There’s something magical about that warm, sweet aroma of fresh marshmallows melting into crunchy popcorn, especially around the holidays. This Festive Christmas Popcorn Balls Recipe brings together that classic cozy vibe with fun pops of red and green candy, making it a joyful treat to whip up and share.

There is a wooden plate filled with round popcorn balls, each made of light-colored popcorn mixed tightly with small red and green candy pieces and sprinkles, giving them a festive look. The popcorn balls are placed close together, showing their bumpy texture with the colorful candies spread evenly on each one. The plate sits on a white marbled surface with holiday decorations nearby, including red and black checkered cloth, pine cones, a white wooden stand with red snowflake designs, and a few green Christmas ornaments scattered around. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Christmas Popcorn Balls Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Festive Christmas Popcorn Balls Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Festive Christmas Popcorn Balls Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I absolutely adore how this popcorn balls recipe brings holiday cheer in one easy-to-make snack. It’s perfect for holiday parties, last-minute gifts, or just cozy evenings by the fire. Plus, it’s simple enough to make with the kids!

Easy to Make: You only need a handful of ingredients and one pot – minimal clean-up and maximum fun.
Festive & Colorful: Those red and green M&M’s and sprinkles add a playful and vibrant holiday look that’s sure to brighten any party table.
Customizable Treat: You can tweak the mix-ins or sizes to suit your crowd, whether you want bite-sized snacks or big, satisfying popcorn balls.
Perfect for Gifting: Packaged in cellophane with a ribbon, these popcorn balls make a thoughtful, homemade gift everyone will appreciate.

The image shows twelve round popcorn balls arranged closely on a round wooden board. Each popcorn ball has a light creamy color with colorful red and green candy pieces mixed evenly throughout, adding bright spots of color. The popcorn balls have a slightly bumpy texture from the popcorn and candies. Around the wooden board on a white marbled surface, there are scattered small marshmallows, red and green round candies, and tiny sprinkles. The background includes red and green Christmas ornaments and a cluster of berry-like decorations on branches, giving it a festive look. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

Every ingredient here plays a key role in delivering that perfect balance of sweet, crunchy, and festive. Let me break down why each one is important and how you can make the most of them when shopping.

Flat lay of a small pile of shiny unpopped yellow popcorn kernels, a few cubes of pale yellow unsalted butter, a simple white ceramic bowl filled with soft miniature white marshmallows, a small white bowl holding bright red and green M&M candies, and another small white bowl with colorful festive sprinkles, all arranged in perfect symmetry, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Unpopped popcorn kernels: Freshly popped popcorn gives you that crisp texture and warm flavor that store-bought popcorn just can’t match.
Unsalted butter: Melting butter creates a rich base that helps the marshmallows melt smoothly and keeps everything from sticking too much.
Miniature marshmallows: These melt down to create a luscious, sticky coating that holds the popcorn balls together perfectly.
Red and green M&M candies: A festive pop of color and a little extra crunch make these the stars of the show.
Festive sprinkles: They’re the little bursts of holiday magic, adding texture and visual appeal that’s hard to resist.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I love mixing things up depending on who I’m serving these to. It’s such a forgiving recipe that allows lots of fun variations to suit whatever mood or crowd you have.

Variation: One time, I swapped out the M&Ms for chopped candy canes to add a minty twist—guests were surprised and delighted by that cool burst of flavor!
Dietary modification: You can use dairy-free butter and vegan marshmallows easily, making this treat accessible to everyone.
Size adjustment: If you want bite-sized popcorn balls for a party platter, just make smaller portions and you’ll get more servings.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Christmas Popcorn Balls Recipe

Step 1: Pop the Popcorn Just Right

Start by popping your kernels with your preferred method—air popper, stovetop, or microwave. I like stovetop with a bit of oil for flavor, but air popper keeps it lighter. Make sure to remove all those stubborn unpopped kernels because biting into one is no fun!

