This Rocky Road Popcorn Balls recipe combines sweet popcorn balls with the marshmallow and chocolate flavors of rocky road ice cream. The result is a rocky road popcorn cluster that is also a whole-grain dessert, thanks to the popcorn.
A very easy recipe to make that is fun for Valentine’s Day treats and Halloween trick-or-treaters. It is also a tasty snack to keep on hand when friends and family come by to visit (or to send out as a care package). One suggestion for readers who have struggled with the stickiness of working with melted marshmallow: Spray your hands with cooking spray before you shape the popcorn balls.
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Rocky Road Popcorn Balls
- Yield: 32 small popcorn ball clusters
Ingredients
Semi-sweet chocolate chips – 3/4 cup (can use more if you want a more chocolate-y popcorn ball)
Salted butter – 1/4 cup
Popped popcorn – 8 cups
Mini marshmallows – 3 cups
Chopped walnuts or peanuts – 3/4 cup
Instructions
FIRST, PREP YOUR MARSHMALLOWS
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or a Silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.
Take a large pot and put in your marshmallows and butter. Place the pot over medium-low heat and melt the butter and marshmallows together. Be sure to stir continually so the marshmallow doesn’t burn! Keep stirring until the mixture is blended and smooth. (It took about 5 to 6 minutes on my stove.) Remove the pan from the heat.
NEXT, ADD IN YOUR POPCORN
These next two steps happen very fast, so be sure you have all of your remaining ingredients measured out and ready to go. Add in the popcorn and nuts into your marshmallow mixture, and gently fold (or stir) them until they are completely coated in the marshmallow mixture. Then, add in the chocolate chips and continue to stir until the chocolate is melted and coating your mixture.
FINAL STEP: SHAPE YOUR POPCORN BALLS
Grease your hands with butter or cooking spray. Shape the mixture into small popcorn balls – or simply take a spoon and drop your mixture in 1.5-to-2 inch clumps – and place them on the lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate your tray of treats for at least two hours, or overnight, and then serve.
Notes
Thanks to the Popcorn Board for the recipe.
Share your creations with us on Instagram! You can find our Instagram account here – or tag you creation with #dellcovespices and we would love to give you a shout-out!
Want a cocktail to pair with this? Try our Chocolate Martini recipe, which you can find here.