Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (2024)

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ByLauraPublished onUpdated on

A Homemade Marshmallow Recipe made without corn syrup. They’re soft and pillowy, perfect for chocolate covered bite or dropped in a cup of hot cocoa.

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I recently went on a Homemade Marshmallow Recipe spree. Blame it on looking for something fun to make for my kids for Valentine’s Day and to take to Palmer Food Swap.

Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (1)

Easy Homemade Marshmallows

I found it in this fantastic Homemade Marshmallow Recipe made without corn syrup. They’re soft and pillowy, perfect for a chocolate-covered bite or dropped in a cup of hot cocoa.

Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (2)

No Corn Syrup PLEASE!

Plus with no added corn syrup they’re a tiny bit more healthy, right? Please say yes! If you’re looking to ditch the corn syrup in another fabulous old fashioned recipe try my Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup Recipe. It is perfection!

Homemade is Better!

I know you’re thinking WHY BOTHER. Why bother indeed! I do not like marshmallows and usually, I only buy them for summer s’mores.

But these taste so fresh I actually enjoyed one, fine two. And they’re not rubbery like a marshmallow that’s been in a bag for 6 months.

Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (3)

Can you toast a homemade marshmallow?

You CAN toast a homemade marshmallow. You need to age them a bit first though. To do this let them rest uncovered in a dry cupboard somewhere for a MINIMUM of 24 hours. They’re better if you can do 2-3 days though!

Also be sure you’re letting them dry somewhere without flies, bugs, cats, and dogs around. You don’t want anything getting in the marshmallows while they age and dry.

Once they’re tougher they’re ready to toast OR drop in hot cocoa! OR make these Salted Caramel S’Mores for the best s’mores you’ve ever eaten!

Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (4)

Marshmallows Without Corn Syrup

Why? Well, I have found I don’t KEEP corn syrup around. I don’t use it often enough and the last bottle I had turned to a rock in the pantry.

Also, I think it’s gross. It’s just sweet for sweet’s sake and I can do without that. I came up with an easy enough recipe that uses no corn syrup and less gelatine so your chosen flavors come shining through.

Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (5)

Pick your Flavor and Your Color and Your Shape!

Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (6)

The fun part of this recipe, besides watching hot syrup getting whipped to fluffy deliciousness is picking food colors, flavors and shapes for your homemade marshmallows.

Try these fun combos for marshmallow madness fun:

  • Pink Color w/Peppermint-fun in cocoa all winter long
  • Green with mint perfect for St. Patrick’s Day and make them shamrock-shaped
  • Orange with pumpkin Spice for fall and make them little pumpkins
  • Try my Nutella Swirl Marshmallows if you want to try something AMAZING!
Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (7)

About Your ‘Mallows

A few kind words to get you going on the right track:

  • You NEED a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment; these take about 10 minutes of whipping
  • A Candy thermometer to clip on the side of the pan, these need to hit the soft-ball stage before you remove from the heat
  • Prepare your pan ahead of time, so it’s ready to go, dust it with powdered sugar
  • Once you remove the boiling syrup from the stove, let it cool for a bit. Once it’s cooled a little, really 2-3 minutes and you’ve added the salt and vanilla, then drizzle it down the side of the bowl letting it hit the bowl first and run down into the gelatine mix
  • These fit perfectly in an 8×8 pan BUT for thinner marshmallows put them in a 9×13
  • Once it hits 235 you can remove it from the heat but if you leave on PAST 240 it’s going to move to a different stage of candy making that will not work for this homemade marshmallow recipe
Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (8)

Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (9)

Homemade Marshmallow Recipe

4.52 from 37 votes

A Homemade Marshmallow Recipe made without corn syrup. They’re soft and pillowy, perfect for chocolate covered bite or dropped in a cup of hot cocoa.

Course: Dessert Recipes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 64 marshmallows

Calories: 25kcal

Author: Laura

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 packets gelatine powder
  • 1 cup water divided
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract OR scrape a vanilla bean in for EXTRA flavor
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  • add two packets of gelatine powder to the bowl of your KitchenAid, give it a stir and leave it to set

  • pour 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, give it stir or two and then leave it set

  • meanwhile stir the remaining water and the sugar together in a heavy bottom sauce pan

  • bring it slowly to a boil

  • continue boiling until the mixture comes to the soft-ball stage, or between 235˚-240˚ on your candy thermometor

  • once it hits 235˚ you can remove it from the heat and let it cool a little

  • then add your vanilla extra or other flavors, and the salt, be aware that adding things to hot syrup can sauce it to bubble violently

  • cool 1-2 minutes more, you just don’t want to pour boiling syrup straight in the mixer

  • when it’s cooled a bit, no more than 3 minutes total, turn the mixer on low, and start dribbling in the hot syrup

  • make sure it hits the bowl first and then runs into the gelatine

  • once all the syrup is added slowly turn the mixer up to high or 1-2 notches below will be fine too

