Peppermint Popcorn is a must this holiday season! Toss popcorn in white chocolate and peppermint, then drizzle with chocolate for the ultimate sweet snack mix.
Try some other holiday snack mix favorites: Christmas Popcorn, Reindeer Chow, and Christmas Snack Mix.
White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn
The holidays just aren’t the same for me without loads of Peppermint Bark. My kids and I always make batch after batch, but even when it’s gone, Peppermint Bark still sneaks into the kitchen—this time as popcorn!
This Peppermint Popcorn fixes your want for peppermint, white chocolate, and dark chocolate in one sweet, minty, crunchy, and hard-to-resist treat.
While gourmet popcorn (like Chocolate Popcorn) is delicious, but it can take a lot of time and it’s not ideal for busy Decembers. That’s why this recipe is amazing. Only a few ingredients, quick prep, and every bit as tasty!
Ingredients
- Kettle Corn: Using pre-popped popcorn is quicker but costs more. Plain popcorn works too—pre-popped, packets, or kernels.
- Peppermint: Regular candy canes work great! I love the bright colors of Brach®.
- White Chocolate: Use melting wafers for the best result.
- Coconut Oil: A little oil smooths the chocolate.
- Chocolate: Stick with melting wafers for ease and flavor. No need for fancy chocolate. Save that for snacking!
Quick Tip
Make this popcorn the way you like it! Use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate based on what you like. My kids love milk chocolate, and my favorite is dark!
How To Make Peppermint Popcorn
- Prep: Line a pan with parchment. Crush candy canes and set some aside.
- Pop Popcorn: Pop popcorn and place the popcorn in a large bowl.
- Coat: Melt white chocolate with a little oil, pour over the popcorn and crushed peppermint, and mix until coated. Spread on the pan.
- Drizzle: Melt dark chocolate with oil, drizzle over popcorn.
- Peppermint Topping: Sprinkle popcorn with reserved peppermint.
- Set: Let it harden, then break into pieces and enjoy!
Peppermint Popcorn Recipe Tips
- Line the pan: Use parchment paper or foil so the popcorn doesn’t stick.
- Toss the popcorn: Use a big bowl to mix popcorn, peppermint, and melted chocolate without spilling. If needed, split into two bowls.
- Keep chocolate dry: Even a tiny bit of water can ruin the chocolate and make it harden. Keep it dry.
Storage
How To Store Peppermint Popcorn
- Keep Peppermint Popcorn in a sealed bag in a cool spot.
- Enjoy within 3–5 days; it gets soft or stale over time.
- Store leftovers in the freezer—it’s so good frozen and doesn’t need to be defrosted to enjoy.
More Peppermint Desserts
- Peppermint Cookies made with just three ingredients
- Peppermint Bark Pretzels topped with peppermint candy kisses
- No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake with an Oreo crust
- Peppermint Brownies topped with chocolate
- Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats with a chocolate drizzle
Peppermint Popcorn
Peppermint Popcorn is a holiday must! Tossed in white chocolate, crushed peppermint, and finished with a chocolate drizzle, it’s the ultimate sweet and festive snack.
Equipment
- large sheet pan,
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 8 to 9 cups popped kettle corn or plain popcorn—see note 1
- 1 (10-ounce) package vanilla chocolate melts
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil or vegetable oil, divided
- 5 regular candy canes crushed
- 1/2 cup chocolate melts milk, semi-sweet, or dark—whichever you prefer
Instructions
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Set aside.
- Pop popcorn according to package directions. Remove any un-popped popcorn kernels and dump all the popped popcorn into a very large bowl. Alternatively, you can use purchased pre-popped popcorn.
- Add unwrapped candy canes to a large resealable plastic bag (or 2; the peppermint has a tendency to rip through plastic bags as it is crushed). Seal the bag without air, then crush with a rolling pin or meat mallet until fine crumbs are formed. Remove 1 tablespoon of crumbs and set aside. Add the rest of the crushed peppermint on top of the popcorn.
- Combine white chocolate melts with 1-1/2 tsp oil and melt in the microwave until completely smooth (see note 3). Pour melted chocolate over popcorn and peppermint and stir with a spatula until well combined and evenly coated. Pour coated popcorn on prepared sheet pan and spread in an even layer.
- Combine milk or dark chocolate melts with remaining 1/2 tsp oil and melt in the microwave until completely smooth. Transfer to a plastic bag and seal without air. Cut off the tip of the bag and pipe chocolate all over the popcorn. Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon peppermint on top. Let set at room temperature (or pop in the fridge) until hardened.
- Gently break into pieces and enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Purchasing already popped popcorn makes this recipe come together quicker, but you can pop your own; here’s what I use. I like kettle corn since it adds a touch more sweetness, which balances the peppermint, but feel free to use plain popcorn: Either this already popped popcorn, these packets, or kernels (~1/2 cup), but be sure to add a touch of salt to enhance the end popcorn flavors.
Note 2: I recommend chocolate made for melting like melting wafers (found in the baking aisle). I like to add a touch of oil or shortening to the chocolate to help it to smooth out and make coating the popcorn in chocolate easier.
Note 3: To avoid scorching the chocolate, microwave for 15 seconds at a time and stir for at least 15 seconds between each microwave burst. Remember, the chocolate is still melting from residual heat out of the microwave. It’s important the chocolate never gets too hot! You want it melted but as close to room temperature as possible.
Storage: Transfer leftover popcorn to a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and store in a dry, cool, dark area. Keep out of heat and sunlight to avoid melting the chocolate. Best enjoyed within 3–5 days; even when stored properly, it begins to soften or become stale.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello…I am trying to print your recipe but every time I tap PRINT, it just goes back to the original recipe instead of a print page. Can you fix this? Thanks!