How do I make Halloween marshmallow pops?
Quick answer: Push a blunt-ended lollipop stick into each marshmallow, dip it in melted candy coating, and add sprinkles, candy eyes or pretzel pieces while the coating is still wet. Stand each pop upright to set, then draw gel faces once the coating is firm. You don't need an oven. Try one pop from start to finish before you make the whole batch. That way you can see how your coating behaves and how long it takes to set.
What to buy for 24 marshmallow pops
Plan one pop per guest if the pops are the dessert or the favor. If each guest will eat one and take another home, make 48. Decide who you are counting before you shop. If your 24 is a class list and the birthday child is in that class, the birthday child is already included. Add siblings, other children in the household, or adults who will stay only if they are not on the list yet and you want them to have a pop. Plan the rest of the food separately. These pops are a treat, not a meal, so don't assume guests have already eaten lunch.
Write the pop count next to the rest of your snack or meal menu, noting whether the birthday child and siblings are included. The planner records what you're serving; it doesn't calculate amounts. See how to use the party menu planner.
The list below is an example for 24 pops. Package sizes and piece counts are rough shopping estimates. They vary by brand, so check the packages you actually buy.
- Marshmallows: 24 jumbo marshmallows, or 48 regular ones stacked two per stick. As rough estimates, that could be one 24-ounce jumbo bag (about 24 to 26 pieces), two 16-ounce jumbo bags (about 16 to 17 pieces each), or two 10-ounce regular bags (about 40 pieces each).
- Candy coating: two 12-ounce bags of candy melts to start. Use white for ghosts and mummies, orange for pumpkins, or dark cocoa for bats. How thick the coating goes on, the size of the marshmallows and any drizzle all change how much you use.
- Sticks: 24 blunt-ended, 4-inch lollipop sticks.
- Decorations: mini chocolate chips, candy eyes, sprinkles, black decorating gel and short pretzel pieces, depending on the designs you choose. Each ghost or mummy needs two eyes, so 24 of either design needs 48 eyes.
- Equipment: microwave-safe bowls (if your coating can be melted in the microwave), spoons, a fork or piping bag, and a drying stand.
- Drying stand: a 12-by-12-inch craft foam block with 24 holes about 2 inches apart and 1 inch deep. Make the holes with a spare stick before you start dipping. The sticks go into the foam and the marshmallows stay above it.
- Favor bags (optional): 24 clear 3.5-by-6-inch treat bags and 6 yards of ribbon.
If you're buying candy eyes, sprinkles and chips anyway, decorated pretzels are another dipping project using some of the same supplies. They have their own quantities and method. See how to make decorated Halloween pretzels.
A single wrapped pop can be the whole favor instead of a bag filled with several items. The treat bag here just protects the pop. If you skip favors entirely, see how to host a party without favor bags.
Before you shop, check which bowls, spoons and stands you already own or can borrow, and decide who will prepare the drying stand. See what party supplies to buy, borrow or prepare.
| Item | 24 pops (example) | 30 pops (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Jumbo marshmallows | 24 | 30 |
| Or regular marshmallows, two per stick | 48 | 60 |
| Candy coating, 12-ounce bags (starting purchase) | 2 | 3 |
| Blunt-ended 4-inch sticks | 24 | 30 |
| Stand holes | 24 | 30 (two stands, or a 32-hole stand with two spare holes) |
| Treat bags | 24 | 30 |
| Ribbon, cut into 9-inch lengths | 216 inches (6 yards) | 270 inches (7.5 yards) |
How many marshmallows do I need for 24 pops?
Quick answer: Use 24 jumbo marshmallows, or 48 regular marshmallows stacked two per stick. Count the pieces in the package you choose, because bags of the same weight can hold different numbers across brands.
Jumbo marshmallows are quicker because each pop needs only one. Regular marshmallows also work. Thread two onto the same stick and press them together for about 10 seconds. A gentle quarter turn can help close the gap between them before you dip. If a guest might drop or break one, a few spare marshmallows from the bag let you replace it.
What sticks should I buy?
