For a time, this White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn could only be bought in a bag, that is until I made it at home. This sweet, peppermint-y treat is perfection!
I’m starting to get in the Christmas spirit. Can ya feel it? This weekend I have plans to deck the halls, oh and while I’m doing that I’ll be sure to have Michael Buble’s holiday album playing on repeat.
Once I get in full cheer mode, look out! I pretty much drive Pat crazy with the constant Christmas music, like 24-7, I can’t help myself! And don’t even get me started on Christmas MOVIES. I will always love the classics like Frosty, Rudolph and The Grinch (the cartoon version of course). It’s actually one of the reasons I had kids, that and to go trick-or-treating on Halloween. BUT when I finally sit down with my mountain of gifts to wrap I also watch some of my favorite Christmas movies starting with It’s a Wonderful Life and ending with Love Actually and The Holiday.
One thing is for sure; whatever movies I’m watching, I’ll have a bowl of this White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn resting on my lap.
And I’m not sharing.
Okay, now picture this: me at the grocery store and I’m in the chip, pretzels and popcorn aisle and my eyes lock on a bag of white chocolate peppermint popcorn and I stop, stare and sigh. My mouth instantly needed to taste this salty-sweet combo. I thought to myself “This would make a yummy holiday post!” so I picked up some candy canes and white chocolate and went home to make this dangerous treat.
I popped my own corn for this recipe. It takes up a little bit more of my time, but if I had an air popper I’d of used that instead. But if you’re like me and don’t own one of those then follow the method I used in this post and you’ll be golden. I worked in batches, using a quarter cup of kernels per batch to get just the right amount of popped corn. I had some kernels that didn’t pop so that’s why I did a double batch. If you are using an air popper you won’t have that problem so just use 1/4 cup which should yield about 8 cups of popcorn!
Start with 8 cups of popped corn however you make it, stove-top or air popped.
Grab a generous pinch of flaked sea salt and sprinkle that over top. My pinch looks like a teaspoon… oh well.
In the bowl of you food processor grind up a few candy canes. I did all twelve because I had plans for the leftover candy cane dust.
Turn the food processor on until the canes are no more and all you have is fine candy cane dust.
Chop up two 8 ounce bars of Ghirardelli white chocolate into pretty similar size pieces. You can place those in a bowl over simmering water to gently melt.
Or you can pop them into a microwave safe measuring cup and heat slowly until melted completely. Stir to make sure there are zero lumps.
While the chocolate is still warm, pour it over the pop corn.
Use a large rubber spatula, stir until the popcorn is evenly coated.
Sprinkle with a quarter cup of the ground candy canes.
And toss that too.
Next sprinkle a little bit of the candy cane dust on the spoon that you stirred the chocolate with and sample. Gah! SO good!
I must have been in a white chocolate peppermint coma because I forgot to take a picture of the popcorn spread out on a lined baking sheet. I will also add that I popped the pop corn, once spread on the cookie sheet, into the fridge for 15 minutes to help set the chocolate.
Salty and sweet is my most favorite flavor profile combo of all, but then add in the peppermint and I just about died.
Enjoy! And if you give this White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn
Ingredients
- 8 cups plain air-popped popcorn
- 1 pinch flaked sea salt
- 16 ounces white chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli)
- 1/4 cup finely crushed candy canes
Equipment
Instructions
CRUSH THE CANDY CANES:
- Added 12 candy canes into the bowl of my food processor and processed them until they were a fine dust. You only need 1/4 cup so unless you have other uses for the candy cane dust then you can scale it down a bit.
MAKE THE POPCORN:
- Start with 6 cups of non-buttered popcorn. I popped my on the stove top with coconut oil. But if you have an air popper that would work even better.
- In an extra large mixing bowl add the popcorn, sprinkle with a generous pinch of flaked sea salt and toss.
- Add the chopped chocolate into a microwave safe measuring cup and heat slowly until melted and smooth, about 45 seconds to a minute (depending) stirring every 10 seconds.
- Pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn and toss it around until the popcorn is evenly coated.
- Sprinkle with a quarter cup of candy cane dust and mix some more.
- Spread the popcorn on a silicone lined baking sheet and let the chocolate set up. I popped my cookie sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes before breaking it up and snacking right away.
Notes
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Oh my goodness, this sounds AMAZING! Definitely going to have to try this!
Oh my goodness girl this sounds amazing!!
Oohh this just sounds like heaven. I’ve seen some holiday flavored popcorn around the grocery store recently and I’ve talked myself out of buying them. But this, what a treat this would be to make!
oh what a beautiful and delicious snack!! Is it totally inappropriate to jar this up and give it out to everyone for xmaS?! hehe
I seriously have to try this asap!
