Makes about 12 treats (depending on the size of your cookie cutter)
Making your favorite store-bought treats at home is fun and tasty! Marshmallows are easy once you get the hang of it. Just make sure to have a thermometer handy. If you don’t like the sugar coating on your treats, they’re also delicious dipped in chocolate!
Ingredients
- 3/4 oz (3 tablespoons; 3 envelopes) powdered gelatin
- 1/2 cup very cold water
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups colored granulated sugar (see note)
Directions
- Stir the gelatin into the cold water in a stainless-steel bowl. Set aside. Oil a 9-inch square baking pan, a rubber spatula, and an offset palette knife.
- Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, honey, and water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stop stirring when the mixture begins to bubble. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 250°F. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot syrup into a 5-quart mixer bowl. Allow to cool undisturbed until a thermometer in the syrup reads 210°F, about 15 minutes.
- While the syrup is cooling, melt the gelatin over a hot water bath.
- When the syrup reaches 210°F, add the melted gelatin. Whip on the highest speed until very light, about 6 minutes. Whip in the vanilla extract.
- Remove the marshmallow from the bowl using an oiled rubber spatula and place in the prepared baking pan. Spread in an even layer with the oiled offset palette knife.
- Allow to set at room temperature for at least 2 hours. The marshmallows are easier to cut if they set overnight.
- Remove the slab of marshmallow from the pan and place on a piece of parchment paper, oiled side-down.
- Cut into shapes using lightly oiled cookie cutters.
- Dredge the marshmallows in the colored sugar to prevent them from sticking together.
- Store in an airtight container.
Chef’s Note: To make colored sugar, place granulated sugar in a jar or lidded container. Add liquid food coloring (start with 1 drop at a time), cover, and shake until the food coloring is completely dispersed. Add more coloring for darker pigments. If making assorted colors, you’ll need about 1 cup per color.
