“Cookies and Scream” Halloween Popcorn

Black and green popcorn in a black Hocus Pocus cauldron snack bowl.

If there’s one holiday that begs for themed food, it’s Halloween. Think about it—we’re all running around, dressed as something other than ourselves. Why on earth would we miss the opportunity to dress up our food and give it punny names? And so, we proudly present: Cookies and Scream Popcorn.

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This chocolate and almond bark popcorn recipe is super easy, and cleanup is a breeze. And if you’re prepping for a big party—maybe, say, a Hocus Pocus-themed party?—you can make it the day before.

Ingredients

32 cups popped popcorn (about 1 cup kernels)
6 squares (10oz) almond bark
1 bag (10oz) chocolate chips
12 chocolate sandwich cookies
3-6 Tbsp vegetable shortening
Green and yellow food coloring
Black petal dust (optional)

Directions

For the green popcorn

  1. Place the almond bark in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH at 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until the almond bark is melted.
  2. Stir the shortening into the melted almond bark a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a good coating consistency—when you dip a spoon in, it runs off quickly but still coats the spoon.
  3. Add 10 drops each of the green and yellow food coloring and stir until the color is evenly blended. If you’d like it to be a brighter green, add more a few drops at a time until you reach the desired color.
  4. Place 16 cups of the popcorn in a large bowl and pour the melted almond bark over the popcorn. Immediately begin stirring to coat, using the spatula to regularly scrape the sides and bring up the popcorn from the bottom.
  5. When popcorn is thoroughly coated, pour out onto parchment paper and spread into a single layer with the spatula, allowing it to cool and the coating to set.

Tip: The addition of a few tablespoons of shortening helps the almond bark and the chocolate coat the popcorn more evenly.

For the black popcorn

  1. Place the dark chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on HIGH at 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted.
  2. Stir the shortening into the melted chocolate a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a good coating consistency—when you dip a spoon in, it runs off quickly but still coats the spoon. Set mixture aside.
  3. Place the chocolate sandwich cookies—filling and all—in a food processor and pulse until they’re reduced to crumbs the consistency of coarse coffee grounds. If you’ve got the black petal dust, add about a teaspoon to the food processor bowl, and pulse until thoroughly combined.
  4. Place the remaining 16 cups of popcorn in a clean mixing bowl. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the popcorn and immediately begin to stir with the spatula, using the same motion of scraping the sides and bringing uncoated popcorn up from the bottom.
  5. Once the popcorn is evenly coated, sprinkle the cookie crumbs into the bowl, stirring as you go, so that the cookie crumbs mix in and stick to the chocolate coating.
  6. When cookie crumbs are evenly distributed, pour out onto parchment paper and spread into a single layer with the spatula, allowing to cool and the coating to set.

Black petal dust can be found in the cake decorating aisle of your craft store or online, and serves to make the popcorn much darker in color. It’s worth noting that, just like black frosting, black petal dust can turn your teeth, lips and tongue black temporarily. But I like to think that it just adds to the ghoulish fun of the evening.

Ready to set up for your party?

 

For a creepy confetti look, toss the two colors of popcorn together in a fun serving container, like a cauldron-shaped treat bowl. Or you can serve them separately to bookend your scary snack spread.

 

If there are leftovers, you can store both varieties of popcorn in an airtight container, where it will keep for up to a week.