How to Make Homemade Marshmallows
Whip up fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth homemade marshmallows using bloomed gelatin, boiled sugar syrup, and a steady stand mixer for the ultimate squishy confection.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Stand mixer with whisk attachment
- ✓ Candy thermometer
- ✓ Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
- ✓ 9x13 inch baking pan
- ✓ Parchment paper
- ✓ Silicone spatula
- ✓ Fine-mesh sieve
- ✓ Chef's knife or pizza wheel
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin powder (21g total)
- ✓ 1/2 cup cold water (for blooming)
- ✓ 2 cups granulated sugar
- ✓ 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- ✓ 1/2 cup water (for syrup)
- ✓ 1/4 tsp salt
- ✓ 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- ✓ 1/2 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1/2 cup cornstarch (dusting mix)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Boiling sugar syrup reaches 240°F (soft-ball stage); molten sugar adheres to skin and causes severe burns—never touch or taste test from the pan.
- • Pour hot syrup slowly down the inside edge of the mixer bowl to prevent the spinning whisk from splashing hot liquid onto your hands or face.
- • Lock the stand mixer head securely in place before ramping up to high speed to prevent mechanical instability.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Prep the Pan and Dusting Mix
Whisk equal parts powdered sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Generously coat the bottom and sides of the lined pan with the dusting mix using a fine-mesh sieve, setting the remaining powder aside.
- • Pan is completely opaque with a white powdery coating with no bare parchment showing.
- • Skimping on the dusting mix, which causes the cured marshmallow slab to bond permanently to the parchment.
Bloom the Gelatin
Pour 1/2 cup of cold water directly into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle all three envelopes of unflavored gelatin evenly over the surface of the water, ensuring no dry clumps remain. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 10 minutes to fully hydrate and soften into a thick paste.
- • Gelatin absorbs all liquid and transforms into a firm, translucent, jelly-like mass.
- • Dumping gelatin in a single pile, which leaves dry, unhydrated pockets inside.
Cook the Sugar Syrup to Soft-Ball Stage
Combine the granulated sugar, light corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup of water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves, then clip the candy thermometer to the side and stop stirring. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil and cook until the thermometer reads exactly 240°F (115°C), then immediately pull the pan from the heat.
- • Syrup transitions from cloudy to crystal clear, bubbling vigorously until the thermometer hits 240°F.
- • Stirring the syrup while it boils, which promotes sugar crystallization and creates a grainy marshmallow.
Stream Syrup and Whip to Stiff Ribbons
Turn the stand mixer on low speed to break up the bloomed gelatin. Carefully drizzle the 240°F syrup in a thin, continuous stream down the inside wall of the bowl. Once all syrup is added, gradually increase the mixer speed to high and whip for 10 to 12 minutes until the mixture turns opaque white, triples in volume, and holds thick ribbons; pour in the vanilla extract during the final minute of whipping.
- • Mixture triples in size, looks glossy and pillowy white, and the outside of the mixer bowl feels barely lukewarm.
- • Pouring syrup directly onto the spinning whisk, which flings molten sugar onto the bowl sides where it hardens into useless candy shards.
Spread and Cure the Marshmallow Slab
Lightly oil a silicone spatula and work rapidly to scrape the warm, sticky marshmallow fluff into the prepared pan. Smooth the top into an even layer using the oiled spatula, then dust the entire top surface heavily with your reserved starch-sugar mixture. Leave the pan uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 to 6 hours (or overnight) to set completely.
- • Surface springs back completely when gently pressed with a finger instead of sticking to your skin.
- • Refrigerating the pan to speed up setting, which introduces moisture and makes the marshmallow sticky and wet.
Slice and Coat the Individual Cubes
Run an offset spatula around the edges of the pan and use the parchment overhang to lift the slab onto a cutting board dusted with the powder mix. Lightly oil a large chef's knife or pizza wheel, cut the slab into 1-inch squares, and immediately toss each piece in a bowl with the remaining dusting mix until all sticky cut edges are fully coated. Sift off excess powder before serving or storing in an airtight container.
- • Every side of each cube is matte, non-sticky to the touch, and retains its bouncy shape when squeezed.
- • Cutting without oiling or powdering the blade, causing the knife to drag and tear the marshmallow fibers.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Trippy Kitchen — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Candy thermometer? Instant-read digital food thermometer or cold water drop test
- No Light corn syrup? Golden syrup, glucose syrup, or mild honey
- No Parchment paper? Wax paper or aluminum foil heavily greased and dusted
- No Pizza wheel? Sharp chef's knife or kitchen shears coated in neutral oil