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Fun Red White Blue Popcorn Balls Recipe Easy Patriotic Snack for Kids Celebrations

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A quick and easy festive snack featuring colorful red, white, and blue popcorn balls perfect for kids’ celebrations and summer gatherings. This recipe combines buttery popcorn with melted marshmallows and candy melts for a sweet, crunchy treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • About 10 cups popped popcorn kernels (freshly popped, lightly salted)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 bag (about 10 ounces) marshmallows (mini or regular)
  • 1 cup red candy melts
  • 1 cup white candy melts (or white chocolate chips as substitute)
  • 1 cup blue candy melts (or blue-colored white chocolate as substitute)
  • Non-stick cooking spray (for greasing hands)
  • Optional: sprinkles or edible glitter for decoration

Instructions

  1. Pop about 10 cups of popcorn kernels using your preferred method. Remove any unpopped kernels and transfer the popcorn to a large mixing bowl (about 5-7 minutes).
  2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 bag of marshmallows together. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth and fully melted (about 2-3 minutes).
  3. Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the popcorn. Using a wooden spoon, gently fold and stir until popcorn is evenly coated, being careful not to crush the kernels.
  4. Divide the coated popcorn evenly into three bowls for the red, white, and blue layers.
  5. In separate microwave-safe bowls, melt the red, white, and blue candy melts. Heat in 20-second bursts, stirring after each until smooth and pourable.
  6. Pour the red candy melts into one bowl of coated popcorn and gently stir to combine. Repeat with white and blue candy melts in their respective bowls.
  7. Lightly grease your hands with non-stick spray or butter. Take a handful from the red-coated popcorn bowl and firmly press into a ball about 3 inches in diameter. Repeat with white and blue popcorn mixtures. For a layered patriotic look, gently press smaller amounts of each color into one ball.
  8. Place the popcorn balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them set at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until firm enough to hold shape without sticking.

Notes

Use short microwave bursts and stir frequently when melting candy melts to avoid grainy texture. Grease hands lightly to prevent sticking when shaping popcorn balls. If mixture is too sticky, chill in fridge for 10-15 minutes. For vegan version, substitute vegan marshmallows and dairy-free butter. Store popcorn balls wrapped individually at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: popcorn balls, patriotic snack, kids snack, red white blue, easy snack, Fourth of July, candy melts, marshmallow popcorn

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/fun-red-white-blue-popcorn-balls-recipe-easy-patriotic-snack-for-kids-celebrations/