Homemade Marshmallows
These tender, vanilla-scented Homemade Marshmallows bear little resemblance to their store-bought counterparts. Enjoy them with your favorite hot cocoa.
Over the past few years, I’ve seen lots of things in specialty food stores labeled as “artisan” products. It’s usually a product made in small batches and something out of the ordinary.
Like all the different “artisan” breads — olive loaves, rosemary and garlic loaves, focaccia…things like that. In other words, stuff you’d make at home with your own two hands if you had the time and know-how.
They’re lovely products and you can tell they’ve been lovingly produced. The one thing they all have in common, however, is a huge price!
Save Money and Make Your Own
I recently saw a company that was selling “artisan” marshmallows. They were truly beautiful and I’m sure quite tasty, but you’d better be willing to open up your wallet to purchase them.
I passed them by because I know just how easy and cheap (yes, cheap!) homemade marshmallows are to make. And they taste so much better and so different from the bags of marshmallows you buy at your grocery store.
My recipe for Homemade Marshmallows comes from the book “Better Than Store-Bought.”
Better Than Store Bought
I love this book so much. It’s copyrighted 1979 and out of print now, but you can occasionally find one on eBay. It has recipes for things you never knew you could, or would want to, make at home. Things like marshmallows.
Also, vanilla extract, lollipops, graham crackers, various liqueurs, jams and jellies, corn chips, all kinds of breads, different cheeses, even fresh sausage. And the authors have a wonderfully dry sense of humor. For instance, here’s their introduction to the marshmallow recipe:
“Among the oldest living citizens are some who claim to recall marshmallows that tasted like marshmallows–tender, vanilla-scented pillows that melted in the mouth. If you have an electric mixer, such marshmallows are ridiculously easy to re-create and marvelously cheap.”
Hee hee…”oldest living citizens.” These ladies just crack me up.
About now you’re asking yourself why in the world would anybody want to make marshmallows or cheese or fresh sausage when you can go right down to the grocery store and buy all you want. Well, for me there are two reasons.
The first being the challenge. I absolutely revel in the fact that I can actually make a marshmallow. The accomplishment itself is a reward.
Secondly, I know exactly what is in that marshmallow, or cheese or sausage. I know that there are no preservatives and nothing but pure, wholesome ingredients. Plus making your own is usually much less expensive than purchasing retail, and it’s fun!
Make up a batch of these lovely marshmallows and then tell me how you think they compare to the rubbery stuff from the grocery store.
How to Make Homemade Marshmallows
Sift the cornstarch and confectioner’s (or powdered vanilla) sugar into a bowl. Lightly grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and sugar mixture into it. Tilt the pan in all directions to coat the sides as well as the bottom. Leave any excess in the pan.
Sprinkle the gelatin into the water in a small saucepan and let it soak for 5 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and stir over moderately low heat until the gelatin and sugar dissolve.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the gelatin mixture, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla and beat for 15 minutes on high speed, until peaks form. You can do this with a handheld mixer as well. I’ve done it. You just have to stand there for 15 minutes holding the mixer :-)
Spread the fluffy mixture in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Leave for 2 hours, or until set.
With a wet knife, cut the marshmallow mixture into quarters and loosen it around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining cornstarch and sugar mixture on a baking sheet or parchment paper and invert the marshmallow blocks onto it. Cut each quarter into nine pieces and roll each one in the starch and sugar making sure to coat each cut edge. I use a pizza cutter to make quick work of the cutting.
Place the marshmallows on a cake rack covered with paper towels and let them stand overnight to dry the surface slightly. Store airtight; the marshmallows will keep for a month.
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
WE’RE ON FACEBOOK, TOO!
If you’d like to hang out with lots of other Southern Comfort Food lovers, make sure to join my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group.
Homemade Marshmallows
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅕ cup confectioner’s sugar or, preferably, powdered Vanilla Sugar
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Sift the cornstarch and confectioner’s (or powdered vanilla) sugar into a bowl.
- Lightly grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and sugar mixture into it. Tilt the pan in all directions to coat the sides as well as the bottom. Leave any excess in the pan.
- Srinkle the gelatin into the water in a small saucepan and let soak for 5 minutes.
- Add the granulated sugar and stir over moderately low heat until the gelatin and sugar dissolve.
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the gelatin mixture, corn syrup, salt and vanilla and beat for 15 minutes on high speed, until peaks form.
- Spread the fluffy mixture in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Leave for 2 hours, or until set.
- With a wet knife, cut the marshmallow mixture into quarters and loosen around the edges.
- Sprinkle the remaining cornstarch and sugar mixture on a baking sheet and invert the marshmallow blocks onto it. Cut each quarter into nine pieces and roll each one in the starch and sugar.
- Place the marshmallows on a cake rack covered with paper towels and let them stand overnight to dry the surface slightly. Store airtight; the marshmallows will keep for a month.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I haven’t made homemade marshmallows in way to long. These look awesome!!
They’re so totally different from purchased ones, aren’t they Sues? I like them plain or dipped in white chocolate and toasted coconut…yum.
a friend made some and she added hot spices to them………….. they were wonderful and so different
Hi,
Ho much is there in an envelope of unflavored gelatin? I’m from Holland so we probably have different products and therefor different weighing bags… Thanks so much, I’m looking forward to making them!
Eveline, each envelope contains 1/4 ounce of powdered gelatin.
What is the equivalence to a pack of marshmallows??? Does this recipe equal 16oz or 10oz or how many cups? Thanks for showing me a cheaper alternative saves me $ =)
Kristin – Sorry I can’t answer your question. I’ve never weighed these marshmallows. You could make a batch and put them on a kitchen scale to find out.
Somewhere in all my recipes searches I have even seen one ..chocolate flavored. I think it had cocoa in the mix!!
Around Christmas time this past year I made my first batch of homemade marshmallows, and now I’m hooked! Although the rich vanilla flavor from real extract was obviously a huge plus, it was the amazingly fluffy texture that really did it for me. I recently made a batch with coconut extract and tossed them in unsweetened toasted coconut when they were firm – they were ten times better than any store-bought toasted coconut marshmallows!
Aren’t they the best? You don’t ever want store-bought marshmallows after you’ve made your own.
Do you ever color them? How would I do that?
Can’t wait to try these!
Yes! Just put 2 or 3 drops of food color in while they’re mixing. Adjust the amount to get the color you want.