Jello Candy Popcorn{Free Printable Recipe Card}

Where has the time gone?!  My goodness!  It has been really hot here in Arizona so I am moving at a snail's pace these days and time is just slipping away from me.  Today I wanted to share one of our favorite July traditions -- Candy Popcorn.

I always like to make a couple big batches of red, white and blue popcorn for the 4th to eat while we hang out by the pool all day or while we are watching fireworks in the evening, but it is really a delicious any-time treat.  You can make it any color and flavor that appeals to you, depending on the flavor of Jello that you choose to add.  It would be super fun to make pink and white for Valentine's Day or orange and purple for Halloween.  They have fruit punch and  strawberry lemonade flavored Jello out right now that would make DELICIOUS summer movie night snacks.

The best part is that it SUPER simple to make -- almost everything is done in the microwave.  That's my kind of recipe!  And just look at all that candy-coated goodness right there:

It's enough to give you a cavity just looking at it.  What I love about this recipe, too, is that you bake it at the end.  It hardens up that candy coating and gives the popcorn just a little extra crunch that makes it oh-so yummy.  If you want more than one color/flavor, be prepared to invite over a buncha' friends to help you eat it.  Each batch uses 3 bags of microwave popcorn so it feeds a crowd.  {Though I think I could probably eat a whole batch myself if I wasn't careful.  It's pretty addictive.  You have been warned.} 

Jello Candy Popcorn

2 sticks butter

2 C. sugar

1/2 C. corn syrup

4 Tbsp. Jello gelatin powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

3 bags microwave popcorn, popped {approx. 16 cups}

Pop popcorn and place in a very large bowl.  Pick out as many unpopped kernels as you can.  Place butter, sugar and corn syrup in a bowl in microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Stir and microwave 2 minutes more.  Stir and microwave for another 2 minutes.  Watch the mixture to see if it boils.  If it has not boiled at the end of the second 2 minutes, stir it up and put it in for another 2 minutes, removing when it boils.  Add Jello {any flavor}, baking soda and vanilla.  Pour over popcorn and stir until popcorn is evenly coated.  Spread popcorn out on 2 baking sheets and bake at 250-degrees for 15 minutes, stirring midway.  Remove from oven and turn out onto wax paper.  Break into pieces as it cools and hardens.

Just because I like a pretty printable recipe card, here is one that I digi-scrapped up for you:

{Just hold down CTRL while clicking the image to open it up in it's own window.  Make sure it's as big as it will go then right click and save to your computer.  The image is sized to print at 5x7 inches.}  Enjoy!