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homemade marshmallows

Homemade Marshmallows

Simple homemade marshmallows you can make in minutes. They’re soft, fluffy, and made with real ingredients you can actually feel good about.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 18 servings

Equipment

  • 1 small saucepan
  • 1 glass dish
  • 1 candy thermometer
  • parchment paper
  • Stand mixer

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp bovine gelatin
  • 1 1/2 cups cold water, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups cane sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder or powdered sugar (for coating)

Instructions
 

  • Dust your glass baking dish with arrowroot powder or powdered sugar, alternatively, you can line it with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup cold water. Sprinkle the beef gelatin over top, set aside to let mixture bloom (soften) for 10 minutes.
  • Place the remaining 1 cup of water and 1 1/2 cups cane sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved.
  • Keep mixture over the heat until the sugar has reached 240F, use your candy thermometer to check it. Then carefully remove and pour into your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. I use the Bosch Universal mixer.
  • Add the gelatin mixture that was set aside earlier. Beat on LOW speed for 2 minutes, then increased speed to HIGH for 10 minutes, until doubled in volume and super fluffy. Add the vanilla half way through whipping.
  • Pour into the pan lined with arrowroot powder, (or parchment paper) and smooth out with a spatula. You'll have to do this step quickly, as the mixture sets fast. Set aside for 2-3 hours, until set. Slice into individual marshmallows to enjoy!

Notes

  • Gelatin needs to soak in cold water for 5–10 minutes to fully hydrate and dissolve properly when heated later. Skipping or rushing this step can lead to lumpy or rubbery marshmallows.
  • Under-whipping means your mixture won’t hold its shape; over-whipping can make it stiff and hard to spread into the pan. Aim for a glossy, thick mixture that holds soft peaks and has cooled to near room temp.
  • Homemade marshmallow sets fast. If you don’t move quickly after whipping, it can become difficult to spread evenly or mold cleanly.
  • A stand mixer is ideal, as the whipping takes 8–12 minutes. Under-mixing or burning out a weaker mixer is common.