For some, a trip to the movies without a big box of popcorn just isn’t imaginable nor possible. But what if I were to tell you that a box of popcorn without it being mixed with other candy isn’t possible in my mind? That’s not to say popcorn isn’t good enough on its own. Trust me; I could eat boxes and boxes of the stuff when I was young. However, once you have tried popcorn with a suitable mixing candy, your taste buds will be taken to another level. So today, I’m going to be giving you some advice about mixing candy with popcorn!
So, what is the best candy to mix with popcorn? The best candy to mix with popcorn is those that supplement the flavor or contrast the texture. For example, candy that melts and melds with hot popcorn is a great combination.
But in reality – it’s ultimately going to come down to your and your personal preferences.
What do you enjoy the most?
You’re the one eating it, after all, so it’s up to you.
If you like the taste combination, then that’s great.
So really, what you’re looking for here is whether you like the taste combination and whether or not it works sitting in the box with the popcorn.
Nevertheless, I do have some particular brands and types of candy to recommend.
So keep reading to discover them and learn why you should try them!
Best Candies That Mix With Popcorn
M&Ms
A widely loved chocolate candy that feels like it’s been around forever, doesn’t it? M&Ms are pretty good on their own anyway, but they also make a great mixer for popcorn.
For a start, they’re nice and small, so they won’t dominate and out-size the popcorn, meaning you get a nice popcorn to mixer ratio.
Secondly, they taste great, but the third reason is perhaps the most intriguing. You see, M&Ms are chocolate.
Popcorn, when it comes out of the microwave, is hot.
What happens when chocolate gets hot? It melts!
So by combining M&Ms with hot, and I mean piping-hot, popcorn, the heat melts the chocolate of the M&Ms onto the popcorn.
It’s particularly good chocolate to use because it melts quickly and distributes itself throughout the popcorn.
It will also meld like gold when it dries on the popcorn. Whether it’s sweet, salty, or both, your popcorn will have that added kick with some melted M&Ms coating it.
A few handfuls of M&Ms should do it per regular-sized box of popcorn.
Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Yes, you heard that right. Not just Pretzels, but in fact, chocolate-covered pretzels.
As you’ll soon be releasing, a big part of the magic that comes with mixing popcorn with candy is getting them to meld together.
So, the requirement for the Pretzels to be covered in chocolate is fundamental.
Milk chocolate is best for consistency.
As for the pretzels themselves, crush them up inside the bag they came in. Not only will this be fun, but it will also allow you to prepare your pretzels so that they can easily be distributed amongst the popcorn in suitably sized chunks.
If you want to melt and meld, stick in right after the popcorn is out of the microwave.
If you don’t, then it’s best to wait until the popcorn is cool before adding.
Buncha Crunch
Yes, you heard me right. I’m adding Buncha Crunch to his list.
Surely not? Well, surely yes.
Buncha Crunch is an unlikely popcorn combo partner that works very, very nicely.
The simple and subtle tastes of this chocolate delight mean that your popcorn will not be out-tased and overpowered.
You’ll be able to enjoy both in equal measure without being overwhelmed by one or the other.
One thing to note is that as Buncha Crunch is so densely compact with chocolate, they don’t melt and meld as easily or quickly as other chocolates.
That’s not to say that they’re not still enjoyable. They certainly are! In fact, what you’ll find with Buncha Crunch is that their texture will help them stay near the top of the box of popcorn.
Other chocolates would sink to the bottom, leaving you in a situation where you eat all the popcorn, then at the end, you eat all the chocolate.
What’s the point in that?
The whole idea of mixing popcorn with candy is to enjoy them simultaneously.
Hershey’s Bars
Next up on the list is Hershey’s chocolate bars.
First things first, let’s clarify that we are talking about the bars here.
Not the kisses or the chocolate chip cookies. The bars! Understand? Good.
Well, also understand this: I am not saying chuck 10 Hershey’s bars into your box of popcorn!
Instead, chop up one or two into several chunks.
Then, when your popcorn is boiling hot out of the microwave, chuck them in. It’s actually very logistically, whilst the popcorn microwaves, you can chop the chocolate!
Once the chocolate is in the piping-hot popcorn, it will meld onto its partner. What do you get? Hershey’s chocolate-coated popcorn.
Now find me a cinema that sells that…
These will, of course, be very high in sugar, so try not to overindulge.
But if you’ve got a super sweet tooth like myself, then they’ll definitely satisfy that craving.
A similar technique can be applied when looking to combine other chocolate bars with popcorn.
