Alright guys and gals, let’s talk marshmallows. Sweet, soft, springy, fluffy pillows of deliciousness – homemade marshmallows are easy and so much better than store-bought. This is a long post with plenty of tips on how to make marshmallows – with or without corn syrup, and with or without a sugar thermometer.
The only guide you need to make perfect marshmallows!
Skip ahead to the recipe if you like, but make sure to read the post for all the tips and to learn the basics of the process.
- So why bother making homemade marshmallows?
- What kind of sugar can I use to make this recipe?
- Can I make homemade marshmallows WITHOUT corn syrup?
- Can I use gelatin or agar?
- What’s the purpose of adding egg whites?
- How can I add flavor?
- RECIPE NOTES, TIPS & TRICKS for making Homemade Marshmallows!
- How to store marshmallows?
When it comes to marshmallows, I’ve been spoiled. I’ve enjoyed PERFECT homemade marshmallows since I was little, because my grandmother was an absolute pro at making them. She passed on the obsession to me, and I’ve been fluffing ’em up for as long as I can remember.
I’ve shared these butterscotch swirled marshmallows on the blog before, but decided it was time to make a detailed, troubleshooting post with all tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way, so that I can show you how easy it is to make the fluffiest, most divine marshmallows in the comfort of your home.
So why bother making homemade marshmallows?
Well, as cliche as this sounds, they really are SO MUCH better than any store-bought marshmallows. Store-bought marshmallows just don’t have that pure, irresistible, marshmallow flavor or the melt-in-your-mouth fluffiness. And if you try making s’mores, you’ll find that homemade marshmallows have a really desirable melting quality that store-bought marshmallows don’t have.
Homemade marshmallows can be made in any size you want and you know exactly what goes in. And if you store them in an air-tight container, it’ll keep pretty much for ever. I mean, seriously. There’s nothing in it that can go bad over time, so they’ll keep for a really long time!
And if all that wasn’t enough to sway you, how about this? Homemade marshmallows are really simple to make! 🙂 True story. And even if you’re nothing like me, I have a feeling if you try it once, you just might get hooked, just like I did!
So, let’s get to it. Here I’m going to show you step by step, how to make marshmallows at home. I’ll be sharing how to make homemade marshmallows WITHOUT corn syrup, as well as WITH corn syrup (and corn syrup substitutes). And then WITHOUT a sugar thermometer, and WITH a sugar thermometer.
Yes, it does make your life easy if you have a sugar thermometer (candy thermometer), but it’s not essential. After all, my grandmother slayed it without a thermometer for decades.
This post is for anyone who wants to understand the process, and even adapt the recipe to what you have at hand. If you want to skip right ahead to the recipe, please do so. But if you do have questions about the technique, please make sure to take your time and read the post.
First let’s talk about the ingredients.
What kind of sugar can I use to make this recipe?
I always use white cane sugar and this is what I recommend. Cane sugar tastes better, but granulated white sugar (that can be derived by other means, like beet) is OK too. You can use any kind of granulated white sugar.
Substitutions – There are ways to use unrefined sugar too. You can make marshmallows with unrefined raw sugar, or brown sugar too. Again, you need to boil the raw sugar to the same stage as you would the white sugar. You can use maple syrup or honey too. Since these sugar substitutes have a higher water content, the process and quantities will be different.
Can I make homemade marshmallows WITHOUT corn syrup?
YEP! Although, it CAN be a little trickier to make marshmallows without corn syrup. The main reason why corn syrup is added is to prevent crystallization of the sugar syrup. When the sugar is melted and boiled to the point where it has 0% water, the syrup can revert back to it’s crystallized state in a hurry. All it takes is some cold water, one grain of sugar, or agitating the sugar syrup.
The inverted sugar in the corn syrup helps prevent this from happening. It’s not fool-proof, but definitely helps protect the sugar syrup.
If you prefer not to use corn syrup, you can leave it out OR substitute it with other inverted sugars like,
- agave syrup OR
- golden syrup (which will add some flavor) OR
- maple syrup OR
- honey instead.
This will also help prevent the syrup from crystallization.
