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    Home » Recipes » Summer Fun

    Beach Party Popcorn

    Modified: Mar 4, '24 · Published: Jul 7, '18 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Fill up your beach pail with crunchy peanut butter popcorn that's coated in sandy-looking cookie crumbs and speckled with homemade chocolate sea shells. This Beach Party Popcorn will make a festive treat for your pool party or beach-themed events.

    beach party popcorn filled with chocolate shells spilling out of a green beach pail onto a cookie crumb sand beach.

    If you are having a beach-themed party or a pool party, then this peanut butter popcorn recipe is a must. The Beach Party Popcorn looks great served in a plastic pail, but could simply be served on a flat tray or in a big bowl too.

    I made this fun Peanut Butter Popcorn speckled with chocolate shells for my nephew's beach-themed graduation party and it was one of his favorite treats on the dessert table.

    To make this popcorn you start by adding creamy peanut butter to white chocolate popcorn. Then, you sprinkle cookie crumbs over top to give the popcorn a sandy texture. Add candy seashells and serve it in a beach pail.

    Video

    Watch the video tutorial to see how to make this Beach Party Peanut Butter Popcorn.

     
    green beach pail filled with peanut butter popcorn speckled with chocolate sea shells displayed on a sandy beach.

    This was a great dessert to serve at our party but it would also make a wonderful gift too.

    It would even be fun to display the sandy-looking cookie crumb-coated popcorn around a beach-themed cake or under a stack of beach cookies.

    One of the best things about this recipe is its simplicity.

    So, let's make some popcorn!

    beach party popcorn ingredients including white chocolate, peanut butter, salt, cookie crumbs, and popcorn.

    Ingredients

    white chocolate or white candy melts - If you use pure white chocolate, you must temper it (heat and cool to exact temperatures) in order for it to harden properly. If you use candy melts (or any compound chocolate like Ghirardelli Melting Chocolate, Nestle Premier White Morsels, CandiQuik, almond bark, or Merckens Confectionery Coating), you can simply melt it and it hardens beautifully.

    You can find detailed information about melting these two types of white chocolate on my Chocolate Making Tips page.

    creamy peanut butter - Use your favorite brand. I like using Jif.
    salt - This will enhance the peanut butter flavor if you use air popped popcorn which is what I recommend. Skip it if you use salted popcorn.
    popped popcorn - Air popped popcorn works the best. Don't use popcorn that has a lot of butter on it. The white chocolate won't stick well.
    cookie crumbs - I crushed up some store-bought butter cookies to sprinkle over my popcorn, but any tan colored cookie, peanut butter cookie, or graham cracker will work fine to create the look of sand.
    chocolate shells - Make homemade shells or purchase candy shells to sprinkle over the popcorn.

    Supplies

    extra large mixing bowl
    silicone spatula
    baking sheet lined with parchment paper

    You can find ingredients and supplies to make this fun popcorn on Amazon. I earn a small commission when you use the links on this page to make a purchase at no extra cost to you.

    CK Products Peters Caps No....Shop on AmazonGhirardelli, Candy Making &...Shop on AmazonWilton White Candy Melts, 1...Shop on AmazonNestle Premier White Morsel...Shop on Amazon Keebler Simply Made Cookies...Shop on Amazon 1 X Parchment Paper for Bak...Shop on Amazon Nordic Ware Natural Aluminu...Shop on Amazon CK Products Assorted Seashe...Shop on Amazon CK Products 3-D Mini Starfi...Shop on Amazon Chocolate Seashells, 3 lb b...Shop on Amazon
    How to make Peanut Butter Popcorn coated in white chocolate blended with peanut butter.

    Instructions

    • Melt and temper pure white chocolate or simply melt white confectionery coating.
    • Once you've melted the white chocolate, you'll stir in creamy peanut butter and a pinch of salt.
    • You'll need to reserve a small amount of the peanut butter "chocolate" for later, so scoop 2 tablespoons into a small bowl.
    • Then pour the rest over the popped popcorn, and quickly, but gently, toss to coat.
    • Just mix until the popcorn is evenly coated. If you mix too much the white chocolate will start to harden making it difficult to spread out onto the pan.
    • Pour the popcorn out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread it into an even layer.
    Peanut Butter Popcorn Sprinkled with Cookie Crumbs
    • Immediately, while the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle cookie crumbs all over the popcorn.
    • Pop the pan in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes until the candy coating hardens. Remove it and break the popcorn into chunks.
    peanut butter popcorn sprinkled with sandy cookie crumbs topped with chocolate shells.
    • Use the reserved peanut butter "chocolate" to attach either homemade chocolate sea shells and starfish or store bought candy shells to the popcorn. You may need to reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds if it has hardened.

    Tips

    You may wonder why I didn't just attach the chocolate shells to the peanut butter popcorn while the white chocolate was still wet. There are a few reasons...

