For Christmas one year I tried peanut butter/cream cheese popcorn balls, and they were awesome! The popcorn balls had candy mixed in, such as M&M’s and were so terribly addictive that people were constantly hounding this poor guy at work so his wife would make them! She made them for us 2-3 times before x-mas came around and they were awesome, but I never got the recipe. The trick I am thinking is to make a glaze that holds the popcorn together. Does anyone have a clue on this one?
I have a wonderful Peanut Butter Popcorn Ball recipe, but it doesn’t have cream cheese in it. After scouring the Internet for a recipe that DOES include cream cheese, I’ve nonetheless come up empty-handed.
I am perfectly happy to give you my Peanut Butter Popcorn Ball recipe (and yes, you are right about there being a sort of "glaze" that holds it all together), but I’m still ruminating on how in the world cream cheese would properly figure into a popcorn ball recipe. I actually do happen to have a recipe that combines cream cheese and peanut butter, but that is a recipe for Peanut Butter *Truffles.*
Anyway, I sure wish I had the recipe you remember, but here is the one I have:
PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN BALLS
5 cups freshly popped popcorn
1 cup dry roasted peanuts (I use the lightly salted)
1/2 cup M&M’s (or Reeses pieces)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter (can use either chunky or smooth)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
Butter
In a large, lightly buttered bowl, mix together popcorn, candies, and peanuts. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once it comes to a rolling boil, remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, salt and vanilla.
Quickly pour the hot mixture over the popcorn mixture and stir gently until all is well coated.
When cool enough to handle (just takes a few minutes), butter your hands (important!) and shape mixture into 2 1/2 inch balls. (Makes about 10.)
Let stand at room temperature until firm before wrapping individually in plastic wrap. (Like you said, these are highly addictive!)