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Fall weather means it's time to enjoy this Instant Pot Monster Munch Popcorn! Perfect for Halloween or an anytime snack, this incredible treat can be made in 15 minutes.
You don't have to be a kid to enjoy this "Monster Munch" Instant Pot Popcorn's flavors and textures. The orange chocolate, paired with the candies, sprinkles, and candy eyeballs, is a blast for Halloween. It's hard to resist munching on this playful and delicious popcorn.
So, if you are planning a fun Halloween party or get-together, you should add this easy Instant Pot Popcorn to your list! Your guests will love how great it tastes and how festive it looks. It's a spooky, but adorable snack for all ages.
Tools and Equipment You'll Need
Ingredients for "Monster Munch" Instant Pot Popcorn
How to Make Instant Pot Popcorn - Step by Step
Step 1: With the Instant Pot set to Sauté mode, wait until it becomes hot. When it comes hot, add in the coconut oil and butter. Stir occasionally to make sure it melts.
Step 2: Add in your kernels and stir well to make sure each kernel is coated with the oil and butter mixture.
Step 3: Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and set the value to OPEN, keeping it on sauté mode. Set a timer for 5 minutes and allow the popcorn to pop. After 5 minutes, turn off the sauté function by pressing cancel. A few of the kernels may continue to pop, so please be careful.
Step 4: While the popcorn is popping, melt your chocolate. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after every time in the microwave. Continue to do this until chocolate is completely melted.
Step 5: Place the popcorn on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour the orange chocolate over the popcorn. Mix well.
Step 6: Randomly add the eyeballs, Reese's Pieces, and chocolate sprinkles. Add as much as you want and enjoy this spooky treat!
What Makes This Popcorn Healthy?
While this is more of a dessert or a snack than a healthy meal, this is still a healthier popcorn recipe than most because of a few things:
- High in Vitamins: Popcorn is surprisingly nutritious. It's a great source of fiber, magnesium, iron, and vitamin B6.
- Healthy Fats: Both butter and coconut oil are filled with healthy fats. Whether you eat a low-carb diet or simply need some good fats, they are both fabulous options.
- Antioxidants: You may not realize it, but chomping on some popcorn at your family movie night actually provides you will some much-needed antioxidants.
Will Kids Enjoy This Monster Munch Popcorn?
Yes, of course! Anyone from the ages 5 all the way to 105 will enjoy this insanely good Instant Pot monster munch popcorn. Popcorn tastes great on its own, but when you add in some melting chocolate, candies, and sprinkles, it's hard to deny your taste buds at least a little bit. Kids will go wild for how adorable it is too.
Instant Pot Popcorn FAQs
Can I Make Multiple Batches of Popcorn?
Absolutely, you can make multiple batches. The key is to only make one batch at a time, though. If you try to cook too many popcorn kernels at once, you may end up with popcorn that's not cooked evenly. Preparing one batch at a time is going to give you the best results every time.
Another important tip is that you will need to wipe out the Instant Pot between batches. If you don't, you may end up with some burnt kernels on the bottom. You won't need to full-on clean it, just wiping with a paper towel is sufficient.
How Do You Store Leftover Popcorn?
If you end up with leftover popcorn, you can easily store it for later.
To Store: Allow the popcorn to cool completely. It will end up mushy if you store it before it's cooled. Place the popcorn in a plastic bag that has excess air removed, in a plastic container, or a glass container. Make sure to keep it away from sunlight, steam, or heat for best results. It will last for about 1-2 weeks, when kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Instant Pot Popcorn Variations
- Trade the orange melting candies for any other color you like. Green would be as equally spooky too. Find green candies or sprinkles to add in to change theme. Other colors would be great for various occasions as well.
- If you want to avoid artificial colors and flavors, instead of using Orange colored candy melts, try mixing white chocolate with this natural food coloring (red + yellow to make orange)
- Skip the candies completely and make a savory popcorn treat. Sprinkle with all your favorites seasonings like Italian, Cajun, or Garlic. Just follow the directions for popping the popcorn and add your favorite toppings.
- If you don't like to use butter, you can swap it for olive oil instead. Olive oil is another healthy fat and tastes great too.
Top Tips for Making Instant Pot Popcorn
- Use fresh popcorn that isn't expired for the best results. Using food that is fresher is going to make the kernels more likely to cook properly and without issues. Otherwise, you may find that not all of the kernels are popping.
- Be sure to keep the vent open when you are cooking the popcorn so the steam can release instead of build up in the Instant Pot.
- Make it vegan by only using toppings that are dairy-free and vegan (there are great vegan chocolate options out there!). Replace the butter with extra coconut oil or olive oil.
- To reduce the sugar even further, use half the amount of chocolate and candies in the recipe. You'll end up with only about 5g sugar per serving that way!