    • I'm not that quick. The white chocolate coating will begin to harden quite quickly and I couldn't get all the shells attached and sprinkle on the cookie crumbs while the chocolate was still wet.
    • I wanted to break the peanut butter popcorn up into small pieces before attaching the shells so  the shells wouldn't pop off as I broke up the popcorn.
    • I realize it takes time to attach each individual shell, but I think you'll like the look if you do.
    • You can even pile the peanut butter popcorn in your pail before attaching the shells if you want to really arrange them perfectly.

    Beach Party Popcorn - Peanut Butter White Chocolate Popcorn Sprinkled with Sandy Cookie Crumbs and Chocolate Sea Shells

    Storage

    You can fill a beach pail with your popcorn to serve for dessert or to give as a gift. It will stay fresh for a few days. I highly recommend storing your popcorn in a metal popcorn tin. It will keep fresh for up to 2 months.

    Related Recipes

    If you are hosting a beach-themed party or pool party, you might also like to make these other Summer Fun Recipes.

    Make a big splash at your party by serving these amazing Beach Themed Party Treats. See the recipes at HungryHappenings.com,

    Sugar Coated Sea Horse Cookies • Chocolate Beach Pails • Butterscotch Crunch Starfish
    Sandcastle Lollipops • Caramel Rice Krispie Turtles • Beach Party Popcorn
    Under the Sea Popcorn • Beach Ball Cheesecakes • Under the Sea Gumdrops
    Caramel Rice Krispie Treat Starfish • Chocolate Sea Shells • Rice Kripie Treat Dolphins
    Sugar Coated Sea Horse Cookies • Sugar Coated Sea Horse Cookies • Palm Tree Cookies

    Recipe

    This post was originally published on July 5, 2016. Update with a video tutorial on July 7, 2018. 

    5 from 1 vote
    Print
    Beach Party Popcorn
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    2 mins
    Total Time
    12 mins
     

    Creamy peanut butter white chocolate coated popcorn sprinkled with cookie crumbs makes a fun sandy beach on which to attach chocolate sea shells. This yummy treat is perfect for a beach or pool party!

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: beach, beach party, chocolate, parties, peanut butter, pool party, popcorn
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 255 kcal
    Author: Beth Klosterboer
    Ingredients
    • 8 cups popped popcorn
    • 14 ounces melted and tempered white chocolate or melted white candy melts (see notes)
    • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
    • 1 pinch of salt (skip if using salted popcorn)
    • ⅓ cup tan colored cookie crumbs
    • 30-40 small chocolate sea shells
    Instructions
    1. Pour the popped popcorn into a large mixing bowl.
    2. Stir in creamy peanut butter and a pinch of salt into the white chocolate.

    3. Reserve 2 tablespoons of peanut butter chocolate mixture for later use.
    4. Pour the remaining chocolate over the popcorn.
    5. Toss to coat.
    6. Spread into an even layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
    7. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs.
    8. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
    9. Remove and break popcorn into chunks.
    10. Reheat the reserved peanut butter chocolate then use it as glue to attach chocolate shells to the popcorn.
    11. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
    Recipe Notes

    Melting White Chocolate

    If using candy melts, heat them in a microwave-safe bowl on high power for 30 second increments, stirring after each until melted. See tempering instructions for pure white chocolate on Hungry Happenings' Chocolate Making Tips Page.

    Popped Popcorn

    I recommend using air popped popcorn but you can use any un-buttered popcorn. Buttered popcorn is too greasy for the white chocolate to stick well. 

    Storage

    Store your popcorn in a metal popcorn tin at room temperature for up to 2 months. If stored in a beach pail wrapped in tin toil or plastic wrap, it will stay fresh for a few days. 

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth Klosterboer
    Beth Klosterboer
    Hi, I'm Beth Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth Klosterboer
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    1. Karen @ Sugartown Sweets says

      July 14, 2018 at 10:04 pm

      I love anything beachy and your popcorn is perfect! Your video tutorial is great and I love the way you painted inside the bag to mimic the look of a real shell! I can see why this was your nephew's favorite!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        July 15, 2018 at 7:38 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. Painting in the pastry bag is a clean and easy way to swirl the colors. I hope you give it a try!

        Reply
    2. Allison says

      July 30, 2016 at 7:56 pm

      One question: the recipe above says 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, but the directions say to "reserve 2 Tablespoons." How much pb do you stir into the white chocolate?

      Reply
      • Beth says

        August 02, 2016 at 3:23 pm

        Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to the white chocolate then reserve 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter white chocolate mixture to use later. Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. The Partiologist says

      July 06, 2016 at 9:09 am

      What a FUN idea, I love the look of the popcorn, not to mention the fact it's peanut butter. I just made a bag of sugar cookie sand for a project and now I know what to do with the leftovers!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        July 10, 2016 at 9:27 am

        Thanks! This is my new favorite popcorn recipe. I hope you give it a try.

        Reply
    4. Michelle says

      July 05, 2016 at 10:43 pm

      Wow! This turned out amazing, love it! The cookie crumbs are such a great touch.

      Reply
      • Beth says

        July 10, 2016 at 9:28 am

        Thanks so much. The cookie crumbs not only add the sandy look to the popcorn, but they add a nice flavor too.

        Reply
    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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