These homemade mini marshmallows are sweet, fluffy, and so delicious in hot chocolate or as s'mores! They're such a fun, easy holiday recipe!
This homemade marshmallow recipe is surprisingly easy to make. All you need are a handful of ingredients and about half an hour to spare! They set up so soft & fluffy, you'll want to eat them on their own, but I highly recommend adding them to a cup of rich hot chocolate or even sandwiched between graham crackers and chocolate for the ultimate s'mores recipe.
These mini marshmallows would also make the perfect holiday treat gift! Pair with some hot cocoa mix and give to a friend!
For other holiday recipes, try Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies, Salted Caramel Christmas Linzer Cookies, Gingerbread Bundt Cake, and Overnight Cinnamon Star Bread.
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Why you'll love these homemade marshmallows
- Soft & Fluffy Texture: The texture of these mini marshmallows are so soft & fluffy, they just melt in your mouth. And you know that half-melted gooeyness when they start dissolving into hot chocolate?! SO good.
- Customizable Flavor: The fun part about homemade marshmallows is that you can flavor or color them however you'd like! Add peppermint extract, swirl in melted chocolate, or color with pink food gel! The options are endless.
- Quick & Easy Method: This recipe is surprisingly easy! Just a few steps with the stovetop and electric mixer, then pour it all into a pan and set for a few hours. Make them in the morning, and they'll be ready for your nightly hot cocoa 🙂
Ingredient Notes
Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below. Here you'll find notes on why I chose certain ingredients, as well as ingredient substitutions.
- Gelatin Powder: You'll need about 1 packet of unflavored gelatin powder.
- Granulated Sugar: You'll need one cup of granulated sugar.
- Light Corn Syrup: I find that light corn syrup is the best liquid sugar for making homemade marshmallows. Others have had success with using agave or honey, so if you'd like to try an alternative to light corn syrup, go ahead, but no promises it'll work!
- Vanilla Paste: To get the best vanilla flavor, as well as the beautiful vanilla specks, use vanilla paste!
- Powdered Sugar: You'll need a little bit of powdered sugar for dusting when the marshmallows are ready to be cut.
Kitchen Equipment
Step by Step Instructions
Homemade marshmallows are not as difficult to make as you'd think! The most important step is actually prepping the pan correctly so the marshmallows don't stick. Be sure to liberally grease the parchment paper with softened butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. The actual process of making the marshmallows only requires a saucepan and an electric mixer. Just keep in mind that they need to set for a few hours before serving!
STEP 1: Line a square pan with parchment paper. Liberally grease the parchment paper with softened butter, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
STEP 2: Bloom the gelatin by sprinkling it in an even layer on top of the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Heat the sugar, light corn syrup, salt, and water in a small saucepan, and bring to 240 degrees F. While mixing on low speed, slowly pour into the bloomed gelatin, then mix on high speed until thick and cool.
STEP 3: Pour into the prepared pan and allow to set at room temperature for at least four hours or overnight.
STEP 4: Cut into mini marshmallows, toss in a bowl with some powdered sugar, and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Be sure to line and grease your square pan before you start making the marshmallows. If you wait until it's ready to be poured in the pan, it may become far too thick and sticky to properly pour into the pan.
- Liberally grease the parchment paper with softened butter. I have had many incidents where my marshmallows have stuck to the paper.
- When spreading the marshmallow in the pan, it will need to be coaxed into the corners. It starts to thicken and set quickly, so you'll need to work fast!
- This recipe can easily be doubled, so if you'd like thicker marshmallows, you can make a double batch in a square pan, or in a 9x13 inch pan for thinner marshmallows.
FAQ
Yes! If you'd like thicker marshmallows, you can make a double batch in a square pan, or in a 9x13 inch pan for thinner marshmallows.
I find that light corn syrup is the best liquid sugar for making homemade marshmallows. Others have had success with using agave or honey, so if you'd like to try an alternative to light corn syrup, go ahead, but no promises it'll work!
Yes! The fun part about homemade marshmallows is that you can flavor or color them however you'd like! Add peppermint extract, swirl in melted chocolate, or color with pink food gel! The options are endless.
Storage Tips
Store these marshmallows in an air-tight container for about 1 week.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other holiday recipes to try
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Homemade Mini Marshmallows
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 81 mini marshmallows 1x
- Category: marshmallows
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These homemade mini marshmallows are sweet, fluffy, and so delicious in hot chocolate or as s'mores! They're such a fun, easy holiday recipe!
Ingredients
- 56g (¼ cup) + 56g (¼ cup) water
- 8g (1 packet) unflavored gelatin powder
- 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 88g (¼ cup + ½ tbsp) light corn syrup
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp vanilla paste
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper. Liberally grease the parchment paper with softened butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the 56g (¼ cup) of water and sprinkle the gelatin on top in an even layer. Set aside to bloom.
- In a small saucepan, combine the other 56g (¼ cup) of water, granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and salt.
- Heat the saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves.
- Raise the heat to medium-high, and without stirring, bring it to 240 degrees F.
- While the mixer is on low speed, slowly drizzle the hot sugar over the gelatin.
- Once all of the hot sugar is poured in, increase the mixer speed to high and mix until thick and cool (about 100 degrees F). Add the vanilla paste while it is mixing.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared square pan and spread into an even layer.
- Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Allow to set at room temperature for at least four hours or overnight.
- Once set, turn the marshmallows out onto a surface dusted with powdered sugar. Sprinkle more powdered sugar on top, then cut marshmallows into 1 inch squares, and toss in a bowl of powdered sugar.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to line and grease your square pan before you start making the marshmallows. If you wait until it's ready to be poured in the pan, it may become far too thick and sticky to properly pour into the pan.
- Liberally grease the parchment paper with softened butter. I have had many incidents where my marshmallows have stuck to the paper.
- When spreading the marshmallow in the pan, it will need to be coaxed into the corners. It starts to thicken and set quickly, so you'll need to work fast!
- This recipe can easily be doubled, so if you'd like thicker marshmallows, you can make a double batch in a square pan, or in a 9x13 inch pan for thinner marshmallows.
Keywords: homemade marshmallows, mini marshmallows, marshmallow recipe
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out!