EVERYDAY
DESSERTS

HOLIDAY
DESSERTS

INTERNATIONAL
DESSERTS

HISTORIC
DESSERTS

RECIPE HELP

SITE INFO

Subscribe To This Site

Grandma's Popcorn Ball Recipes

How To Make Popcorn Balls Grandma's Way

These popcorn ball recipes got lots of use in our family. Dad and I would boil up some molasses or corn syrup, and we would make popcorn balls after the evening's chores were done.

We sat eating them in front of the radio while listening to the antics of "Amos and Andy." Oh, how we'd laugh.

"Our Miss Brooks," "The Great Gildersleave," "Baby Snooks," and the other old-time radio programs are long gone, but the old fashioned popcorn ball recipes haven't changed a bit, and the popcorn balls still taste absolutely delicious. Try them!

Old-Time Popcorn Ball Recipe

This delicious popcorn balls recipe is taken from Mom's old recipe scrapbook, circa 1929. This easy popcorn candy recipe is fun to make, and it never fails to make delicious treats.

How to make popcorn balls:

One method of making popcorn balls requires a pint of molasses or syrup (either maple syrup, sugar molasses, or corn syrup), two cups of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and a teaspoonful of vinegar. Cook till the syrup will harden into a firm ball when a little is dropped in cold water. Pour the hot syrup over four or five quarts of popcorn, stirring till each kernel is well coated, when it may be pressed with the hands into balls or molded into any form desired.

Popcorn Ball Recipes

These vintage popcorn candy recipes are taken from "The White House Cook Book" by Hugo Ziemann, Steward of the White House, and Mrs. F. L. Gillette, a celebrated 19th-century cookbook author, published by The Saalfield Publishing Company, New York, in 1913.

Molasses Popcorn Balls
Take three large ears of popcorn (about one cupful). After popping the corn, shake it down in pan so the unpopped corn will settle at the bottom; put the nice white popped corn in a greased pan. For the candy, take one cup of molasses, one cup of white or light-brown sugar, one tablespoonful of vinegar. Boil until it will harden in water. Pour on the corn. Stir with a spoon until thoroughly mixed, then mold into balls with the hand.

No flavor should be added to this mixture, as the excellence of this commodity depends entirely upon the united flavor of the corn, salt, and the sugar, or molasses.

Popcorn Candy Recipe
This delicious recipe for popcorn candy is similar to the popcorn ball recipes, except the candy mixture isn't allowed to boil to the hard ball stage. Hence, the candied popcorn remains loose and is not formed into balls.

Put into an iron kettle one tablespoonful of butter, three tablespoonfuls of water, and one cupful of white sugar; boil until ready to candy, then throw in three quarts nicely popped corn [remove all unpopped kernels]; stir vigorously until the sugar is evenly distributed over the corn; take the kettle from the fire and stir until it cools a little, and in this way you may have each kernel separate and all coated with the sugar. Of course, it must have your undivided attention from the first, to prevent scorching.

Almonds, English walnuts, or, in fact, any nuts are delicious when prepared in this way.

Easy Popcorn Ball Recipe

This old-fashioned recipe for popcorn balls is taken from "The Pan-American Recipe Book" published by the Ladies Aid Society of the Riverside Methodist Episcopal Church, Buffalo, in 1899.

For eight quarts of corn take one cup molasses and one-half cup sugar. Boil until it hardens in cold water, and then add one-fourth teaspoonful soda to improve color. Pour over corn, mix well and press into balls. One pint unpopped corn equals eight quarts when popped. --Mrs. Guthrie

Easy Popcorn Ball Recipe

This old-fashioned recipe for popcorn balls is taken from the "Second Edition of The Neighborhood Cookbook" published by the Council of Jewish Women, Portland, in 1914.

One cup of molasses, one cup of brown sugar, one tablespoon of vinegar, butter size of an egg. Boil all ingredients until brittle. Pour this over two quarts of popcorn and mold into balls.

Treat Yourself To Nostalgic Candies

Did you know that you can buy almost all your favorite retro candies from childhood online at the Candy Crate store?

Just click on the Candy Crate banner and prepare to be amazed at what's available. Nostalgic candies make a great gift for any occasion.

Enjoy these vintage popcorn ball recipes. Popcorn balls are delicious anytime, and they are a very popular treat at Christmas and for giving out to kids at Halloween.

For special occasions, you can add a few drops of red, green, or blue food coloring to these easy candy recipes. Kids love colored popcorn balls! Wrap them in waxed paper to keep them fresh.

Peanuts or chopped cashews added to the syrup and popcorn mixture make a nice change too. Never be afraid to experiment when making candy. Even the failures often taste delicious.

TOP of Popcorn Ball Recipes
RETURN to Candy Recipes
HOME to Dessert Recipes

Welcome To My Website

My name is Don and I've dedicated my site to bringing you the best in vintage dessert recipes.

Grandma's historical recipes are given exactly as they were first published and sometimes lack exact temperatures and cooking times. Here, you'll find...

Help With Vintage Recipes
Help With Measurements
Help With Oven Temperatures

Grandma McIlmoyle's vintage recipes for dessert

Enjoy making the delicious homemade desserts your grandparents loved. Help to keep the old fashioned recipes alive.