Description
Cotton Candy Popcorn is a whimsical and colorful treat combining crispy popcorn with a sweet, gelatin-infused sugar syrup and topped with fluffy cotton candy. Perfect for parties and fun snacking, this recipe offers a delightful blend of textures and vibrant hues with optional pink and blue coloring.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 10 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup unpopped kernels)
Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened powdered gelatin
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coloring & Topping
- 1/2 teaspoon blue food coloring (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon pink food coloring (optional)
- 1/2 cup cotton candy (for topping)
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn: Pop 1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn kernels using a microwave-safe bowl according to the package instructions. Once fully popped, transfer the popcorn into a large bowl and set aside.
- Make the syrup: In a medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add granulated sugar, powdered gelatin, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir well to combine all the ingredients smoothly.
- Boil the mixture: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil while stirring constantly. Let it boil for 1-2 minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved and the syrup becomes bubbly and smooth.
- Add food coloring: If desired, divide the syrup evenly into two separate bowls. Add blue food coloring to one and pink food coloring to the other. Stir both until the color is evenly distributed and the syrup has reached your desired hue.
- Coat the popcorn: Quickly pour the colored syrup over the popped popcorn and gently toss with a spoon to ensure all popcorn pieces are evenly coated with the syrup.
- Cool the popcorn: Spread the coated popcorn evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let it cool for about 5 minutes to allow the syrup to set.
- Add cotton candy topping: Once the popcorn has cooled and set, break it into manageable pieces. Top with 1/2 cup of cotton candy, either in fluffy clumps or broken into smaller pieces for decoration and added sweetness.
- Serve or store: Serve the cotton candy popcorn immediately for best texture. Alternatively, store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Using unsweetened powdered gelatin helps achieve a slightly chewy and shiny popcorn coating.
- If you don’t have food coloring, you can skip it for a classic look or experiment with your favorite shades.
- For best results, serve the popcorn soon after topping with cotton candy to maintain fluffiness.
- Store popcorn in an airtight container to prevent it from becoming stale or sticky.
- Be careful while handling hot syrup as it can cause burns.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Boiling and Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: cotton candy popcorn, colorful popcorn, sweet popcorn recipe, party snack, gelatin popcorn
