White Chocolate Popcorn

If you’re looking for a twist on your movie-night popcorn or perhaps an update for your holiday tins of peppermint bark, look no further than this white chocolate popcorn recipe. When you pour melted white candy coating over fluffy popcorn and toss it with crushed peppermint candy, you get one seriously festive—and seriously delicious—homemade snack. This recipe is quick enough to make on a whim for any old movie night yet fancy enough to gift your loved ones over the holidays.

For ultra customization, you can swap in different toppings for the peppermint throughout the year or skip the topping altogether for purely white chocolate popcorn. Our variations section below will get you started.

Ingredients for White Chocolate Popcorn

• White candy coating: White candy coating is a common substitute for white chocolate in many sweet recipes, especially candy. Unlike white chocolate (made from cocoa butter), candy coating doesn’t need to be tempered, so it’s easy to use and sets up firmly.
• Popped popcorn: For this popcorn with peppermint and white chocolate, you’ll need about 3/4 cup unpopped kernels for 24 cups popped popcorn. If you have an air popper, we recommend using it so your popped popcorn is unadorned and ready for the candy coating.
• Peppermint candy: For the topping, you’ll need four to six traditional candy canes or enough peppermint hard candy to make about 1/2 to 3/4 cups once crushed.
• Red nonpareils (optional): These tiny round candy sprinkles add a pop of bright color and crunch. It’s totally up to you whether to add them.

Directions

Step 1: Microwave the candy coating

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Microwave the candy coating in a microwaveable bowl until melted. Stir the melted coating until it’s smooth.

Editor’s Tip: For this step, you can follow our trusted tips on how to melt chocolate, even though candy coating isn’t true chocolate.

Step 2: Toss together the popcorn mixture

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Place the popped popcorn and crushed candy in a large heatproof bowl. Pour the melted candy coating over the top, and toss the mixture until evenly coated.

Editor’s Tip: If you don’t have a large bowl to fit all this popcorn, use a large baking pan instead.

Step 3: Let the popcorn mixture harden

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Pour the coated popcorn mixture onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.

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Sprinkle the mixture with nonpareils if you like.

Let the mixture stand until hardened. Break apart the hardened white chocolate popcorn recipe and store it in an airtight container.

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Recipe Variations

• Make popcorn balls: Turn this white chocolate popcorn recipe into white chocolate popcorn balls. Follow the directions as instructed, but shape the mixture into popcorn balls instead of letting them firm up as a large sheet. You may want to melt a little extra candy coating if you need the extra binding to keep the balls together.
• Use a different chocolate: Swap in chocolate-flavored coating for the white candy coating. Chocolate + peppermint = YES.
• Make it a party mix: Go wild and take inspiration from our easy white chocolate party mix. Top your popcorn with pretzel sticks, cereal, M&M’s, nuts and toffee bits. Now that’s a popcorn party.
• Tailor the toppings: Instead of the nonpareils, try different toppings that fit the occasion. Your birthday party popcorn could have blue, pink and gold sprinkles. Or, try green, yellow and orange sprinkles with tiny googly eyes for a Halloween party. Add pastel candies or marshmallow-y cereal like Lucky Charms for spring and Easter parties.

How to Store White Chocolate Popcorn

Heat, light and moisture are the enemies of this popcorn with peppermint and white chocolate, so keep your treat tightly sealed in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

How long does white chocolate popcorn last?

Once your white chocolate popcorn has cooled and set, store it in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. It will keep for up to five days.

White Chocolate Popcorn Tips

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What’s the best way to make popcorn?

You can make the best popcorn in the microwave, on the stovetop or in an air popper. It’s all about nuance and technique for the method you go with. In this recipe, we recommend going with air-popping so that your candy coating can stick to pure, unoiled popcorn.

What can you serve with white chocolate popcorn?

Add your favorite candies, ice-cold beverages and snuggly blankets if you’re serving popcorn with peppermint and white chocolate for an at-home movie night. For holiday events or festive parties, serve white chocolate popcorn with Christmas snack ideas like reindeer snack mix and cheese logs.

Can I make this white chocolate popcorn recipe with bagged microwave popcorn?

Yes, you can make this with microwaved popcorn, but we recommend using unsalted and unoiled popcorn—in other words, just plain popcorn. This will ensure that your candy coating sticks well to the popped kernels.