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Green colored popcorn makes a delicious and fun St Patrick’s day treat. With this easy candied popcorn recipe, you actually make colored popcorn in a variety of colors!
Put some popcorn in a bag as use the St Patty’s Gift tags to wrap it up super cute to let a friend know how special they are.
Who would think you can make colored popcorn. The ingredients are simple and you probably have all them all in your pantry right in your pantry. Serve this along with some other fun St Patrick’s day treats for a festive celebration.
What You Need To Make Candy Popcorn
- popped popcorn
- sugar
- light corn syrup
- butter
- salt
- cream of tartar (optional)
- vanilla
- baking soda
- food coloring
- candy thermometer
What is Candied Popcorn
This candied popcorn is just like making caramel popcorn. The difference is the type of sugar. Using white sugar, light corn syrup mixture and food coloring allows you to color the popcorn. Caramel corn uses brown sugar which gives it that light brown color. If you want soft candy coating on your popcorn try this white chocolate popcorn. I promise you won’t be able to stop eating!
How to make Colored Popcorn
A working candy thermometer is a must for making colored popcorn. In my experience candy thermometers often don’t last long. In my house it doens’t get used often and maybe being in the drawer knocked around shortens it’s life.
The thermometer is critical because if the candy mixture gets too hot it will easily scorch and turn brown.
While this recipe is simple to make it must be watched closely while cooking to prevent burning. You can make any color you like. We are making green popcorn today and using green food coloring? What color will you make?
First, you will need popped popcorn. We have a popcorn popper for this but you could also use microwave popcorn. Cook the sugar mixture in a heavy saucepan. Place popcorn in a large bowl. Remove the syrup mixture from the heat and pour over popcorn and stir to coat. Place the pop corn on baking sheets and bake for about an hour making sure to stir every 15 minutes.
This festive green colored popcorn would also make the perfect Grinch popcorn. Just add a few jumbo heart quins to the final stir before the mixture cools.
Green Colored Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 quarts popped corn
- 1 1/2 Cups sugar
- 1/2 Cup light corn syrup
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar optional, does make mixture slightly more creamy
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- green food coloring I used about 1/8 teaspoon paste/jell color in Green
Instructions
-
In heavy saucepan on medium heat melt butter then add sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar and salt. Increase temperature to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Once mixture boils, add in food coloring and stop stirring. Boil for 5 minutes (Do not stir). The mixture should be about 250-260 degrees. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and baking soda. Working quickly and while the mixture is foamy, pour mixture over popped corn and gently stir to coat popcorn. Place popcorn into a large roaster or rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray) and bake at 200° F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Check often to make sure it doesn’t burn. It should not change colors. It is okay to pull it out early if needed.
More St Patrick’s Day Food Ideas
Easy rainbow cupcakes are perfect if you don’t want to color tons of frosting or cake. Just dip layers of frosting in colored sugar. Genius! Be sure to watch the video. It really is simple
Rainbow cupcakes with a pot of gold. Gum or candy can make the perfect rainbow, while a Rolo candy and gold sugar make a pot of gold.
Pot of gold cupcakes are made from pre-colored fondant and gold pained Oreos
Popcorn Lovers Try These Recipes
LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!
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eva scott says
thanks for this. I’m supposed to bring in the treat for the st. patty’s day party in my son’s preschool class. this may work!
Amanda says
Hi Cindy! Just stopping by with congratulations! Your project was in the top 5 most popular posts for March on Fun Family Crafts! Thanks for sharing your creativity and we hope you’ll submit more.
Dree says
I made 2 batches of this–one blue, one yellow–and mixed them together for our cub scout Pinewood Derby today. A hit! I want to try adding flavor next time…
margot says
your recipe is featured on www.facebook.com/pinkalicious 🙂
Laura says
So cute!! We made this tonight but ours came out a yucky dark (not cute) green. It was fine and kelly green until we added the baking soda. Was my sugar too hot?? My daughter said, it still tastes good Mommy, and we’re taking it to school tomorrow. Any help or ideas?
Cindy says
Lauren I think your sugar got too hot. Toward the end the temperature can rise very quickly. So glad it still tasted okay!
adriana says
I am going to try with melted WHITE CHOCOLATE instead of all the other ingredients to see. I’ve made red velvet popcorn for valentines and it was with white chocolate, and was absolutely amazing. You melted it then i would mix the green food coloring into the it, then throw it on top of the popcorn and mix. let it dry and enjoy.
Cindy says
That is a great idea. It would be like this amazing white chocolate popcorn. We call it crack corn.Believe me you can’t stop eating it!
Carrie says
I don’t know what I did wrong but mine came out brown 🙁 I guess my mixture was too hot and burned maybe when I added the baking soda?
Tami says
Just stopping by to let you know that I’ve featured another great craft on Fun Family Crafts! You can see it here:
http://funfamilycrafts.com/st-patricks-day-candied-popcorn/
If you have other kid friendly crafts, I’d love it if you would submit them. 🙂 If you would like to display a
featured button on your site, you can grab one from the right side bar of your post above.
Liz says
Does anyone know how long this stays good? Was thinking about sending it in a care package..
julie says
Yumm yumm yumm! I made this for st patricks day yesterday and it was great. The kids in my daughter’s ccd class kept begging for more. It was easy to make too. I will definately make it again and again!
Joanne Kennedy says
I printed this out. I’m going to make this for St. Patrick’s Day! Thanks it sounds yummy.
Hugs,
Joanne
Ann at mommysecrets says
Such a fun idea!! We colored sprite for St. Patty’s dinner by adding a drop of green food coloring. But I’ll be trying your popcorn next year!
jennnifer ramos says
SO FUNNY, i think i will TRY this!
Jen Ramos
‘100% Recycled DESIGNER Cards’
www.madebygirl.com
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heidi says
that is awesome cindy!! love it!
Tori says
Hmm, that looks good in a weird sorta way. °Ü°
Happy Patty’s Day!