Step up your hot cocoa game this winter with fluffy, homemade marshmallows that you can make in all kinds of different shapes and flavors!

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How do you melt away the winter blues? With a hot cup of cocoa and marshmallows, of course!

Over Christmas, I received a hot cocoa gift set. It came with a variety of hot chocolate flavors. So I knew it was the perfect time to finally try making homemade marshmallows! I had attended a class a few years back that demonstrated how to make homemade hot chocolate and marshmallows. We sipped hot chocolate and learned that making marshmallows isn't that hard at all!

Simple, sweet homemade marshmallows!

I used to think that marshmallow making was a long, complicated process. It really isn't! Homemade marshmallows start with water, sugar, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt. The mixture cooks until it reaches soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer. Then, it's mixed with gelatin and, usually, vanilla extract.

I decided to add Torani Caramel Classic syrup instead of vanilla to give my marshmallows a sweet, delicious flavor. Once everything was mixed up, the marshmallow gets poured into a pan, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and refrigerated until solid. Then, you can cut the pan of marshmallows into squares or into shapes with cookie cutters.

I cut my marshmallows with a snowflake cookie cutter and watched them melt into my hot cocoa. Once the marshmallow melted, I was left with a creamy, foamy topping. I became such a fan of the marshmallow foam that I started putting marshmallows into my morning coffee instead of creamer!

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows

Jessica

Step up your hot cocoa game this winter with fluffy, homemade marshmallows that you can make in all kinds of different shapes and flavors!

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Course Dessert, Snack

Ingredients

3 - 1/4 oz. packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup cool water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract or flavoring of your choice
Confectioner’s sugar to sprinkle on top

Instructions

In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment attached, combine the gelatin and water.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and salt over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Then, raise the heat and cook until the mixture reaches soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer, 240 degrees. Remove from heat.
Slowly pour the sugar mix into the gelatin with the mixer on low speed.
Then, increase the speed and whip until the mixture is fluffy, has thickened, and cooled to a lukewarm temperature.
Add the vanilla, or preferred flavoring, towards the end of mixing.
Grease a 9"x13" pan and spread the mixture evenly into the pan. Use wet hands to smooth the marshmallow mixture into the pan.
Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar over the marshmallows before placing them in the fridge to set.
Let them set for 4 hours, or overnight before cutting into cubes with a knife or into shapes using cookie cutters.

Keyword candy recipes, homemade, marshmallow

I made the mistake of storing my marshmallows in the fridge. They got really wet and sticky. They still worked fine in my cocoa and coffee, but the texture had definitely changed. The marshmallows are best when store at room temperature in an airtight container. Layer them between sheets of parchment paper and they should be fine.

You can also freeze homemade marshmallows, but it might end up changing the texture like refrigerating them did.