Make Your Own Marshmallows

This particular recipe is just about the easiest recipe in the world to make, although it can sound a bit complicated at first. If you’ve never experienced the sweet creamy flavor of a real marshmallow, you are in for a treat. These light fluffy munchies will make your tastebuds dance.

How to Make Your Own Marshmallows

Marshmallows are fairly simple to make, but we do recommend using a stand mixer if you have one because they do take a lot of mixing. In a mixer bowl sprinkle the plain gelatin over the cold water and then immediately whisk to combine.

Allow the mixture to set for at least 20 minutes.

In the meantime, combine the remaining cold water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a heavy-duty saucepan.

Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Scrape the edges of the pan to get ALL of the sugar crystals.

Increase heat to med/high and cook the syrup until it reaches 244 degrees ( Borderline Firm Ball Stage) on the Candy thermometer. Immediately remove from heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed with a whisk attachment on the lowest setting and very carefully pour hot syrup into the softened gelatin. Be very careful not to pour the syrup into the moving whisk itself as this could cause splattering (and potential for getting burned!)

Gradually increase the speed to high and continue to beat the marshmallow until it’s very thick, white and tripled in volume. This takes about fifteen minutes in an electric stand mixer and about twenty minutes with an electric hand mixer.

Add the vanilla extract (or any other flavoring that you desire) into the mixture and beat until fully incorporated.

Dust (very generously) a 9″x13″ baking pan with confectioners sugar or cornstarch, whichever you happen to have on hand.

At this point, you can add food coloring if you’d like to half of or all of the pan of marshmallow. Pour marshmallow mixture into the pan and allow it to set several hours uncovered. Do not place it in the fridge, or you’ll ruin your marshmallows.

Piping Homemade Marshmallows:

If you’d rather Pipe homemade marshmallows to create pretty chocolates, Easter Peeps or other designs follow this recipe instead:

You’ll Need:
2 1/2 tsp (1 Envelope) Knox Gelatin
1/3 c. cold water, plus 1/4 c. for syrup
1 c. sugar
cornstarch for dusting

In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/3 c. of cold water and allow it to soften for 5 minutes.

Combine 1/4 c. of water and 1 cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture and bring it to a boil without stirring until it reaches soft-ball stage (238F).

Remove syrup from heat and add it to the softened gelatin mixture. Turn the mixer on the lowest setting just to combine the two, but be very careful to avoid splatters, you’ll get badly burned otherwise!

Beat on medium-high with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form and the marshmallow holds shape, about 8 minutes.

Transfer the marshmallow to a pastry bag fitted with a No. 11 tip or to a Ziploc bag, then cut the corner off to pipe immediately onto a cookie sheet that has been dusted with cornstarch.

Let the marshmallow set 30-45 minutes.

For Dipping

You’ll Need:
1 1/2 pounds High-Quality Chocolate, finely chopped

If you want to dip these in chocolate, finely chop one pound of chocolate and place it in a metal bowl. Take a medium-sized saucepan and add 2 inches of water to it, bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Then set the metal bowl on the saucepan creating a double boiler. Stir the chocolate gently until it reaches 118F. We use a digital thermometer spatula for this! Add the remaining 1/2 pound of finely chopped chocolate to the bowl and stir until it reaches 84F-88F for Milk Chocolate and 88F-90F for Dark Chocolate.

Dip the marshmallows immediately and place them on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

I Highly recommend using a KitchenAid mixer for this recipe. If you have a hand mixer that will work too, but I recommend having a helper nearby that you can swap with if you get tired of Whipping!

 Homemade Marshmallow Variations

Roll the finished product into dark cocoa powder or toasted Coconut, or jimmies rather than confectioners sugar

Make a Family Size S’mores Dessert

Simply cover the bottom of a 9×13 pan with crushed graham crackers and then a layer of broken up chocolate bars. Add your marshmallow after whipping, top with chocolate and another layer of crushed graham crackers. Cut into small squares and roll in confectioners sugar.

Tried -n- True Tips:

Cutting Tip– To easily cut into squares quickly, use a Pizza cutter dusted in confectioners sugar

For Fun & Festivities– let the kids cut them out using various cookie cutter shapes (Stars for the 4th of July, Pumpkins or Ghosts for Halloween, etc)

For the Holidays– Generously Sprinkle the top with Crushed Peppermint Candies as soon as the marshmallow is poured. Allow it to sit for several hours, cut into small squares and dip 1 corner in chocolate. This recipe makes gorgeous- delicious candies that melt in your mouth, literally.