Light, fluffy, and fresh, nothing is easier or more delicious than making your own marshmallows. Perfect for Homemade S’mores or my worlds best Hot Chocolate.
How I created this Marshmallow Recipe
I’m just a little in love with marshmallows – They are good with pretty much everything…. S’mores, Hot chocolate, Cake, Donuts, ice cream and of course by themselves.
I honestly can’t think of much I WOULDN’T enjoy with marshmallows. And HOMEMADE marshmallows are EASY and OH so good!
Like SERIOUSLY so good! I barely had enough left for pictures after my family got to them… I probably make a batch ever week in the fall and winter to go with my Homemade Hot Chocolate. And in the summer for S’mores.
I use this same recipe to make my homemade peeps in the spring – but I let it cool til it’s pipe-able and then pipe the peep shape. You can just pour it into a 9×13 pan like this recipe and simply use cookie cutters.
SOOOO in addition to using marshmallows as frosting sometimes, I also love to flavor my marshmallows. OR add stuff to them, like my caramel marshmallows (aka homemade Scotchmallows). WHAT would be your go-to marshmallow flavor?
Just take me to the Marshmallow Recipe already!
If you’d rather skip my tips and tricks for homemade marshmallow, along with links to other marshmallow recipes and get straight to this delicious homemade marshmallow recipe – simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.
Tips to Make the Perfect Marshmallows
I recommend using a non stick pot, or caramel pot. I’ve had lots of burnt sugar when I’ve used stainless steel – it can work you just have to really watch it.
Don’t cook at too high of a heat – I stick to medium for melting the sugar and cooking the marshmallows – as long as it has a nice slow boil your good.
A high boil will actually heat the sugar syrup too much and it will start to caramelize and get dark instead of staying nice and light.
The recipe calls for 15 mins of boiling time – which is weird for me as I usually go for a specific temperature when making candies. But I found when I just went for the soft ball stage (240) it sometimes took too long and I ended up with marshmallows that were too stiff and dense.
Don’t wait too long to beat the marshmallows. I pour the sugar syrup into my mixer right away – I’ve experimented with beating the sugar hot, waiting 5 mins and waiting until it cools almost entirely.
I found that right away or waiting 5 mins has lead to the best results. Letting the syrup cool too much ended up with dense blocks of “marshmallows” instead of light fluffy ones.
If you add the extracts/vanilla right away the heat from the syrup will actually evaporate so I wait until it’s been beating for a few mins and has cooled down a little before adding the vanilla.
Once the sound in your beater changes it’s usually time – the marshmallows will be fluffy white and ribbony but still quite fluid. You don’t want them to be totally liquid but you don’t want them to be too stiff – over beating causes dense marshmallows.
You can simply wet the pan before adding the marshmallow or use a non stick spray. To keep the top from drying and getting crusty I use my dusting wand to sprinkle some of the cornstarch/powdered sugar across the top.
When cutting the marshmallows I recommend spraying the knife with non stick spray – This will keep the marshmallows from sticking to the knife and making a mess.
Then you can either toss the marshmallows in the cornstarch/powered sugar mixer by shaking them in a bag of the stuff – or continue sprinkling the mixture on the raw cut sides.
To make these Marshmallows you’ll need
- Gelatin powder
- Mixer, hand or stand – I use my bosch
- 9×13 pan
- non stick spray
- cornstarch/powdered sugar mixture
- Dusting wand
From Scratch Marshmallows
If you love these easy marshmallows as much as I do, I’d love a 5 star review. Be sure to share on social media and tag me if you make it @ashleemariecakes! If you want to stay updated on new recipes sign up for my newsletter and join my Facebook Group!
If you love Marshmallows you’ll love these other from scratch recipes!
English Toffee | Perfect Cheesecake | Brown Butter Madeleines
Homemade Eggnog | Liege Waffles | Hot Chocolate
Connect with Ashlee Marie!
To watch me make these from scratch Marshmallows play the full live cooking video in the recipe card. There should also be a short teaser video auto playing for you. You can find all my cooking show style recipe videos on YouTube, or my short recipe videos on Facebook Watch, or my Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
homemade marshmallows are easy to make and totally worth it.
- 3 Tbsp unflavored gelatin powder
- 1/3 C cold water
- 3 C granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 C water
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 C cornstarch
- 1/3 C powdered sugar
- Soak the gelatin in the 1/3 of a cup of cold water in a small bowl and set aside to swell for 10 minutes.
- In a large saucepan dissolve the sugar in the 1 1/2 C of water over low heat, stirring constantly.
- Add the swollen gelatin and dissolve.
- Raise the temperature and bring to a boil.
- Boil steadily, but not vigorously, for 15 minutes without stirring.
Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl, or mixer and add the vanilla and beat the mixture until very thick and white.
- Spray a 9×13 pan (or 9×9 inch pan for taller marshmallows) with bakers joy and pour the mixture into the pan
let set completely – about 2 hours
- Cut into squares and dust with a mixture of cornstarch and icing sugar.
Recipe Video
Tip- I use my Cake Pop Roller to cut the marshmallow’s quickly, evenly and easily!
Ashlee Marie
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jan
Hi Ashlee
I LOVE your blog… all the recipes I’ve tried are amazing! I’m wanting to try making these marshmallows but noticed that the water measurements in the recipe don’t match up to what is in the directions… wondering what the water measurement is correct?
Ashlee
Thank you for noticing Jan! I changed it right away (but forgot to comment and let you know, LAME!) Let me know what you think!
Renee
I’ve been wanting to try homemade marshmallows. I think you’ve convinced me that I NEED to give it a try!
Ashlee
you DO!!! Everyone should, so much easier than you think and they taste AMAZING, easy to add flavors as well!
