Jelly Bean Popcorn is the perfect Easter dessert that combines two great things – Jelly Beans and Popcorn.

Close up of a white bowl sitting on a white table covered in jelly beans and filled with a large amount of Jelly Bean Popcorn.

Jelly Beans and Popcorn – two of our favorite things!  So it was a no-brainer to combine them into the Easter-themed sweet popcorn that we are calling Jelly Bean Popcorn.  It is super delicious and so colorful and pretty.  And it is so easy to make. It is a great dessert for the kid’s Easter Baskets, Easter brunch, or Easter dinner dessert!

Ingredients You Will Need

Ingredients required to make Jelly Bean Popcorn including popcorn, marshmallows, butter, salt, jelly beans and sprinkles.

Preparing the Popcorn

Collage image showing the steps for making and salting the popcorn.

Step 1: You will need 10 cups of popcorn. We pop our popcorn on the stove (you can find our directions on How to Make Perfect Popcorn here) but you can use air-popped or microwave. 
Step 2: After the popcorn is popped, make sure to remove all of the un-popped kernels.  You don’t want to bite down on one of those! 
Step 3: Once you have made the popcorn, salt it liberally.  It is so nice to taste the salty popcorn with the sweet marshmallow coating.  Not quite like Kettle Corn but close.

Preparing the Marshmallow Mixture

Collage image showing the steps for making the marshmallow mixture for the popcorn.

Step 4: To make the Marshmallow Mixture, add 3 tablespoons of butter to a medium saucepan.  Melt the butter on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is completely melted.
Step 5: Add 3 cups of mini marshmallows to the saucepan.
Step 6: Stir until the marshmallows are covered in the butter, and then continue to stir until the marshmallows are completely melted.
Step 7: Take the marshmallow mixture off the heat as soon as the last marshmallow has melted.

Making the Marshmallow Popcorn

Collage image showing the steps required to cover the popcorn in the marshmallow mixture.

Step 8 & 9:  Slowly pour about a third of the marshmallow mixture over the salted popcorn.
Step 10: Gently fold the marshmallow mixture in with the popcorn.  Continue to add the marshmallow mixture a bit at a time, stirring between each addition.
Step 11: The popcorn should be completely covered in the warm marshmallow mixture. 

Collage image showing the steps for pouring the marshmallow popcorn out onto a cookie sheet.

Step 12: Now pour the popcorn onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, foil, or a Silpat liner.
Step 13: Use the spatula to even the popcorn out on the cookie sheet.

Jelly Bean Candy Mix-Ins

A large pile of Jelly Beans laying on a white table linen.

Step 14: We used both regular sized and mini Jelly Beans in our Jelly Bean Popcorn.  We took out the white Jelly Beans (which I immediately ate because they are my absolute favorite Jelly Bean flavor) and the black Jelly Beans because nobody in our family likes those! We also used some pretty pastel-colored Easter Sprinkles.

Assembling the Jelly Bean Popcorn

Close up on a batch of Jelly Bean Popcorn showing the details of the marshmallow popcorn, jelly beans and pastel sprinkles.

Step 15: Once the popcorn is covered in marshmallow mixture it is time to add the jelly beans and the sprinkles.  But don’t wait too long. You want the marshmallow mixture to still be warm and sticky so the candy and sprinkles will stick to it. Sprinkle the candy onto the popcorn.  Allow the Jelly Bean Popcorn to cool. Break apart into pieces and serve.

Expert Tips and FAQS

What kind of popcorn should I use?

We make our popcorn from scratch on the stove – nothing is better than that in our opinion.  You can find all the tips and tricks you need to make the perfect popcorn right here.  You can also use Microwave popcorn but you should use a type that has no butter flavoring added.

How much salt should I put on the popcorn?

The contrast of sweet and salty in this popcorn recipe is super yummy.  To get that combination you should lean towards over-salting the popcorn.  We try to salt the popcorn as soon as it comes out of the pan so that salt sticks to the hot popcorn.

How long with the popcorn last?

Our family loves this popcorn so it has never lasted longer than a day at our house.  This popcorn definitely tastes the best right after it is made but will keep for a few days in an airtight container. The popcorn is a little chewier the next day because the popcorn absorbs some of the moisture from the marshmallow mixture but it still tastes good.

Closeup on a white serving bowl surrounded by Jelly Beans and filled with Jelly Bean Popcorn.

Other Easter Popcorn Recipes You Will Love

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Jelly Bean Popcorn

Yield 10 cups
Prep Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Jelly Bean Popcorn is the perfect Easter dessert that combines two great things - Jelly Beans and Popcorn.

Ingredients

  • 10 Cups of Popped Popcorn
  • 3 tbsp. Butter (Sweet Cream, Salted)
  • 3 cups Mini Marshmallows
  • Jelly Beans - Regular Sized
  • Jelly Beans - Miniature Sized
  • Confetti Sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Pop 10 cups of popcorn and remove all of the un-popped kernels. Salt it liberally and set aside in a large bowl.
  2. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a medium saucepan.  Melt the butter on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is completely melted.
  3. Add 3 cups of mini marshmallows to the melted butter.
  4. Stir until the marshmallows are covered in the butter, and then continue to stir until the marshmallows are completely melted.
  5. Take the marshmallow mixture off of the heat as soon as the last marshmallow has melted.
  6. Slowly pour about a third of the marshmallow mixture over the salted popcorn.
  7. Gently fold the marshmallow mixture in with the popcorn.  Continue to add the marshmallow mixture a bit at a time, stirring between each addition. The popcorn should be completely covered in the warm marshmallow mixture. 
  8. Now pour the popcorn onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, foil, or a Silpat liner. Use the spatula to even the popcorn out on the cookie sheet.
  9. Once the popcorn is covered in marshmallow mixture it is time to add the candy.  But don’t wait too long. You want the marshmallow mixture to still be warm and sticky so the candy and sprinkles will stick to it. Sprinkle the candy onto the popcorn.  We decorated our popcorn with a handful of Regular and Mini Jelly Beans and some pretty pastel sprinkles.
  10. Allow the Jelly Bean Popcorn to cool. Break apart into pieces and serve.

Notes

What kind of popcorn should I use?
We make our popcorn from scratch on the stove - nothing is better than that in our opinion.  You can find all the tips and tricks you need to make the perfect popcorn right here.  You can also use Microwave popcorn but you should use a type that has no butter flavoring added.  

How much salt should I put on the popcorn?
The contrast of sweet and salty in this popcorn recipe is super yummy.  To get that combination you should lean towards over-salting the popcorn.  We try to salt the popcorn as soon as it comes out of the pan so that salt sticks to the hot popcorn.

How long with the popcorn last?
Our family loves this popcorn so it has never lasted longer than a day at our house.  This popcorn definitely tastes the best right after it is made but will keep for a few days in an airtight container. The popcorn is a little chewier the next day because the popcorn absorbs some of the moisture from the marshmallow mixture but it still tastes good.

Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!