Children of all ages adore these. Make them any size you want. I’ve made them very large, wrapped them in cellophane, and hung them on my Christmas tree as edible ornaments. They were given as favors to guests as they left my holiday party.
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 cups hot, salted popcorn
Vegetable oil spray
1. Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan by the handle but do not stir. Allow syrup to cook until it reaches a walnut brown color, swirling the pot by the handle frequently.
2. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in butter, marshmallows, and cinnamon. Return the pan to low heat and stir until lumps have melted and sauce is smooth.
3. Place popcorn in a large mixing bowl; go over it and discard any kernels that did not pop. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn, and stir with a heavy spatula to coat kernels evenly.
4. Spray your hands with vegetable oil spray. Make mixture into 3-inch balls, and arrange balls on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Note: The balls can be stored refrigerated up to 1 week. Place them in an airtight container with sheets of plastic wrap in between the layers.