However, if you’re making homemade marshmallows only with sugar (i.e. no corn syrup or agave), you can still totally do it. BUT, you need to be extra careful to make sure that you do not re-introduce sugar crystals, or cold water. And definitely DO NOT stir the sugar syrup. I mean it.
Can I use gelatin or agar?
Gelatin is the setting agent for marshmallows. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you can use a recipe that uses agar instead. But just be aware that the texture will change. The texture is very important for me with these homemade marshmallows and that’s why I prefer using regular gelatin.
Here is a good vegan marshmallow recipe from serious eats.
One thing to note with gelatin is that it loses some of its setting properties at high temperatures. This is a problem when making marshmallows, because you’re basically adding very hot sugar (hotter than the boiling temperature of water) to gelatin here.
So once the sugar has heated to the right temperature, let it cool down ever so slightly (until the bubbles subside), and then add the sugar syrup along the wall of your mixer bowl, while whisking the gelatin. This cools down the sugar further, while still melting and mixing the gelatin uniformly.
I also prefer to WEIGH the gelatin, over using the packets. This is because I have noticed that gelatin packets can vary ever so slightly in weight, between brands and the size of the gelatin granules.
What’s the purpose of adding egg whites?
Whisked egg whites are sometimes added to marshmallows. This is especially popular among the French. The whisked egg whites make the marshmallows extra light and fluffy and a little more manageable, especially if you want to pipe shapes with the marshmallow.
- As soon as the marshallow mix is whisked to its full capacity, it starts to set very quickly. The addition of egg whites slows down this process a little, making it easier for you to pipe shapes, like peeps or rosettes.
- The addition of egg whites makes the marshmallows softer. They have less of a “bite” than egg-less marshmallows (because there’s less gelatin per egg white marshmallow vs egg-less marshmallow).
- They melt even more easily!
I personally don’t like to add egg whites, unless I’m planning on piping marshmallow shapes. It’s just an additional step and honestly, most of the time I’m just too lazy to do it. Plus, I actually prefer the taste and mouthfeel of vanilla marshmallows made without egg whites.
Another reason is that marshmallows made with egg whites will not keep for as long, since you’ve got egg whites in there which can go bad fairly quickly. Whereas regular vanilla marshmallows made without egg whites will keep for a VERY long time (unless you eat it all right away, of course), and it’s safer for kids and pregnant women too.
How can I add flavor?
This is one of my favorite things to do, and you can get super creative with it! 🙂
Usually, flavoring is added at the end. The high temperature of the sugar syrup can ruin the flavoring, so it’s better to add it when the marshmallow mix has cooled down. This is especially true for extracts and alcohol-based flavors. During the whisking stage, make sure to add some salt as well. This salt will balance out the sweetness and make your marshmallows taste that much better.
My go-to flavor is vanilla. I love homemade vanilla marshmallows. I ALWAYS add salt and vanilla to my marshmallows no matter what other flavors that I’m going to introduce later.
Vanilla marshmallows are just a great canvas to work on. They are perfect for basic homemade marshmallows. So make sure to use a good-quality vanilla extract, or my favorite – a good vanilla bean paste. I like using Madagascar bourbon vanilla, but a Tahitian or Mexican vanilla works well too.
You can use other extracts like peppermint, almond, lemon, orange and alcohol-flavored extracts (rum or bourbon essence). If I’m not making them for kids, I usually like to add alcohol as well to get some artisan boozy marshmallows.
For certain flavors, you can add the flavoring to the sugar syrup. Like for lemon zest (or other citrus flavors) or maple or other fruity marshmallows, you can substitute the liquid or sugar with the flavoring ingredient and proceed with the rest of this recipe.
But if you do add a substantial amount of flavoring like fruit puree, or cocoa powder, you may need to add extra gelatin to make sure your marshmallow sets properly.
Another way to add flavor is to substitute some of the liquid of the water used to bloom the gelatin. I’ve had some fantastic readers letting me know that they have made some creative tea flavored marshmallows, by substituting the gelatin blooming water, and some of the water in the sugar syrup too!
You can also make awesome swirled marshmallows like these butterscotch swirled marshmallows that I shared last year. They taste part marshmallow and part toffee, and very delicious. 🙂
But this recipe is on how to make homemade vanilla marshmallows, so I will show you how to make basic homemade marshmallows WITHOUT corn syrup (using agave syrup) and with real vanilla flavor. I will cover more complicated flavored marshmallows in a different post, but will add some simple flavor variations in the NOTES section of this recipe.
