Pop’s Old-Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy
Pop’s Old-Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy blend deep molasses richness with buttery caramel notes for a nostalgic, chewy-crisp bite. The taffy pulls to a glossy finish while the popcorn sets into crunchy spheres with a hint of salt, perfect for fall gatherings, school fairs, or holiday treat trays.
- Prep45 mins
- Cook7 mins
- Serves12
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Pop’s Old-Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 41 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 30 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityPoor
- 35 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 81
- Heart Health
- 68
- Metabolic
- 56
- Digestive
- 36
- Inflammatory
- 21
- Performance
- 35
- General Wellness
- 1
Put the popcorn in a large bowl with enough space for mixing.
- 2
Fill another bowl with ice water.
- 3
Butter several plates, one for each person who will be pulling taffy.
- 4
In a large 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, molasses, water, butter, and salt; attach a candy thermometer.
- 5
Bring to a boil, stirring often.
- 6
Tip the pan slightly to melt the sugar crystals on the sides, scraping them down with a wooden spoon.
- 7
Cook until the mixture reaches 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 155 degrees C) on the thermometer or until a small drizzle of syrup in cold water turns hard, 7 to 10 minutes.
- 8
Pour about 1 cup of syrup onto each buttered plate.
- 9
Let it cool until it is safe to handle like a hot potato, 3 to 5 minutes.
- 10
Pull the syrup between your hands until it reaches a light golden brown; the longer you pull, the lighter it gets.
- 11
Twist it into a long rope about 3/4 inch thick and place it back on a buttered plate to harden and cool.
- 12
Break the hardened taffy into pieces.
- 13
Carefully pour the remaining hot syrup over the popcorn while someone else quickly stirs.
- 14
Butter your hands and dip them in the ice water; working quickly to avoid burns and before the taffy hardens, grab some of the popcorn mixture and shape it into a 3-inch ball.
- 15
Repeat with the remaining popcorn.
- Calories 554.03 kcal High 28%
- Protein 8.29 g Moderate 17%
- Carbohydrate 124.0 g 45%
- Total Fat 7.31 g Moderate 9%
- Saturated Fat 2.7 g Moderate 14%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 10.44 mg Low Source 3%
- Sodium 29.34 mg Low Source 1%
- Dietary Fiber 9.92 g Good Source 35%
- Total Sugars 51.02 g --
- Added Sugars 0.83 g Low Source 2%
- Calcium 28.6 mg Low Source 2%
- Iron 2.32 mg Moderate 13%
- Potassium 430.85 mg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin A 0.22 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Corn 🌽
About This Recipe
Pop's Old Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy is made with 7 ingredients and serves 12. It takes about 52 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Butter, Corn Syrup, Molasses, and Popcorn Kernels. Each serving provides about 554.03 kcal, and is a good source of fiber.
Recipe Questions
- What is Pop’s Old-Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy made of?
- The main ingredients are Butter, Corn Syrup, Molasses, Popcorn Kernels, Salt. The full list of 7 is above.
- How long does it take to make Pop’s Old-Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy?
- About 52 mins in total: 45 mins to prepare and 7 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 554.03 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Pop’s Old-Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 7 ingredients and 15 steps.
- Is Pop’s Old-Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy healthy?
- Pop’s Old-Fashioned Molasses Popcorn Balls & Taffy has an easyChef Pro health score of 39/100. Per serving, it provides 554.03 calories and 8.29 g of protein, or 17% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 2.7 g (14% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk and Corn, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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