You could use dark chocolate or white chocolate, or just other milk chocolate brands.
But for me, Hershey’s chocolate is number one!
Sour Patch Watermelons
You’ll notice that this is the only candy type on my list that isn’t actually chocolate.
To be honest, there are plenty of great non-chocolate candy and popcorn combos out there. Personally, I just prefer the chocolate combos.
However, with that being said, Sour Patch Watermelons is not just my favorite non-chocolate candy and popcorn combo, but it is also my favorite overall.
Now I know what you’re thinking. ‘Sour is for a particular taste, and it’s certainly not compatible with something sweet or salty.’
Well, I would agree.
You have to be careful when mixing sour treats with anything due to that strong taste.
Luckily, Sour Patch Watermelons aren’t too sour; in fact, they’re mostly sweet tasting.
This makes them a great mixer combo with popcorn.
Now, to be melted or not to be melted? That’s the question, right? Well, if you want to try and melt your Sour Patch Watermelons with the popcorn, go for it! It’s worth experimenting and seeing what happens and how it tastes.
However, I personally have combined Sour Patch Watermelons with popcorn many, many times.
My preference is not to melt the Sour Patch Watermelons on the popcorn.
So, I let the popcorn cool first before adding the mixer.
But why do I do this?
Well, a great feature of the Sour Patch Watermelons, as you’ll know if you’re also a fan like me, is the sour crystals on their surface.
These are absolutely delicious, and without them, the Sour Patch Watermelons lose some of their appeals, in my opinion.
If you pop your Sour Patch Watermelons into the popcorn whilst it’s hot, and you allow them to melt on it, then you run the risk of destroying these precious crystals.
So, if you want the crystals, best to wait a couple of minutes first!
What Type Of Candy Goes Best With Popcorn?
The types of candy that go best with popcorn or those that complement its flavor mix in evenly and preferably positively alter the texture.
For a start, we want something that mixes in well.
We don’t want the candy falling straight to the bottom, so we enjoy it separately from the popcorn. The idea is to enjoy them together.
Also, you’ll want to avoid those that are overwhelming in texture or inconvenient. So, hard candies, caramels, cotton candy, and lollipops are not the greatest partners for popcorn.
Obviously, I don’t need to mention that adding something like chewing gum is totally insane!
Chocolate, licorice, sours, gummies, and all sorts of candies are very compatible with popcorn. It’s all about trial and error to satisfy your preferences.
Ideally, you want a candy that is going to melt on the hot popcorn and then meld with it, so you get this effect where two become one! Yum Yum!
If that doesn’t sound appetizing to you, that’s not a problem.
Whatever candy you decide to mix with your popcorn, just don’t mix it until it has cooled out of the microwave.
Where To Buy Candy To Mix In With Popcorn?
Amazon is the best place to buy candy to mix with your popcorn, in my opinion, because you can buy it in bulk at an incredibly cheap rate.
Sure, you can’t go into an Amazon store.
That’s a big part of their business model; everything is bought and sold online.
However, Amazon provides not only a great range of candy but also opportunities to stock up by bulk buying. (as you can see by visiting Amazon here).
This means you can achieve great savings whilst securing larger amounts of your favorite candy to mix with popcorn.
On the other hand, some supermarkets also provide a great range, like at Walmart. And you don’t have to get them delivered. You can drive to your local store at any time.
Let’s take a look at 2 of the different prices offered at Amazon and Walmart, respectively, for Sour Patch Watermelons.
At Amazon, you can buy an 80oz bag of Sour Patch Watermelons for around $22 (plus delivery if you don’t have Prime). That is a whole lot of Sour Patch Watermelons in one go.
At Walmart, you can buy 2 pounds of Sour Patch Watermelons for around $20. That’s 32oz.
So there’s clearly a better offer on Amazon.
That’s not to say that some candies will be more affordable at Walmart. It’s all about making price comparisons when you’re looking to stock up.
Finally
Whatever you decide to mix with your box of popcorn, good luck to you!
There are definitely some candies that go better with popcorn, as you discover.
Hopefully, you’ll have found some of your favorites on my top 5 list.
Remember, MELT and MELD!
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Hello, I’m Matthew, a candy expert and enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the candy industry. My passion for candy started at a very young age. Since then, I have worked in numerous, large candy stores, and have been fortunate enough to try out hundreds of brands of candies, different types and flavors. In addition to my work, I enjoy sharing my extensive knowledge with others, and decided to create Sugar Stand in order to do so. My mission is to make the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time.
