These Halloween popcorn balls are soft, chewy, and so easy. Toss warm popcorn with melted marshmallow, shape into balls, then dip in white chocolate and add candy eyes to make little ghosts. Great for parties, school treats, or a spooky movie night.
Fun Note
Old-fashioned popcorn balls were made with a cooked molasses syrup. This quicker version uses marshmallows for the same stick and a softer bite.
Ingredients In Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Unsalted butter: for melting with marshmallows.
- Mini marshmallows: the binder that makes everything stick.
- Vanilla extract: a little warmth and flavor.
- Popped popcorn: about 12 cups plain, air-popped or stove-popped. Avoid heavy butter flavors.
- White candy melts: for the ghost “sheet.”
- Candy eyes: the spooky finish.
- Tools: large heavy pot, big mixing bowl, parchment-lined sheet, ¼-cup scoop, silicone spatula.
How To Make Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
- Pop the corn. Make about 12 cups of plain popcorn and pick out any unpopped kernels.
- Melt the marshmallows. In a large pot over low heat, melt butter with mini marshmallows, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Coat the popcorn. Add popcorn to the pot and fold until evenly coated.
- Shape. Lightly butter your hands and a ¼ cup scoop. Scoop and gently press into balls. Set on a parchment-lined sheet.
- Dip and decorate. Melt white candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Dip each ball halfway, add two candy eyes, and let it set. Chill briefly to speed things up.
If you like these adorable Halloween ghost popcorn balls, you should also check out my Halloween Snack Mix and other Halloween Recipes! Halloween Taco Dip and Halloween Dirt Cupcakes are always a hit at parties.
Pro Tips for Halloween Popcorn Balls That Hold Together
- Grease up. I rub a little soft butter or oil on my hands and the scoop so the marshmallow coating does not stick. This keeps marshmallow popcorn balls easy to shape.
- Pack gently. Press just enough so each ball holds without crushing the popcorn. Light pressure keeps Halloween popcorn balls soft and chewy.
- Work warm. Shape while the mixture is warm and tacky. If it cools, briefly rewarm the pot and stir; 5 to 10 seconds on low heat is usually enough.
- Use plain popcorn. Air popped or stove popped works best. I avoid strong butter flavors that compete with the white chocolate ghost coating.
- Remove kernels. Pick out any unpopped kernels before mixing so no one bites a hard surprise inside a popcorn ball.
- Ghosts and more. For ghost popcorn balls, dip halfway in white candy melts and add candy eyes. For monsters or pumpkins, tint the coating green, purple, or orange and add sprinkles.
- Not just for Halloween. These popcorn balls work for any occasion. I roll them in seasonal sprinkles for Christmas, birthdays, or Easter and skip the eyes for a classic look.
Storage
Store marshmallow popcorn balls at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For gifting, wrap each ball in cellophane.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Ghost Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
Recipe Video
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (58g) unsalted butter half a stick of butter
- 10 ounces (280g) mini marshmallows
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8-9 cups popped popcorn, unpopped kernels removed made from ½ cup of unpopped kernels
- 5 ounces (140g) vanilla flavored candy melts or white chocolate
- 20 candy eyes
Instructions
- Prepare a large cookie sheet, and line it with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- In a heavy bottom saucepan over low heat, combine butter and marshmallows. Stir until melted and smooth, remove from heat immediately and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and stir until all the popcorn is coated. The mixture will be very sticky.
- Butter your hands, then take handfuls of the coated popcorn and shape them into ghost balls. Place the balls on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Melt the candy wafters. Add the candy melts to a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at 50% power for one minute. Stir, and microwave again for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir again. Continue microwaving at 50% power for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each, until the candy is smooth.
- Dip half of each popcorn ball in the melted candy. Immediately decorate with eye candies and allow to set in the fridge for 1 hour.
Notes:
- Be sure to add butter or oil to your hands before trying to form balls from the popcorn mixture. This will keep it from sticking to your hands.
- After you pop the popcorn, be sure to remove any unpopped kernels from the bowl before adding the marshmallow mixture. You don’t want those kernels in your popcorn balls.
- Store marshmallow popcorn balls in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy within 2 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Troubleshooting Halloween Popcorn Balls
Shape while warm and gently compress. If needed, melt a few extra marshmallows with a teaspoon of butter and fold in.
Yes. Use a 2 tablespoon scoop for minis or a ¼ cup scoop for standard size. Adjust the dipping depth so that the ratio remains balanced.
Microwave at 50% power, stirring between short bursts, until the mixture is smooth. If the coating seems thick, stir in 1 teaspoon neutral oil or coconut oil.
Keep water away from the bowl and utensils to prevent the coating from seizing. A double boiler works too if you prefer to melt on the stove.
These adorable ghost marshmallow popcorn balls are going to be everyone’s favorite treat this year! Be sure to pin the recipe for later if needed – it’s best to make these the day of or the day before you want to serve them.
Christine says
This looks very good please send me the website thank you