These easy popcorn balls are colored and popped all at once in the Instant Pot. It’s an easy and mess-free recipe made using just one pot!

Colored Popcorn Balls in the Instant Pot

Making these popcorn balls are so simple and making them all in one pot really takes the mess out of things!

It’s as simple as adding all of the ingredients into the pot except the popcorn kernels and mini marshmallows, allowing the pot to read, “hot” and adding in the kernels.

After the popcorn has popped, remove the ones that didn’t pop (there are always a few!), and add the mini marshmallows to the pot and cover with a glass lid. This allows the marshmallows to melt and it makes it easy to make the popcorn balls!

Popcorn ball with red and blue coloring for 4th of July.

Related: Frosted Animal Crackers

Adding the Dye for the Popcorn Balls

I make my popcorn balls in one step and it really cuts back on the amount of work it takes to make these delicious treats!

After the butter, corn syrup, and oil have melted and mixed together, I then add one color to one side of the pot and the 2nd color to the 2nd side of the pot.

Make sure not to stir the colors you choose together if you don’t want to create new colors! Once the pot reads, “hot”, the popcorn kernels are added and stirred gently to color them. Then, place the lid on top and watch the magic happen!

The inside of an Instant Pot with coconut oil and red and blue dye with popcorn kernels.

Mixing in the Mini Marshmallows

After placing the popcorn back into the pot, add in the mini marshmallows and stir to mix well. Cover the pot with the lid again and allow it to sit long enough for the marshmallows to melt into the popcorn. Stir a few more times to make sure every all of the popcorn is sticky.

Shaping the Popcorn Balls

Once the popcorn mixture has cooled enough to touch, shape the popcorn into 3 inch balls and place them onto parchment paper so that they have a chance to sit and harden.

One cup of popcorn kernels makes about 7 3-inch balls but you can make mini balls and get about 14 popcorn balls from the batch!

Colored popcorn ball on patriotic napkin.

Yield: 7 popcorn balls

Colored Popcorn Balls

Name: Colored Popcorn Balls
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 7
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp butter; ¼ cup light corn syrup; 3 tbsp canola oil, or coconut oil; 1 cup popcorn kernels; 6 drops blue food dye; 10 drops red food dye; 2 ½ cups mini marshmallows; cooking spray, for hands

These easy popcorn balls are colored and popped all at once in the Instant Pot. It's an easy and mess-free recipe made using just one pot!

Prep Time 3 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Shaping Popcorn Balls 5 minutes

Total Time 13 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
¼ cup light corn syrup
3 tbsp canola oil, or coconut oil
1 cup popcorn kernels
6 drops blue food dye
10 drops red food dye
2 ½ cups mini marshmallows
cooking spray, for hands

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE and add the oil, butter, and light corn syrup.
Stir and allow the Instant Pot to reach the HOT setting.
Add the blue food dye to one side of the pot.
Add the red food dye to the other side of the pot.
Gently stir each side separately making sure not to blend the colors.
Add the popcorn kernels to the pot and stir gently to coat.
Place a glass lid on the Instant Pot and wait until there are just a few seconds between popping. (just as you would in the microwave)
Press cancel, pour out the popcorn and remove any unpopped kernels.
Return the popcorn to the pot and add the mini marshmallows and stir until mixed well.
Place the lid back on the pot and allow the marshmallows to melt slightly.
Once the popcorn mixture has cooled enough to touch and the marshmallows have melted shape into 3 inch balls and place on parchment paper.
Store in an airtight container.

Colored Popcorn Balls (Easy Instant Pot Version)