This Halloween popcorn recipe is simple and easy, and makes a fun Halloween treat that is perfect for any party. Best of all, the kids will absolutely love it.
We call it Halloween Popcorn. The kids call it Monster Munch popcorn. Either way, this Halloween popcorn mix is sweet and salty, like a colorful Kettle Corn. You can pick any colors for the food coloring. But given that this is for Halloween, it seemed to make sense to use green, purple and orange for this colored popcorn snack. Want to make this a sweeter option? Break into your stash of candy corn, or some mini bags of M&M candies, and sprinkle some into the popcorn bowl.
We always pop our popcorn on the stove (you can find our directions on how to make perfect popcorn here), but you can also use microwave popcorn in a pinch. Just know that in some brands, the oil used inside the microwave bag can alter the food coloring you might use. Once you have the popcorn made, salt it liberally. Why? Because the salt plays nicely off the sweet candy coating.
Right now, Halloween is just around the corner. Why not put on a scary movie or two, and whip up a batch?
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, divide the sugar evenly between 3 small bowls. Then, you want to color each bowl of sugar a different tone by adding 1 to 3 drops of the food coloring. The more dye you add, the darker (or more vibrant) the color will be. Stir each bowl of sugar with a clean fork, until the sugars are sandy in texture.
Handy tip: You might wear latex gloves when doing this, to avoid staining your fingers. (Learned this the hard way!)
NEXT, POP YOUR POPCORN
Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and 2 tablespoons of popcorn kernels to a medium nonstick saucepan with a lid. Cover and place the pan over medium heat. Gently shake the pan back and forth, to make sure the kernels are evenly coated with the oil.
This next part is very tricky – be careful! Once the kernels begin to pop, move the pan off the heat and quickly add one of the bowls of colored sugar, and immediately re-cover the pan. BE CAREFUL! The oil is VERY hot!
Return the covered pan to the heat, shaking the pan constantly to ensure that the sugar doesn’t burn, while the popcorn pops. Once the pops are 3 to 5 seconds apart, remove the pot from heat and pour your popped popcorn onto the baking sheet. Spread the popcorn out with a wooden spoon. Evenly sprinkle salt over the hot popcorn and allow to cool.
Repeat these steps for each color. Hint: You may need to wipe your pan clean with a paper towel or cloth in between batches. Do not add water to hot pan with hot oil, though. (You can get burned if you do this!)
Recipe Note
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