RECIPE NOTES, TIPS & TRICKS for making Homemade Marshmallows!
Step 1 – making the sugar syrup.
Whether you use all sugar OR sugar and a syrup, once the sugar dissolves in the mixture, it’s really important to make sure that the sugar on the side of the pot has dissolved completely too. You can do TWO things to make sure this has occurred.
- Liberally brush the sides of the pan with warm water using a CLEAN pastry brush (cold water is fine if you used corn syrup or a substitute), to dissolve the sugar into the sugar syrup. OR
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and let it “cook” for about 2 – 3 minutes. The condensation that collects on the lid will slide down the sides of the wall of the pan, washing down the sugar crystals.
I usually follow method number two because it’s easier. Especially if I haven’t used corn syrup or agave in my sugar syrup. But you can use both methods if you do use corn syrup.
Tip for first time marshmallow makers
If you can find corn syrup (also called glucose syrup) or a substitute, USE IT. It’s less stressful knowing that your sugar syrup is less likely to crystallize. Having said that, with my method of making homemade marshmallows (vanilla marshmallows), it’s easier to not crystallize your sugar syrup which ever way you choose to make them.
Step 2 – making sure the sugar syrup reaches the right temperature.
This step is easy if you have a sugar thermometer (or candy thermometer). Set it to 240° – 245°F (firm-ball stage), and swirl the pan from time to time (gently) to dissipate the heat evenly. You’ll know the sugar mixture is ready when the thermometer reaches 240°F – 245°F. If you have an alarm on the thermometer, set it to about 238°F, because the sugar mixture will get hot very quickly
If you’re not using corn syrup (or a substitute), make sure not to agitate the sugar syrup. This means that if you are using a sugar thermometer, do not move it around in the syrup too much. This can cause the syrup to crystallize.
Make sure the candy thermometer is clipped to the side of the saucepan, with the probe immersed in the sugar syrup but without touching the bottom of the pan. If you just place the thermometer in the pot (with the probe touching the bottom of the pan), you won’t get an accurate reading. Remember to swirl the pan gently from time to time to distribute the heat evenly, and prevent hot spots!
Even if you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can still check the sugar syrup stage as follows. Every 5 minutes or so, take a small amount of the sugar syrup and drop it into a small bowl of cold water.
- If the sugar dissolves in the water completely – it’s not ready.
- The sugar forms a cohesive shape in the cold water, but it can be completely flattened in your fingers, then it is not ready – this is the soft-ball stage.
- If the sugar has reached firm-ball stage, then it will form a cohesive shape in the water. You can form a firm and pliable ball with the sugar using your fingers too. It will also hold the shape it’s pressed into without dissolving. THIS IS THE RIGHT STAGE.
- But if the sugar forms a cohesive ball that is too firm and is not easily pliable, then it’s gone a little too far. You can still make marshmallows with this sugar syrup, but it will be slightly chewier. If you want to, you can add a little hot water to the sugar syrup and “re-cook” the syrup to reach the right temperature again.
This is how my grandmother used to check the stages of the sugar syrup of the marshmallows she made. And the fact is even with a sugar thermometer, I still use this test to absolutely make sure the syrup is ready to be used. Even if your thermometer isn’t working, the sugar syrup will not lie.
Step 3 – preparing the gelatin.
The gelatin is mixed with cold water to let it bloom or hydrate. This stage is important because without blooming the gelatin, you may still end up with “blobs” of undissolved “raw” gelatin in the marshmallow. The blooming process ensures the gelatin will dissolve evenly and easily as you whisk in the sugar syrup.
Optional step – adding egg whites.
Whisk the egg whites while the gelatin-sugar mix is being whisked to make the marshmallows.
Step 4 -Making the Marshmallow mixture.
Place your mixer bowl with the bloomed gelatin in your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the mixer on low speed. This allows the gelatin to dissolve, while starting to cool down the sugar syrup too.
Once the sugar syrup has been added, turn the speed to high to mix the gelatin and sugar mix for about 6 – 10 minutes (for 1 batch). I mix this until I see the base start to pull away from the sides as thick strings.
