OUR COUNTRY Bears'Den: MMMPOPCORN BALLS

20 cups plain popped popcorn

2 ⅝ cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup marshmallows

¾ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup butter

2 teaspoons cold water

cooking spray

Place popcorn in a large, heatproof bowl.

Combine confectioners' sugar, marshmallows, corn syrup, butter, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until marshmallows melt and mixture begins to boil.

A pot of melted marshmallow mixture

Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn. Stir with a buttered spatula until popcorn is evenly coated.

A pot of hot marshmallow mixture being poured into a large metal bowl of popcorn

Coat hands with cooking spray; quickly shape popcorn into balls before mixture cools and hardens.

A parchment paper-lined baking sheet with balls of popcorn, next to a large bowl of popcorn coated in marshmallow

Wrap popcorn balls in plastic wrap or cellophane; store at room temperature for up to 1 week.