Easy Grinch Popcorn Recipe

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Festive, sweet, and salty Grinch Popcorn is the ideal addition to your next holiday movie night or gathering. This easy-to-make recipe is practically as simple as popping popcorn and mixing it all together with holiday candies!

If you love the story How The Grinch Stole Christmas or any of its movies, you’ll love this festive and delicious snack! Grinch Popcorn is freshly popped corn that’s colored a striking shade of Grinch green and topped with M&Ms, mini marshmallows, and very Grinch-y red heart candies.

We love making season and festive popcorn mixes. Grinch Popcorn is one of our most popular because it’s an addictively delicious combination of sweet and salty flavors that look as good as it tastes.

It’s also super easy and very budget-friendly so you can whip up a batch anytime you like. That’s what I call a win-win!

Plus, Grinch Popcorn is loved by both kids and adults and is GREAT for parties, school treats, and more!

More Grinch-Inspired Recipes

Grinch Popcorn is such a fun and easy snack to make with your family!

Whether you are planning a How the Grinch Stole Christmas movie night or just a fun holiday family fun night, this delicious popcorn treat is a must-make!

With just a few ingredients, you’ll be ready to enjoy this delicious snack in no time! If you love Grinch-inspired food, check out our popular recipes!

Why You’ll Love Grinch Popcorn Recipe

Most Grinch Popcorn recipes you’ll find use a lot of melted chocolate or candy coating on the popcorn. This recipe is different because it doesn’t use that chocolate or candy coating, so it has less sugar (but still enough) and is healthier than other versions.

Grinch popcorn is quick and easy to make – and budget-friendly too!

You can make this recipe ahead of time.

Grinch popcorn is easy to package in servings for school or parties.

This recipe is a cinch to double or triple.

How To Make Grinch Popcorn

One of my favorite parts about it is that kids can make this fun Christmas snack mix independently. If you like to get kids in the kitchen to help (and learn how to cook), this is a great recipe to have them do.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to gather to make Grinch Popcorn.

½ cup popcorn kernels
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pinch of salt
Green regular and oil-based food coloring
Green M&M candies
Mini marshmallows
Red decorator candy hearts

Preparation Instructions

This is super easy. Grab your ingredients, and let’s get ready for movie night!

Step 1

Place the oil and oil-based green food coloring in a large pot.

Step 2

Stir in the kernels, coating them completely with the oil.

Step 3

Heat over medium heat until the first few kernels pop.

Step 4

Place the lid on and shake the pot over the heat.

Step 5

Remove the pot from the heat when the popping slows down, and pour the popcorn onto a tray.

Step 6

Toss the marshmallows with a small amount of regular green food color.

Step 7

Sprinkle M&M candies, marshmallows, and candy hearts over the popcorn.

Serve, share, and enjoy!

Grinch Popcorn Recipe Notes & Tips

Keep a close eye on the kernels as they are popping. Remove them from the heat as soon as the popping starts to slow down so that you don’t have burned pieces.
Let the finished popcorn rest in a single layer on your pan or cookie sheet briefly to make sure all the food coloring is dry before you serve the popcorn or store it.
Use a GIANT bowl to stir the popcorn.
I recommend avoiding stirring in the jumbo heart sprinkles because they can break apart pretty easily.
IF you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The popcorn may get soft after a few days, but it will still taste delicious.

Grinch Popcorn Ideas And Variations

Add your favorite mix-ins such as nuts or mini pretzels.
Drizzle cooled popcorn with some melted white chocolate (or green candy melts) to make it more like a dessert popcorn.
Have fun adding more sweets such as broken holiday cookies or sprinkles.

Holiday Adaptation Ideas

Valentine’s Day: use red food coloring or candy melts, mini marshmallows, and conversation hearts. Feeling super creative? Form the popcorn into individual heart shapes (this only works if you use candy melts).
St. Patrick’s Day: keep the green coloring, but swap out the Christmas sweets with some shelled pistachio nuts and your favourite green candies.
Easter: use melted white chocolate and add pastel sprinkles and jellybeans.
Autumn: have fun! Melt caramel and add cinnamon. Then mix mini pretzels and chopped pecans into popcorn.
Halloween: use orange or black candy melts (or melted dark chocolate), gummy worms, and candy corn.

FAQs

How Do I Store Grinch Popcorn?

Store your popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Can I Freeze Grinch Popcorn?

I wouldn’t recommend it because the popcorn will become soft and mushy.

What kind of popcorn should I use?

I recommend using stovetop popping corn to make this recipe. If you coat your popcorn with candy melts, you could use microwave popcorn.

My boys gobbled this Grinch Popcorn up and begged me to make more! It’s a new Christmas season tradition in our home. 🎄

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