At this stage, I add the flavoring and the whisked egg whites and whisk to combine.
Step 5 – setting the marshmallow.
The marshmallow is spread into a prepared pan (square 8 x 8 inch pan or quarter sheet pan -9 x 13 inch pan). This pan needs to be prepped to make sure the marshmallow doesn’t stick.
I prefer to rub the pan with shortening, solidified coconut oil or butter. I don’t like brushing it with vegetable oil UNLESS I line the pan with parchment paper too, because the marshmallow tends to stick to the pan if you brush the pan with a liquid oil or fat.
The marshmallows have more height with an 8 x 8 inch pan, or 9 x 9 inch pan and they’ll be shorter if you use a 9 x 13 inch pan (ideal if you want to make shallow marshmallows or want to cut out shapes)
Remember to ALWAYS rub butter, or shortening or coconut oil (solid coconut oil) on all the utensils you will be using too. This includes spatulas and knives or scissors that you will be using to cut the marshmallows.
The next part is the hardest. WAITING.
You have to wait at least 6 hours for the marshmallow base to “cure”. I’m not sure what the purpose of this is, but I find that marshmallows are easier to cut and have the right texture after it has set properly. DO NOT RUSH THIS PROCESS.
Once you cut the marshmallows, you can toss them in the sugar mix, which is confectioners sugar and corn starch mixed together, or dip them in chocolate (yum!). Then the marshmallows are ready to be eaten.
How to store marshmallows?
It’s important to store the marshmallows in an air-tight container, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. NEVER IN THE FRIDGE OR THE FREEZER. For extra measure, add some confectioners sugar into the same container to keep the marshmallows lightly coated.
If you store these in the fridge or freezer, they will harden. And as they thaw out they can melt or get really really sticky.
What else can I do with these homemade marshmallows?
I promise you these marshmallows will be the softest, fluffiest, springiest little pillows of deliciousness you’ve ever had! 🙂 Once you know the ins and outs of making marshmallows, you can do all sorts of things with it. You can add coloring and flavorings and plenty more.
You can also get your kids involved with the addition of colors and flavors, and then cutting shapes out of the marshmallow. And they will most likely remember all that fun for the rest of their lives, as I can attest to. 🙂 These homemade vanilla marshmallows are the real deal. They are so much better than store-bought.
My FAVORITE way to enjoy these marshmallows though? TOAST THEM! Look how gooey these marshmallows become?
If you like marshmallows, then you will LOVE these other marshmallow recipes too!
Orange blossom marshmallows with pistachios
Butterscotch swirled marshmallows
Buttered Rum Marshmallows (or Butterscotch Marshmallows)
EQUIPMENT & TOOLS I USED FOR THIS RECIPE
Stand Mixer – I highly recommend using a stand mixer for making marshmallows. You need to whisk it for a LONG time, so it’s easier to have a stand mixer for this purpose.
Silicone Spatula – I used at least 2, and it was lightly rubbed with butter / coconut oil to prevent it from sticking to anything.
Cooking thermometer – I use this as my candy thermometer too. I now make marshmallows with my thermometer monitoring the sugar syrup temperature. It just makes the process so easy and takes the guesswork out of the process.
8 x 8 inch square pan – for the marshmallows to set
Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.
Basic Homemade Marshmallows
Ingredients:
Homemade Marshmallow Base
- 14.5 oz white sugar (2 cups + 1 tbsp) increase the sugar to 500 g / 2½ cups, if you’re not using agave or corn syrup
- ⅓ cup agave syrup or 1/4 cup corn syrup
- ½ cup water increase water to ⅔ cup if you’re not using agave or corn syrup
- ½ cup water for the gelatin
- 7 tsp gelatin about 3 packets of Knox gelatin (21. 6 g)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Dusting powder
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar sifted
- ½ cup cornstarch (cornflour)
Instructions:
Homemade Marshmallow Base
- Place the sugar, agave syrup (or corn syrup), and water in a pot. Stir until the sugar is moistened and mixed with the water.
- If you’re not using agave or corn syrup, place the sugar in the saucepan and pour the water along the edge of the saucepan. Make an “X” in the sugar using your finger – wall to wall, to let the water spread and moisten the sugar.
