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Home > Snacks > Santa Munch Christmas Popcorn

Santa Munch Christmas Popcorn

Modified: Dec 6, 2023 · Published: Dec 6, 2021

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Christmas popcorn in bowl with text
Santa munch Christmas popcorn in bowl

Santa munch Christmas popcorn is fun and festive snack mix that everybody would love. Its easy to customize, needs only 5 basic ingredients popcorn snack mix comes together in 5 minutes. Its so easy that kids can help make it!

Christmas popcorn snack mix in ceramic bowl
Jump to:
  • Christmas popcorn
  • Ingredients you’ll need
  • How to make Santa munch Christmas popcorn
  • Variations
  • Useful tips
  • Common questions
  • 📋 Santa Munch Christmas Popcorn

Christmas popcorn

Take your snack mix to the next level with this festive Christmas popcorn. It’s sweet, it’s salty, it’s delicious!

Christmas popcorn is that perfect last-minute-edible gift that you can make in no time if you’re having hectic holidays. Not just a holiday party, you should make it any day, every day, because delicious stuff should not wait for anything. It would be great on weekend movie night!

This snack mix is super addictive. My kids were stuffing their faces into it.

With holiday sprinkles, peppermint candies, and marshmallows you get an irresistible sweet treat. Called by so many names, Christmas popcorn is must have treat on your Christmas party table.

Santa Munch,

Santa Crunch,

Christmas crunch,

Christmas popcorn,

Holiday Popcorn,

Reindeer popcorn.

Call it however you want, but make sure you include this Santa munch on your Christmas party menu list.

Salty popcorn tossed in marshmallow melt, festive sprinkles, and crushed peppermint candies make a gooey irresistible snack mix. I bet you won’t stop eating it.

You can add anything you want into this easy popcorn snack mix. I used marshmallows melt in the recipe, don’t like marshmallows? Just coat it with white chocolate melt, it works!

Ingredients you’ll need

  • 10 cups popcorn
  • Generous pinch salt
  • 3 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 3 cups mini marshmallows
  • Christmas sprinkles – red, green, white colored
  • Peppermint candy – crushed

More add-ons (options)

  • Mini pretzels
  • M&Ms – Green and red
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Nuts – like almonds, pecans or walnuts
Christmas popcorn ingredients

Christmas popcorn snack mix is versatile you can jazz it up whatever you want to add or whatever you have in your pantry. Pretzels, holiday M&Ms, peppermint candies, nuts….just about anything!

How to make Santa munch Christmas popcorn

Start off with a BIG batch of popcorn. Make fresh popcorn at home, it’s inexpensive, fresh and better to use. Making popcorn on stovetop or in instant pot is very easy.

  1. Once the popcorn kernel is popped transfer it to a baking sheet preferably lined with a silicon mat, parchment paper will stick and be tough to handle.
  2. Make sure to get out all the unpopped kernels. You don’t want to get a bite of one of those!
  3. Sprinkle generous salt over the popcorn while it’s still hot and toss well.
  4. In a pan melt butter. Once melted, reduce the flame to low add all the mini marshmallows, and keep stirring until the marshmallows are melted. Remove the pan from the stove as soon as all marshmallows are melted.
  5. Immediately pour it over popcorn. Using rubber spatulas gently fold in until all popcorn is coated in the marshmallow mixture.
  6. Time to add candies, nut and any add-ons you want to use. Festive sprinkles, M&Ms, crushed peppermint candies, nuts, pretzels can be added. Add whatever you want, but add them soon as you coat popcorn in marshmallow mix.
  7. You don’t want to wait too long; your popcorn snack mix will turn dry. Add the candies when popcorn is still warm and sticky. Once everything is mixed in allow Christmas popcorn to cool completely.
step by step picture collage of Christmas popcorn

Break up the popcorn mix, store in air tight containers or zip lock bags.

Note: Christmas crunch popcorn stays good at room temperature for 2-3 days. But they will turn a bit chewy on the 2nd or 3rd day. They taste best if you serve it right after you make it.

Variations

  1. You can add different candies to the popcorn mix.
  2. Add mini pretzels to the mix, use them whole in mini size, or crush and add it.
  3. Nuts such as pecans, peanuts, or walnuts can be used.
  4. Mini marshmallows.

Useful tips

  1. Trust me, make a BIG batch. This thing flies pretty fast. I started the first batch with 5 cups of popcorn to make this Christmas popcorn snack mix and we didn’t have any left for the Christmas school party the next day. My kids couldn’t stop eating it.
  2. Do not use old marshmallows as they won’t melt well.
  3. No Marshmallows? If you don’t have marshmallows, use white chocolate. Melt white chocolate with ¼ to ½ teaspoon coconut oil in the microwave. Pour melted chocolate over-salted popcorn mix. Note: With white chocolate, you won’t have the gooey texture of popcorn, but it will still be delicious!
  4. Work fast as soon as melted marshmallow is added, work with add-ons like candies and nuts so they stick to the popcorn.

Common questions

What’s the best method to pop popcorn kernels?

I highly recommend you pop the kernels using old school stove top method in a pan. This method creates crispy popcorn, and you’ll need to use oil/fat to pop the kernels on stove top. You can also use air pop popcorn machine to make popcorn. As a last resort microwave popcorn sachets comes to rescue.
No matter how you make popcorn, make sure you do use plain popcorn, not flavored ones.

How much does the recipe make?

I make quite a big batch. I used 10 cups of popped popcorn and it yields close to 12 cups of Santa munch.

