Recipe: How to Make Marshmallows From Scratch

I’ve been tinkering with making homemade marshmallows throughout the year, and I think I’ve finally got it down—just in time for cozy season.

Now that it’s getting closer to the holidays, I thought maybe it might be fun to give these marshmallows out as gifts (in lieu of cookies). So, I looked into local companies (support local!) that sold individual packets of hot chocolate, and I found that Murchie’s Tea & Coffee had just what I was looking for.

Because they had Murchie’s hot chocolate comes in three flavours (original, mint and white chocolate), I decided to make different flavours of the marshmallows throughout the holiday season and hand them out to friends and family. I bought some festival ribbons, stickers and bows to complete the look, and I can’t wait to start delivering them.

The recipe is fairly straightforward. Just be prepared to be a bit sticky for a few days while you make the different batches and cut them to size. This marshmallow recipe makes around 30-40 medium-sized marshmallows.

Marshmallow Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 envelopes of unflavoured gelatin (7g each)
• 1 cup cold water
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar (300g)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup corn syrup (white/light)
• 1 cup icing sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• Optional: 2 tsp vanilla extract, additional flavouring (mint extract, almond extract, spices), additional colouring

This recipe is best made in a stand mixer. But, if you don’t have one, you can use a hand mixer—it just might take longer to get it to the consistency you need. Also, you’ll need a candy thermometer. If you don’t have one, there are ways to check if the syrup mixture is hot enough, but the thermometer will make life easier.

Instructions

1. Grease a baking dish (use glass or ceramic to avoid a metallic taste) with cooking spray or vegetable oil. I used a 9×13 dish, but you can use a 9×9 square or another size. The difference in the size of the dish will just change how tall the marshmallows end up. Decide how big you want them to be before greasing the pan.

2. In a bowl, sift the icing sugar together with the corn starch. Then, lightly dust the greased dish with some of the dry mixture, setting the rest aside.

3. In the stand mixer bowl, pour in ½ a cup of the water, and then sprinkle the two packets of gelatin over it to hydrate/bloom.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized saucepan (ideally with a heavy-duty bottom) over medium heat, add the granulated sugar, the salt, the corn syrup and the other ½ cup of water. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Attach the candy thermometer to the side of the pan without touching the bottom. Note: this is going to bubble a lot while it heats, so be cautious and don’t walk away from the stove.

5. Cook the sugar mixture, wiping down the sides with either a non-stick spatula or a wet pastry brush until it reaches about 235° – 240°F. Then, remove it from the heat.

6. Using the whisk attachment on the stand mixer, mix the gelatin on low for a moment. Then, very slowly and carefully, start to pour the sugar mixture into the bowl. Gradually increase the speed of the mixer until it is on high, and whip it until it is white, thick and glossy. This step could take up to 5-10 minutes (longer if you’re using a hand mixture). To test if it’s thick enough, tilt the mixer head up, and if it falls in thick ribbons, it’s ready.

7. During the last minute of whisking, add any extra flavouring like vanilla extract, food colouring, spices, etc.

8. Transfer the fluff into the prepared pan and use a greased spatula to smooth the marshmallows until the top is mostly flat.

9. Leave it uncovered for at least 6 hours, but ideally overnight or longer for the marshmallow to cool and set.

10. On a clean cutting board or counter, sift the icing sugar/corn starch mixture generously.

11. When it’s ready, using a clean knife, separate the marshmallows from the sides of the pan and then flip onto the dusted surface. Sift the now top-side with more of the sugar-starch mixture until all surfaces and sides are covered to prevent the marshmallows from sticking together.

12. Cut the marshmallows to the desired size with a sharp knife. Cleaning and drying the knife between cuts will make it easier to cut through the marshmallows. With every marshmallow you cut, make sure to coat the newly exposed sides in the icing sugar mix, so they don’t stick together. Don’t be afraid to be generous.

13. Store your marshmallows in an air-tight container, putting parchment paper layers between if desired.

The marshmallows should last up to two weeks without beginning to get stale. But, they’ll still be great if you melt them in the hot chocolate well after that (I’ve had some stay soft for months). If you’re delivering these to friends in cute packages, make sure to cut the marshmallows to the right size so they fit in the goodie bag.