Marshmallows

Make your own delightfully fluffy Homemade Marshmallows with this easy recipe. They’re better than any you can buy at the store!

If you’ve never made your own Homemade Marshmallows, it’s time to seize the day! Whip up a batch in your very own kitchen and taste the difference – they’re far, far better than any bags of marshmallows found on the grocery store shelves. You’ll love them, I promise – so delightfully puffy!

What You’ll Need

This recipe requires a small amount of ingredients. Scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.

• Water
• Gelatin – Look for unflavored gelatin alongside the boxes of Jell-O at the grocery store. This is what gives marshmallows their structure and delightful spongy-fluffy texture.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar offers the sweetness found in traditional marshmallows.
• Corn syrup – Light corn syrup adds softened texture and volume, sweet flavor, and prevents the crystallization of sugar.
• Salt – Just a bit of salt adds balance, a subtle contrast to the sweet flavors.
• Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract for the very best flavor, and to really play up that classic marshmallow flavor.
• Powdered sugar – This keeps the marshmallows from sticking to the pan and each other.

How to Make Marshmallows

Scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.

• Prep. Coat a square pan with cooking spray, then dust it with powdered sugar.
• Bloom the gelatin. To use gelatin, you need to bloom it, which means hydrating it until it softens. To do this, pour 1/3 cup of water into the bowl of your stand mixer, sprinkle in the gelatin, and stir. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Make the syrup. Stir together the remaining water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan. Set the pan over medium-high heat and cook until it reaches 240ºF on a candy thermometer. Brush down the sides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to reincorporate any sugar crystals into the liquid.

• Beat hot syrup and gelatin. Turn your mixer to low speed and add the hot syrup to the gelatin. Add the vanilla extract and increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Beat until the marshmallow is thick, sticky, and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl; this takes about 8 minutes.

• Add mixture to pan. Spread the marshmallow mixture into the pan with a lightly oiled spatula and wet hands. Let cool for at least an hour, or until firm.
• Cut. Loosen the marshmallows from the pan by running a wet knife along the edges. Transfer to a cutting board or parchment paper and use a pizza cutter to slice it into squares. Toss the cut marshmallows in powdered sugar.

Tips & Variations

Now that you’ve got the basics down pat, here are some additional pointers.

• Use a candy thermometer. It’s very difficult to eyeball it when it comes to making candy, unless you have a lot of experience and know what each stage in the process should look and feel like. I highly recommend using a candy thermometer when making homemade marshmallows.
• Play it by ear for how long to cool. The time needed for the marshmallows to set will depend on both the temperature and humidity of your kitchen. If they don’t seem set after an hour, check again in another 30 minutes.
• Use different flavorings. It’s easy to change up the traditional marshmallow flavor by swapping out the vanilla extract for another flavor. Try peppermint or orange, for example – altering the amount as needed. You can also sprinkle in cinnamon, cocoa powder, or cardamom.

My Favorite Ways to Use Homemade Marshmallows

These marshmallows are fantastic for roasting over the fire. And of course, they’re a welcome addition to any mug of hot chocolate. Here are a few more ideas:

• Dip them in melted chocolate. It’s the best homemade candy EVER! After dipping the marshmallows, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the chocolate sets. (You can also sprinkle crushed peppermints or chopped nuts over the chocolate before it hardens.)
• Make giftable s’mores. Cut the marshmallows into graham-cracker-sized slabs. Sandwich them between two graham crackers, then dip the whole shebang into melted chocolate. It’s like a s’more without the toasting! Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.
• Use them in one of my other marshmallow recipes. My patriotic marshmallow pops, marshmallow caramel Rice Krispies puffs, and homemade marshmallow chicks can all be made with these marshmallows.

How to Store

Once you’ve dusted them with powdered sugar, store your marshmallows in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at a moderate room temperature. Arrange them in a single layer, or stack them between layers of parchment paper.