Green Popcorn & Pretzel Party Mix

With St. Patrick's Day just a few days away, I'm in a green kind of mood. Today's post is about a party mix that is very similar to my Pretty-In-Pink Popcorn Party Mix, with a couple of additions to make it festive and green for St. Patrick's Day. (The colors can be changed for other occasions, too.) In this mix, I used green colored popcorn instead of plain, and I added pretzels to the mix. It's a sweet and salty mix that is delicious, easy, and the colors can contribute to your party decorations. It's great for classroom party treats or to take to the office to share with co-workers. Serve it in a bowl, or put it in gift bags. This makes a fun gift or party treat or favor.

Step-by-step photos for making Green Popcorn & Pretzel Party Mix

Step 1. Assemble the ingredients: pretzels, popcorn (I used green colored popcorn, but plain works fine, too); white chips for melting (vanilla or white chocolate); semi-sweet chocolate chips for melting; honey roasted peanuts, green M&M's (numerous online sources for single color M&Ms; also available at Walmart); coarse sea salt; decorating sprinkles (I used green and white nonpareils and green coarse sugar); canola oil, oil-based candy food coloring (see note below).

In place of the white chips you can use Green Wilton candy melts that are already colored (available at Walmart and craft stores) . You can also omit the food coloring entirely--use plain white melted chips and rely on M&Ms and sprinkles to add color to the mix.

NOTE about food coloring.  If you want to color melted baking chips or candy and maintain a thinner drizzling consistency, you need to use an oil based food coloring.The more common grocery store water-based food colorings & gels will cause the melted mixture to seize (thicken to a paste-like consistency). The oil-based coloring blends in nicely. Some specialty cooking stores carry it. I used Wilton candy colors from Amazon.

Step 2. (Optional--you can use the pretzels plain and skip this step, if you prefer.) Melt 1/2 cup white chocolate chips in the microwave using the method described here:

Click to view Melted Chocolate for Dipping and Drizzling Recipe

Dip half of each pretzel in the melted chocolate and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper. While still wet, sprinkle with colored sugar or other decorative sprinkles. Set aside to harden. (Hint: Sprinkle some of the colored sugar on the baking sheet before adding the dipped pretzels, so the sprinkles stick to the bottom of the dipped pretzels, too.)

Step 3. Line a large baking sheet (mine is 13x18) with parchment or waxed paper. Spread 8 cups of popped corn on the baking sheet. It's easy to pop your popcorn in the microwave. Here's how:  Homemade Plain Microwave Popcorn

Or, you can color your popcorn green first, if you prefer. That's what I did. Here's how:  Microwave Colored Popcorn. However, if you want to simplify this recipe, you can skip coloring the popcorn; there's already plenty of green in the sprinkles and candy.

Step 4. Sprinkle popcorn evenly with 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts and 1/2 cup M&Ms.

Step 5. Add oil to chocolate and white chips. (Adding a small amount of canola or vegetable oil, gives the melted chocolate a smoother, glazy texture and appearance.) Add oil-based food coloring to the white chips, if desired. 

Step 6. Melt them in the microwave using the same method used in Step 2 above.

Step 7. Use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate on top of popcorn mix.

Step 7. While the chocolate is still "wet", sprinkle it with coarse sea salt so the salt will stick. This makes a yummy sweet & salty taste combo. Add light colored sprinkles now, too, since it will contrast with the dark chocolate best. I sprinkled on white nonpareils.

Step 8. Next melt the green-colored white chips; and drizzle the melted mixture over the popcorn.

Step 9. Before the green drizzle hardens, sprinkle it with green sugar and/or green nonpareils. 
Step 10. Let the mix harden completely and break it into pieces. Add in the pretzels. 

The sprinkles make the mix prettier, and also add some crunch. The pretzels and nuts are salty, the candy and melted chips are sweet--a yummy combo!

Serve the mix in a bowl or on a platter.

 The hardened melted chocolate serves as glue to hold the candies, nuts, and popcorn together. It breaks off in pieces for easy eating

For a party or buffet, make individual servings in cupcake liners.

This mix makes a great gift! Put the mix in cellophane bags or a jar. Add ribbons and tags to pretty it up. Check out my post with several fun St. Patrick's Day gift tags you can download and print.

Click for free, printable St. Patrick's Day gift tags.

Make sure you keep some for yourself. You deserve a sweet treat, too!

Make it a yummy day!

Other popcorn recipes that may interest you:

• View Autumn Spice Popcorn Party Mix Recipe
• View Red Hot Popcorn Party Mix Recipe
• View Pretty-in-Pink Popcorn Party Mix Recipe
• View Microwave Brown Sugar Kettle Corn Recipe
• View Microwave Popcorn - Light Butter & Salt Recipe
• View Microwave Popcorn - Plain Recipe
• View Game Day Popcorn Party Mix Recipe
• View Microwave Colored Popcorn Recipe

You might also like this:
Click to view Microwave Creamy Mint Chocolate Marshmallow Candy Bark 

Green Popcorn & Pretzel Party Mix

By Monica              Servings: 11 cups

Ingredients

• 4 dozen (approx. 2 cups) small pretzel twists
• 8 cups popped corn (plain air-popped or green colored popcorn - see recipe at www.TheYummyLife.com/recipes/101)
• 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup green M&Ms
• 1/2 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate or vanillla baking chips, divided
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
• green food coloring*, (optional); oil-based candy coloring recommended; do not use water-based liquid or gel food coloring or the melted mixture will seize (thicken to a paste)
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• decorating sprinkles (green coarse sugar, green/white nonpareils, or similar)

Directions

Melt 1/2 cup white chips with 1/2 tablespoon oil in microwave; stir after 40 seconds, continue cooking and stirring at 20 second intervals just until last chips melt in when stirred. Dip half of each pretzel in the melted chocolate and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper. While still wet, sprinkle with colored sugar or other decorative sprinkles. Set aside to harden.

Spread popcorn on another large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or waxed paper. Sprinkle peanuts and M&Ms evenly over top. Combine chocolate chips with 1/2 tablespoon oil and melt in microwave (see melting instructions at www.TheYummyLife.com/recipes/26). With spoon, drizzle evenly over popcorn mixture. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Add food coloring and 1/2 tablespoon oil to 1/2 cup white chips, melt, and drizzle over popcorn mixture. Sprinkle with decorating green sugar and nonpareils.  After melted drizzle harden, break into pieces, add pretzels, and store in airtight container or sealed plastic bags.

*Food coloring can be omitted entirely--use plain white melted chocolate and rely on M&Ms and sprinkles to add color to the mix.