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If you’ve ever wondered how to make marshmallows, I have an easy marshmallow recipe for you! It takes a little bit of patience, but making your own marshmallows isn’t hard at all and they turn out perfectly soft, squishy, sweet, and full of that vanilla flavor!
Making homemade marshmallows certainly isn’t for everyone, but if it sounds intriguing to you, keep on reading!
Messy? Sure. Worth it? Totally.
The first time I saw homemade marshmallows, I was shook. What do you mean not all marshmallows come shaped like little round barrels in a bag labeled Jet-Puffed??
It took no time at all for me to head home and whip up my own batch of homemade marshmallows using a recipe that is originally from Gourmet, but which I found over on Smitten Kitchen.
As Deb says, the process of making marshmallows isn’t difficult, but it can get messy. The best little tip is just don’t touch it. The more you touch the mixture, the more you’ll spread the mixture. Luckily, it cleans up so easily with a bit of warm water so it’s not a big deal, but personally, I do my best not to drape my kitchen in strands of sugary ‘mallow mixture.
These soft, squishy little marshmallows have a lovely sweet vanilla flavor – perfect for enjoying plain or toasting and squishing between a coupe of graham crackers with some chocolate.
Why Make Homemade Marshmallows?
These little marshmallows are light, fluffy, and springy. Honestly, they’re a totally different experience than the bag of marshmallows you buy for making rice krispies treats!
These marshmallows are full of sweet vanilla flavor and each bite is like a little fluffy, chewy bite of heaven.
These are perfect for a gourmet s’mores party, but they also make a sweet little gift. People love these little marshmallows!
Ingredient Notes:
Gelatin – You’ll need a few envelopes of unflavored gelatin for mixing with cold water and the other ingredients. This is what holds it all together and helps give the marshmallow its characteristic stretchy, puffy texture.
Sugar – We’re using both granulated and powdered sugar in this recipe.
Corn Syrup – We’re using light corn syrup (which is not the same as high fructose corn syrup) in this recipe.
Egg Whites – You’ll also need egg whites which you’ll beat into stiff peaks, much like if you were making meringue.
Vanilla – This is what adds the flavor. You could use other extracts for other flavored marshmallows if you like.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
What We Love About This Recipe:
- Fresh: You can’t beat homemade for freshness and that’s just as true with this recipe for marshmallows! These are much better than the packaged variety, so light, springy, and fresh tasting.
- Customize: Slice the marshmallows to whatever size you like, big or small, and get creative with flavorings too. Marshmallow is a great vehicle for flavor. See below for some suggestions!
- Gift Giving: People think you’re magic when you make homemade marshmallows and they make a great little gift!
How To Make Marshmallows:
Boil some water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt until it reaches 240 degrees. This will take around 12 minutes. Use a candy thermometer for the best results.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot sugar mixture into the stand mixer with the gelatin. Stir it to combine and dissolve the gelatin. Beat on high speed until it is white, thick, and has tripled in volume.
Candy/Deep Fry Thermometer!
It’s essential to maintain the right temperature while frying foods or making candy. This simple thermometer clips to your pan to make things a breeze.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks have formed, and then add those to the sugar mixture along with the vanilla extract. Beat together until just combined.
Spray a 9×13 with cooking spray, dust it liberally with powdered sugar, and pour in the marshmallow cream. Top it off with more powdered sugar and let it cool for 3 hours.
Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan, flip and turn out the marshmallow block onto a cutting board. Cut into 1 inch squares and then toss them fully in more powdered sugar to coat. This will keep them from sticking.
Helpful Tip!
- Use a candy thermometer for the best results.
- A stand mixer is really going to make this easy, but this can be done with a hand mixer as well.
- When you’re pouring the marshmallow cream into the prepared pan, don’t worry about scraping it all out. You’ll end up with a bigger mess than it’s worth. Just dump and go.
What To Serve With Homemade Marshmallows:
This recipe for marshmallows can definitely be enjoyed all by itself if you’re just in the mood for a sweet snack but they go well with so many other things too! Here are some excellent options:
Hot Drinks – Marshmallow with hot cocoa? Definitely! You can chop these homemade marshmallows into much smaller pieces for serving with hot chocolate or even coffee! Try our white hot chocolate or Nutella hot chocolate!
S’mores – A favorite classic treat that would definitely benefit from using these homemade marshmallows. We like to roast them indoors under the broiler as homemade marshmallows do tend to melt a little more aggressively than store-bought, which can be tricky for roasting on a stick.
Fruit – Chop these up and toss them in a fruit salad, or serve up some fruit skewers with pieces of homemade marshmallow!
Flavored Marshmallows:
I mostly prefer just standard vanilla flavored marshmallows but you can get pretty creative with the flavorings when making homemade marshmallows.
I’ve got a few popular and less conventional recommendations:
Vanilla is my go to here but you could also use peppermint extract for the holidays, or try it with almond extract for a nutty flavor! Maple, coconut, strawberry, raspberry, and other fruits are good too.
These are a bit more unconventional but also work! Lavender extract or a few drops of rosewater will add a subtle floral flavor and fragrance.
Recipe FAQs:
You can store these homemade marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. They may last longer if stored in the refrigerator!