- Heat over medium-high heat until the sugar syrup comes to a boil. Gently swirl the pan to evenly distribute the heat.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and lower the heat to medium. Let the syrup cook for 2 minutes. Do not lift the lid at this point.
- After 2 minutes, remove the lid and check to make sure there are no sugar crystals on the side of the saucepan. If there are crystals, then cover the saucepan for a further minute to allow the condensation to wash down the sugar crystals into the syrup.
- Clip the sugar thermometer to the side of the saucepan, and set the temperature between 242 – 245°F. Let the sugar syrup cook until it reaches this temperature. If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, please check the sugar stage every 5 minutes until it reaches the firm-ball stage (please read the recipe notes in the post to learn how to do this).
- While the sugar syrup is cooking, prepare the gelatin. Place ½ cup of water in the mixer bowl. Add the gelatin to the water and mix to moisten the gelatin. Set aside to allow the gelatin to bloom while the sugar syrup is cooking (at least 10 minutes). Place the bowl in your mixer, with the whisk attachment.
- When the sugar syrup reaches the right stage, remove it from the heat and let the bubbles subside. While the mixer is running on medium – low speed, pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin, along the wall of the bowl (this is to prevent the gelatin from being scorched by the hot sugar syrup). Add the salt and increase the speed to medium – high.
- Whisk on medium – high for 3 – 5 minutes until the marshmallow base is doubling in size and is white, fluffy and smooth. Mix for a further 3 -5 minutes on high speed, allowing the marshmallow to volumize more (upto 3 times). Do not mix if the marshmallow base is already cooled down, as this will create tough marshmallows. (You can whisk the marshmallow on high for about 5 – 6 minutes to shorten the time as well, just make sure the base is fluffy, white and upto 3 times more than the initial volume)
- While the marshmallow base is whisking, prepare the pan and utensils you will be using. Rub an 8 x 8 inch pan with shortening or butter (you can line this pan with parchment paper if you prefer). Brush all the utensils – spoon, spatulas with the same fat as well.
- Optional – whisk the 2 egg whites in a clean metal bowl until you have stiff peaks. Set aside until needed.
- Add the vanilla, (and egg whites – if using) to the marshmallow base and whisk for a further minute on high speed to combine the vanilla (and egg whites).
- Scrape the marshmallow base into the prepared pan using an oiled cake spatula or flexible scraper. Spread the marshmallow evenly in the pan using the oiled spatula.
- Sieve confectioner’s sugar over the top of the marshmallow and allow the marshmallow to set for at least 6 hours.
- Turn the set marshmallow out onto a work surface dusted with dusting powder. Cut the marshmallows with an oiled knife or a pair of scissors. Toss the marshmallow in the dusting powder and store in an air-tight container.
Dusting Powder
- Mix the confectioner's sugar and cornstarch together until well combined. Set aside until needed. There is more than enough for multiple batches. I like making extra so I can store my marshmallows with some of the dusting powder and store the rest for another batch.
Tips & Tricks
- Chocolate marshmallows – get the recipe right here.
- Lemon marshmallows – add lemon zest to the sugar syrup. Substitute 1/4 cup of the water used to make the sugar syrup with strained lemon juice. Then proceed as normal with the rest of the recipe.
- Peppermint marshmallows – get the recipe right here.
- Butterscotch marshmallows – get the recipe for butterscotch marshmallows (buttered rum marshmallows) right here.
- Tahini marshmallows – get the recipe right here.
- Chocolate chip mint marshmallows – add 1/2 cup of grated milk chocolate (or finely chopped chocolate) and 2 tsp of pepper mint extract to the marshmallow base and mix to combine.
- Unicorn marshmallows – you will need to work quickly for these. Divide the marshmallows into 3 portions. Color each portion with pink, blue, and purple. Swirl the colors together and spread them in the prepared pan.
- Orange blossom marshmallows with pistachios.
- Butterscotch swirled marshmallows.
- If you’re using Knox gelatin, you will need 3 packets, which is equal to 6 3/4 – 7 tsp (or 21.6 g ).
