Today, January 19, is National Popcorn Day, and we're making

Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls!

I can still see it as clear as yesterday, even though it’s been a lifetime or two. Back then, the kitchen felt like the heart of the whole house, and when Mom said we were making popcorn balls, you knew it was going to be a good day. Those were the days when excitement came from the simplest things and happiness fit right in the palm of your hand.

The popcorn popped on the stove, one lively pop at a time, the lid rattling like it couldn’t wait to be let loose. The smell filled the kitchen—warm, toasty, and just a little bit sweet—and we’d stand on tiptoes, peeking into the pot like it was a magic trick. Mom always said, “Careful now,” but she was smiling, because she loved it just as much as we did.

Then came the good part. The syrup—hot, sticky, and wonderfully ooey-gooey—got poured over the popcorn in a big bowl. Mom would stir while we watched, wide-eyed, and before long, she’d butter our hands and turn us loose. That’s when things got messy, in the best possible way. Popcorn stuck to our fingers, our palms, sometimes even our elbows, and we laughed the whole time, shaping those warm, lumpy balls like we were making treasures.

We made popcorn balls for all sorts of reasons. Halloween, of course—wrapped in shiny cellophane and handed out to neighbors we’d known forever. Christmas too, when the house smelled like pine and sugar, and popcorn balls sat proudly on the dessert table. Sometimes there wasn’t a reason at all. Just a cold afternoon, or a school bake sale, or Mom deciding it was time to make something special.

We’d give them to teachers, neighbors, aunts and uncles, and anyone who happened to stop by. But the best ones were the ones we ate ourselves, still warm, sitting at the kitchen table with our feet swinging and our hands sticky. Mom would pretend to scold us for the mess, but she never really meant it.

Looking back now, I realize it wasn’t just about popcorn balls. It was about being together, about slowing down, about making something with love and a little bit of mess. The world felt smaller then, kinder somehow. And every time I smell popcorn popping on the stove, I’m right back there again, thinking—those were the days. ??

Do you remember making popcorn balls with your mother or grandmother?

Here's a well-used and loved recipe from an old newspaper for Popcorn Balls like mom used to make. 

Notes

• If you don't like buttery hands, you can use rubber gloves, but I don't like the hassle of them slipping off or the taste it leaves on the popcorn.
• Add sprinkles, M&Ms, peanuts, or chocolate chips to make them even more yummy and pretty!
• Don't like all the Hulls that stick in your teeth? Try Harvest Array's Amish Country Popcorn in an Individual 4 oz. Bags of Popcorn Kernels.
  • These varieties are Hulless, meaning Hulless popcorn refers to varieties that have small kernels with delicate hulls. These hull pieces are too tiny to get stuck in your teeth, so you can enjoy our popcorn without any hassle.
  • Each 4 oz. bag yields 4 quarts of popped popcorn. 

If you love popcorn, but aren't a fan of popcorn balls, pop on over to our Candy and Popcorn Collection to see our array of popcorn, popcorn toppings, and seasonings. There's something for everyone. 

Popcorn Ball recipe courtesy of Peggy at Pork Chop Tuesday