Spooky season is officially here and it is my favorite time of year! The temperature starts to drop, the candy starts to flow, calories don’t count, and the parties never seem to stop!
To start celebrating, I make this Halloween popcorn snack mix every single year for movie night. It’s an October tradition in our house! It’s a no-bake recipe, so you don’t have to worry about turning the oven on, melting any chocolate, or letting anything set.
Just dump everything in bowl, give it a mix. All you need is 5 minutes tops and you’re ready to put on a scary movie and start snacking!
I’m pretty serious when it comes to my movie snacks. I love making a popcorn snack mix appropriate for the occasion and often stress about getting it just right with the perfect balance of flavors.
I thought about how to create the best Halloween movie snack mix for weeks. It’s been on my mind since the end of August! I decided to put my nose to the grind and do the tough job of tasting dozens of flavor combinations.
After all that hard work, I feel confident saying that I have created a delicious Halloween snack mix any ghost or goblin will enjoy!
What did I put in my Halloween snack mix?
Well, let’s start with the base. Popcorn. But not just any popcorn, specifically Kettle Corn. The slight sweetness and hint of salt will set us up nicely to build the rest of the mix.
Next comes all the candy and treats we want to put in. This part was hard. There are so many things I wanted to add! Milkduds are the most classic addition to popcorn and I knew I wanted some caramel in the mix, so its addition was a no-brainer.
When I think of Fall candy, a few things pop into my mind: candy corn, candy pumpkins, and Reese’s. All of those were an immediate “yassss!’.
The pretzels were thrown in to add some creamy, savory peanut butter flavors and a little extra saltiness. Cranberries are undeniably the fruit of fall and adding them brings a bit of tang and acidity to help cut through all the sweetness.
It turned out great and we shoveled handful after handful into our mouths while watching our favorite Halloween movies and tv episodes! We also made a skeleton veggie tray to balance out all the sugar.
Ingredients
- Kettle corn – You can substitute plain popcorn, but I recommend tossing it with an extra pinch of salt and a tablespoon of sugar. Skip buttered or movie style popcorn, as it makes the mix greasy.
- Milkduds – The chewy caramel and chocolate makes this candy a classic popcorn & candy pairing.
- Candy pumpkins – I had to include these since they’re my favorite Halloween candy. You can buy Branch’s Autumn candy mix that includes these and candy corn.
- Candy corn – You can use traditional candy corn or a fun flavored variety. My favorite is caramel apple.
- Reese’s pieces – You could substitute these with M&Ms or mini Reese’s peanut butter cups.
- Peanut butter pretzels – These add a nice little crunch and the creamy peanut butter compliments the candies.
- Dried cranberries – I highly recommend adding these as they bring some balance to all the sweetness.
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Substitutions & Variations
- Swap the kettle corn for 3 cups of Chex Mix. This is especially ideal if you’re planning on storing the mix – the popcorn will go stale faster.
- Make a peanut-free version by leaving out the peanut butter filled pretzels and Reese’s pieces. Swap them for mini pretzels or pretzel sticks and plain M&Ms.
- Want it to be spooky? Throw in some candy eye balls, gummy worms, or candy bones.
If you need a Halloween themed drink to pair with the popcorn mix, I suggest a blood bag drink or witches brew cocktail.
Need some suggestions for things to watch while you eat? I’ve put a short list together of some of our favorites.
(Disclaimer: we are giant babies and don’t watch “scary” stuff. If you’re looking for horror suggestions, you’re going to be disappointed!)
Halloween Movie & TV Episodes To Watch
- Double Double Toil And Trouble (classic Mary-Kate & Ashley. Who doesn’t love this one??)
- Boy Meets World Episode “And Then There Was Shawn”- Season 5
- The Office – Season 2 “Halloween”
- Hocus Pocus (The best Halloween movie EVER! We always save it for the grand finale.)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
- Brooklyn 99 – Season 1 “Halloween”
- Modern Family Season 2 “Halloween”
Craving more easy-to-make Halloween treats? Try a classic Oreo dirt cake or spooky donut hole eyeballs.
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Halloween Popcorn Snack Mix
Ingredients
- 1 Bag of Kettle Corn, or regular popcorn, popped
- 3/4 Cup Candy Corn
- 1 Cup Candy Pumpkins
- 1 Cup Milkduds
- 1 Cup Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels
- 1/2 Cup Reese’s Pieces
- 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
Instructions
- Add the popped kettle corn to a very large bowl. Allow to cool.
- Next, add all of the other ingredients. Toss very gently with your hands.
- Serve immediately or store in a Ziploc bag until ready to consume.
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