Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (2024)

The Recipe Rebel / Desserts / Candy

written by Ashley Fehr

4.80 from 45 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 25 cups

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Last updated on June 3, 2020

My Grandma’s Candy Popcorn is a must-make every Christmas! It’s fun and colorful and the kids love it 🙂 Choose any colors to switch things up for game day, a birthday party or any other holiday. SO easy! Includes a step by step recipe video.

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Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (2)

This post has been updated from November 3, 2015

I’m going to be completely honest.

As soon as September rolls around, I’m waiting for Christmas.

It’s not that I want to rush the snow, or the cold, or the snowsuits and icy roads. But I think Christmas is my favorite time of year.

Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (3)

I feel like such a child saying that, you know? I promise you it’s not all about the Lego waiting under the tree. It’s just that there’s nothing else we prepare for so far in advance. By the middle of November, for sure, I’ve got the Christmas tree and decorations up and am well into my Christmas shopping.

I love buying, wrapping and giving gifts.

I love a holiday that requires weeks of baking in advance (No Bake Christmas Trees or Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies anyone?).

I love the lights, the first snowflakes, and s’mores over the fire (inside!).

Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (4)

This is my Grandma’s Candy Popcorn recipe, and it’s one I’m sure I’ve eaten every Christmas since childhood except the last.

Since my Grandma passed away last November, I find myself becoming more emotionally attached to family recipes.

For some people, maybe that’s strange. But for you fellow food lovers, maybe you can see the significance of cooking or baking the same things that your parents and grandparents made years — or decades — earlier. I hope to store up a good number of them here!

A simple air popper and a few other basic ingredients are all you need to make this fun treat that I promise the adults will love as much as the kiddos 😉

This recipe is really simple, and can easily be customized. You could add flavored extracts if you wanted, change up the colors for any birthday, game day, or holiday, or mix in things like sprinkles, nuts, candies, etc. The options are endless!

Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (5)

Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (6)

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Grandma’s Candy Popcorn

written by Ashley Fehr

4.80 from 45 votes

Candy Popcorn is an easy holiday treat that is perfect for gift giving! My Grandma’s recipe ?

Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (8)

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups popcorn kernels popped (about 25 cups popped popcorn)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon food coloring
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Place popcorn in a large bowl (you’ll need room to stir the candy mixture in!)

  • In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring sugar, water, and butter to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Stir in food coloring and salt and pour over popcorn, stirring to coat (make sure you work quickly!). Spread on baking sheets lined with wax paper and let dry for 1-2 hours until no longer sticky.

  • *This popcorn lasts a long time at room temperature in an air tight container! It’ll be good for at least 1-2 weeks.

Notes

*I divided my popcorn in 3 to get 3 different colors. I divided my sugar mixture (after boiling) into 3 bowls, then stirred in ½ teaspoon food coloring in each bowl, and pour that over ⅓ of the popcorn each.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 90cal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g

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Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (9)

Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Ruth Chamberlain says

    Does anyone remember the sugar coated popcorn that had a pink and white coating. It was coated with a grainy sugar. Don’t know how else to describe it but it was amazing. Hope someone knows what I am referring to. I am 72 and we had it when I was young. My family bought it at church bazaars.

  2. Christina says

    My mom always would make this for me when I was a child. I would make this for my girls as well. It’s so yummy.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      It really is!

      Reply

  3. Sharon says

    Don’t tell anyone I told you this but use the recipe replacing the reg sugar with country time lemon aid mix. If you love lemon you will be hooked

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Thanks for the tip!

      Reply

  4. Rita says

    Taste is good but the sugar coating came out matte and chalky. Would love to know how to make it glossy like the ones you get from stores

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Rita! Glad you enjoyed the flavor. I’ve not had that experience before.

      Reply

  5. anthonique robinson says

    I have not tried your recipe as yet but I would like to know if I can use white kyro syrup as a substitute.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Anthonique! You likely could but I haven’t tried it myself. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!

      Reply

  6. Carol Caruso says

    I tried this recipe tonite to take to a get-together in the park tomorrow. I made two batches because there will be a lot of kids. My second batch (using the same pots and bowls) came out grainy, very different from the first batch. I would ask what went wrong because I’d like to fix that, but… the grainy batch got snarfed down the same as the first. My family said it’s not possible to mess up this recipe!! I’ll need to make another batch tomorrow so I’ll have enuff.
    Thank you for a pretty easy, economical, delightful treat!

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Carol! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! I’m not sure what would of made your second batch grainy especially since the first one came out fine.

      Reply

    • ellen says

      It’s probably the stirring. Typically when making candy you don’t stir the sugar or it crystallizes

      Reply

  7. S. Eldridge says

    Can you also add some flavoring to the sugar mix. I would use green food coloring and add some artificial lime extract or red dye and strawberry flavoring.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi S! I haven’t tried it myself but maybe? If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!

      Reply

      • Phaydrian says

        I added flavor with this recipe and it turned out great! I use this recipe every time I make candy popcorn now. I used to make it with the candy apple recipe but, this one is better and less mess.

      • The Recipe Rebel says

        Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!

  8. Niqole says

    Have you tried this with floss sugar? (Cotton candy sugar) you’d have different flavors & colors w/o having to add extras. Just wondering if the sugar would act the same. I just ordered a handful of floss sugar flavors! Def have to try this out!

