Simple Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How are marshmallows made step by step? ›

Marshmallows are made of sugar, corn syrup (sugar), water and gelatin. They can have other things added for flavor and color, but that's it. The magic is how the ingredients are combined. Marshmallows are a scaffolding of sugar and gelatin that stays rigid enough to become a network of stable air bubbles.

Even just a couple degrees too hot or too cool makes all the difference. If the sugar isn't cooked hot enough, they'll be mushy (and possibly contribute to the "soggy" factor mentioned above). If the syrup is cooked too hot, they'll set too firm and chewy and lack volume.

Creating Fluff and Sweetness

To make a marshmallow, you whip air into the gel between its melting and solidifying stages so that the gel grabs the air and enmeshes it in a tangled 3D polymer, Hartel explains.

Originally made by whipping the sap of the plant and sweetening it, modern marshmallows are made from sweetened egg whites or melted gelatin whipped to an almost stiff peak.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

In a Sealed Bag With Bread

Set the bag away from direct light and in a cool, dry place. The bread pulls moisture out of the air and away from the marshmallows to keep them fresher for longer. Get more tips about baking cookies on our Baking Tips Pinterest board.

The marshmallow needs to be whipped till it makes stiff peaks. At this stage, the marshmallow can hold a soft shape for a moment before collapsing back into itself. If the mixture cannot do this, it will be too runny. If you mix past this point, you'll have a thick, rigid that doesn't spread easily in your pan.

Powdered Sugar: Also sometimes referred to as confectioner's sugar, it is used with the cornstarch to coat the marshmallows. Cornstarch: Paired with the powdered sugar, it is used to coat the marshmallows and keeps them from sticking to each other (and everything else!).

Unlike marshmallows which have a firm and spongey consistency, marshmallow cream doesn't firm up because it's made without gelatin. The most popular brand of marshmallow creme, Marshmallow Fluff, originated in the early 20th century.

How do you keep homemade marshmallows from sticking? ›

Just pour a little confectioners' (powdered) sugar or cornstarch into the bag, close and shake, shake, shake until the marshmallows are coated. Most of the marshmallows will fall apart, but there might be a few that remain stubborn, and you should be able to gently pull them apart.

Marshmallows are a sweet treat that many of us enjoy with hot chocolate, on top of sweet potatoes, or even shaped into peeps at Easter time. But these fluffy white puffs aren't very nutritious. Marshmallow ingredients usually include just sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin.

Marshmallows are made from sugar, water, and gelatin. Gelatin is usually made by boiling bone and hide from cattle and pigs. Hooves were also used historically, but not so much now.

The original ancient marshmallows were made from the root of the marshmallow plant and were vegan. Most modern marshmallows are made from gelatin, which is made from animal byproducts like skin, bones, and connective tissue. Some modern marshmallows might be made from carrageenan instead and might be vegan.

Marshmallows start with cooked, dissolved sugar, water, and an intense whipping process that pushes air into little pockets in the sugar solution. It's essentially the same technique you'd use to make fluffy scrambled eggs or whipped cream. But in this case, it's all about sugar, gelatin, and air.