Popcorn bar recipes are so fun and easy to make and they’ll be the hit of any party or holiday get-together!
Sweet and salty, crunchy and colorful, popcorn bars are loaded with gooey, good stuff like pretzels and M&M’s all held together with melted marshmallows!
There’s so much to love about this tasty recipe!
A Sweet Snack
- Super easy ingredients likely already on hand, plus room for extras, popcorn bars become a new recipe every time you make them! So many ideas!
- Whip up a double batch and freeze the bars for backpack and briefcase snacks, road trips, and picnics!
- Variations galore! Create a popcorn bar station and use up leftover bits and pieces of chocolate, candies, crushed cookies, or nuts from other recipes.
Ingredients and Variations
Popcorn – Freshly popped popcorn is the lightest and fluffiest, but a bag of store-bought always works. Look for popcorn in a variety of colors, too!
Marshmallows – Cut large marshmallows into quarters if you don’t have minis. A 7-ounce jar of marshmallow fluff can be used in place of minis as well (plus it melts faster)!
Pretzels – Pretzels bring the crunch, but cereals like KIX, Chex, or even crushed cookies are fun to try! Even homemade granola will add some healthy crunch!
Candy – Mini M&M’s are sweet and colorful! We also like crushed toffee bits, caramel pieces, peanuts, chocolate chips, or crushed candy canes for a festive, holiday twist!
Variations – Swirl in your favorite nut butter, some caramel sauce, or even a bit of Nutella in Step 3, if you like.
How to Make Popcorn Bars
- Combine popcorn, pretzels, and half the M&M’s in a large bowl.
- In a saucepan, melt the remaining ingredients (per recipe below).
- Pour marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and toss to combine.
- Press into prepared pan and top with remaining M&M’s. Cool before cutting.
Tips for Success
- Air poppers or microwave popcorn poppers make oil-free popcorn that prevents it from collapsing when it’s combined with the other ingredients.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bars when pressing them into the pan. Or, for kiddos, have them place their hands into sandwich baggies so they don’t get too sticky!
Storing Popcorn Bars
Keep leftover popcorn bars in a covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days or cut and freeze bars on a baking sheet. Once frozen, wrap pieces in plastic wrap and transfer to a zippered bag. Freeze for up to 4 weeks.
Other Tasty Treats!
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Popcorn Bar Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 cups popped popcorn
- 2 cups mini pretzels
- ½ cup M&Ms divided
- 7 cups mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 inch pan with butter and set aside.
- Combine popcorn, pretzels and half of the M&Ms in a large bowl.
- Melt butter and marshmallows in a saucepan over low heat while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and quickly toss to combine.
- Press into the prepared pan and sprinkle top with remaining M&Ms. Cool completely, at least 1 hour.
Notes
- To make it easier to press warm and sticky mixture into the pan, cover with a piece of plastic wrap.
- Store popcorn bars in a covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- To freeze cut bars, place in freezer until hard, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and transfer to a zip bag and freeze for up to 4 weeks.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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