Christmas Popcorn Balls Recipe
These Christmas popcorn balls are the perfect mix of sweet, chewy, and festive fun! Made with gooey marshmallows, colorful M&Ms, and sprinkles, they’re super easy to whip up and make a great treat for holiday parties or gifting!
I absolutely love baking during the holidays… t’s one of my favorite ways to get into the Christmas spirit!
My go-to favorite Christmas cookies are my grandma’s Gingerbread Boy Cookies, Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies, these sweet Christmas M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies, my Mom’s Peanut Butter & Kisses Cookies, savory Simple Shortbread Cookie Recipe Dipped In Chocolate and powdery Snowball Cookies aka Mexican Wedding Cookies!
But let’s be real, there are only so many cookies and fruitcakes you can make before it’s time to shake things up a bit. This year I decided to give a Christmas spin on my Best Caramel Popcorn Balls and add festive sprinkles and M&Ms!
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These candy-filled popcorn balls were sweet, fun, and so easy to make! They had gooey marshmallows, colorful M&M candies, and red and green sprinkles! They were soooo good…trust me, once you try these, you’ll be hooked!
Stephanie’s Recipe Rundown
Why You’ll Love It: This recipe is quick, simple, and so much fun to make—especially with kiddos! You can customize the popcorn balls with your favorite colors and mix-ins like sprinkles or M&Ms. Time Needed: Just a short amount of time to pop, mix, shape, and let them set — perfect for a fast and festive treat. Skill Level: Beginner-friendly! Easy enough for kids to help with and fun for all ages. Flavor & Texture: Sweet, chewy, lightly crunchy popcorn balls that can be tailored with colorful add-ins. Would I Make This Again? Absolutely! They’re fun, customizable, and make adorable homemade gifts for teachers, neighbors, or friends.xoxo Stephanie
Ingredients & Supplies
- popcorn kernels – any brand will do…if you’d prefer to use microwave popcorn, go right ahead!
- vegetable oil – if you choose to pop your own popcorn kernels, then you will need vegetable oil in the pot that you cook the popcorn in. Follow the directions on your package of popcorn for how much oil you need
- salted butter – I always use salted butter for my recipes
- vanilla extract – a good quality, pure vanilla extract is preferred
- mini marshmallows – you will need a 10 ounce bag
- red and green M&Ms – if you’re unable to find the red and green only packages, buy a regular bag of M&Ms and sort the colors! (I always have luck finding them at Walmart!)
- Wilton Christmas sprinkles – red, green and white sprinkles!
- 2 pots with lids
- large mixing bowl
- spatula
- rubber gloves
Step-By-Step Instructions
- STEP 1: Heat oil in pot according to popcorn directions. Fill with popcorn, cover with lid and let pop (around 1/2 cup popcorn kernels to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil)
- STEP 2: Pour popped popcorn into a large bowl
- STEP 3: In a pot, melt butter
- STEP 4: Once butter is melted, add mini marshmallows over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until they are melted. The marshmallows should be very melted and runny!
- STEP 5: Stir in vanilla extract
- STEP 6: Pour the melted marshmallows into the bowl of popped popcorn
- STEP 5: Pour the melted marshmallows into the bowl of popped popcorn
- STEP 6: Put on rubber gloves and mix in red and green M&Ms and festive sprinkles
- STEP 7: Scoop a large handful of popcorn and shape into a ball with hands
- STEP 8: Place popcorn ball into a cellophane bag and tie with a red ribbon
Once your popcorn balls are shaped and set, you’re all done—so simple and so fun! For an extra special touch, wrap each one in a clear plastic bag and tie it with a ribbon to create the cutest homemade gifts for teachers, neighbors, or friends.
Tips for Success
- Use gloves to prevent sticking when shaping the balls
- Add the M&Ms after mixing the hot marshmallow mixture to avoid melting the candies
- Experiment with different add-ins like crushed peppermint or white chocolate chips
Printable Recipe Card
Christmas Popcorn Balls with M&Ms and Sprinkles
Equipment
- sauce pot
Ingredients
- 1/2 c popcorn kernels
- 3 tbs vegetable oil
- 1 stick salted butter
- 10 oz mini marshmallows
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 c red & green M&Ms
- 2 tsb festive sprinkles
Instructions
- Heat oil in pot according to popcorn directions. Fill with popcorn, cover with lid and let pop (around 1/2 cup popcorn kernels to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil)
- Pour popped popcorn into a large bowl
- In a pot, melt butter
- Once butter is melted, add mini marshmallows over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until they are melted. The marshmallows should be very melted and runny!
- Stir in vanilla extract
- Pour the melted marshmallows into the bowl of popped popcorn
- Put on rubber gloves and mix in red and green M&Ms and festive sprinkles
- Scoop a large handful of popcorn and shape into a ball with hands
- Place popcorn ball into a cellophane bag and tie with a red ribbon
Nutrition
You May Also Like These Recipes
- Gingerbread Boy Cookies
- Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies
- Christmas M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mom’s Peanut Butter & Kisses Cookies
- Snowball Cookies aka Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Best Caramel Popcorn Balls
![](https://gatheredinthekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/xo-Stephanie-Signature.jpg")
Stephanie—home cook, DIY addict, seasonal decor fanatic, and proud chicken wrangler living in a Victorian house that’s always a project. Whether I’m cooking with garden-fresh ingredients, herding mischievous chickens, or tackling another DIY, I’m here to share the fun (and chaos).