  • let it run until the mixture is soft, white and fluffy, about 10-15 minutes it should hold a bit of peak when you dab a spoon in it, the top will hold and then fall over

  • meanwhile add 1-2 TBSP powdered sugar to a clean 8×8 pan and shake it around until it well coated

  • at this point you can add some food color if you want and stir it in until it’s mixed

  • scrape the marshmallow fluff into your prepared pan

  • after 4 hours, sift more powdered over the top of marshmallows

  • cut around the edge and use a spatula to encourage it to come out of the pan

  • cut in 8 slices, and then cut across those 8 slices to make 64 squares

  • dust them all with more powdered sugar

  • store in a covered container 3-4 days

Nutrition

Serving: 64marshmallows | Calories: 25kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 0.03g | Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 0.3mg | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 0.2mg | Iron: 0.004mg

Ditch the Corn Syrup with this Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do marshmallows need corn syrup? ›

Corn syrup pulls double duty in a marshmallow. It doesn't crystallize like sugar does, plus it actually reduces the amount of dissolved sugar that crystallizes.

What is the ratio of sugar to corn syrup in marshmallows? ›

This will give the gelatin time to soften, or "bloom." Add one quarter cup of cold water, one half cup of sugar, and one third cup of corn syrup to the saucepan. (This is a 3:2 ratio of sugar to corn syrup.) Put the lid on the saucepan and turn the stove to medium-high heat.

What makes the sugar in a marshmallow become fluffy? ›

Air bubbles make marshmallows light and fluffy

They contain a lot of tiny air bubbles which are surrounded and stabilized by sugar and proteins from egg whites and gelatin. Since air doesn't weigh much, adding it into a product decreases its density. That is, the same volume of that product will weigh less.

Why isn t my marshmallow mixture thickening? ›

The key to getting the perfect marshmallow consistency is in the mixing. As you mix all the hot ingredients together, you inherently add air to the recipe. This air gives your marshmallow its fluff. And as more and more air enters the mix, the gelatin and sugar cool and set.

What can replace corn syrup? ›

The best corn syrup substitutes for baking are brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave, tapioca syrup, honey, golden syrup, and black treacle. Whether you're avoiding using corn syrup, are allergic to corn, or don't have it on hand, there are a ton of substitutes for corn syrup to try instead.

What is the purpose of the corn syrup in this recipe? ›

Corn syrup keeps sugar from crystallizing, a.k.a. hard sugar lumps forming in your otherwise smooth syrup, which is why you'll often see it in homemade candy or caramel recipes. Whether you're making brittle or butterscotch, adding corn syrup along with the sugar results in smooth, never-grainy caramel.

Do homemade marshmallows taste better? ›

While making homemade marshmallows is admittedly more time consuming than just buying a bag from the store, they truly put the store-bought version to shame. Far better in both texture and flavor, homemade marshmallows are 100% worth the effort and time it takes to make them–I promise!

How long do homemade marshmallows last? ›

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Do Jet Puffed marshmallows have corn syrup? ›

From the Package. CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, DEXTROSE, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, WATER, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF GELATIN, TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE (WHIPPING AID), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BLUE 1.

Why are my homemade marshmallows not fluffy? ›

Even just a couple degrees too hot or too cool makes all the difference. If the sugar isn't cooked hot enough, they'll be mushy (and possibly contribute to the "soggy" factor mentioned above). If the syrup is cooked too hot, they'll set too firm and chewy and lack volume.

Why add egg white to marshmallows? ›

Folding whipped egg whites into the whipped sugar syrup-gelatin mixture results in lighter, fluffier marshmallows.

Can a diabetic eat marshmallows? ›

One study suggests marshmallow may lower blood sugar levels. So people with diabetes should talk to their doctors before taking marshmallow.

Can you over mix marshmallows? ›

If you mix too long, the marshmallow becomes stubborn. Instead of being a flowing goo, it is already resilient enough to resist your attempts to spread it evenly across your pan. If you overwhip and the gelatin sets quicker than anticipated, your marshmallow will not spread as easily as you hoped.

Why do they put corn syrup in everything? ›

Corn syrup is a food syrup which is made from the starch of corn/maize and contains varying amounts of sugars: glucose, maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on the grade. Corn syrup is used in foods to soften texture, add volume, prevent crystallization of sugar, and enhance flavor.

How important is corn syrup? ›

This is essential for achieving the smooth, clear texture that is characteristic of hard candies, caramels, and other confections. 2. Provides Smooth Texture: Corn syrup helps to create a smooth and glossy texture in candies, ensuring that they are not grainy or gritty. 3.

Why are marshmallows coated in cornstarch? ›

As the gelatin cools and sets up, the 'mallows will firm up, becoming sliceable. The reason marshmallows in a bag don't stick together and form a sugar-monster glob is that they're coated in a thin dusting of cornstarch.

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