How long does it keep?

Christmas crunch popcorn stays good at room temperature for 2-3 days. But they will turn a bit chewy on the 2nd or 3rd day. They taste best if you serve it right after you make it.

Can I freeze Christmas popcorn?

I would not recommend it. While some do freeze plain popcorn to extend its storage, the toppings added to the Santa munch treat will not freeze well.

Try other Christmas treats?

  • cookie dipped in Christmas dip

    Christmas Cookie Dip (Dessert Dip)

  • stacks of Christmas crack on board

    Christmas Crack Recipe

  • puppy chow in white bowl

    S’mores Puppy Chow Recipe

  • Christmas tree made with strawberries

    Chocolate Covered Strawberry Christmas Tree

  • close up view of pretzels coated in chocolate

    Chocolate Covered Pretzels with Sprinkles

  • Cornflakes Christmas wreath cookies on decorative plates

    No Bake Christmas Wreath Cookies

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Santa munch Christmas popcorn snack mix is baking tray
Santa munch Christmas popcorn snack mix is super crunch and addictive Christmas snack mix
5 from 5 votes

📋 Santa Munch Christmas Popcorn

Jyothi Rajesh
Santa munch Christmas popcorn is fun and festive popcorn snack mix that everyone would love. This super easy 5 ingredients popcorn snack mix comes together in 5 minutes. It’s so easy that kids can make it with your assistance!
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Course holiday gifts, holiday recipes, Snacks
Cuisine American
Servings 10 cups
Calories 120

Ingredients
  

  • 10 cups popcorn
  • Generous pinch salt
  • 3 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 3 cups mini marshmallows
  • Christmas sprinkles – red, green, white colored
  • Peppermint candy – crushed

More add-ons (options)

  • Pretzels
  • M&Ms – Green and red
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Nuts – like almonds, pecans or walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Pop popcorn kernels in a pressure cooker, click here to learn how to make popcorn in a pressure cooker. If using microwavable popcorn, pop as per instructions on the packet.
  • Note: If using microwavable popcorn bags I’d suggest you use plain popcorn and add salt to it once popped. Butter-flavored popcorn turns out yellow and it does not look white enough to make Christmas popcorn. Christmas popcorn is prettier when it’s white not golden yellow. Remove all the un-popped kernels. You don’t want to bite into it.
  • Transfer popcorn onto a baking sheet lined with cookie sheet (silicon mat).
  • Add salt over popcorn and toss well.
  • Melt butter in a pan. To melted butter add mini marshmallows and stir until marshmallows are melted completely. DO NOT OVERHEAT MARSHMALLOWS.
  • Remove immediately from the stove and pour it over the popcorn.
  • Using a rubber (or wooden) spatula mix gently until all popcorn is coated in marshmallow mix.
  • While popcorn is still warm and gooey add candies over it – Christmas sprinkles or confetti, M&Ms, crushed peppermint candy, and other add-ons. Mix gently.
  • Allow popcorn to cool completely. Break the popcorn apart and store it in air-tight containers.
  • It's best served immediately!

Video

Notes

No marshmallows? If you don’t have marshmallows, use white chocolate. Melt white chocolate with ¼ to ½ teaspoon coconut oil in the microwave. Pour melted chocolate over-salted popcorn mix. Note: With white chocolate, you won’t have the gooey texture of popcorn, but it will still be delicious!
Use plain popcorn – I recommend you use plain popcorn. Butter-flavored popcorn packs yield golden yellow popcorn (movie popcorn types) and I did not like how it looked when mixed with marshmallows and holiday sprinkles. It was yellowish and didn’t have that snow-white Christmas feel to it. 
 
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 42mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 125IUCalcium: 1mgIron: 0.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Follow @CurryTrail and tag #CurryTrail to share your creation!

Created by Jyothi Rajesh

Thank you for stopping by.

I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Rose says

    October 13, 2023 at 11:11 pm

    Just an fyi, apostrophes are not used to make plurals. They are used incorrectly multiple times.

    Reply
  2. Jen Degtjarewsky says

    December 17, 2021 at 5:50 am

    5 stars
    Hi Jyothi – I’m not a cook and never have been, but recently got an InstaPot and have found how much I can learn to make! Am really enjoying your recipes and glad I found your site. I’m a vegetarian and more ways to substitute tofu or vegetables like mushrooms on some of your meat recipes would be great. Recently made meatless stroganoff for Thanksgiving using mushrooms in place of the meat and vegetable broth in place of a meat-broth. It was amazing and am just trying to find more recipes for people who don’t eat animal protein. Your website it also beautiful and I appreciate how easy it is to jump to print the recipes!

    Reply
  3. Catalina says

    December 25, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    5 stars
    What a fun idea to make with kids during the winter holidays season! My kid will enjoy it! He loves popcorn so much!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      December 26, 2018 at 8:56 am

      Thank you Catalina

      Reply
  4. Cheese Curd In Paradise says

    December 25, 2018 at 11:11 am

    5 stars
    What a yummy and festive snack! I love the addition of the peppermint- my favorite holiday flavor…plus the marshmallow- yes please!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      December 25, 2018 at 3:41 pm

      Thank you 🙂 Glad you liked it. Merry Christmas

      Reply
  5. Danielle Wolter says

    December 24, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    5 stars
    This is an awesome last minute treat. Love the sweet and salty combo. Plus this looks so easy to make!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      December 24, 2018 at 9:56 pm

      It’s a breeze to make this Santa munch Danielle. Thank you

      Reply

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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