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    Home > Recipes > Christmas

    Christmas Popcorn

    Published: Dec 7, 2015 · Modified: Mar 16, 2023 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 9 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    dark chocolate peppermint popcorn
    dark chocolate peppermint popcorn
    dark chocolate peppermint popcorn

    The easiest holiday snack on your list this year is Christmas Popcorn — fresh popcorn with dark chocolate, a pinch of salt and crushed candy canes. Light enough to snack on all season long, it's a new favorite in our house!

    popcorn drizzled with chocolate and peppermint in a white bowl

    Okay, so I officially remember winter. After living in Thailand for five years, I really sort of forgot what this is like. Just how cold it is in the morning.  And equally, just how good it is to hit the snooze and stay under the warm covers.

    My girls didn't get that memo. Those two are up and ready to tackle the Christmas tree and eat their weight in steel cut oats no matter how cold it is out.

    pouring popcorn onto a parchment lined sheet pan

    We packed in all sorts of holiday fun this weekend. We had a babysitter on Friday night so that Frank and I could go to see a Christmas concert and have a late dinner. Saturday, we all bundled up and went to a luminary walk at the local Overland Park Arboretum. We thought it would be a ten minute undertaking, but we spent almost an hour there. There were thousands of candles!  Thousands!

    And we did a bit of baking. Well...if you can call pouring warm bittersweet chocolate over popcorn baking.

    pouring chocolate over popcorn on a sheet pan

    Whether it counts as baking or not, this is the easiest holiday snack or dessert on my list this year. It's the sort of thing that would be great for young kids to lend a hand with since it doesn't use the oven.

    And you get to crush candy canes with a rolling pin. Fun for kids (or adults who need a little stress relief this time of year!)

    Dark Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn on a sheet pan

    This Dark Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn lasted all of an hour in my busy household. None of us could walk by it without grabbing a kernel...or two...or ten.

    More Holiday Recipes

    • Christmas Tree Meringues
    • Crisp Gingerbread Cookies
    • Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
    • Chocolate Rice Krispies 'Gingerbread' Men
    • Homemade Hot Chocolate

    Favorite Tools

    • Half Sheet Pan
    • Parchment Paper Sheets
    • Rolling Pin
    • Calphalon Nonstick Dutch Oven
    • Mixing Bowl
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Christmas Popcorn Recipe

    A fast, easy holiday treat with fresh popped popcorn, dark chocolate and sweet, crunchy chopped candy canes.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time35 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Keyword: chocolate, Christmas, easy snack, Holiday recipe, peppermint, popcorn
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 348kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $3.00

    Equipment

    • baking sheet
    • Parchment Paper
    • Microwave Safe Bowl

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • ½ cup popcorn kernels (see note)
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (use chips or roughly chop bar chocolate)
    • 1 cup crushed candy canes

    Instructions

    • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Pour the oil into a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add three popcorn kernels to the oil and place the pan over medium-high heat (do not put the lid on the pot yet). When one kernel pops (the signal that the oil is hot enough), immediately pour the remaining kernels into the pan and put the lid on the pot. Take the pan off the heat for 30 seconds. (Literally, count to 30.)
    • Put the pot back over the heat and sprinkle the kernels with salt. Hold the lid on the pot so that it is slightly ajar (you just want a small space to be open so that steam, but not popcorn can escape). Vigourously swirl the pan so that the oil evenly coats the kernels.
    • With the pot over medium-high heat and the lid held slightly ajar, gently shake the pot every few seconds until nearly all of the kernels have popped and there is a 2 second break between “pops." Pour the popcorn on the prepared baking sheet.
    • Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 10 seconds to prevent burning. When the chocolate is melted, pour it evenly over the popcorn. While the chocolate is still hot, scatter the peppermint over the top. Leave the popcorn at room temperature until the chocolate completely cools and hardens, about 1 hour.
    • Break the popcorn apart with your hands and transfer it to an air-tight container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days (if it lasts that long!).

    Notes

    This recipe includes instructions for popping fresh popcorn on the stovetop, but pre-popped popcorn will work just fine.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg

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    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maggie Fisher

      December 07, 2015 at 11:50 am

      never thought of the bittersweet or dark chocolate for this, sounds great, definitely going on the list of things to make or bake or take, as usual those girls just look delightful and full of fun for the coming holidays, they certainly will enjoy this year once they realize presents to rip open no matter whose name may be on them!

      Reply
    2. Maggie Fisher

      December 07, 2015 at 11:53 am

      ps supposing you could sub in a good quality popcorn already made bagged in store if you were in a hurry but i know homemade is best...

      Reply
      • Jess

        December 07, 2015 at 1:30 pm

        Maggie - you are so right! Thanks to your note, I just added a recipe note to indicate that a bagged store brand would work perfectly.

        Reply
    3. Monica

      December 07, 2015 at 1:16 pm

      Your twins are just so adorable and photogenic!
      And this popcorn...the combination sounds so delicious and since my son is crazy for all things chocolate-peppermint, it would be gone very quickly here, too! What a perfect thing to munch on during the holidays. And so glad you are enjoying the holidays. We went to see the tree at Rockefeller center and had brunch on Sunday in NYC. Great time of year!

      Reply
      • Jess

        December 07, 2015 at 1:28 pm

        Oh what a fun NYC style holiday weekend, Monica! I was there one year at Christmas and it was so incredibly festive. Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    4. Kristen @ The Endless Meal

      December 08, 2015 at 9:09 pm

      So perfect for Christmas! We're just trying to figure out what to make for gifts this year and I think this is going to be one of them. 🙂

      Reply
    5. Lena

      October 25, 2017 at 1:15 pm

      Fantastic, very very nice... Great recipe...!

      Reply
    6. Carl Rowe

      November 20, 2017 at 11:05 am

      5 stars
      Hey thanks for sharing this... can i tell you how much i love this? My wife and i tried this and it was the most delicious thing we've ever ate

      Reply

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