Our marshmallow recipe calls for coating each marshmallow in powdered sugar to help prevent it from sticking. You’ll shake off most of it so they aren’t overly sweet.
Yes, you can toast these though they may not toast quite the same as a regular marshmallow. Just keep an eye on them to be sure they don’t burn. We prefer to toast these under the broiler or with a kitchen torch rather than over an open fire.
Homemade Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin 2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons
- 1 cup cold water divided
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Powdered sugar as needed, about 1 cup
Instructions
- Liberally spray a 9×13 glass or metal pan with cooking spray. Dust the pan with powdered sugar.
- Sprinkle the gelatin over a half cup of the cold water in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the wire whisk. Let soften while you cook the syrup.
- In a 3 quart heavy bottomed sauce pan, cook the remaining half cup of cold water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium and boil until mixture reaches 240 degrees, about 12 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and pour the sugar mixture into the stand mixer with the gelatin. Stir to dissolve the gelatin.
- Beat on high speed until white, thick, and tripled in volume, about 6 minutes. This will take quite a bit longer if you're using a hand held mixer.
- Add the egg whites to a medium bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks have formed.
- Add the egg whites and vanilla to the sugar mixture in the stand mixer and turn to low, mixing until just combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, using a rubber spatula to scrape it out as needed, but being careful not to touch the goo with your hands. You won’t get it all out of the bowl and that’s okay.
- Sift 1/4 cup of powdered sugar over the top of the marshmallows and chill uncovered in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight.
- Run a knife along the edges of the pan and turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board. Cut marshmallows into 1-inch cubes with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
- Sift about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar back into the baking dish and toss the cut marshmallows in it to coat all sides and prevent them from sticking to each other.
- Shake off the exceess powdered sugar and store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
I just had homemade marshmallows not too long ago and loved them! I’m going to have to try making them myself!
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says
I haven’t tried my hand at homemade marshmallows yet, but I do love them. And you are right that they are perfect to give away on Valentine’s Day!
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
yum! i need to do this!!!
stephanne says
I was so scared to make homemade marshmallows at first. I even put it on my 30 before 30 list! I made peppermint marshmallows last Christmas and they were a hit and super easy to make! Now I’m excited to try different flavor combinations!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
I haven’t made homemade marshmallows in about a year. Need to change that! I made some for a book launch/contest I was in about a book called Marshmallow Madness that has like 50 recipes, all for homemade ‘mallows. Some crazy amazing flavor combos. But I think vanilla…is always…the winner!
Yours look amazing, Karly. And yes, you can’t touch that goo or what a mess!
Elise @ elisebakes says
I Love homemade marshmallows – I made my first batch for Christmas and they turned out so wonderfully! And I used a handmixer – it got a little messy but cleaned up with some hot water and dish soap! So much better than store-bought!!
Joanne says
I HATE storebought marshmallows, but homemade? A whole other story. The.Best.
tijuana (po' man meals) says
i am intimidated by the ‘thought’ of making marshmallows! then i see your purty, heavenly balls of goodness trying to convince me to make my own. so i have a solution. can you just send me some? i’ll pay for shipping. i promise. 🙂
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
Girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl. I need a candy thermometer.
Karly says
240 degrees is also the soft ball stage, so you could also just test often by dropping a bit in a glass of cold water and testing that way. I’ve never done that and I’m not even entirely sure that’s how you test, but I’m sure google can help you. 🙂
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
omg the cute little heart! I NEED to make these! I’ve never made homemade marshmallows before and if I do make them, one can only hope they’d be as pretty as yours Karly! Gorgeous!
Karly says
Pretty sure they’ll knock mine out of the park. Your stupid sweet rolls make me feel all stabby with their perfectness. Mine are always so misshapen! (And I only call your rolls stupid because they’re better than mine and that makes me grumpy.)
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl says
I made homemade marshmallows last year, and you are right–everyone needs to make these at least once! There is simply nothing like ’em. Now that I see your amazing pictures, you’re tempting me to make them again. Beautiful!
Amy Jo | Pure and Simple says
Your photography is so creative and beautiful! And these marshmallows look heavenly.
Karly says
Thank you! 🙂
Nancy P. says
I tried, i failed. My mixer is not the best. But love it and can’t wait till I can really make these!
Karly says
Oh, bummer! Apparently these can be done with a hand mixer, but I do that that would be a lot of work and take a loooooooong time.
Cookbook Queen says
I have GOT GOT GOT to make these. I don’t know why I keep putting it off…they’re gorgeous!!
Karly says
They really are easy to make! Do it! 🙂
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Homemade marshmallows were supposed to happen in my kitchen this week. But then I did something crazy, I cleaned my floors. I hear it can be messy so I’m giving it another week for everything to dirty up around here. Wait. Want to come over and eat? hehe.
ANYWAYS, your marshmallows looks gorgeous! I will tackle them one day. Not yours. I will tackle making them. Just to be clear. I hear how you take people down, and I’d be too afraid to take yours!!
Karly says
Oh, yeah, wait a week. If you’re anything like me, you’ll sift powdered sugar all over your floors. That was honestly the only mess though. The goo wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be.