An American Treat

An American Treat is a festive and vibrant take on candied popcorn that turns an everyday snack into a showstopping centerpiece for your 4th of July celebration—or any occasion you want to brighten up with color and sweetness. Featuring red (Raspberry), white (white chocolate), and blue (Berry Blue) popcorn, this treat is as beautiful as it is delicious. Each batch is made separately to preserve the rich, distinct colors and flavors, creating a patriotic display that’s sure to impress kids and adults alike.

Working with sugar at the hard-ball stage, this recipe offers a hands-on, candy-making experience perfect for those who enjoy culinary creativity. The key to success lies in precision: using a reliable candy thermometer, preparing each color batch with care, and switching out utensils between colors to maintain vibrancy and prevent cross-contamination. While the process may seem involved, the result is a delightfully crunchy, sweet, and slightly tart popcorn medley that’s both nostalgic and novel.

Best of all, An American Treat is endlessly adaptable. Swap the red and blue Jello for your favorite flavors to match any holiday or party theme. Whether you’re hosting a birthday bash, movie night, or themed event, this recipe gives you a customizable canvas of color and flavor. Just remember to use regular (not sugar-free) Jello for that perfect candy finish, and most importantly—have fun with it!

This popcorn treat is perfect for any 4th of July celebration. Raspberry Jello gelatin for the red, white chocolate for the white and Berry Blue Jello gelatin for the blue. To achieve the 3 colors, you will be doing this in batches, one for each color. After each batch, you will need to wash and dry the candy thermometer and saucepan. Be sure to use a new wooden spoon for each batch.

You will be working with very hot sugar. Hard ball stage is 250 – 266 degrees Fahrenheit (121 – 130 degrees Celcius). Be Careful! Hot sugar can cause severe burns.

Need this treat for another occasion or celebration? Want your movie night popcorn to be different this time? Mix this up with other Jello gelatin flavors and colors. Have fun with this one! Just be sure to use regular Jello gelatin, not sugar free Jello gelatin. Sugar free Jello gelatin uses artificial sweetners that do not work well with candy making. Regular Jello gelatin will give you the results you are looking for.

Equipment

Candy Thermometer*
Wax Paper
2 Cookie Sheets
2 Sil Pats
Heavy bottom saucepan with tall sides (The Jello will rise when cooking.)
Wooden spoons

*Make sure you have a good candy thermometer, preferably one with the red mercury. Before use, test the candy thermometer to make sure it is accurate. To test, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add the candy thermometer. The temperature should read 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). If the temperature is off by a few degrees, make sure to adjust the temperatures below.

Ingredients

1 6oz box Raspberry Jello
1 6oz box Berry Blue Jello
9 cups popped popcorn, divided evenly into 3 bowls
½ pound of white chocolate wafers (This can be purchased at any candy store or baking supply store, such as Dawn’s Candy and Cake)
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
4 Tablespoons white Karo syrup, divided
2 cups water, divided

Directions
White Popcorn

In a double boiler, melt the white chocolate.
Once completely melted, pour over popcorn
Stir to cover evenly
Spread out on wax paper

Blue Popcorn

Put the one Sil Pat on the cookie sheet and put in a 300 degree oven keep warm
Combine Berry Blue Jello, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons Karo syrup, 1 cup water in saucepan with candy thermometer.
Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon.
Once the mixture boils, keep an eye on the temperature, stirring occasionally.
Once the mixture has reached hard ball stage, remove from heat.
Remove cookie sheet from oven and add the popcorn
Pour Jello mixture and stir to coat
Set aside to cool completely
Wash saucepan and dry completely

Red Popcorn

Put the one Sil Pat on the cookie sheet and put in a 300 degree oven keep warm
Combine Raspberry Jello, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons Karo syrup, 1 cup water in saucepan with candy thermometer.
Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon.
Once the mixture boils, keep an eye on the temperature, stirring occasionally.
Once the mixture has reached hard ball stage, remove from heat.
Remove cookie sheet from oven and add the popcorn
Pour Jello mixture and stir to coat
Set aside to cool completely

Presentation
Once cooled, arrange the colored popcorn as shown in picture. Have fun with is, though. The possibilities are endless with the presentation.