Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (2024)

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Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows – How to make homemade vanilla bean marshmallows. Once you eat a homemade marshmallow it’s hard to go back to the bag.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (1)

If you have ever eaten a homemade marshmallow, it is hard to eat one that comes in a plastic bag from the grocery store ever again. They are so soft and chewy and full of vanilla flavor.

I might have indulged in one of those delicacies this evening. I was too lazy to go outside and turn on the grill, so like a good Girl Scout, I came up with an alternate plan for toasting my marshmallow. I used my kitchen torch on it, and it was so perfect, that I might never make s’mores outside ever again. Speaking of which, have you tried makingS’mores BarsorS’mores Cookies?

The other day, I was late to teach my class (what else is new?), and I apologized saying that I was late because I was finishing making these marshmallows. My co-teacher looked at me as if I had 3 heads.

“Why on Earth would you do such a thing? I didn’t even know that you could make a marshmallow”, she replied.

I thought about this for a moment. Why would I make a marshmallow from scratch? Because I can. Sometimes I make things just to see if I can do it. The more challenging the better.

Why You Will Love These Marshmallows

These marshmallows are incredible, and hand to heart, use these for s’mores, and you will think that you have died and gone to heaven. This is why:

  • They are fresher: Homemade marshmallows are made from scratch, so they are fresher and more delicious than store-bought marshmallows, which can be stale and lacking in flavor.
  • You can make these in any flavor: But the vanilla bean is my favorite. There is something almost sexy about seeing teeny, black flecks of vanilla bean in all of that pure white goodness. To explore the wonders of marshmallows further, check out ourCinnamon Vanilla Bean Marshmallowsrecipe.
  • They are healthier: Homemade marshmallows are generally healthier than store-bought marshmallows, as you can use natural sweeteners, such as honey or maple syrup, instead of processed sugar. You can also use healthier ingredients, such as coconut milk or almond milk, to make the marshmallows.
  • They are fun to make: Making marshmallows at home is a fun and rewarding experience. It’s a great way to spend time in the kitchen, and it can be a fun activity to do with kids. Plus, the satisfaction of creating something delicious from scratch is hard to beat.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Ingredients

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (2)
  • 3 packets of unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 vanilla bean (seeded)

How to Make – The Steps

Step 1: Pour 1/2 cup of water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the packages of gelatin over the water. Give it a whisk. Let the mixture sit while you make the sugar syrup.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (3)

Step 2: Combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, do not stir this mixture.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (4)

Step 3: Once the sugar dissolves, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (5)

Step 4: Put the gelatin mixture and the scraped vanilla seeds into the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (6)

Step 5: Slowly pour the sugar mixture into the mixer while on low speed.

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Step 6: Whip on high speed for 10 to 15 minutes. It will have gained volume and turned bright white. Add the vanilla.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (8)

Step 7: This is the most important thing to remember, dust the bottom of a 9×13 pan with powdered sugar. Be very generous with the sugar, or you will never get the marshmallow out of the pan. Trust me on this one. Pour the marshmallow out and smooth.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (9)

Step 8: Let the pan sit out, uncovered, overnight.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (10)

Step 9: The next day, cut it out using a sharp knife, or cookie cutters. Dip the cookie cutters into powdered sugar so that you can get them out. Also, dust the marshmallows again (especially the sides) so they do not stick together.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (11)

These are amazing in a cup of hot chocolate.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (12)

Or just plain

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (13)

How to Store Homemade Marshmallows

These homemade marshmallows have no conservatives so you need to be careful when storing them to ensure they stay fresh for as long as possible. Here are some easy guidelines to store them:

  • At room temperature: they will keep for about 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container. For a twist on the classic treat, you might want to try makingCinnamon Vanilla Bean MarshmallowsorChai Latte Marshmallows.
  • In the refrigerator: they will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
  • In the freezer: they will keep for about 3 months in the freezer. Place the marshmallows in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.

Tips And Tricks to Make Perfect Homemade Marshmallows

Making perfect marshmallows isn’t complicated but you are almost guaranteed to be successful if you follow those simple tricks:

  1. Use the right ingredients: I would say this is true for any recipe but make sure to use high-quality ingredients, it always leads to significantly better results.
  2. Use homemade syrup: To make the marshmallows, you will need to use a sugar syrup. And the good news is that you can make it yourself by heating the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Make sure to stir the mixture constantly, and use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature. The syrup is ready when it reached 240 F.
  3. Soften the gelatin: The gelatin needs to sit for a few minutes in a bowl with water, and then be microwaved for a few seconds to melt. You can do that while the syrup is cooking.
  4. Dont rush when mixing the ingredients: You will need at least 10 minutes in a mixer on high speed.
  5. Dust marshmallows with sugar: After cutting them, make sure to dust the marshmallows (especially the sides) so they don’t stick together.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (14)

