Easy Homemade Marshmallows

If you’ve never made homemade marshmallows, you’re in for a real treat! These soft, sugary, puffy marshmallows are so much better than store bought, and believe it or not, pretty easy to make!

If never occurred to me to make homemade marshmallows until I ate one! Oh my goodness!

These fluffy, vanilla-flavorful puffs of confection are absolutely divine! The thing I like about them is they aren’t too sweet, but sweet enough.

Here’s some important stuff you need to know up-front

Marshmallows take about 30-minutes to make; but need to sit at room temperature for at least 4 hours (I recommend 8 hours)

So, if you’re going to make marshmallows with your kids or grandkids, I recommend this as a two-day event🙂

You’ll love these!

• Great flavor – homemade marshmallows taste much better than Kraft Marshmallows
• Hostess gift – take a batch of these to your neighbor’s holiday party as a thank-you!
• Not too sweet – these have just the right amount of sugar and vanilla!

Here’s what you’ll need

• Powdered sugar – also known as confectioner’s sugar
• Corn starch
• Spray oil
• Karo syrup – light corn syrup, not dark
• Vanilla extract
• Unflavored gelatin
• Sugar
• Cold water
• Pizza cutter or pastry cutter

Kitchen equipment you’ll need

Making homemade marshmallows is pretty easy, but there are a few kitchen tools you must have. You’ll definitely need:

• Meat or candy thermometer
• Stand mixer
• A timer
• Parchment paper
• Pizza cutting wheel
• Spray oil

How to make homemade marshmallows

The steps for making homemade marshmallows takes about 30-minutes. This is an overview; for exact ingredient measurements and instructions, see recipe card below.

Once you’ve created the marshmallow cream, place it in a 9 x 13″ prepared pan and let it sit uncovered for at least 4 hours (I recommend 8 hours.)

FAQ

How to cut marshmallows

The trickiest part of making homemade marshmallows is cutting them. You can use a sharp kitchen knife, scissors or a pizza cutter (I find the pizza cutter the most efficient.) Note that whatever slicing tool you use, you will want to clean it between cuts.

How to keep your cutting tool clean between cuts

There are two ways to keep your slicing tool clean when cutting out homemade marshmallows. You can either:

• wipe the tool clean and spray it with oil after each cut or,
• spray the tool with oil, then sprinkle a little of the cornstarch mixture on the tool after each cut

Are homemade marshmallows healthier than store brands?

While these easy homemade marshmallows are not technically “all-natural,” they are a little bit healthier than the manufactured versions.

National brands, like Kraft, contain “tetrasodium pyrophosphate” and “artificial color blue #1.” I don’t know about you, but I avoid consuming anything “tetra” or “phosphate.”

Storing Marshmallows

If the marshmallows are cut, they keep well in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to about a week. After that, their texture begins to change.

They’re still good, they just get a bit hard. Let them come to room temperature before serving.

Freezing marshmallows is another way to preserve these sweet treats! Cut them into cubes and place in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to three months.

Note that frozen marshmallows will harden, so you’ll want to let them get to room temperature before serving or consuming.

Be sure to leave some of these homemade marshmallows out for Santa!

Related recipes:

• Southern Pecan Pie
• Gingerbread Bundt Cake
• Cheddar Cheese Wafers
• Holiday Sausage Balls
• Pecan Bars
• Microwave Peanut Brittle
• Hickory Almond Stuffed Dates
• Old Fashioned Hot Cocoa

If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you! Thank you!