Pink Popcorn: Sweet and Colorful Valentine’s Day Snack Recipe
This sweet and colorful Pink Popcorn is the perfect Valentine’s Day snack! Ready in just 10 minutes, it’s light, crunchy, and full of festive flavor, making it ideal for parties, gifting, or a fun movie-night treat.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 cups
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 12 cups popped popcorn
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup half and half or evaporated milk
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–3 drops red or pink food coloring
Instructions
- Pop and Prepare Popcorn: Pop your popcorn and measure out 12 cups. Place it in a large mixing bowl and remove any unpopped kernels to ensure a pleasant texture and avoid biting into hard kernels.
- Make Candy Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, half and half, light corn syrup, and salt. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil. Allow it to boil gently for 3 to 4 minutes to create a smooth syrup.
- Add Flavor and Color: Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and 2-3 drops of red or pink food coloring until blended evenly and the popcorn syrup attains the desired pink shade.
- Coat the Popcorn: Pour the hot syrup evenly over the popcorn in the large bowl. Gently stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until every piece is thoroughly coated with the pink candy mixture.
- Cool and Serve: Spread the coated popcorn onto parchment paper in an even layer. Let it cool completely to set the coating and achieve the perfect crunch before serving or packing.
Notes
- Try substituting the vanilla extract with almond, coconut, or strawberry extract for a unique flavor twist.
- Change the food coloring for themed holidays: red for Christmas, green for St. Patrick’s Day, or blue for birthdays.
- Best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days without losing crunchiness.
