Description
St. Patrick’s Day Popcorn is a delightful sweet and salty treat combining buttery marshmallow-coated popcorn with festive green candies and sprinkles. Perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, this easy-to-make dessert surprises with its chewy, crunchy texture and vibrant green-themed decorations.
Ingredients
Popcorn Base
- 10 cups popped popcorn (kernels removed)
- Salt, to taste
Marshmallow Coating
- 3 tbsp salted sweet cream butter
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
Decorations
- Green Regular M&Ms
- Green Pretzel M&Ms
- Green M&M Minis
- Lucky Charms Shamrock Marshmallows
- Mini Shamrock Sprinkles
- St. Patrick’s Day Sprinkles (green shades)
Instructions
- Prepare the Popcorn: Pop 10 cups of popcorn using your preferred method, then carefully remove all un-popped kernels. Place the popped popcorn in a large bowl and season it liberally with salt. Set aside.
- Melt Butter: In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of salted sweet cream butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally until fully melted.
- Melt Marshmallows: Add 3 cups of mini marshmallows to the melted butter. Stir continuously until all the marshmallows are fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the saucepan from heat immediately after the marshmallows have melted.
- Combine Popcorn and Marshmallow Mixture: Slowly pour about one-third of the warm marshmallow mixture over the salted popcorn. Gently fold with a spatula to coat the popcorn evenly. Repeat this process in batches until all the popcorn is coated.
- Spread on Baking Sheet: Transfer the coated popcorn onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, foil, or a Silpat liner. Use a spatula to evenly distribute and flatten the popcorn layer.
- Add Festive Toppings: While the marshmallow coating is still warm and sticky, sprinkle green-themed candies and decorations evenly over the popcorn. Use mini marshmallows, Lucky Charms Shamrock Marshmallows, three varieties of green M&Ms (Regular, Pretzel, and Minis), mini shamrock sprinkles, and St. Patrick’s Day green sprinkles for a festive look.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the popcorn to cool completely so the coating sets and the toppings adhere. Once cooled, break the popcorn into pieces and serve.
Notes
- Be sure to work quickly when adding the candy toppings, as the marshmallow coating hardens as it cools.
- You can substitute salted butter with unsalted butter and add salt separately to control saltiness.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure all candies and sprinkles are certified gluten-free.
- Store leftover popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
