My popcorn kernels, peanut butter, and nutella all bully each other around on their crowded shelf in my pantry. When I pull the peanut butter down, he knocks the nutella over, and when I grab the popcorn kernels, they push the peanut butter off of the ledge. They just won’t play nicely or give each other any personal space!
When I mentioned the predicament to Rebecca at Crave, she encouraged me to create a snack that combined all three. Although tempted to stick them in hour-long timeouts in separate corners of the kitchen, I decided to try her suggestion and get the three to cooperate after all.
With holiday music playing and Christmas lights twinkling, I taught the popcorn, peanut butter, and nutella about the season of love and joy as I stirred, shaped, and drizzled them into a sweet treat. By the end of the night, they erased their names from Santa’s Naughty List and earned an extra present in place of a lump of coal!
modified from this recipe
If allergic to peanuts, substitute almond or cashew butter. These are best if eaten the same day that they’re made.
- Lay a sheet of wax paper on a clean, dry surface.
- In a large pot, mix together the corn syrup, sugar, salt, and peanut butter. Stir over low heat for 4-6 min or until the mixture begins to bubble. Turn off the heat, and stir in the popcorn, ensuring that all of the pieces are evenly coated.
- Working quickly, use about 2-3 tablespoons of popcorn and shape into a ball. Place on the prepared wax paper, and repeat with the remaining popcorn mixture.
- In a small bowl, stir together the nutella and milk. Drizzle over the tops of the popcorn balls.
Lynne says...
Could you use honey or maple syrup instead of corn syrup?
Amy says...
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Lynne! I haven’t had a chance to test honey or maple syrup to make these yet, so I’m not personally sure and don’t want to lead you astray. If you do end up making them, I’d love to hear what you think of these popcorn balls!