- Halloween. Make Halloween popcorn balls with orange sprinkles, and you’ll even fold sweet corn or Reese’s Items into the caramel popcorn.
- Extra holidays and events. Roll the chocolate caramel popcorn balls in pink, 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 way to Retailer
These chocolate caramel popcorn balls style the very best on the day they’re made, however you may wrap them in plastic wrap or parchment paper and preserve them at room temperature for as much as 3 days.
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Pop the popcorn. Pop the popcorn in keeping with the instructions on the bundle. 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; prepare dinner over medium-low warmth and stir till melted and clean.
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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 clean.
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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 ready. 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 data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values could range in keeping with the substances and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
