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My Candied PopCorn Recipe

1. Microwave a pkg of popcorn, Pour into a bowl

2. Use a small pan to melt 1/4 cup sugar on high heat. Stirring with a knife as it melts. It will melt fast.

3. Smash the lumps with your knife, tip pan away from heat so it all drains into the corner. When it is light brown in color and melted, carefully pour over your popcorn. Then stir with the knife.

4. The syrup is hot! The pan will be very hot! Put it in the sink and let water run over it slowly to cool it.

Experiment: I added a tsp of butter to the sugar while it was melting, it took longer for the sugar to melt, and did not pour as smoothly as if it was just melted sugar. But after I tasted the cooled popcorn it reminded me of Fiddle Faddle.

Peanut Butter Popcorn - Melt some peanut butter in a small bowl in the microwave for about 20 seconds, then stir it in your popped corn. Finger Lickin Good! If you'd like some Peanut Butter Popcorn that is not sticky, try this recipe for Peanut Butter Popcorn.

Cheese Popcorn - Save some of the package of cheese from your Kraft Mac and Cheese. Sprinkle over popcorn.

Also see Caramel Popcorn Balls, and Candy Apples for Halloween

Rainbow Colored Flavored Popcorn

10 cups of popped corn, kernals removed.
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 - 3 ounce package any colored flavored Jello or gelatin.
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Place the popcorn in a greased 17x12x2 inch baking pan. Keep popcorn warm in a 300 oven while making the syrup. Butter the bottom and sides of a heavy 2 quart saucepan. In the saucepan combine the butter or margarine, sugar, gelatin, water, and corn syrup.

Cook mixture over medium heat till boiling, stirring constantly. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, till the thermometer reaches 255 (hard ball stage)

Pour syrup mixture over popcorn and gently stir to coat popcorn. Bake at 300 oven for 5 minutes more. Stir once and bake for 5 minutes more. Turn popcorn mixture onto a large piece of foil. Cool completely. Break popcorn mixture into clusters. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place. Makes about 13 cups. Perfect for parties.

Make raspberry or strawberry - and lime popcorn for Christmas. Orange for Halloween. Fun!
Recipe from an 1985 Fun Foods Cookbook

Also see these 2 recipes for colorful popcorn balls. One uses Jello, and the other uses food coloring.

Poppycock

1 cup butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup white corn syrup
2 to 3 qts. popped popcorn
Nuts (optional)

Boil the first 4 ingredients for 8 to 10 minutes; stir into popcorn. Add nuts if desired.
Recipe from 1998 Platte SD Hospital Recipebook

Old Fashion Popcorn Balls

I used to make these every Halloween for years, though it seems they are not popular to give out popcorn balls to Trick or Treat'ers anymore, you can still make them for Halloween Parties. Here's how to make popcorn balls:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup water
1 Tablespoon butter
3 1/2 quarts popped popcorn
1 1/4 teaspoon salt

Put first 4 ingredients in a saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add butter and continue cooking without stirring, until it reaches 240 F or until mixture makes a soft ball when tested in a small dish of cold water.

Put the popped popcorn (minus unpopped seeds) into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Pour the hot syrup over it and mix thoroughly. Butter your hands, and quickly shape in small balls, and place on a buttered pan, wrap in wax paper, or Glad wrap when cool.
Recipe from an 1963 Better Homes Cookbook

How do you stick the Halloween candies on? Melt 2/3 cup tiny marshmellows (or 6 big ones) with 2 teaspoons shortening over low heat. Use mixture while warm. Dip candies into the stickum and pop them onto faces. Fun idea for a Halloween Party. Let each child decorated their own popcorn ball.

Also see this recipe for Popcorn Ball Syrup

Original Recipe for Popcorn Balls

1 1/2 cups popcorn
2 cups molasses
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp salt

Pop corn and discard unpopped kernals.Put in a large pan and sprinkle with salt. Melt butter in saucepan, add molasses, sugar, and vinegar. Boil until a little dropped in cold water becomes brittle. Pour gradually over corn while mixing thoroughly. Shape into balls and wrap in waxed paper.

Did You Know... During that time period of the 1900's they use to insert a small wrapped gift in the center and mold the popcorn around it, for children's parties or church bazaars.
Recipe circa 1919

Also see this easy recipe for Molasses Popcorn Balls

Popcorn Balls

5 quarts popped corn
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Keep popped corn hot and crisp in a slow oven (300). Butter sides of saucepan. In it combine sugar, water, salt, corn syrup, and vinegar. Cook to hard ball stage (250). Add vanilla. Pour slowly over hot popped corn, stirring enough to miz thoroughly. Lightly butter hands before shaping into balls or flat circles.
Recipe from an 1963 Better Homes Cookbook

Note: This recipe can also be used with cereal like corn puffs instead of popcorn.

Here's another recipe called Mother's Popcorn Balls

Chocolate Pop Corn Balls

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup white syrup
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup molasses
3 tbsp. butter
3 oz. Bakers Premium Chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla
4 qts. popped corn, well salted and well sorted.