Popcorn is basically my favorite food group. I eat for dinner sometimes (no joke)! This looks like an amazing addition to my carol-listening and movie-watching weekend 🙂
We’re decking the halls this weekend too, I can’t wait! This looks like a perfect evening snack after I vacuum up all the sparkles and bits of greenery 🙂
Oh My God!!! I will be making this for Christmas. It looks absolutely fabulous, and it will be a nice addition to my peppermint kisses from Hershey’s. White chocolate and peppermint are the best combo ever.
I’m just like you: I love Christmas! I never really celebrated as a kid, so I make a huge deal of it now and I’m sure it drives my husband crazy. Oh well. This sounds like a perfect, seasonal treat that would be great for parties or having a girls night and watching movies! I might need to try making this when my bestie and i hang out tomorrow for a day of holiday crafting 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Oh holy yum…you had to chop up white chocolate and tempt my every sense! This looks wonderful and perfect for making in huge quantities for holiday parties! Perfect timing with December right around the corner. In with the peppermint! Have a great weekend!
Sweet and salty is my jam. I love this, Laurie! Love the peppermint too. Fun!!
I love Christmas! This is the perfect treat for this time of year. Perfect for all of the Christmas movies on my list to watch. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Yummy!
This is a great holiday treat!!
Omg… this is totally happening this weekend!
I love this! Thanks Laurie!
Oh my heavens!! That looks incredible! So much better than the store bought stuff, I am sure!
I’ve been thinking about this off and on for the last 24 hours. Good work girl. Good work. 🙂
Lori, I just love your photos! And your creativity! I made this recipe but used chex cereal instead of popcorn – oh! and i didn’t crush the candy canes into a powder – but that would’ve been a wonderful idea! Maybe next time I will try the popcorn instead!!! i love love love white chocolate and candy canes!
This is disturbingly addictive!! Oh, I wish I could stop eating this all myself.
I had to try it, but because it was such a different combo. Now, it’s going to be everyone’s gift! I’m bringing everyone down with me on the peppermint white chocolate popcorn addiction!
Oh my goodness! This looks heavenly! I will be make this soon!
I never even knew flaked sea salt was a thing. This looks delicious!
This sounds amazing! I love anything chocolate and peppermint and your popcorn is perfect for all the Christmas movies we’re watching snuggled on the sofa. Thanks for sharing Laurie
What were your other plans for that candy cane dust?!
Also, I found that the flaked sea salt did not stick to the popcorn so I opted for a popcorn salt instead. Do you run into that challenge?
This looks sooooo good!!! I have a question, though. I’ve only seen Ghirardelli chocolate in 4 oz. bars. Do I need to buy 4 of those or did you actually mean two 4 oz. bars? Can’t wait to try this!!
Wow…this looks great. I just wanted to say that I came her after seeing the recipe on the Tasty Kitchen website. I think there might be a typo in the recipe on Tasty Kitchen. It calls for 6 cups of unpopped popcorn kernals!!!
I had to modify this to go with what I had- it worked well with semisweet chocolate, although I had the same question as Joanna- I used about 1oz chocolate per cup of popcorn and got pretty good coverage. I also tossed on salt after the chocolate for added salty sweetness.
Yum! Thanks for the recipe, I made two quick batches for neighborhood gifts (to keep myself from eating it all!)
Oh sweet mother of noms. I know I’m late to the party but this recipe stopped me dead in my browsing tracks. I might have to try this with peppermint mints because I don’t want to wait for candy canes to make an appearance.. although I’m sure it won’t be long now.
I’m making this with my two daughters tonight and am making your mini chocolate chip cookies with them tomorrow. What a privilege to make such delicious and simple homemade treats. Thanks for providing them!
Oh how fantastic! Enjoy! 🙂
I pinned this over a year ago when you first posted the recipe, and I finally made it tonight to give away at work for Christmas. Thank goodness I bagged it up immediately, or I never would have had enough to give away after I finished what I wanted. This was absolutely amazing. Next time I won’t wait so long to make one of your recipes.
Ha ha! I’m so glad Tanya! That stuff is ridiculously addicting!! Happy Holidays!
I always buy BAGS of this popcorn during the holiday season but have not been able to find it anywhere in my small town. I was searching online and found this. I made it and it is AMAZING! Now I never need to be without. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad Anna!! I love white chocolate popcorn too! Thank you for coming back and leaving a comment! <3
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Looks yummy 🙂 Surely, I will try it once. Thanks for the great recipe.