Why I love this patriotic popcorn recipe
This Patriotic Popcorn is my absolute favorite way to kick off a 4th of July party!
I love this recipe because it is incredibly simple to make, yet it looks so vibrant and festive on a snack table.
The combination of the salty fresh popcorn with the sweetness of melted red, white, and blue candy is pure magic.
And the sprinkles add a delightful crunch to every handful.
Whenever I make this for a holiday gathering, it disappears almost as fast as I can pour it into the bowl!
Looking for more patriotic snacks? You'll love Red White And Blue Popsicles and 4th Of July Cakesicles.
Ingredients
Here is your shopping list (for 12 servings):
- Snacks – ½ cup popcorn kernels
- Candy – ¼ cup red candy melts, ¼ cup white candy melts, ¼ cup blue candy melts, ¼ cup red, white and blue M&Ms
- Candy sprinkles – 1 Tablespoon red, white and blue sprinkles (stars and stripes themed if available)
Substitutions & Additions
- For a little more crunch, add ½ cup of salted pretzels or roasted peanuts.
How to make patriotic popcorn
1 | Prep work
Before you start, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Parchment paper is the kitchen superhero that will keep the sticky popcorn from gluing itself to your baking sheet.
2 | Pop the corn
Use your air popper to pop the 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels by following the simple instructions that came with your machine.
Or if you don’t have an air popper, you can pop them in the microwave:
- put the kernels into a plain brown paper bag,
- seal it by rolling the top over a few times,
- cook it on high for 2 to 3 minutes until the popping sound slows down to a few seconds apart.
Spread your freshly popped popcorn out in a single layer over the parchment-lined baking sheet.
3 | Melt the white candy melts
Put your red, white, and blue candy pieces into separate microwave-safe bowls.
Make sure your bowls are completely dry before you start, because even a tiny drop of water can make the candy coating become clumpy and ruined.
Melt the white candy melts in the microwave.
To do this:
- Heat for 30 seconds,
- Remove from the microwave and stir.
- Then repeat the heat and stir process until they are completely melted.
Don’t be tempted to speed up the process by increasing the heat time. They will go from un-melted to burnt very quickly. And they often look like they aren’t melted until you stir them.
4 | Drizzle it over the popcorn
Transfer the melted candy to a small piping bag or ziploc bag.
If you’re using the ziploc bag, cut a tiny corner off to create a very small hole to drizzle from.
The easiest way to fill the bag is to put it in a tall glass and wrap the top of the bag over the edges of the glass. This holds the bag open while you spoon in the melted candy.
Drizzle the melted candy over 1/3 of the popcorn by squeezing the bag while moving your hand back and forth over the popcorn.
If your candy melts start to harden, put them back in the microwave for a few seconds. You can also add a little coconut oil. Which helps to keep them liquid for longer.
5 | Repeat with the red and blue candy melts
Repeat the same process with the red and blue candy melts.Melt the red candies and drizzle over 1/3 of the popcorn that does not already have topping on it.
Then repeat with the blue candy melt.
You should end up with stripes of red, white and blue.
6 | Add the toppings
Sprinkle the M&M’s and sprinkles over the white candy melt on the popcorn while it is still wet. This will ensure they stick.
Candy melts harden pretty quickly, so you’ll want to put the toppings on immediately after you have drizzled it. Otherwise, they won’t stick.
7 | Let it set
Allow the candy melts to harden at room temperature, which should take about 15-20 minutes.
If you’re in a hurry, you can also place the tray in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to speed up the hardening process.
8 | Serve
Once the candy has set, break the popcorn into clusters.
Serve in a large bowl or distribute into individual serving bags for a party.
Repeat the same process with the red and blue candy melts.
Frequently asked questions
What if I don’t have an air popper or a brown paper bag?
You can pop the kernels the old-fashioned way…on the stovetop:
- Pour a little oil in the bottom of a large pot.
- Heat over high heat for a minute or two until the oil is hot.
- Pour in the popcorn kernels and put a lid on the pot.
- When the kernels start to pop, quickly slide the pot back and forth over the element to prevent the popcorn from burning.
- When the popping starts to slow down, remove them from the heat.
Patriotic Popcorn
Ingredients
- ½ cup popcorn kernels
- ¼ cup white candy melts
- ¼ cup red candy melts
- ¼ cup blue candy melts
- ¼ cup red, white and blue M&Ms
- 1 Tablespoon red, white and blue sprinkles stars and stripes themed if available
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- air popper or brown paper bag
- 3 microwave-safe bowls
- piping bag or zip-top bag
- Baking sheet
- parchment paper
Instructions
- Use an air popper to pop the popcorn kernels according to the manufacturer’s instructions.½ cup popcorn kernels
- Alternatively, place the popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag, fold the top over a few times to seal it, and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until the popping slows to about 5 seconds between pops.
- Spread the popped popcorn out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place the red, white, and blue candy melts in separate microwave-safe bowls.
- Melt the white candy melts in the microwave.¼ cup white candy melts
- Transfer it to a separate small piping bag or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off for drizzling.
- Drizzle the melted candy melts over ⅓ of the popcorn.
- Repeat the same process with the red and blue candy melts, with each covering ⅓ of the popcorn that does not already have drizzle on it.¼ cup red candy melts, ¼ cup blue candy melts
- While the candy is still melted, sprinkle the M&Ms and decorative sprinkles evenly over the popcorn to ensure they stick.¼ cup red, white and blue M&Ms, 1 Tablespoon red, white and blue sprinkles
- Allow the candy melts to harden at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. You can also place the tray in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to speed up the hardening process.
- Once the candy has set, break the popcorn into clusters and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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