Step 2: Melt Butter and Marshmallows Gently

In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter until it’s just liquid. Add your miniature marshmallows and stir constantly to avoid burning. Trust me, patience here pays off—the marshmallows should be silky and smooth, not grainy or burnt.

Step 3: Coat the Popcorn

Pour the melted marshmallow-butter mix over your popcorn and gently stir until all the popcorn is evenly coated. The goal is to get a light and sticky coating without squishing the popcorn too much; you want them puffed and happy.

Step 4: Fold in Your Festive Mix-ins

Once the popcorn-coating mixture has cooled slightly (but still warm), fold in the red and green M&M’s and sprinkles. This timing helps keep the candies from melting too quickly but ensures they stick well into the balls.

Step 5: Form the Popcorn Balls

Spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray (you'll need to reapply as they get sticky) and scoop about one cup of the mixture. Gently press it together into balls—but don’t squeeze too hard or you’ll crush the popcorn. Let them cool completely on parchment paper.

Top Tip

Making popcorn balls with marshmallows can get sticky—but here are some tricks I’ve learned to keep things neat and tasty:

Hands Spray: Keep a spray bottle or oil spray nearby to coat your hands before shaping; it prevents the marshmallow from sticking endlessly to your fingers.
Cool Slightly Before Adding Candies: This helps prevent your M&Ms from melting into a colorful mess—trust me, it’s less stressful!
Don’t Over-Compress: Press gently so your popcorn balls are fluffy, not dense lumps.
Press Candies on Outside: If your candies do soften, pressing a few more on the outside after forming gives a nice visual and texture boost.

How to Serve Festive Christmas Popcorn Balls Recipe

festive Christmas popcorn balls - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I often add a light dusting of powdered sugar to some of the popcorn balls for an extra frosty, wintery look. You can also wrap them in clear cellophane bags tied with festive ribbons—instant gift-worthy presentation!

Side Dishes

These popcorn balls are fantastic with a hot cocoa bar, a platter of holiday cookies, or alongside savory cheese and charcuterie boards for a sweet counterpoint.

Creative Ways to Present

For Christmas parties, I’ve arranged these popcorn balls on a tiered dessert stand surrounded by holly leaves and mini pinecones. It turns a simple treat into a centerpiece everyone can’t stop talking about.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover popcorn balls in an airtight container at room temperature, which keeps them fresh for about five days. I learned the hard way that refrigeration can make them hard and lose their charm, so room temp is best!

Freezing

Freezing popcorn balls is possible but not ideal—the texture tends to get a bit crumbly when thawed. If you do freeze, wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container, thawing at room temperature before serving.

Reheating

If you want to warm them up, a quick 5-10 second zap in the microwave softens the marshmallow coating and refreshes the flavors, but be careful not to overheat or they'll become too sticky or melt away.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use pre-popped popcorn instead of kernels?

Using pre-popped popcorn is possible, but fresh-popped popcorn works best because it’s less likely to be stale and will hold up better when coated with marshmallow mixture.

How do I prevent the M&M candies from melting?

To avoid melting, add the M&Ms once the marshmallow popcorn mixture has cooled slightly but is still warm enough to hold the candies in place. You can also press some candies onto the outside of the popcorn balls after shaping them for extra color without melting.

Can I make these gluten-free or vegan?

Absolutely! Use gluten-free popcorn kernels and check that your marshmallows are gluten-free. For a vegan option, substitute with dairy-free butter and vegan marshmallows available at many specialty stores.

How long will these popcorn balls stay fresh?

Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these popcorn balls stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days, perfect for making ahead during the busy holiday season.

Final Thoughts

I can’t recommend this Festive Christmas Popcorn Balls Recipe enough. It’s truly one of those feel-good treats that brings smiles and a bit of nostalgic holiday magic every time I make it. Whether you’re sharing with family, gifting to friends, or sneaking a couple right out of the kitchen, this recipe is a winner you’ll return to year after year.