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

bakedbree

5 from 2 votes

Servings 24

Calories 90 kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 packets unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 vanilla bean seeded

Instructions

  • Pour 1/2 cup of water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the packages of gelatin over the water. Give it a whisk. Let the mixture sit while you make the sugar syrup.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (15)

  • Combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, do not stir this mixture.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (16)

  • Once the sugar dissolves, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (17)

  • Put the gelatin mixture and the scraped vanilla seeds into the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (18)

  • Slowly pour the sugar mixture into the mixer while on low speed.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (19)

  • Whip on high speed for 10 to 15 minutes. It will have gained volume and turned bright white. Add the vanilla.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (20)

  • This is the most important thing to remember, dust the bottom of a 9×13 pan with powdered sugar. Be very generous with the sugar, or you will never get the marshmallow out of the pan. Trust me on this one. Pour the marshmallow out and smooth.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (21)

  • Let the pan sit out, uncovered overnight.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (22)

  • The next day, cut out using a sharp knife, or cookie cutters. Dip the cookie cutters into powdered sugar so that you can get them out. Also, dust the marshmallows again (especially the sides) so they do not stick together.

    Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (23)

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSodium: 34mgPotassium: 1mgSugar: 23gCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.01mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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.

What are the ingredients in marshmallows? ›

Marshmallows are made of sugar, corn syrup (sugar), water and gelatin. They can have other things added for flavor and color, but that's it. The magic is how the ingredients are combined. Marshmallows are a scaffolding of sugar and gelatin that stays rigid enough to become a network of stable air bubbles.

What makes marshmallows fluffy? ›

Creating Fluff and Sweetness

To make a marshmallow, you whip air into the gel between its melting and solidifying stages so that the gel grabs the air and enmeshes it in a tangled 3D polymer, Hartel explains.

How long will homemade marshmallows keep? ›

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.

Are homemade marshmallows better than store bought? ›

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 are marshmallows made step by step? ›

How to Make Marshmallows
  1. Mix gelatin with water, set aside.
  2. Over the stovetop, melt sugar/corn syrup with water, then heat to 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Pour sugar mixture into the bowl with gelatin and beat until the batter is thick. Pour into a pan and let sit for 6 hours.
  4. Dust with powdered sugar and slice 'em up!
Nov 25, 2020

What does cornstarch do in marshmallows? ›

That cornstarch will absorb all of the sticky moisture on the surface of your marshmallows, which will cause them to lose their syrupy texture and smoothly separate from each other. You won't ruin the great sweet taste of the marshmallow either since cornstarch has a neutral flavor.

What's the difference between marshmallows and marshmallow fluff? ›

Unlike marshmallows which have a firm and spongey consistency, marshmallow cream doesn't firm up because it's made without gelatin. The most popular brand of marshmallow creme, Marshmallow Fluff, originated in the early 20th century.

How do you keep homemade marshmallows from sticking? ›

Just pour a little confectioners' (powdered) sugar or cornstarch into the bag, close and shake, shake, shake until the marshmallows are coated. Most of the marshmallows will fall apart, but there might be a few that remain stubborn, and you should be able to gently pull them apart.

Why are my homemade marshmallows wet? ›

It's exactly your deviation which caused the problem. Stiff meringue weeps - the foam slowly loses the egg white moisture. When you mix cornstarch in it, the cornstarch absorbs the water droplets before they have the chance to make a big wet spot. So if you use the marshmallow mix, you won't have this problem.

Do homemade marshmallows go bad? ›

Keep them in an airtight container with a little extra confectioners' sugar. They should last for up to 3 weeks at room temperature. Like many candies, the enemy of marshmallows is moisture, including humidity. Prolonged exposure to heat can also make them melt or otherwise deteriorate.

Can I freeze homemade marshmallows? ›

Simply seal your homemade or store-bought marshmallows in a bag and throw them in the freezer. Next time you're serving hot chocolate, take out what you need—they'll be thawed within 2 minutes. Now you'll never have stale marshmallows again… with that thought, bring on the hot chocolate!

How do you puff up marshmallows? ›

Here's what you do: Take a marshmallow Peep (or a regular marshmallow) and place it on a lightly greased or parchment-lined plate. Microwave it on high for no more than 45 seconds. Watch your marshmallow Peep puff and expand as it does its best Bruce Banner-meets-Jabba the Hutt impression!

Can you overmix marshmallows? ›

But don't slack off, because too few or too many strokes will mess up your marshmallow. "Overmixing takes away from the fluffy texture," Barbera says. "Underwhipping is a big problem," Hergatt adds. "You want the proper aeration so that it sets nice and pillowy."

How do you keep marshmallows soft and fresh? ›

To keep marshmallows fresh, set the opened marshmallows in a container with a tight-fitting lid or in a freezer-safe, Ziploc plastic bag. Avoid packing too many marshmallows into the container or bag because it will squish them together. Seal the container or bag securely. Then store the bag in the freezer.

References

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