- If you’re using other gelatin brands, measure out the packet content to make sure you have 6 3/4 – 7 tsp of gelatin. This is because I’ve tried a generic brand of gelatin, and each packet contained 3 tsp of gelatin.
- If you’re using loose gelatin powder, then you can easily measure 6 3/4 – 7 tsp of gelatin for this recipe.
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Marcie Jessee says
Great tips, thank you! What might have gone wrong if your marshmallows didn’t ever set right? They are gooeyish? I used a thermometer and corn syrup method. Thanks!
Dini says
Hi Marcie!
There can be a few reasons for them marshmallow to not set properly.
1 – Sometimes when you’re cooking sugar syrup, the thermometer could be set in a hot spot, and while it reaches the right temperature there, other parts of the syrup might be at a lower temperature. Swirling the pan is important to distribute the heat evenly, especially before making sure the temperature is right in the sugar syrup. A lower temperature means, that the marshmallow can be gooey.
2 – There’s a chance the marshmallows can be gooey if it wasn’t whipped enough too. Increasing the whipping time until the bowl is almost cool to the touch.
3 – If you live in a high humidity area, or your kitchen happens to be very humid, the marshmallows can absorb that moisture as it’s setting, causing it to be gooey too. If this is the case, then I would recommend cooking the sugar to 245°F – 246°F instead of 242°F, and making sure the marshmallow sets in a dry place as well (not the fridge!).
Any number of these reasons (one or a mixture) can cause marshmallows to be gooey, so it is hard to pin point on one. But I hope that you give them another go and they come out springy, soft and delicious! I hope you let me know! 🙂
Traci says
Hi Dini,
Thanks for the detailed recipe and post, you obviously have a love for homemade marshmallows! 🙂 I just tried making these (my first attempt ever at marshmallows!) but my sugar syrup and gelatin mix never became white and fluffy….thus ending my attempt at making them. I don’t have a candy thermometer so tried your firm ball method. I used vegetarian gelatin that’s mostly Agar and weighed it. What do you think went wrong? Thanks!
Dini says
Hi Traci
I definitely do love marshmallows and will find any excuse to make them! 😉
I’m not entirely sure why the mixture wouldn’t have fluffed up for you. As I have mentioned in the post, I haven’t made marshmallows with Agar powder, so I can’t be sure how they turn out. But I have had heard from other readers who use a different form of vegetarian gelatin have had no luck with making marshmallows either. The vegetarian gelatin brand that you may be using is probably not going to whip into a fluff unfortunately.
I will definitely add – Making fool proof vegan marshmallows into my list of to do recipes next year!
Traci says
Thanks so much for your quick reply! I’ll try with regular gelatine and see what happens….!? 😉
Genevieve says
I’ve had three attempts now, and my sugar does not seem to dissolve. I just want to throw in the whisk! Please help!
Dini says
Hi Genevieve!
Could you let me know how you’re heating up the sugar and water mix and what type of sugar you’re using too?
Sugar should dissolve in water quite readily, especially when the syrup is heated. Does the sugar re crystallize? Or not dissolve at all?
Genevieve says
I tried both regular and superfine, and in bots, it doesn’t quite dissolve, then re-crystallizes. I’m using a heavy bottom saucepan, and heating it up using the closed-lid method. I trie de the open lid method too, both with and without stirring. This is really messing with my mojo, especially considering I’ve done this before without issues. Could humidity in the kitchen be a factor? Thanks so much for the speedy reply!
Dini says
Hi Genevieve!
The humidity wouldn’t affect how the sugar dissolves in the sugar, but humidity can make marshmallows softer as they set.
However, to hopefully help with the sugar dissolving, you could maybe try the recipe with less sugar 375 – 400g and see how it comes out. You may need to swirl the pot a few times extra while the water is heating up with the sugar (this is the point where all the sugar dissolves for me), and then you can cover the pot with the lid to “wash down” the sides. IF the sugar is still not dissolved, I’m not sure what else could have caused it, but I would be interested in finding out!
please let me know how they come out 🙂 Good luck!
Jim says
Dini,
Yours is the first marshmallow recipe that I’ve read with detailed explanations of what each ingredient accomplishes and with a wide array of substitutions.
Bookmarked your site and will pour over each of your posts in the coming weeks.
