Get ready to meet your new favorite holiday addiction! This White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn is the perfect blend of salty, sweet, and festive. It’s an incredibly easy, no-bake treat that comes together in minutes, making it ideal for holiday parties, last-minute gifts, or a cozy movie night. If you’re looking for a simple recipe that delivers a huge wow factor, you’ve found it. The crisp popcorn, creamy white chocolate, and refreshing peppermint crunch are simply irresistible.
We make a big batch of this festive popcorn every year. It disappears from the bowl almost as fast as we can make it! It’s the kind of simple pleasure, like our M&M Christmas Cookie Bars, that defines the holiday season.
Just a few simple steps stand between you and this amazing holiday treat.
Why You’ll Love This White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn Recipe
Incredibly Easy: With just a few simple ingredients and no oven required, it’s a perfect recipe for all skill levels.
Super Fast: You can whip up a huge batch of this festive treat in under 20 minutes from start to finish.
Perfect for Gifting: Package it in cellophane bags with a ribbon for a beautiful and delicious homemade holiday gift.
Crowd-Pleaser: It’s a guaranteed hit at holiday gatherings, loved by both kids and adults.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients to create a spectacular holiday snack. Here’s what you’ll need:
Popcorn: Use plain, air-popped popcorn for the best results. This gives you a light, crispy base without extra butter or salt getting in the way.
White Chocolate: High-quality white chocolate melting wafers or almond bark are your best friends here. They melt smoothly and set up firmly, which is crucial for that perfect coating.
Peppermint Candies: Crushed candy canes or starlight mints provide that essential festive crunch and minty flavor.
Festive Sprinkles: While optional, red, green, and white sprinkles add an extra pop of holiday cheer!
Every bite is the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and minty.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this Christmas popcorn is as easy as melt, toss, and set. Follow these simple steps for perfect results every time.
Step 1: Prepare Your Station
First, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. This is essential to prevent the popcorn from sticking as it cools. Place your popped popcorn in a very large, heatproof bowl. Make sure there is plenty of room to stir!
Step 2: Melt the White Chocolate
Place the white chocolate melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Be careful not to overheat it, as white chocolate can seize easily.
Step 3: Combine and Garnish
Pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn in the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold until the popcorn is evenly coated. Immediately spread the coated popcorn in a single layer onto your prepared baking sheets. Before the chocolate sets, sprinkle generously with the crushed peppermint candies and festive sprinkles.
Step 4: Cool and Break Apart
Let the popcorn sit at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until the white chocolate is completely firm. You can also place it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to speed up the process. Once set, break the popcorn into clusters and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Peppermint Popcorn
For a truly foolproof batch of white chocolate peppermint popcorn, keep these tips in mind.
Remove Unpopped Kernels: Before coating, give your bowl of popcorn a little shake. The unpopped kernels will fall to the bottom, and you can easily scoop them out. This saves your teeth later!
Work Quickly: Once the white chocolate is melted, it will start to set. Have your popcorn, sprinkles, and crushed peppermint ready to go so you can coat and garnish everything before it hardens.
Don’t Over-Stir: Fold the chocolate in gently. Over-stirring can break up the popcorn into small pieces.
Use Good Quality Chocolate: Your final product is only as good as your ingredients. Using high-quality melting wafers (like Ghirardelli or a good almond bark) will give you a much smoother coating that tastes better and is easier to work with than standard white chocolate chips.
Fun Variations to Try
While this classic version is amazing, you can easily customize it! Here are a few ideas:
Add Pretzels: For an extra salty crunch, mix in a cup of small pretzel twists with the popcorn before adding the chocolate. It’s a delicious twist similar to our popular Peppermint Pretzel Bites.
Drizzle with Dark Chocolate: After the white chocolate has set, melt some dark or semi-sweet chocolate and drizzle it over the top for a beautiful and decadent finish.
Mix in Cookies: Add crushed Oreo cookies or another favorite chocolate cookie for a cookies-and-cream-inspired version.
Include Nuts: For more texture, consider adding toasted pecans or almonds. Our fans of pecan desserts will love this addition.
How to Store Your Christmas Popcorn
Storing your white chocolate peppermint popcorn correctly is key to keeping it fresh and crispy. Let the popcorn cool completely and the chocolate harden fully before storing. Place it in an airtight container at room temperature. It will stay fresh for up to one week. Avoid storing it in the refrigerator, as the moisture can make the popcorn lose its crispness.
Frequently Asked Questions About White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn
Plain, air-popped popcorn is the best choice. It provides a neutral, crispy base that allows the white chocolate and peppermint flavors to shine. Avoid using buttered or heavily salted microwave popcorn, as it can make the final product greasy.
While you can use white chocolate chips, they are not ideal. Chips contain stabilizers to hold their shape and often don’t melt as smoothly or set as firmly as melting wafers or almond bark. For the best coating, we highly recommend using wafers.
The key to preventing soggy popcorn is to work with fully cooled, dry popcorn and to avoid overheating the chocolate. Spread the coated popcorn in a thin, single layer on the baking sheet to allow it to dry and harden quickly and evenly.
When stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, this popcorn will stay fresh and crispy for up to one week. Do not refrigerate it, as condensation can make it soft.
Absolutely! This recipe is very versatile. Try adding mini pretzel twists, M&M’s, chopped nuts like pecans or almonds, or even drizzling dark chocolate over the top after the white chocolate has set.
More Festive Treats to Try
If you loved this simple holiday recipe, be sure to check out some of our other festive favorites. These No-Bake Gingerbread Truffles are always a hit, and you can’t go wrong with a classic batch of Sugar Cookie Bars.
White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn
FL Recipes
White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn (The Ultimate Holiday Treat!)
This White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn is the perfect no-bake holiday treat! It's an easy, fast, and festive recipe combining salty popcorn, creamy white chocolate, and crunchy peppermint.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the popped popcorn in a very large, heatproof bowl, ensuring all unpopped kernels are removed.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate wafers in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Do not overheat.
Pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn and gently fold with a rubber spatula until evenly coated. Spread the mixture in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
Immediately sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies and festive sprinkles over the popcorn before the chocolate hardens.
Let the popcorn set at room temperature for about 1 hour or in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes until the chocolate is completely firm. Once set, break into clusters and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcalProtein: 2gFat: 12gFiber: 1g
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Tip: Ensure you remove all unpopped kernels from the popcorn before adding the chocolate to avoid any hard bites. Variations: Feel free to mix in pretzels, nuts, or a drizzle of dark chocolate for extra flavor and texture.
Did you make this White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn recipe? I’d love to see it! Snap a photo and share it on Pinterest. Your creations make my day, and I can’t wait to see your festive treats!
The easiest and most addictive holiday snack you'll make all season!
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