Have the corn warm and in a warm bowl, put sugar, corn syrup and water over fire, stir until sugar is melted, then wash down the sides of the saucepan, cover and let boil 3 or 4 minutes, then remove the cover and cook without stirring, to a hard ball, add the molasses and butter and stir constantly until brittle.

Remove from fire and add the chocolate melted over hot water and vanilla, stir to mix the chocolate evenly through the candy, then pour on to the corn, shape into balls
Ruby Hoffman, Beulah Boosters. Davison County, SD Recipe book

Marshmallow Pop Corn Balls

1 lb. bag marshmallows
1 stick butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter and marshmallows in double boiler, add vanilla and pour over 1 dish pan of popped corn. Butter hands and shape into balls.
Recipe from a 1981 church cookbook

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

1 c. popcorn
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/2 lb. marshmallows

Pop corn; sprinkle with salt. Melt butter in skillet. Cut marshmallows in quarters. Alternate layers of popcorn and marshmallows in skillet. Cover; heat slowly until marshmallows are partially melted. Mix well; form into balls. Makes 9 (2") popcorn balls.
Recipe from a 1959 Farm Journal Country Cookbook

Recipes for Popular Cracker Jacks!

Cracker Jax

1 cup molasses
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 quarts popcorn
2 cupps chopped nuts

Grease 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan. In a large saucepan blend molasses, sugar, butter and vinegar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat to hardcrack stage (300F) Remove from heat; beat in baking soda. Put popcorn in mixing bowl; pour syrup on top. Add nuts; mix well. Spread in pan. When cool, break into pieces.
Recipe from America Cooks 1967

Cracker Jacks

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 T. butter
1/16 tsp. salt
1 c. water
1 scant tsp. soda
6 qts. popcorn

In a 2 quart saucepan cook sugar, butter, salt, and water until it smokes and turns light brown. When light brown remove from heat and stir in soda and pour over popcorn.
Recipe from a 2001 Cedar County Catholic School in Hartington, Northern Nebraska

Make a Popcorn cake!

Popcorn Cake

7 - 8 qts popcorn
1 lb. gumdrops (no black)
salted nuts, if desired
1 lb. marshmallows
1/2 c. salad oil
1/2 c. butter or margarine

Pop the corn, remove unpopped kernals, and keep warm. Melt oil, marshmallows and butter. Add mix, gum drops and peanuts to popcorn. Butter angel food cake pan. Pack with popcorn mixture and place in refrigerator. Slice when cooled.

Note: for Christmas, color the popcorn for a festive look.
Recipe from 1987 SD Special Olympics Cookbook

Popcorn Bars

1 c. sugar
1 c. white corn syrup
1 c. peanut butter
6 c. popcorn
1 c. salted nuts

Bring sugar and syrup to a boil over moderate heat. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Pour over popped popcorn and peanuts. Press into a buttered 9x13 pan and cut into bars.
Recipe from 1987 SD Special Olympics Cookbook

Best Ever Candy Corn

2 1/2 quarts popped corn
1 pound (2 1/4 cups) light brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup peanuts

Keep popped corn hot and crisp in slow oven (300). In large saucepan, combine sugar, syrup, water, butter, and salt. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until syrup reaches hard crack stage (290). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. In a large buttered bowl or pan mix the popcorn and nuts. Pour syrup in a fine stream over mixture.

Working quickly, mix well until kernals are completely coated. Spread out thin on buttered cooky sheets. Quickly separate into bite size clusters with 2 forks. Cool. Makes about 3 1/2 quarts.
Recipe from a 1963 Teaching Teens to Cook Cookbook

Seasoned Popcorn Recipes!

Meteorite Mix

2 c. small tortilla chips
1 1/2oz can potato sticks
1 c. minature marshmallows
1/2 c. golden raisins
1 c. cinnamon star cookies
1 c. sugared peanuts
1 c. popped corn

Combine and serve.
Recipe from a 2001 Cedar County Catholic School Recipebook Hartington, North Nebraska

Harvest Popcorn Recipe

1/3 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 qt. popcorn

Pop the corn, mix butter and spices. Toss with remaining ingredients. Spread in jelly roll pan. Bake, stirring once, 6 to 8 minutes in 350 oven. Yields 2 1/2 quarts seasoned popcorn.

Snack Mix

1-1lb bag of plain M & M's
1 jar sunflower seeds, shelled
1 jar dry roasted peanuts
1 bag candy corn
1 bag raisins

Put in an ice cream pail, put the lid on, and shake well and eat.
Recipe from 1998 Platte SD Hospital Recipebook

Also see the recipe for Popcorn Party Mix
And here's a recipe for Seasoned Popcorn

Popcorn Recipe Pictures

Caramel Corn Recipe
Caramel Party Mix Recipe
Caramel Popcorn Balls
Caramel Popcorn Recipe
Colorful Popcorn Balls
Microwave Caramel Corn
Molasses Popcorn Balls
Mother's Popcorn Balls
Oven Caramel Corn
Oven Caramel Corn 2
Peanut Butter Popcorn
Popcornballs
Popcorn Party Mix
Popcorn Ball Syrup
Seasoned Popcorn