Deliciously gooey 5-minute Caramel Marshmallow Popcorn — quick to make and ideal for parties, holidays, or movie nights.
This gooey Caramel Marshmallow Popcorn comes together in minutes and makes a crowd-pleasing treat for holidays, gatherings, or a cozy night at home. With simple ingredients and a texture similar to Rice Krispie treats, this sweet and sticky popcorn is easy to customize and hard to resist.
Marshmallow popcorn goodness
If you enjoy marshmallows, popcorn, and caramel, this recipe combines all three into a sticky-sweet snack everyone will love. It’s delightfully addictive and can be shaped into popcorn balls for a fun handheld treat the kids will adore.
Preparation takes only about 5 minutes, and the result is wonderfully gooey. It’s perfect for parties, holiday plates, bake sales, or movie nights — simple, fast, and always a hit.
How to make marshmallow popcorn
The basic steps are quick and straightforward:
Pop the popcorn. Make about 10–11 cups of popped corn and remove any unpopped kernels. Place the popcorn in a large bowl for coating.
Make the caramel marshmallow sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt ½ cup unsalted butter. Stir in 1 cup packed light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup until well combined. Add 20 large marshmallows (or about 3 cups mini marshmallows) and stir continuously over low heat until fully melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Combine and set. Pour the warm marshmallow-caramel mixture over the popcorn and toss gently to coat evenly. Spread the coated popcorn on parchment paper or a lightly greased baking sheet and let it sit for about 10 minutes to set. If desired, shape into popcorn balls while still slightly warm, greasing your hands lightly to prevent sticking.
Recipe tips
Popcorn quantities. One 3.28-ounce bag of microwave kernels yields about 10–11 cups popped. You can either buy 11 cups of pre-popped plain popcorn, pop 5 tablespoons of kernels, or use a bag of plain microwave popcorn for this recipe.
Marshmallow options. Substitute large marshmallows for mini marshmallows at roughly a 1:10 ratio. Use about 20 large marshmallows or 200 mini marshmallows (around 3 cups). Older marshmallows may not melt smoothly, so use fresh ones for best results.
Corn syrup substitutes. If you don’t have light corn syrup, you can use maple syrup, honey, or a homemade simple syrup (1 cup sugar simmered in 1/4 cup water until syrupy). These alternatives may change the flavor slightly but still work well.
Popcorn flavor. Plain popcorn is preferred so the caramel flavor shines, but lightly salted, lightly buttered, or kettle corn will also work. Avoid adding too much popcorn or the coating won’t hold; likewise, too little popcorn will leave the mixture too loose to set properly.
Easy cleanup and shaping. Grease your hands with cooking spray before forming popcorn balls to prevent sticking. For mix-ins, small amounts of sprinkles, chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, or small candies can be folded in, but don’t overdo extras or the popcorn balls may not hold together.
Storing info
Store the popcorn in an airtight container or wrap individual popcorn balls tightly in plastic wrap. Stored at room temperature, it will stay good for about 7–10 days.
For more popcorn recipes:
- White Chocolate M&M Popcorn
- Easy Popcorn Balls
- Cookies and Cream Popcorn
- Birthday Cake Popcorn
- Caramel Popcorn
- Christmas Popcorn
Caramel Marshmallow Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (3.2-ounce) bag plain microwave popcorn
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 20 large marshmallows (or 3 cups mini marshmallows)
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn and place it in a large bowl, removing any unpopped kernels.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup and cook until blended. Add the marshmallows and stir continuously until fully melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and toss to coat. Spread the coated popcorn on parchment paper or a greased baking sheet and let sit for about 10 minutes to set.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Raining Hot Coupons.