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Grandma’s Candy Popcorn Recipe + VIDEO

written by Ashley Fehr

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4.77 from 30 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 25 cups

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Published on December 12, 2017 / 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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long overhead image of bowl of candy popcorn in pink green and yellow with title

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.

pink yellow and green candy popcorn in red christmas tin

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!).

red christmas tin with yellow pink and green candy popcorn and sparkly christmas trees behind

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!

overhead image of candy popcorn in bowl and all around bowl on wood background
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Grandma’s Candy Popcorn

written by Ashley Fehr

4.77 from 30 votes
Candy Popcorn is an easy holiday treat that is perfect for gift giving! My Grandma’s recipe ?
Candy Popcorn is an easy holiday treat that is perfect for gift giving! My Grandma's recipe :)
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Snack
Servings 25 cups
Calories 90cal

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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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. Lillian Tse says

    I love chewy gingerbread cookies! Would love to try this popcorn maker! I remember having one when I was younger and loved the sound of popcorn being made and the family time afterwards.

    Reply

  3. Esther says

    I love cookies that my mother in law makes every year and they’re called spitzbuben! A sugar cookie sandwich with apricot jam in the middle. Delicious!

    Reply

  7. Susan L says

    First off….now I have to go and find some lucky elephant popcorn stat. But favourite Holiday recipe….Crostoli, super easy to make…but you need to make a lot. All it is is fried pasta sprinkled with icing sugar. You roll the past out thinner than normal and it’s always a family favourite.

    Reply

  11. Bailey Dexter says

    I love to make Tie Plates (Pizzelle) Our family is gluten free so I make these as a treat for other friends as well at Christmas!

    Reply

  16. Rick Grona says

    My sister makes an excellent caramel popcorn that she sends out to all the siblings, nieces and nephews every Christmas.

    Reply

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