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      No I’m sorry I have not Niqole.

      Reply

  9. James McDermott says

    This recipe is the same as the one my Grandmother made for us at Christmas time with an additional ingredients. When I was in the Army I would get care packages with little toys from the five and dime store mixed up in with the candy coated popcorn. The guy’s in the bairics got a lot of fun 😊 playing with the toys while eating the corn. My family still makes this recipe every year even though we’re living in other parts of the country. This year I am putting it in plastic bags and using it pack jams to send to the grandkids.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      That’s a great story James!

      Reply

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Grandma's Candy Popcorn recipe & a Giveaway! (2024)

FAQs

How long does candied popcorn stay fresh? ›

*This popcorn lasts a long time at room temperature in an air tight container! It'll be good for at least 1-2 weeks.

How to make popcorn yummier? ›

Melt some butter or coconut oil and drizzle it over the popcorn. Mix in some dried herbs, like rosemary or thyme. Add a sweet touch with a sprinkle of cinnamon or brown sugar. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and black pepper for an Italian twist.

How to make flavored popcorn reddit? ›

I like to use the spice I put on chicken wings on popcorn. It's usually a mix of majority brown sugar, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, a tiny bit of garlic and onion powder, and last time I added chili powder. Butter the popcorn before mixing in the spice powder. So flavourful!

Why is my candied popcorn not crunchy? ›

The longer you cook the syrup (the mixture of sugar and water the forms the base of the caramel sauce), the crunchier your popcorn will be. For very crunchy popcorn (my favorite!), stop cooking when you see the first wisps of smoke coming from the sugar mixture.

How long will popcorn last in a Ziploc bag? ›

Popcorn does not exactly "expire" like perishable foods, but it can lose its freshness and quality over time. If stored properly in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, popcorn kernels can last for a year or even longer. However, as time passes, they might lose moisture and become less likely to pop effectively.

What is the secret ingredient in popcorn? ›

The flavor all comes down to one ingredient: Flavacol. You've likely never heard of Flavacol because, really, only movie theaters use it. Essentially, it's butter-flavored salt. It's a really fine, bright orange powder that adds that buttery flavor you crave and the signature yellow color.

Can you just add food coloring to popcorn? ›

directions. Put popcorn in a large bowl that you have lightly buttered. Put sugar and water in a small pan and boil to 238* on a candy thermometer (or until it forms a medium ball in cold water), adding the food coloring toward the last of the cooking.

Why do you put baking soda in popcorn? ›

The baking soda reacts with the acid in the recipe (i.e., brown sugar) to create an airier, more brittle texture that's not as sticky as the recipes without it. The charms of caramel corn finally made sense. Once coated, the popcorn goes into the oven for about half an hour.

Can dogs eat popcorn? ›

Is Eating Popcorn Safe for Dogs? Yes and no. Plain, air-popped popcorn is safe for dogs to eat in small quantities. Buttered popcorn or popcorn with other toppings is not safe for your dog on a regular basis, although eating a few dropped pieces here and there probably won't hurt them.

What should I add to my popcorn to make it better? ›

For savory popcorn: Olive oil, kosher salt, and nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is the perfect seasoning if you want cheesy flavor but also want vegan popcorn seasoning. For sweet popcorn: Olive oil, cinnamon, and a dash of brown sugar. This will satisfy your sweet cravings without making your teeth hurt!

How to get flavoring to stick to popcorn? ›

One surefire way to enhance seasoning stickiness is to make sure your popped corn has some sort of moisture on it - essentially a popcorn coating. You can use a drizzle of melted butter, a spritz of truffle oil, a glaze of caramel or even toss the popcorn in a bit of melted ghee.

How to make popcorn at home taste like movie popcorn? ›

  1. Heat the Oil: Throw a couple tablespoons of coconut oil into your pot. Heat it on medium until it's completely melted.
  2. Add the Flavacol: Sprinkle in about half a teaspoon of Flavacol. This is the magic dust that gives it that signature taste. ...
  3. Pop the Kernels: Toss in half a cup of popcorn kernels.
Nov 4, 2021

What is pop secret popcorn? ›

Pop Secret is an American brand of popcorn, owned and marketed by Snyder's-Lance – a subsidiary of Campbell Soup Company since 2017.

How long is caramelized popcorn good for? ›

Hello and welcome to Just Answer ! If you keep it in a airtight container it will last up to one month, and if it takes stale, put it in a warm oven, for a few minutes about 250 degrees, and it will freshen it up !

How do you store caramelized popcorn? ›

Allow caramel popcorn to cool completely then store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 weeks. You can also freeze caramel corn! Freeze in an airtight container for several months. If popcorn has softened, you can reheat it in a 250F oven; cook for ten minutes at a time until no longer soft.

How long does homemade popcorn stay fresh? ›

Store the popcorn at room temperature for up to 1 to 2 weeks. If you haven't added salt, butter, or seasoning to the popcorn, it will keep for at least 1 week. Avoid refrigerating the popcorn because this will introduce moisture that can make the popcorn stale.

How long does flavored popcorn last? ›

Microwave popcorn also has a fairly long shelf life, lasting for about 8 months. If you consume it after its best-by date, it could develop a rancid taste from the flavorings and other additives.

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