Colored Popcorn

Sweet PQ?'s Note:

I've been making this for 30+years. My kids used to look forward to it, especially at holiday time. You can make this any color you want, but for some reason I always did pink (I think it reminded my kids of the packaged "lucky" popcorn). Now my daughter is carrying on the tradition and making it for my grandkids. Recipe comes from an old newspaper clipping. If you plan on storing this, use a zip lock bag or container with a tight fitting lid.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 2.5 quarts

• 2 1/2 quarts popped corn (remove unpoppped kernels)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 -5 drops food coloring (your choice of color & intensity)
• 3 tablespoons icing sugar

Directions:

1. Put popcorn in a large bowl that you have lightly buttered.
2. Put sugar and water in a small pan and boil to 238* on a candy thermometer (or until it forms a medium ball in cold water), adding the food coloring toward the last of the cooking.
3. Pour over the popcorn & stir evenly, then sprinkle at once with the icing sugar. Make sure you continue stirring until the syrup turns sugary and the kernels separate. Enjoy!

Reviews

[BikeBookBread]

I can't stop eating this. My daughter needed to bring a snack for the letter "P" for her Pre-K class. I thought of "pink popcorn" and THEN I had to find the recipe for it (after I had promised her, of course). So I quickly had to find another recipe after coming up with a sticky messy blob of popcorn from one of those jello popcorn recipes (blech). I love how this keeps the popcorn separate and sweetened. I doubled the candy syrup the recipe for slightly more than double the popcorn, so that it wouldn't be too sweet. It tastes great, but didn't cover 100% -- about 80% is covered, but that's okay, they're 4 year olds! I also added a little bit of fine sea salt to temper the sweetness (kind of kettle-corn tasting). I think I've found a new tradition...

[Piper C]

We used this for "Hop on Pop Popcorn" for my son's Dr Seuss themed birthday party. Came out perfect and was so yummy! Not sticky or goopy at all like those awful koolaid and jello recipes. Thanks for sharing. We will definitely be making this again in the future!

[littlemafia]

This is going to be such a hit at Christmas! Made it with red coloring and for the holidays I'll make some green too. I didn't use icing sugar. I poured the syrup on the popcorn and baked it in the over until was dry and not sticky anymore. My DD doesn't like anything sticky on her fingers, she goes:"Yucksee!"