How To Make Homemade Marshmallows + Flavor Variations

I’ve been obsessed with making homemade marshmallows lately! You will never want store-bought marshmallows again after trying these soft, fluffy treats. I had never made them before, but my neighbor brought some over for us to try and I was inspired to give them a shot. They are much easier to make than I thought they’d be and don’t take much time or ingredients. I started with a basic vanilla recipe, but have also tried Nutella and peppermint. Not together, that sounds gross. Separately they are delicious though :) The only utensil you may not have in your kitchen already is a candy thermometer (here is one on Amazon for under $10). This is essential for knowing when the hot syrup mixture has reached the right temperature. A copper saucepan is also nice to use, but definitely not essential.

First, you’ll want to prepare your pan. I used a 9″ x 9″ baking pan so that the marshmallows are nice and thick. You could also use a 9″ x 13″ if you want them slightly flatter. Coat the pan with nonstick cooking spray, then place a piece of parchment paper inside (I like to cut mine so it’s exactly 9″ wide, but about 15″ tall so that some hangs out of the pan making it easy to life the marshmallows out). Lightly grease the parchment paper with cooking spray as well, then set aside. You could also use these time to mix the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture, which we will use to coat the marshmallows.

Now we’ll start on the marshmallow mixture! Place the unflavored gelatin and 1/2 cup of cool water into the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Give it a quick mix on low speed and then set aside. Next we’ll combine the remaining water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat (this is similar to the saucepan I used). Let the sugar dissolve, stirring frequently, which takes about 7 minutes. Then increase the heat to high and let the mixture continue cooking, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit. This took about 10 minutes for me. Now we remove it from the heat and turn the mixer on low speed. Slowly pour the hot syrup into the bowl and gradually increase the speed to high as the mixture thickens. You’ll see steam and the mixture will begin to cool. When the mixture is ready there will be ribbons of marshmallow pulling away from the sides of the bowl as it mixes (you’ll know what I mean when you see it). At this point, you’ll add the desired extract and mix until combined. Coat a rubber spatula with cooking spray and use it to pour the mixture into the prepared pan and create a smooth layer. Sprinkle with 1 – 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture and then let it sit for at least 5 hours or overnight. This is the hard part! I always want to give them a try right away, but don’t rush this process. They need plenty of time to set!

Yay the wait is now over! Time to cut and coat them! You can either use a knife to cut them into squares or use a cookie cutter for fun shapes. I made some heart marshmallows for an upcoming Valentine’s Day post! Either way, you’ll want to grease your cutting utensil with cookie spray. These are sticky little things! Once they are cut, place the coating mixture into a large Ziplock bag and add a few of the marshmallows. Toss it around until fully coated then shake off any excess with a fine mesh sieve. I placed my strainer over a mixing bowl so that it would catch the extra coating, then I could pour it back into the Ziplock bag so it wouldn’t go to waste. Continue until all marshmallows or coated, then enjoy! You can eat them plain, add them to your hot chocolate, make s’mores, etc. The options are endless!

Homemade Marshmallows

You'll never want store-bought marshmallows again after trying these soft, fluffy marshmallows! They are surprisingly easy to make and can be customized with different extracts, sauces, etc. 

Servings 1 9" x 9" pan
Author Jamie Kamber

Ingredients

  • 3/4 oz. unflavored gelatin (typically 3 envelopes)
  • 1 cup cool water, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

Instructions

  1. Line a 9” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

  2. Place gelatin and ½ cup of water into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Stir to combine then set aside.

  3. In a small saucepan, combine remaining ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to high and let the mixture cook, without stirring, until it reaches 240F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

  4. With the mixer on low speed, gradually pour the hot syrup into the bowl. Increase to high speed and continue mixing until the mixture has cooled and is thick and fluffy. You’ll start to see marshmallow ribbons pulling away from the sides of the bowl, which means it’s almost ready! Add the vanilla extract and mix until it’s evenly distributed.

  5. Use a rubber spatula to spread mixture into the prepared pan. Gently shake the pan from side to side to evenly distribute the mixture and get a smooth, flat top.

  6. Sift the powdered sugar and cornstarch together, then sprinkle about 2 Tbsp. of the mixture on top of the marshmallows. Place the remaining powdered sugar mixture in a large Ziplock bag and set aside. Let marshmallows sit for at least 4 – 6 hours or overnight (if you can wait, overnight is preferred!).

  7. When the marshmallows have set, flip the pan and place marshmallows on a cutting board. Spray a knife with nonstick cooking spray and cut into squares (or use a cookie cutter for fun shapes!). Place a few squares into the bag of powdered sugar/cornstarch and shake until coated. To remove any excess, bounce the marshmallow in a fine mesh strainer. Repeat until all marshmallows are coated. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

Flavor Variations:

Nutella: Use 3/4 Tbsp. vanilla extract while making the marshmallow mixture. Once you've poured it into the pan, heat 3/4 cup Nutella in a microwave safe bowl for about 15 seconds, until it is warm and has thinned slightly (otherwise it’ll sink right to the bottom). Drizzle it over the marshmallows mixture and use a knife to create the marbled effect. See mine here

Peppermint: Replace the vanilla extract with 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract. Use pink food coloring if desired. 

YOU MIGHT NEED: