• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
In Search Of Yummy-ness
  • Recipes
  • Guides
  • Gardening
  • Subscribe
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Guides
  • Gardening
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Guides
    • Gardening
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Desserts and Treats

    Marshmallow Popcorn Balls with Brown Butter

    Published: Oct 24, 2013 · Modified: Feb 11, 2022 by Shareba · This post contains affiliate links.

    3.2K shares
    Jump to Recipe ↓

    These marshmallow popcorn balls get nutty flavour from salted brown butter!

    Marshmallow Popcorn Balls with Brown Butter | InSearchOfYummyness.com

    Marshmallow Popcorn Balls are one of those treats that I never had as a child. I don't know why... maybe they weren't very popular with Canadian children back in the late 1980's? I think we ate a lot of Rice Krispie Squares instead (which I love).

    So I decided to make my own popcorn ball recipe for this blog. I briefly considered adding some orange food colouring to these to make them more Halloween-ish, but  really didn't feel like consuming food colouring for the heck of it.

    Instead, I decided to add brown butter to the marshmallow mixture, and I'm so glad I did. These are really yummy! The brown butter adds a salty-nutty flavour that pairs well with the sweetness of the marshmallow. They are so good that I think I'll start adding brown butter to my Rice Krispie squares too.

    You can pop the popcorn for this recipe any way you like (air popped or oil popped etc.), and it should turn out just fine. You could probably use plain or kettle corn pre-popped popcorn as well! 

    Now, a quick word of warning for you... When I set out to make my first batch of popcorn balls, I planned out my ingredients and method but failed to consider how incredibly hot the marshmallow mixture would be. If there is one thing you should remember when it comes to making sweet treats, it's that hot sugar burns!

    If you try to wait for the mixture to cool before handling it, you will end up with a hard sticky mess. The best thing to do, in my opinion, is to use a spoon to scoop the popcorn out from the top of the pot, then quickly (and gently) press the mass into a ball. You could also add the popcorn to a greased bowl and add the marshmallow mixture into that, so you don't have to deal with the hot pot. I put some tips from other bloggers into the bottom of the recipe for you to check out too.

    Marshmallow Popcorn Balls with Brown Butter for Halloween | InSearchOfYummyness.com

    These crispy treats are best enjoyed fresh, as they begin to harden as they sit. After a couple of days, mine were too hard to eat. If you must leave them until the next day, please place these in an airtight container with a solid lid. They really have the best flavour and texture when they are freshly made though.

    Marshmallow Popcorn Ball Recipe | InSearchOfYummyness.com

    Marshmallow Popcorn Balls with Brown Butter

    These Marshmallow Popcorn Balls combines the classic flavours of a crispy rice treat with a classic popcorn ball.
    No ratings yet
    Created By: Shareba
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Treat
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 balls
    Calories 133

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup popcorn kernels, unpopped
    • â…› teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup salted butter
    • 40 marshmallows, large

    Instructions 

    • Pop your popcorn kernels in the microwave or on the stovetop.
    • Allow the popcorn to cool slightly, then remove all unpopped kernels. 
    • Lightly salt the freshly popped popcorn and set aside.
    • Set a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the butter.
    • Allow the butter to melt, stirring occasionally.
    • Once it begins to foam, keep a close eye on the pan. Stir the butter so you can see the colour of the liquid under the foam. As soon as it turns brown and smells nutty, add the marshmallows and start stirring a lot.
    • Continue stirring until the marshmallows have completely melted, this will take a few minutes.
    • Add the popcorn to the mixture and stir to coat each popped kernel.
    • Use a large greased spoon to scoop some of the mixture out and gently form it into a ball. Be careful, the mixture can be very hot.
    • Do not press the popcorn ball together too much or else it will be hard to eat.
    • Place the finished balls in a greased dish and allow to cool.
    • Eat once cooled, or store in an air-tight container for later.

    Notes

    IMPORTANT: Be sure to remove all unpopped kernels from your popcorn before adding the marshmallow mixture, so no one accidentally breaks their teeth on this treat!
    Tips:
    • Use melted butter or cooking spray to grease the large spoon and the baking dish for the final product. You should also grease your hands before rolling the balls. This will prevent the marshmallow from sticking to everything.
    • The marshmallow mixture can be VERY HOT, so please be careful.
    • Here are some ideas to help protect your hands from my blogging friends:
      - Use spoons to form the balls
      - Coat your hands in Crisco to act as a heat barrier
      - Put on a pair of cloth gloves, then a pair of plastic (food safe) gloves
    Please note that the nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate, and has been calculated using a plugin. 

    Please read the blog post for detailed tips and explanations.

    Nutrition Facts
    Marshmallow Popcorn Balls with Brown Butter
    Amount Per Serving (1 g)
    Calories 133 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Cholesterol 10mg3%
    Sodium 77mg3%
    Potassium 18mg1%
    Carbohydrates 24g8%
    Sugar 13g14%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 120IU2%
    Calcium 1mg0%
    Iron 0.3mg2%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Please note that these nutritional values are only an estimate, and have been generated from a database using generic products.

    Have you made this recipe?Please leave a review in the comments below!
    « Vanilla & Cardamom Glazed Acorn Squash
    How to Make Brownie Parfaits »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carrie @ Frugal Foodie Mama

      October 25, 2013 at 5:49 pm

      These popcorn balls look amazing, Shareba! 🙂 And I love that the recipe is so simple!

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        October 25, 2013 at 8:52 pm

        Thanks Carrie! It's a great quick recipe, so long as you don't burn your fingers!

        Reply

    Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Shareba!

    Welcome to In Search Of Yummy-ness.

    I share tasty wholesome recipes and gardening tips for beginners. Why don't you grab a cup of tea and stay a while? I appreciate you being here!

    More about me →

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Smoked Salmon Canapés with Asparagus
    • Eggs Benedict with Asparagus

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Important Links

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Disclosures and Copyright
    • Contact Me

    Resources

    • Resources for Bloggers
    • Shop my Amazon storefront (affiliate)
    • Shop West Coast Seeds online (affiliate)

    Featured On

    A list of websites that have featured In Search Of Yummy-ness including Saveur and Popsugar

    This website generates income via ads, affiliate links and sponsored posts.
    Please read our privacy policy and disclosures for more information.

    Copyright © 2022 · In Search Of Yummy-ness · All Rights Reserved

    This site uses cookies to customize our online advertisements and personalize your experience on our website. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Please read our privacy policy to learn how to opt-out.OkRead Privacy Policy