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This Marshmallow Recipe makes homemade sweet and fluffy marshmallows that are so much better than store bought. Making them at home is easier than you think and they taste like little pillows of joy – perfect for hot chocolate!
I love marshmallows in things (like marshmallow pie) but I’ve never been one to just eat one plain – until I learned how to make them myself. Homemade Marshmallows are a game changer – you’ll never know how mediocre store bought ones are until you make them at home.
Making marshmallows can seem like a daunting task, but I promise they are easy to make. The texture is soft and fluffy and they have so much flavor. Plus you can change the flavors easily by switching up the extracts you use.
Ingredients Needed
- Powdered Sugar: We’re going to use the confectioners’ sugar as part of the no-stick dusting on top, along with Cornstarch.
- Unflavored Powdered Gelatin: This is the key ingredient in making homemade – the unflavored gelatin is what helps the marshmallow mixture set up. There are no substitutions for this!
- Granulated Sugar and Light Corn Syrup: These are melted together and cooked together to soft ball stage, which is then beaten and whipped to make your mallow.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds tons of flavor to the final product – you can use vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste – or any flavor extract you want.
- Variations: Use whatever flavor extract to make a new flavor marshmallow: peppermint extract at Christmas or use almond extract or even cake batter flavoring.
How to make Homemade Marshmallows
1. Whisk powdered sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. This coating mixture is so that it won’t stick to the pan or the knife you use to cut them.
2. Whisk the gelatin powder and cold water in a small bowl and let soften.
3. Stir the sugar, some of the light corn syrup, remaining water, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or heat safe spatula, until the temperature reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer.
4. Meanwhile, pour the remaining corn syrup in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Microwave the gelatin mixture until completely melted and add to the mixer bowl and let it run on low.
5. When the sugar syrup reaches soft ball stage, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl with the mixer on low speed. Turn mixer to medium (about level 4) and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high (level 6-8) and beat for 5 more minutes. Beat on the highest setting for 1-2 minutes until stiff peaks form, then turn to low and add vanilla.
6. Pour marshmallow into an 8-inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Sift some of the coating mixture evenly over the top. Let sit for at least 6 hours to set.
7. Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the pan. Invert onto a cutting board sprinkled with the remaining coating mixture. Cut into squares, dipping the edges in the coating mixture as needed and pat off the excess. It also helps to dip the knife in the coating mixture so it doesn’t stick. Make them into whatever shapes you want – just dip your cookie cutter into the coating mixture so they don’t stick.
What is soft ball stage?
Soft ball stage is when your candy mixture reaches between 235-240°F. If you were to drop a bit of the candy into cold water at this stage it would form a soft ball. It’s very important to cook your corn syrup mixture to the right temperature so your marshmallows set up – I recommend using a candy thermometer or an instant read thermometer for best results.
Marshmallow Recipe Tips
- Make sure you are using a candy thermometer. This is so important to get the mixture to the right temperature.
- When stirring the corn syrup mixture, make sure to keep the sugar granules off the side of the pot. If you notice this happening, wet a pastry brush and brush lightly to dissolve. The sugar on the sides of the pan can cause sugar crystals and ruin your marshmallows.
- It’s very important that you slowly drizzle the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture while the mixer is running. The slowness helps aid in adding the air needed to make the marshmallow mixture.
- Do not leave the mixture alone while it’s heating and mixing. Gather all your ingredients before beginning to cook and read the entire recipe all the way through before beginning.
- Do not make marshmallows on humid or rainy days or you might not have success!
Storing Fresh Marshmallows
Store marshmallows in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap at room temperature. These will not freeze well.
FAQs
You can – if you get the marshmallow mixture too whipped the marshmallows will be dense and too spongey.
Most likely the culprit is that your sugar was not hot enough. Make sure your candy thermometer is calibrated properly and you cook it to 240°F.
Homemade Marshmallows Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (42g) cornstarch
- 4 ½ teaspoons (15g) unflavored powdered gelatin (2 envelopes)
- ¾ cup (177ml) cold water , divided
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118ml) light corn syrup , divided
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Spray an 8×8” pan with cooking spray.
- Make the coating mixture by whisking powdered sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the gelatin and ½ cold water in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Stir the sugar, ¼ cup corn syrup, remaining ¼ cup water, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, pour the remaining ¼ cup corn syrup in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Microwave the gelatin mixture until completely melted, about 30 seconds. Add to the mixer bowl and let it run on low.
- When the syrup reaches 240°F, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Turn mixer to medium (about level 4) and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high (level 6-8) and beat for 5 more minutes. Beat on the highest setting for 1-2 minutes and then turn to low and add vanilla. (The mallow will have tripled in volume.)
- Pour marshmallow into prepared pan and sift about ¼ of the coating mixture evenly over the top. Let sit for at least 6 hours to set.
- Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the pan. Invert onto a cutting board sprinkled with the remaining coating mixture. Cut into squares, dipping the edges in the coating mixture as needed and pat off the excess. It also helps to dip the knife in the coating mixture so it doesn't stick.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- You can also use cookie cutters to cut shapes in the marshmallows. Just dip the cutters in the cornstarch mixture so they don’t stick.
- You’ll have leftover coating mixture. Store in an airtight container for the next time you make marshmallows.
- Feel free to switch up the flavor of extract you use to change the marshmallow flavor.
- When stirring the corn syrup mixture, make sure to keep the sugar granules off the side of the pot. If you notice this happening, wet a pastry brush and brush lightly to dissolve. The sugar on the sides of the pan can cause sugar crystals and ruin your marshmallows.
Marshmallows have been on my “to do” list for ever but I have been afraid. And now that you bring up the fat pants, I’m really not sure about it. These just look so fun and since you do mention the gifting…Just need to make sure my Christmas list doesn’t have “bigger fat pants” at the top of it, lol
I really appreciate that you’re trying to get me into fat pants. I think that I would devour these by the bagful.
I have a major fear of making homemade marshmallows but an overwhelming love of all things funfetti and sweatpants. These almost give me the courage to try and attempt using gelatin.
Fat pants rule. Bring on the marshmallows!!
LOL!
I have got to make marshmallows – in my fat pants! It’s definitely something on my checklist to do!
Yes, they are the best working outfit too. 🙂
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