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This Christmas popcorn snack is sweet and salty and EXACTLY what you need this holiday season! It takes less than 15 minutes to put together and makes a delicious holiday gift.
Featured with this recipe
- Ingredients for Festive Christmas Popcorn
- How to Make Homemade Christmas Popcorn
- What Type of Popcorn to Use
- Tips for Making the Best Christmas Popcorn
- Additional Mix-Ins
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing Easy Christmas Popcorn
- More Christmas Treats to Try
- How to Make Christmas Popcorn
- Christmas Popcorn Recipe
Need gifts for your neighbors and friends? Or a snack to feed a crowd? What about something to snack on while you drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies in your pajamas? This Christmas popcorn recipe is EXACTLY what you need this holiday season! Loaded with popcorn, seasonal M&M’s, and pretzels, this yummy snack mixture takes less than 15 minutes to put together and is SO tasty!
It’s truly the most addicting snack; once you start snacking, you won’t be able to stop! I love the salty pretzels and peanuts mixed with the sweet M&M’s and the melted white chocolate. Whip up a batch of this Christmas popcorn snack mix for all your neighbors and friends this holiday season.
Ingredients for Festive Christmas Popcorn
For this easy treat, all you need are a few bags of ingredients from the store and that’s it. Pop some popcorn, pour the ingredients together in a bowl, stir in melted white chocolate chips or white almond bark and you’ve got the most addictive snack mix ever!
- Popcorn – I typically like to use two bags of gourmet white microwave popcorn, popped, with all the unpopped kernels removed.
- Pretzels – Use about three cups of mini pretzels, or broken pretzel pieces to give this popcorn crunch.
- M&M’s – For a holiday flair, use a bag of Christmas red and green candies.
- Peanuts – Roasted and salted are the best for this recipe, but you can use any kind of peanuts you have on hand.
- White Candy Melts – I like how easily this candy melts over the popcorn mixture but you can use white chocolate chips or white almond bark too.
- Christmas sprinkles – These red and green sprinkles are fun and festive.
How to Make Homemade Christmas Popcorn
This easy Christmas popcorn is a family favorite! It is always a great way to share with friends and family a special treat. It is so simple to make and comes together in minutes!
- Combine – In a large bowl, combine popcorn, pretzels, M&M’s, and peanuts.
- Melt – Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring the chocolate each time, until smooth.
- Layer – Drizzle over the snack mix and toss until coated. Add sprinkles and toss until evenly distributed.
- Cool – Spread over wax paper until cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
What Type of Popcorn to Use
Our favorite type of popcorn to use in Christmas popcorn is Orville Redenbacher Tender White Popcorn. It comes out so tender and fluffy! It also has a subtle butter and salt flavor, which makes it a great base for this recipe. You don’t want to use any popcorn that has a strong flavor like movie theatre butter or kettle corn. It won’t take the flavor of the white chocolate as well.
Tips for Making the Best Christmas Popcorn
Try these tips and variations to make the best Christmas popcorn! Using fresh popcorn, cleaning out the popcorn, and slowly melting chocolate are just a few of the tips to help make it easier and better every time you make it!
- Fresh popcorn – You want to make your popcorn the day of. This will ensure the popcorn is fresh and has the best texture and flavor.
- Clean popcorn – Make sure that when you add the popcorn, you don’t add any un-popped kernels. There is nothing worse than biting into one of those! I like to shake the popcorn bag well so all the kernels fall to the bottom and then add the popcorn by the handful.
- Melting chocolate – When melting chocolate, you will want to do this slowly. Chocolate will harden quickly and easily if not done properly. Stir in between each interval.
- Cooling – Let the chocolate cool before you transfer the mix into containers or bags.
- Add-ins – Find your favorite add-ins and toss them together with the popcorn for a fun and festive treat.
- Parchment paper – Line your baking sheet with parchment paper before spreading out the popcorn. This helps with getting clusters and having everything evenly distributed.
- Storing – Store it in a cool, dry place to avoid the chocolate melting.
Additional Mix-Ins
This is one of those recipes you can personalize and make your own. Switch up the colors of sprinkles and make a fun salty snack mix for Halloween, Easter, or birthdays. Here are just a few ideas for more mix-ins:
- Cereal – Christmas Cap’n Crunch Cereal or Chex cereal. Any other Christmas Cereal – there seem to be new ones every year!