Mandy @Mandy's Recipe Box
These look amazing! I’ve never made marshmallows but I think I need to change that. And I don’t understand people who don’t like sweets. Like, I don’t even know how to talk to them.
Ashlee
You so do! They are easy and totally worth it! and I TOTALLY AGREE! “i don’t like sweets”???? crazy talk
Jen
Hello,
I was curious how long do the homemade marshmallows last? Do they have to be refridgerated after they are made?
Ashlee
I wouldn’t refrigerate them (it would dry them out faster), I just leave them in a gallon sized bag and enjoy… but they never last very long since we EAT them so fast. The outside edges tend to get dry and crunchy over time
Gina
Can you then use your homemade marshmallows to make rice krispie treats?
Ashlee
I’ve never tried! but I’m sure you could!
Caroline
How long do the marshmallows take to harden when loaded into pan?
Ashlee
well they don’t get HARD, they are marshmallows after all, soft and squishy. but they do stabilize it takes a few hours to be completely stable
sylviabythesea
How would I make chocolate marshmallows?
Ashlee
I add 1/4 C sifted cocoa when you add the vanilla and beat the marshmallows.
Sara Hamernik
I love your blog and the way you explain! greetings from Argentina!
Jessica
Just a quick note…. Watch closely while boiling gelatin and sugar. Boils over so easily and then your stove is covered in sticky hot goo…. not fun.
Ashlee
agreed – thus the not vigorously – as long as the boiling isn’t heavy it will be just fine. I don’t walk away until I’m sure it’s not growing
Lauren- Hawaii
I just followed your directions and made them with my mom & daughter, they came out great! Although they are still setting & i haven’t attempted to cut them yet. we’ll see how that goes! I was thinking that next time ill just lay out some wax paper and make marshmallow dollops so that there will be no cutting required : ) I found your blog via Pinterest. Thank you!
Ashlee
I use this same recipe to pipe my homemade peeps so you could totally do that – but I do love the fresh cut vs the “skin” on the dried marshmallows
Vanessa Rivas
Do you know how to make marshmallows without gelatin? Thank you.
Ashlee
some marshmallows are made with egg whites – similar to my marshmallow fluff and frosting but personally making full blown marshmallows that way is tricker, so I prefer this way.
Leburta
Can you describe or send me a link to the cake pop roller?
Ashlee
here you go http://amzn.to/2jhCCf1
g smith
I’m trying to follow you on Pinterest but I get an error message. Can you help?
Ashlee
GAH how had no one told me that was broken before! thank you so much https://www.pinterest.com/follow/ashleemariecake
Chayrl
what kind of mixer is that in the peeps video? it looks awesome
Chayrl
Ashlee
it’s a bosch universal mixer
Stephanie
I saw your caramel marshmallows on instagram and want to try making them but don’t see them on your website. I might have just missed them. At what point do you put the caramel on the marshmallows?
Ashlee
the caramel and marshmallows are both on the blog separately but wasn’t happy with them and haven’t put them on the blog together – I will say you start with the caramel first, in the bottom of a 9×13 pan, then when it’s set and cool make and pour the marshmallows on top – once they’ve set turn it out and cut them
Audrey
I am tinting mine light pink and adding a few drops peppermint flavoring for hot cocoa, and making a batch of plain vanilla and a batch also of almond flavored ones. I see endless possibilities, orange, lemon, coconut, You have unleashed my creativity, thanks!
Ashlee
agreed – SO many possibilities i love experimenting with them!
Julie
I made a mistake somewhere. Tried the recipe and my marshmallows are kind of yellow and not fluffy. Do you think my gelatin was old or should I have mixed longer?
Ashlee
I’ve never had gelatin go old – but if they aren’t getting fluffy then it does sound like they need to be beaten much longer
Margarita
I’m so happy I came across you blog. I love making homemade marshmallows! But your recipe is so much easier. I’m going to make some with your recipe tonight. Thank you!
Ashlee
i hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Stephanie
I made this recipe once over the summer and loved how easy it was, and wonderfully fluffy the marshmallows turned out! I just tried to make it again (to use in my fudge), and the sugar burned after only 11 minutes of boiling. Any idea what I did wrong? It’s too late for me to try again tonight, but these were so perfect when I made them before, I really want to troubleshoot this and have another success with this great recipe!
Ashlee
did you change you pan by chance? non stick pans don’t have issues – but stainless steel pans are more sensitive and the sugar burns much easier and faster so you have to keep a closer eye on it. could that be it?
Heather Castronovo
How many marshmallows does this recipe make?
Ashlee
a 9×13 pan – so it depends on what size you cut them – 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches would be 48, 1×1 inches would be 117
Ginger
How long do these stay fresh? Like, could I make them on Friday and they still be good Sunday and Monday?
Ashlee
keep them sealed in a bag – they do dry out – they last a FEW days but Monday would be pushing it
MissKL
Thank you for this! Can I sub agar agar for the gelatin?
Ashlee
I’ve never tried, I’m sure you’d have to mess with the measurements quite a bit to get it to hold properly – but yes it can be done – I just don’t use it so I couldn’t help much
Heidi
I used a cake leveling tool. You know the wire kind? Worked really well!
Ashlee
glad you found something that worked!!!
Shan
Your missing a step! I’m making these right now, following your directions. I immediately added my flavor and began beating my mixture, but it felt off. I put your Peeps video on and you say you remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. That seems like a pretty important step to be missing… can you edit your recipe to include that step? I hope I haven’t screwed up my marshmallows!!!
Ashlee Marie
I actually took that out of the recipe as I found much better results beating it right away – I can’t edit it out of the video sadly but yeah you don’t want to wait
Heidi
I tried roasting these marshmallows but they didn’t roast. I love the recipe, but really want that burnt sugar flavor with my s’mores. Any ideas on roasting these?