Thank you!
Dini says
I’m really happy to hear that Jim, thank you so much! Hope you enjoy any recipes you try, and let me know if you have any questions.
Jen says
Thanks for posting such a detailed recipe for making marshmallows. I’ve tried other ones and have had mixed success, so the extra tips/notes were very helpful. I wanted a recipe without corn syrup, and the Agave syrup worked perfectly. Just made my second batch, and plan to gift them for the holidays! Yum!
Dini says
Thank you so much for letting me know Jen! I love gifting marshmallows too. I just made peppermint and butterbeer marshmallows last week and gave them out to the neighbors! 🙂 Happy holidays to you!
Kristen says
Wanting about 1/2” square marshmallows… do you think it would be too hard to cut that small? Or any tips to using a small heart cookie cutter?
Dini says
Hi Kristen
Cutting them into smaller pieces would be a little more cumbersome, though not impossible. If you wanted to make them square, you would have to use a larger pan to set the marshmallows in as well. It would be too difficult to pour them into a 9 inch square pan and cut them into 1/2 inch square marshmallows. You may have to use a jelly pan roll or a half sheet pan (but I’m not sure which would be ideal).
As for using a heart cutter, you can use any kind of cookie cutter, but keep some coconut oil or shortening close by, and coat the cutter with the oil to prevent the marshmallow from sticking.
Carro says
What size pan would give you 1 inch cubes? I tried a batch in a too small pan once (different recipe) and they were like an iceberg in my cocoa
Lisa says
I made marshmallows one year as Christmas gifts…chocolate dipped, peppermint (dipped one side in crushed candy canes), and one batch flavored with honey flavored whiskey…OH MY YUM! I highly recommend trying at least one batch, you will NOT be disappointed!
Rustum says
I made marshmallows the other day with your recipe and they turned out amazing! I replaced the vanilla extract with a bit of orange. I want to make them again with chamomile lavender flavor. I have chamomile lavender tea and I was thinking to just make really strong tea, cool it down, and substitute it with the water when I bloom the marshmallows. Would that work? Please respond soon
Dini says
Hi Rustum!
I’m so glad that the marshmallows came out well 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
As for the chamomile lavender flavor, that’s such a great flavor combination! Making a really strong tea is a good place to start, but I don’t think just blooming the gelatin with the tea would flavor the marshmallows well. Maybe making the syrup with the strong tea would add more flavor to the marshmallows too. I haven’t tried this technique yet (but I am planning on it for an upcoming recipe), but I think it should work! Let me know how they turn out 🙂 I hope that helps.
Rustum says
Thanks for the tips! I ended up doing half with the gelatin and half with the sugar syrup. They turned out great! Only problem is I don’t know which one gave them more flavor. I want to try hibiscus rose marshmallow sometime as well.
Lindsay says
I made these this week and they came out amazing. They cut well, are the right texture, and taste even better. I have one problem though, After I coated all sides in cornstarch/sugar mix and put them in my airtight container they got really sticky again by the next day. Any suggestions on how to fix this?
Dini says
Hi Lindsay!
I’m really glad the marshmallows came out great! 🙂
Unfortunately, I haven’t had an issue with the marshmallows getting sticky after they’ve been made. The only reason this could happen is if the marshmallows weren’t coated enough with the cornstarch/icing sugar mix, OR the marshmallows weren’t set properly (overnight setting), which can cause the marshmallows to weep and make them sticky, OR if there was moisture that somehow got into the container. If none of these was the issue, then I would recommend adding some extra cornstarch to the marshmallows in the container, to ensure they are properly coated. I hope that helps!
Lindsay says
Thank you for your speedy reply!
Alicia says
Hi!
I’ve made marshmallows multiple times before with no issues and now when i make them they get a hard crunchy layer on the outside and cracks and looks bad and isn’t a nice marshmallow texture. Do you have any idea why this might be happening? Could it be that my mixture is too hot when i pour it into the pan? Thanks!!
Dini says
Hi Alicia,
It sounds like maybe the sugar was too hot when it was added. I would recommend cooking the sugar to a lower temperature – between 235 – 245°F. I never exceed 245 (hard ball stage), but if I wanted even softer marshmallows, I would cook the sugar only until 240 (soft ball stage). If the sugar passes the hard ball stage, it’s likely that the resulting marshmallows may form a crust. Hope that helps!