Quick answer: The batch above uses 24 blunt-ended, 4-inch lollipop sticks. Push each one in without letting the tip come out through the marshmallow.
Choosing the right stick doesn't decide whether a child can eat a marshmallow pop. The CDC lists marshmallows as a possible choking hazard for young children, so before the party, ask parents or caregivers whether this food and this way of serving it suit their child. Don't assume taking the stick out, or picking different toppings, makes it suitable for every young child.
Check guests' food needs before you shop
Ask families about food and serving needs before you buy anything. Keep the original marshmallow, coating and topping packages so families can read the ingredient labels. A separate tray, or swapping one topping for another, does not on its own make a pop suitable for a guest with a food allergy or a special diet. You can write the ingredients for each design on a small label and set it next to that tray.
Make a label for each design, and keep the original packages or a clear ingredient sheet beside the tray so families can read the full list. Labels don't replace what you've agreed with families. See what to put on party food labels.
If young children are coming, keep in mind that the CDC lists marshmallows among the foods that can be choking hazards for young children. Ask their caregivers whether marshmallow pops suit their child, and plan a different treat for any child they don't suit. Taking the stick out or changing the topping doesn't make the marshmallow itself suitable. The same CDC list also names popcorn, whole grapes and hard raw produce, so check how any other party foods are prepared too.
Fruit and vegetable trays need the same care. Ask caregivers what each young child can eat and how it should be prepared before you treat produce as a replacement. See how to prepare fruit and vegetable trays for a children's party.
How to dip and decorate the pops
Set the decorations beside the coating bowl so you can finish one pop before you start the next. If children are helping with the decorating, an adult should handle the melting.
- Melt the coating as the package directs. If it says to microwave at half power in 30-second bursts, stir after each burst. If the coating is too thick, use the thinning method the package recommends. Don't automatically add shortening.
- Add the stick. Dip the tip of the stick in coating, then push it about halfway into the flat end of a jumbo marshmallow. Stop before it comes out the top.
- Dip one pop. Cover the marshmallow and leave enough stick to hold. Lift the pop out, tilt it sideways, and tap the stick gently against the rim of the bowl twice so the extra coating drips back. Turn the pop slowly as you lift it clear.
- Add decorations right away. Try to press on sprinkles, chips or candy eyes within about 60 seconds. The exact time depends on your coating, so if it is already firming, decorate the next pop sooner.
- Stand the pop upright in a hole in the stand to set. Check that the coating is firm before you draw gel faces or bag the pop.
How long does the coating take to set?
Quick answer: Allow about 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature as a first estimate, then touch-test the coating itself. The package directions and the conditions in your room can change that time.
The order matters more than the clock. Add toppings while the coating is wet. Draw gel faces only once the coating is firm. Wait until those faces are firm too before you bag the pops. If the coating package gives a different setting method or time, follow the package.
Why is the coating sliding off?
Quick answer: Check the coating's heating and consistency instructions, then try one pop before you dip any more. Let the extra coating drip back into the bowl, and thin the coating only in a way the package recommends.
Adding shortening or chilling the pops isn't a fix that works for every coating. Make one change at a time and test it on a single pop, so you can tell what actually helped. If one pop won't hold its coating, that is the time to adjust, before the rest of the batch is dipped.
Halloween designs to try
Ghost pops: dip in white coating and press two mini chocolate chips, point first, into the wet surface for eyes. Once the coating is firm, draw an oval mouth with black decorating gel. Doing the gel last keeps it from smearing while you dip and handle the pop.
For ghosts on a different base, strawberry ghosts also use white coating and chocolate-chip eyes, but with their own drying, chilling and transport steps. See how to make Halloween strawberry ghosts.
Pumpkin pops: dip in orange coating and press a short pretzel piece into the top as a stem while the coating is wet. Draw a jack-o'-lantern face with black gel after the coating sets. If you are making several designs, keep the orange coating in its own bowl.
Mummy pops: dip in white coating and let the base firm up before adding the bandages. About five minutes is a first estimate, so check the surface. Set aside about a third of the white coating for the drizzle, and have more on hand in case that leaves too little for dipping. Use a fork or piping bag to drizzle three or four zigzag lines across the pop, then press two candy eyes onto the wet drizzle.