- Candy melts – Choose red, pink, or green candy melts for a fun and festive Christmas crunch popcorn! These are usually white chocolate or vanilla candy melts flavor.
- Nuts – Cashews, Almonds, Pecans, and walnuts are all a savory and crunchy texture that adds to the Christmas popcorn.
- Marshmallows – Mini Marshmallows are fun to bite into a soft bite. Kids always love this extra add-in!
- Chocolate – Mini Peanut Butter Cups or cut-up Kit Kats give it that extra chocolaty flavor.
- M&M options – Peanut M&M’s, Peanut Butter M&M’s, Mint M&M’s, or Pretzel M&M’s are always easy to pour from the bag into the popcorn.
- Candy canes – Chop up candy canes for a peppermint treat in each bite!
- Sprinkles – Add all the color and extra fun with holiday sprinkles.
“One of my family’s all-time favorite Christmas recipes! So delicious!”
-Nellie
Frequently Asked Questions
If kept stored in a cool, dry place, leftovers can last up to a week.
Once you let the mixture cool, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or the freezer for up to a month. Be sure to let it come back to room temperature before serving.
When I bring this snack to my neighbors during the holidays, I like to put it in cellophane bags and tie them up with Christmas-y ribbon. You can also fill a Christmas tin, or a Christmas mug, or place it in a resealable plastic bag.
Ensure that the melted chocolate is not too hot when mixing it together with the popcorn.
Storing Easy Christmas Popcorn
We love making this Christmas popcorn in batches to share with friends and family members! It is simple to make and comes together quickly. It is a great holiday gift or fun to celebrate game night or get-togethers during the holidays.
- Airtight container – Place the Christmas popcorn in an airtight container and store it for two to three days long. This is a treat that will disappear quickly but also needs to be eaten quickly.
- Cool and dry – Store in the pantry or at room temperature in your kitchen. This will ensure a longer longer-lasting shelf life.
- Refrigeration – It is best not to refrigerate this Christmas popcorn. It will stick together and clump up. The popcorn will change texture and flavor.
- Gifting – This is a great gift to give to family, friends, and neighbors for the holidays! Choose a tin box, find a decorative Christmas plate, or a fun festive ziplock bag to store it in. Your friends and family will love this gift during the holiday season.
READ NEXT: 25+ Christmas Dessert Ideas
More Christmas Treats to Try
We love the holidays mainly for the treats we get to make! They are special and always a tradition in our house to make with our kids. Try a few of these favorite easy Christmas treats that we love!
How to Make Christmas Popcorn
Christmas Popcorn
Ingredients
- 2 bags gourmet white microwave popcorn popped and all un-popped kernels removed
- 3 cups mini pretzels
- 1 bag red and green M&M’s
- 2 cups peanuts roasted, salted
- 18 ounces White Candy Melts
- red and green sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine popcorn, pretzels, M&M's, and peanuts.
- Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring the chocolate each time, until smooth.
- Drizzle over the snack mix and toss until coated.
- Add sprinkles and toss until evenly distributed.
- Spread over wax paper until cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Notes
- One recipe makes approximately 32 cups of Christmas Crunch.
- To avoid getting unpopped kernels in your mix, shake the popcorn bag well so all the kernels fall to the bottom, and then add the popcorn by the handful.
- Let the chocolate cool all the way before you transfer the mix into containers or bags.
- Store it in a cool, dry place to avoid the chocolate melting.
Yum! This will be perfect for Christmas, I know I’ll have to make a few batches though or it won’t last 😉
One of my family’s all-time favorite Christmas recipes! So delicious!
Oh my gosh, this is addictive! What a festive treat for the holiday season.
This was so easy to make and everyone in my family loved this fun holiday snack! I know it’s “Christmas Crunch” but I might be making this all year long 🙂
I love anything Christmas! This Christmas popcorn looks so delicious, and perfect for the kiddos!
I’m not so sure I’d share this with my neighbors and friends… I might go Scrooge and keep it for myself it looks so delicious!
Hilda: How much does this make. Would you need to make a batch for each gift? Thank you.
Love Christmas snacks.