These quick and easy Popcorn Chocolate Clusters are dressed up with the simple addition of pretty paper muffin cups and a sprinkling of colorful chocolate sunflower seeds. This should come as no surprise to people, but I always like to pump my candies with a little more sugar flavor, so I like to use caramel popcorn in this recipe. It adds more flavor, yes, but it also adds extra crunch and keeps the popcorn from going stale as quickly. You can use plain ole Cracker Jacks, or if you are going for your kitchen genie merit badge, you can make your own using this caramel corn recipe. (Or, viewed a different way, these clusters are a fun way to use up extra caramel corn you have lying around.) Of course, you can always use plain popcorn with great results as well.

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Popcorn Chocolate Clusters
Caramel Popcorn

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Popcorn Chocolate Clusters Photo ©2011 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

I call these "Packed Popcorn Balls" because they are jam-packed with goodies! Popcorn, nuts, marshmallows, rice crispies, and M&Ms are all crammed into these big, soft popcorn balls. Everything is held together with a chewy vanilla-scented syrup, which is sticky enough to keep the balls ball-ish, but never so hard that it sticks to your teeth.

These popcorn balls may be packed, but there's still room for you to add your favorites, like dried cranberries, coconut, or trail mix. If you're adding chocolate candies like M&Ms, make sure you add them at the VERY end, otherwise the heat from the syrup will start to melt them and you'll end up with a mess! A delicious mess, but a mess nonetheless.

Get the recipe: Packed Popcorn Balls

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Packed Popcorn Balls Photo ©2011 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

It's hard to improve upon dulce de leche, the sweet, rich caramel made from condensed milk. Just eating it plain, with a spoon, is pretty darn satisfying. But I think this recipe for Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cups comes close to rivaling the pure dulce de leche experience. These chocolate cups are filled with a mix of dulce de leche and toasted pecans, so they're both sweet and savory, gooey and crunchy. I top them with a few more pecans and a bit of sea salt, to ensure they're not too sweet. You can use storebought or homemade dulce de leche for these ridiculously good candy cups.

Get the recipe: Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cups

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Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cups Photo ©2012 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

There's a lot I've never understood about marshmallow creme. For instance, why is it such a popular ice cream topping? It doesn't have a lot of flavor by itself, and I don't think the texture is improved by pairing it with freezing-cold ice cream. And what about fluffernutter sandwiches? My sweet tooth is pretty substantial, but I don't know that a sandwich is an appropriate place for marshmallow creme.

And yet, this mysterious fluffy white substance does have its uses. It's an essential ingredient in lots of fudge recipes, and it can make a good cupcake, cookie, or candy filling, like in this recipe for S'mores Candy Cups. These easy treats give you a taste of the campfire classic, without the need to pitch a tent, start a fire, or even leave your house. Chocolate cups are filled with marshmallow creme and crushed graham crackers, and then are topped with additional crackers and miniature marshmallows. You could also add a little flavoring extract to the creme to make different varieties of S'mores Candy Cups: mint, almond, and orange are all delicious variations!

Get the recipe: S'mores Candy Cups

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Photo ©2012 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.