Chocolate bat pops: dip in dark cocoa coating and press two pretzel halves into the sides as wings while it is wet. Angle the wings upward if you want the bat to look like it's flying. Make one first to see whether the wings stay on.
If you'd rather not test pretzel wings on marshmallows, cookie truffle bats are another bat treat. They use a separate recipe, ingredient list and chilling step, so compare before you shop. See how to make cookie truffle bats.
Sprinkle pops: for a design with no faces or piping, dip in any coating color and spoon sprinkles over the wet surface. This is the easiest design for guests who want to decorate their own.
How to bag the pops as favors
For 24 single-pop favors, cut 6 yards of ribbon (216 inches) into 24 pieces, each 9 inches long. For 30 favors, 30 pieces of 9 inches use 270 inches, or 7.5 yards. Put one finished pop in a bag before you pack the rest. Designs with pretzel wings or a tall stem may need a bigger bag.
Wait until the coating and the gel details are firm. Slip a bag over the decorated marshmallow, gather it around the stick just below the marshmallow, and tie it with ribbon. Put the bagged pops back in the stand, or stand them upright in a deep box.
Can I make the pops the night before?
Quick answer: First check the storage instructions on your marshmallows, coating and decorations. Whatever you decide, you can get the stand, bags and ribbon ready ahead of time.
If you make the pops early, let the coating and gel details firm up before you bag them, and store the finished pops the way the product packages direct. It helps to make one pop with the exact products you plan to use and check it the next day before you commit to the whole batch. If the packages give no clear guidance, you can make the pops on the day instead, using a schedule like the one below.
Plan the rest of the menu around the pops, testing any early or reheated food before relying on it. The pops still follow their own package directions. See what party food you can prepare ahead.
Example: making 24 pops before a 3:00 p.m. party
This is an illustrative 90-minute schedule for 24 pops in the ghost, pumpkin, mummy and sprinkle designs above. It assumes the holes in the stand are already made and the ribbon is already cut. The five steps add up to 90 minutes, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Start earlier if your test pop takes longer to set, if you are working alone, or if you want detailed faces on every pop.
If guests will decorate pops during the party, plan another activity they can do while the coating sets, and keep the dipping table away from active games.
One option while coating sets is a lacing table set up away from dipping, with cards and laces prepared beforehand to suit each child. See how to prepare and use Halloween lacing cards.
If your schedule allows a longer craft, paper puppets are another option. They need their own area away from dipping, paper pieces prepared before the party and drying time. See how to use the Halloween paper puppet craft kit.
- If you are making favors, bag them only after the gel faces are firm, even if that means bagging after 3:00 p.m.
- A helper can add the toppings while you dip.
| Time | Step | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30–1:40 p.m. | Set out supplies: count marshmallows and sticks, lay out toppings, and put the stand beside you | 10 |
| 1:40–1:50 p.m. | Melt the coating as the package directs and dip one test pop | 10 |
| 1:50–2:20 p.m. | Dip and decorate, finishing each pop's wet decorations before starting the next; add mummy drizzle once each base is firm enough | 30 |
| 2:20–2:50 p.m. | Let the last pops set; check them by touch rather than going by the clock alone | 30 |
| 2:50–3:00 p.m. | Draw gel faces on firm coating and arrange the tray | 10 |
| Total | 90 |
Checklist before you start dipping
- Count the guests you are serving and decide whether that count already includes the birthday child, siblings and any adults who are staying.
- Count marshmallows, sticks and favor bags for the batch you plan to make.
- Check ingredients and serving arrangements with families, and plan a different treat for any young child whose caregiver says marshmallows don't suit them.
- Keep the original packages for families to check.
- Make the holes in the stand and check there is room between the pops.
- Put toppings, bowls and utensils within reach.
- Make one complete pop, including stick, coating, decorations and bag, before you make the rest.
- Cut the ribbon and set the bags aside until the pops are firm.
- Write an ingredient label for each design.