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Easy white chocolate popcorn is the perfect sweet and salty holiday treat. Made with popcorn, pretzels, marshmallows, peanuts, and M&M’s, this festive snack mixes up in minutes and is ideal for neighbor gifts, parties, and Christmas movie nights.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this white chocolate popcorn because it’s the perfect blend of sweet and salty, with every bite offering something fun—crunchy popcorn, salty pretzels, soft marshmallows, peanuts, and colorful M&M’s all coated in creamy white chocolate.
It comes together in just minutes, makes a big batch for easy gifting, and packs beautifully for neighbor gifts, parties, or holiday snacking. This is one of those “once you make it, you make it every Christmas” treats that everyone asks for year after year.
A few holiday seasons ago my friend Jeanne dropped by a bag of this yummy popcorn. We loved it and in fact I am not sure the family even got to eat any of it because I think I consumed most of it myself!
Ingredients Needed
- Popcorn -I used two bags of butter microwave popcorn but you could also pop your own. You will need 1 cup of unpopped popcorn to yield the same amount.
- White Chocolate: I often use “almond bark” which is found in the baking aisles during the holiday. You can also use white chocolate chips or vanilla candy melts by Wilton.
- Pretzels: We prefer the stick pretzels but any shape will do. Break the stick pretzels in hald.
- Peanuts: Salted peanuts are our preference, but you could also add in your favorite salted nut.
- Chocolate Candy: I usually use M & M’s but you could also use Sixlets, Reeses Pieces or whatever you prefer.
- Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows. Make sure they are fresh and soft.
How to Make White Chocolate Popcorn
- Place popped corn in a large bowl. Be sure and remove all the unpopped popcorn kernels.
- Add in marshmallows and pretzels. I break the pretzels up a bit.
- Add in peanuts and chocolate candy.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or in a sauce pan on the stove top.
- Stir until smooth and completely melted.
- Pour chocolate over popcorn.
- Stir to completely coat ingredients with chocolate.
- Pour mixture onto a piece of parchment paper or a baking sheet.
- Spread into a single layer and allow to dry.
- To make it a little prettier, sprinkle a few more chocolate candies on top or add some colored sprinkles on top.
- After it has dried and set up break the popcorn into pieces.
- Place it in a bowl and enjoy.
If you are going to give this away as a gift, package it in a free gift tag download for you! Download free printable here.
Tips
- Use freshly popped popcorn.
Fresh popcorn holds its crunch better and mixes more evenly with the white chocolate. Avoid overly buttery popcorn so the coating sticks well. - Work quickly once the chocolate is melted.
White chocolate sets faster than you think, so have all your mix-ins ready to go before pouring it over the popcorn. - Don’t over-stir.
Gently fold the mixture so you don’t crush the popcorn. Larger clusters are part of the fun! - Customize the mix-ins.
Swap in holiday-colored M&M’s, mini pretzels, or even crushed candy canes if you want a peppermint twist. - Let it cool completely before packaging.
If the chocolate is even slightly warm, it can create condensation in bags or containers—cooling keeps the popcorn crisp and fresh. - Package in airtight bags or tins.
This keeps the popcorn crunchy and makes it perfect for neighbor gifts, teacher treats, or party favors.
Flavor Variations:
- Grinch Popcorn – use Wilton green melts to give the popcorn a green color and then add in either red hots or red M & M’s for a fun “Grinch themed” popcorn.
- Fall Popcorn – Add in fall colored M & M’s or Sixlet candies instead of the red and green.
- Melted Snowman Popcorn – Add in mini Reese’s Peanut Butter cups for the snowman’s hat and some candy googly eyes. The pretzel sticks make the perfect snowman arms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will white chocolate popcorn last?
When kept stored in an airtight container it is good for several weeks. Of course it never lasts that long at our house!
How do you melt chocolate?
I usually use my microwave. Use a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, white chocolate burns more quickly than semi sweet or milk chocolate. You can also use a double boiler to melt the chocolate on the stove top.
If your chocolate does not melt smoothly and you end up with some lumps, add in a little vegetable or coconut oil and stir again.
What kind of white chocolate works best?
High-quality white chocolate chips or wafers melt smoothly and coat the popcorn evenly. Almond bark also works great if you want something more budget-friendly.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! It doubles beautifully—just use an extra-large bowl or mix it in batches so everything gets evenly coated.
This white chocolate popcorn is one of those simple holiday treats that never fails to bring a smile—fun to make, easy to package, and impossible to resist. Whether you’re whipping up neighbor gifts, sharing it at a party, or enjoying a bowl during your favorite Christmas movie, this sweet-and-salty mix is sure to become a tradition you come back to every year.
Check out more of my other favorite popcorn recipes:
For all of my other favorite kitchen products and tools visit my Amazon Store.
White Chocolate Popcorn
Ingredients
- 2 bags microwave popcorn butter kind or 16 cups of popped popcorn
- 16 oz. white chocolate chips melted
- 1 cup chocolate candies Sixlets, M & M's etc., reserve 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top.
- 3/4 cup salted peanuts
- 1 1/2 cup stick pretzels broken in half.
- 1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
- 6 oz. dark or milk chocolate optional, for drizzling.
Instructions
- Pop popcorn in microwave, remove unpopped kernels. Or use air popper to pop popcorn.
- Put popcorn in a big bowl.
- Add in M & M’s, peanuts, marshmallows and pretzels into bowl with popcorn. Stir to combine.
- Melt white chocolate in microwave or on stove top
- Pour melted chocolate over popcorn and mix to coat popcorn mixture with white chocolate.
- Spread popcorn onto two jelly roll pans or cookie sheets or onto parchment paper.
- Optional: Top with a few additional chocolate candies or drizzle with melted semi sweet chocolate.
- Allow to set up or refrigerate for 10 minutes. Munch away!
Tips & Notes:
- Use freshly popped popcorn.
Fresh popcorn holds its crunch better and mixes more evenly with the white chocolate. Avoid overly buttery popcorn so the coating sticks well. - Work quickly once the chocolate is melted.
White chocolate sets faster than you think, so have all your mix-ins ready to go before pouring it over the popcorn. - Don’t over-stir.
Gently fold the mixture so you don’t crush the popcorn. Larger clusters are part of the fun! - Customize the mix-ins.
Swap in holiday-colored M&M’s, mini pretzels, or even crushed candy canes if you want a peppermint twist. - Let it cool completely before packaging.
If the chocolate is even slightly warm, it can create condensation in bags or containers—cooling keeps the popcorn crisp and fresh. - Package in airtight bags or tins.
This keeps the popcorn crunchy and makes it perfect for neighbor gifts, teacher treats, or party favors.
Nutrition Facts:
Marsha Metteer says
I used your recipe and it turned out delicious. I did add some mini M&M’s but everything else was right on. I also used already popped pop corn because I had it. Thanks for sharing
Michaela Sanders says
I just love this snack my friends loved it and it is so simple to make for my little siblings snacks or class partys.
Debbie says
Really enjoyed this! Made recipe as written except added one cup of vanilla baking chips and one quarter cup raisins, increased to 3 cups marshmallows and one cup peanuts. This is a keeper. Thanks for shaking.
Tyler John White says
Really good