Alexa says
Does the recipe work without the corn starch? I have no cornstarch but plenty of confectioners sugar. I couldn’t find another recipe that was as detailed, so I figured that you might know if it would work.
Dini says
Hi Alexa,
So the purpose of dusting powder with cornstarch is to keep the marshmallows nice and dry. But yes, in theory you can make it without the cornstarch and use only confectioner’s sugar instead – use as much confectioner’s sugar as needed. But this would make the marshmallows a little too sweet for my liking, so please do keep that in mind. Hope that helps.
Rustum says
I used tapioca flour and it worked perfectly
Erin O'Brien says
Hello there. I’m at a high elevation and have made marshmallows before. I guess I didn’t react in time, but as I was waiting for crystals on the side of the pot to wash in to the pan, the sugar set into a solid, extremely hot clump. I an trying to wet it again and re-dissolve but was wondering if this means it was to hot? Perhaps I need to be really careful and just heat everything on low? It’s hard to tell because I have a new range as well, and it’s about twice as powerful as my old one.
Dini says
Hi Erin!
It sounds like the sugar was overcooked. I would recommend cooking the sugar at a lower heat, or not let the sugar cook unattended to make sure it doesn’t overcook. I personally feel that a sugar thermometer will be the best way to monitor the temperature of the sugar syrup. I hope that helps, good luck!
Lisa Shawki says
I made these marshmallows for the first time today. Using corn syrup and loose beef gelatin. The marshmallows whipped up very quickly and as I turn them into the Container to set I noticed half a cup of the sugar syrup had congealed at the bottom. The marshmallows were still delicious. I wonder if maybe I took the suggestion to pour the sugar syrup slowly into the mixing bowl to seriously? But since I had all of that sugar syrup I just added 7 teaspoons of gelatin half a cup of water and heated the sugar syrup up in the microwave. Added 1/2 cup of corn syrup and normal amount of vanilla and salt. This recipe came out a little more spreadable I guess “wet” would be the correct description. Either way the first batch and the second batch were very good. I can’t wait to try the recipe again but this time adding the sugar syrup a little faster. These two batches I made are actually going to be making rice crispy treats tomorrow. So they don’t have to look beautiful anyways.
Dini says
Hi Lisa!
The sugar shouldn’t stick to the bottom unless the sugar syrup cooled down too fast. I would recommend adding it just a little faster next time, and I always use a rubber spatula to scrape out as much of the sugar syrup as possible 🙂
I hope the rice crispy treats came out well!
Dream says
Soi see 1/2 cup water listed twice in the ingredients. Is it 1 cup water or just 1/2 cup?
Dini says
Hi Dream,
The first amount of water is to make the sugar syrup, and the second 1/2 cup of water is for the gelatin (step 7). I hope that helps!
Celia says
Hi,
Thank you for the recipe, it works perfectly.
I have a few questions, maybe you have an advice:
– I tried yesterday to make chcoloate marshmallows by adding cocoa in the latest phase (about 3 table spons). It turned out ok, but a little less fluffy. Do you thin kit would be ok to use a little more water (20 – 30ml)?
– do you thin if i use silicone moulds i should rub them with butter? I read that silicone does not stick but i have not used them yet.
– if i want to use home made fruit syrup (only water, sugar and fruit juice, reduced) to enhance the fruit flavour, would you suggest to soak the gelatin in it or to boil the syrup with the water and sugar?
Thank you
beth metsa says
Hello
Love reading the details here and planning to make marshmallows this holiday season. the last time I made them from a different recipe I noticed the marshmallows dissolved in hot cocoa rather than melting to a fluffy stage like store bought. Hope this makes sense – do you have any ideas as to why. I read a store package and there didn’t seem to be any other ingredients in them ): Thanks Beth
Dini says
Hi Beth,
That sounds awful. Fortunately, I haven’t experienced marshmallows that dissolved into hot cocoa, so I’m not sure why that happens. Thankfully, the marshmallows in this recipe soften and stay fluffy in hot cocoa. You can check out my hot chocolate post here for proof.