Holiday popcorn with M&Ms and pretzels
Sweet, salty, and festive, this holiday popcorn with M&Ms and pretzels comes together in minutes and always disappears at parties and Christmas movie nights. You need popcorn, white candy wafers, red and green M&Ms, pretzels, and sprinkles. That’s it.
Make a batch now and set some aside for gifting before it’s gone.
Ingredients
Serves: 4 to 6
Prep time: 5 minutes
- 6 cups popcorn, already popped (if you pop it yourself, about ¼ cup kernels makes roughly 6 cups.). Use plain popcorn without butter or extra oil so the coating adheres well. If you’re making popcorn ahead, leave it uncovered at room temperature so it stays crisp.
- ½ cup white candy wafers (about 85 g)
- ¼ cup red and green M&Ms (about 40 g)
- 1.5 oz pretzels (about 40 to 45 g)
- ½ teaspoon red sprinkles
- ½ teaspoon green sprinkles
Instructions
Set up the base
Line a large baking tray with parchment. Spread the popcorn in a single layer so the coating hits more pieces.
Add pretzels
Break half the pretzels into smaller pieces and scatter both broken and whole pretzels evenly over the popcorn. This gives good crunch in every bite.
Add M&Ms
Sprinkle the M&Ms across the tray so the color is evenly distributed.
Melt the candy wafers
Place the wafers in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring well after each, until smooth. Stop when a few small pieces remain and stir until fully melted. If it starts to firm up, give it a quick 5 second rewarm and stir again.
Drizzle and coat
Drizzle the melted candy over the popcorn mix with a spoon. Toss gently with clean hands or two spatulas, then drizzle a little more to catch any bare spots. Work quickly so the coating sets evenly.
Finish and set
Add the red and green sprinkles while the coating is still soft so they stick. Let the tray sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or chill for 5 minutes until firm.
Break and serve
Break into clusters and serve in a large bowl, or portion into gift bags.
Variations
- Color swap: Change M&M and sprinkle colors to match different holidays or themes – pink and red for Valentine’s Day, pastel for Easter, or red and blue for the Fourth of July.
- Diet tweaks: Use gluten-free pretzels if needed. Choose dairy-free candy wafers for a dairy-free version.
- Texture: Leave larger clusters for a snack-mix feel, or break smaller for party cups.
Storage and gifting
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For gifts, pack in clear treat bags or tins and add a label with the date.
Simple, festive, and endlessly customizable, this holiday popcorn is the ultimate quick win for busy December days. Make it once, and it’ll become a go-to for parties, gifting, and cozy nights by the tree.
Holiday popcorn with M&Ms and pretzels
Ingredients
- 6 cups popcorn already popped (if you pop it yourself, about ¼ cup kernels makes roughly 6 cups.)
- ½ cup white candy wafers about 85 g
- ¼ cup red and green M&Ms about 40 g
- 1.5 oz pretzels about 40 to 45 g
- ½ teaspoon red sprinkles
- ½ teaspoon green sprinkles
Instructions
- Line a large baking tray with parchment. Spread the popcorn in a single layer so the coating hits more pieces.
- Break half the pretzels into smaller pieces and scatter both broken and whole pretzels evenly over the popcorn. This gives good crunch in every bite.
- Sprinkle the M&Ms across the tray so the color is evenly distributed.
- Place the wafers in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring well after each, until smooth. Stop when a few small pieces remain and stir until fully melted. If it starts to firm up, give it a quick 5 second rewarm and stir again.
- Drizzle the melted candy over the popcorn mix with a spoon. Toss gently with clean hands or two spatulas, then drizzle a little more to catch any bare spots. Work quickly so the coating sets evenly.
- Add the red and green sprinkles while the coating is still soft so they stick. Let the tray sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or chill for 5 minutes until firm.
- Break into clusters and serve in a large bowl, or portion into gift bags.
Notes
Variations
- Color swap: Change M&M and sprinkle colors to match different holidays or themes – pink and red for Valentine’s Day, pastel for Easter, or red and blue for the Fourth of July.
- Diet tweaks: Use gluten-free pretzels if needed. Choose dairy-free candy wafers for a dairy-free version.
- Texture: Leave larger clusters for a snack-mix feel, or break smaller for party cups.
Storage and gifting
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For gifts, pack in clear treat bags or tins and add a label with the date.
