Description
Candy Cane Popcorn is a festive and delightful holiday treat featuring air-popped popcorn coated with smooth white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes for a perfect blend of sweetness and peppermint crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
Coating
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate wafers
- 1/3 cup candy canes - crushed (about 4 regular sized candy canes)
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn: Use an air popper to pop 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels until fully popped and fluffy. Transfer the popcorn to a large mixing bowl.
- Crush the candy canes: Place candy canes into a food processor or blender and pulse until they become finely crushed, creating peppermint bits to sprinkle over the popcorn.
- Melt the white chocolate: Place white chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at half power in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each interval until completely melted and smooth.
- Combine popcorn and coating: Pour the melted white chocolate over the popped popcorn and gently stir to coat all pieces evenly.
- Add crushed candy canes: Sprinkle the crushed candy cane pieces over the coated popcorn and gently mix to distribute them without crushing the popcorn.
- Set the coating: Let the coated popcorn sit for about 1 hour to allow the white chocolate to fully harden and set.
- Store: Store the finished candy cane popcorn in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days to keep it fresh.
Notes
- White chocolate chips can be used as a substitute for white chocolate wafers but may not give as bright white a color.
- This recipe is a holiday tradition passed down from the author's mother-in-law.
- Using an air popper ensures light, fluffy popcorn without added oil, making the coating process cleaner and easier.
- Be careful when mixing the coating and candy cane pieces to avoid breaking the popcorn.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
