By Family Features| Contributor
The Halloween season brings a delightful opportunity to enjoy thrilling films and dress up as various spooky characters, making it an ideal time to whip up some of your family’s favorite snacks. Before you embark on your trick-or-treating adventure, gather everyone in the kitchen for some festive fun creating these deliciously eerie treats.
Throughout the month of October, celebrate National Popcorn Poppin’ Month with spooky yet scrumptious options such asSpooky Popcorn Spider Web, Green Halloween Zombies, Witchy Popcorn Balls, and Popcorn Caramel Apples, which are perfect additions to your Halloween festivities.
Popcorn is a versatile ingredient for various treats and is cherished for its straightforwardness—it’s a non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free snack that is naturally low in fat and calories. Its appealing aroma, flavor, and adaptability make it an excellent fit for Halloween celebrations.
Spooky Popcorn Spider Web
Yield: 1 spider web
1/4 cup butter
8 cups mini marshmallows, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
9 cups popped popcorn, divided
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
black string licorice
candy eyes
Prepare by lining a round pizza pan with parchment paper. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add 5 cups of marshmallows and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until fully melted. Mix in vanilla and remove from heat. Incorporate 8 cups of popcorn until evenly coated and spread it onto the pizza pan in an irregular round pattern, about 1 inch thick, resembling a spider web. Refrigerate for approximately 15 minutes until firm.
Melt the remaining marshmallows in the microwave for around 20 seconds or until they become liquid. Use a spatula to create strands of melted marshmallow across the popcorn to mimic cobwebs.
In a heatproof bowl set above a pot of hot (not boiling) water, melt 3/4 cup of chocolate chips and allow to cool slightly. In a separate large bowl with the leftover popcorn, pour the melted chocolate over it, gently folding to coat. Divide the mixture into eight small clusters on a wax paper-lined baking tray and stick two candy eyes on each popcorn cluster. Place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes until set.
Melt the remaining chocolate chips and cut the licorice into 1-inch pieces. Use a small spoon to place dollops of chocolate on the spider web, attaching chocolate-coated popcorn onto these spots. Stick the licorice segments to the chocolate-dipped popcorn to form spider legs.
Chill for another 15 minutes until everything is set. Cut into smaller portions before serving.
Witchy Popcorn Balls
Yield: 8 popcorn balls
16 chocolate wafer cookies
nonstick cooking spray
3 quarts popped popcorn
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
3 cups miniature marshmallows
3 tablespoons (1/2 of a 3-ounce box) lime gelatin dessert mix
green food coloring (optional)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
licorice strings
8 chocolate ice cream cones
orange sugar sprinkles in a small dish
jelly beans
candy corn
Begin by laying a sheet of waxed or parchment paper on your work area and placing the wafer cookies on it.
Coat a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray and fill it with popcorn.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Combine marshmallows and gelatin powder into the melted butter and stir until the mixture smooths out. Adjust the hue with 1-2 drops of food coloring if desired. Pour this mixture over the popcorn, ensuring it is fully coated.
Spray your hands with nonstick spray and compactly form the mixture into eight balls. Place each ball atop a wafer cookie. Press in various candy decorations to create “eyes,” “noses,” and “mouths.”
In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips for 10 seconds, stirring to help melting. Repeat until the chocolate is entirely smooth.
Use a spoon to dollop about 1/2 teaspoon of melted chocolate onto each popcorn ball, then insert licorice strings into the chocolate to simulate “hair.”
Dip the edges of the cones into melted chocolate, then into orange sugar sprinkles before placing them on the remaining wafer cookies to create “witch hats.” Position these hats atop the popcorn balls. Let the chocolate set for roughly 45 minutes before serving.
You may serve immediately or individually wrap them in plastic.
Green Halloween Zombies
Yield: about 7 pieces
2 1/2 quarts popped popcorn
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups mini marshmallows
4 tablespoons lime gelatin powder
red gum balls
candy corn
flat green candy strips or fruit leather
green sugar sprinkles
In a large bowl, combine the popcorn and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the marshmallows, stirring until melted, then mix in the gelatin powder until the color is uniform.
Drizzle the melted mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat evenly. With buttered hands, form the popcorn into seven oval shapes.
Take one oval, flatten it slightly, and pinch one end to create a “skull” shape. Set it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining ovals.
For decoration: Insert two gum balls for the “eyes” and place candy corn for the “teeth” on each skull. Trim candy strips to create “hair” and press them into the top. Finish with a sprinkle of green sugar.
Let the “zombies” sit for about 20 minutes before individually wrapping them or serving right away.
Popcorn Caramel Apples
Yield: 4 apples
1 quart freshly popped popcorn
1 package (9 1/2 ounces, 35 pieces total) caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup light cream or half-and-half
4 lollipop sticks or wooden candy apple sticks
4 apples
1/2 cup chocolate chips
sugar sprinkles
decorative ribbon (optional)
Put the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. Prepare your workstation with waxed paper.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the caramels with cream, stirring frequently until they blend smoothly.
Insert one stick into the center of each apple and dip into caramel, using a spoon to coat the apple completely. Repeat this for all apples.
After coating, roll the caramel-covered apples in popcorn, pressing the popcorn onto the caramel to adhere. Place each apple on the waxed paper to set and repeat for the others.
To melt the chocolate, heat it in a small, resealable plastic bag in the microwave for 10 seconds, then knead the bag. Continue this until the chocolate is fully melted. Trim a corner off the bag and drizzle chocolate over each apple, allowing it to drip down. Top with sugar sprinkles.
If desired, tie a decorative ribbon around each stick. For serving, slice the apples into pieces.
