Christmas Popcorn
Christmas Popcorn is the perfect festive snack—sweet, salty, and bursting with holiday cheer in every bite. Whether you’re making it as a fun snack for a cozy movie night, gifting it to friends, or setting it out for a party, this colorful treat is as fun to make as it is to eat.
There’s something magical about the holiday season — the twinkling lights, cozy nights in, and of course, the irresistible festive treats that everyone can’t wait to snack on. This Christmas Popcorn is one of those simple, no-fuss recipes that instantly brings cheer to any gathering. Made with a crunchy mix of popcorn, salty pretzels, colorful Christmas M&M’s, and a generous drizzle of sweet vanilla almond bark, every bite delivers that perfect balance of salty, sweet, and delightfully festive.
Whether you’re whipping up a quick holiday movie-night snack, filling treat bags for neighbors, or adding something fun to your holiday party spread, this merry popcorn mix is guaranteed to disappear fast. It takes just minutes to make, looks beautifully seasonal with red and green sprinkles, and is the kind of treat both kids and adults can’t resist. Get ready — this is about to become your new go-to holiday crowd-pleaser!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy - Ready in just minutes, this festive treat is perfect for last-minute holiday snacking.
- Sweet and salty perfection - The combination of popcorn, pretzels, and almond bark hits all the right flavor notes.
- Kid-friendly and fun - with colorful Christmas M&M’s and sprinkles, it’s a treat that kids will love helping make and eating.
- Perfect for gifting - package it in festive bags or jars for a homemade holiday gift everyone will adore.
- Customizable - swap in your favorite candy, nuts, or even dark chocolate drizzle to suit your taste.
- No baking required - keep the oven free for the cookies! This is a simple, stovetop-free recipe anyone can make.
Ingredients
Popcorn - you can pop your own from kernels or you can use microwave popcorn. I used microwave popcorn this time and just recommend using one with no or little butter.
Vanilla Almond Bark - or white chocolate, for melting and covering the popcorn in. I like vanilla almond bark because it is really easy to work with and melt.
Pretzels - I also added a couple handfuls of pretzels to balance out the sweetness.
Christmas Colored M&M's - these add a dose of chocolate and also some fun Christmas colors.
Christmas Sprinkles - you can use whatever kind of sprinkles you like, and make it as festive as you'd like!
Please refer to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients.
Variations
Different Colored M&M's and Sprinkles - you can definitely make this suitable for a different season or holiday, using Hanukkah colored M&M's and sprinkles, Halloween themed, Easter themed, or Valentine's themed!
Different Toppings/Add-Ins - while popcorn and pretzels are delicious, you could use other things like Cheerios, Chex cereal, marshmallows, Goldfish, and candy canes for toppings.
Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1. Melt the white chocolate according to package directions.
Photo 2. Drizzle ¾ of the almond bark over the popcorn and M&M's, tossing well to combine. I like to do this on a baking sheet or two, so the popcorn doesn't all cool in a big clump.
Photo 3. Drizzle the remaining over the pretzels and let the almond bark set up before tossing with the popcorn.
Photo 4. Toss the popcorn with the pretzels. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Start with freshly popped popcorn - se plain, air-popped or lightly oiled popcorn so flavors stick well and nothing tastes stale.
Remove unpopped kernels - shake the popcorn through a colander or sift by hand to avoid hard surprises in every bite.
Balance sweet and salty - pair melted chocolate or caramel with pretzels, nuts, or lightly salted popcorn for crave-worthy contrast.
Work in layers - spread popcorn on parchment, drizzle chocolate, add toppings, then repeat—this ensures even coverage.
Add toppings while warm - sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or mini marshmallows stick best before the coating sets.
Let it set completely - allow popcorn to cool and harden fully before breaking it apart to avoid clumping.
Store it right - store in an airtight container at room temperature for freshness (avoid the fridge—moisture is the enemy), for up to 1 week.
Recipe FAQs
Yes—Christmas popcorn can be made 1–3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Plain air-popped or lightly oiled popcorn works best so the sweet coatings don’t compete with added butter or flavorings.
Make sure popcorn is fully cooled before coating, avoid humid storage, and never refrigerate it.
Yes—both work well, but candy melts are more forgiving and less likely to seize than real chocolate.
When stored properly, it stays fresh for up to one week.
Other Christmas Treats to Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Christmas Popcorn
Ingredients
- 12 cups popcorn
- 20 ounces vanilla almond bark melted
- 2 cups pretzels
- 2 cups M&M's
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Pop the popcorn and transfer it to the baking sheet, removing any unpopped kernels. Toss in the M&M's.
- Melt the almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl in 20–30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Drizzle ¾ of the melted almond bark over the popcorn and M&Ms and gently toss until evenly coated. Immediately top with sprinkles.
- Drizzle the remaining almond bark over the pretzels and let cool to set up before tossing them with the popcorn.
- Break into clusters and serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
