Peppermint Popcorn
Peppermint Popcorn is a holiday must! Tossed in white chocolate, crushed peppermint, and finished with a chocolate drizzle, it’s the ultimate sweet and festive snack.
Servings: 10 servings
Cost: $5.89
Equipment
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 8 to 9 cups popped kettle corn or plain popcorn—see note 1
- 1 (10-ounce) package vanilla chocolate melts
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil or vegetable oil, divided
- 5 regular candy canes crushed
- 1/2 cup chocolate melts milk, semi-sweet, or dark—whichever you prefer
Instructions
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Set aside.
- Pop popcorn according to package directions. Remove any un-popped popcorn kernels and dump all the popped popcorn into a very large bowl. Alternatively, you can use purchased pre-popped popcorn.
- Add unwrapped candy canes to a large resealable plastic bag (or 2; the peppermint has a tendency to rip through plastic bags as it is crushed). Seal the bag without air, then crush with a rolling pin or meat mallet until fine crumbs are formed. Remove 1 tablespoon of crumbs and set aside. Add the rest of the crushed peppermint on top of the popcorn.
- Combine white chocolate melts with 1-1/2 tsp oil and melt in the microwave until completely smooth (see note 3). Pour melted chocolate over popcorn and peppermint and stir with a spatula until well combined and evenly coated. Pour coated popcorn on prepared sheet pan and spread in an even layer.
- Combine milk or dark chocolate melts with remaining 1/2 tsp oil and melt in the microwave until completely smooth. Transfer to a plastic bag and seal without air. Cut off the tip of the bag and pipe chocolate all over the popcorn. Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon peppermint on top. Let set at room temperature (or pop in the fridge) until hardened.
- Gently break into pieces and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Note 1: Purchasing already popped popcorn makes this recipe come together quicker, but you can pop your own; here’s what I use. I like kettle corn since it adds a touch more sweetness, which balances the peppermint, but feel free to use plain popcorn: Either this already popped popcorn, these packets, or kernels (~1/2 cup), but be sure to add a touch of salt to enhance the end popcorn flavors.
Note 2: I recommend chocolate made for melting like melting wafers (found in the baking aisle). I like to add a touch of oil or shortening to the chocolate to help it to smooth out and make coating the popcorn in chocolate easier.
Note 3: To avoid scorching the chocolate, microwave for 15 seconds at a time and stir for at least 15 seconds between each microwave burst. Remember, the chocolate is still melting from residual heat out of the microwave. It’s important the chocolate never gets too hot! You want it melted but as close to room temperature as possible.
Storage: Transfer leftover popcorn to a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and store in a dry, cool, dark area. Keep out of heat and sunlight to avoid melting the chocolate. Best enjoyed within 3–5 days; even when stored properly, it begins to soften or become stale.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.3mg