Making homemade marshmallows is easier than you’d think! These Peppermint Marshmallows look gorgeous, taste 100x better than store-bought marshmallows and make a great holiday gift. Be sure to save a few to enjoy in your hot cocoa!

Making your own marshmallows is easier than you'd think! These Peppermint Marshmallows look gorgeous, taste 100x better than store bought, and make a great holiday gift. Be sure to save a few to enjoy in your hot cocoa!

Today, we’re making marshmallows. Beautiful, pillowy peppermint-flavored marshmallows that have a gorgeous and vivid red swirl on the top of them. They seem hard to make, right? Most people are surprised by the feat of homemade marshmallows. They’ll be even more impressed when they sink their teeth into the sweet, pillowy puffs of goodness that are incomparable to their store-bought counterparts.

I tackled homemade marshmallows a while back, and have posted a chocolate malt marshmallow and a cake batter marshmallow. Every time I make these fluffy delights, I wonder why I don’t make them more often.

Besides watching for your candy thermometer to reach a certain temperature while you melt down the sugar, and waiting for the mixture to whip into gorgeous white fluff, this recipe isn’t too difficult.

Making your own marshmallows is easier than you'd think! These Peppermint Marshmallows look gorgeous, taste 100x better than store bought, and make a great holiday gift. Be sure to save a few to enjoy in your hot cocoa!

How to make Peppermint Marshmallows:

You start by combining powdered gelatin and water. Once you’ve mixed it up, you’ll wait until it gels. It will turn super thick and gelatinous while it sits in just a few minutes.

While it settles, you’ll prepare the sugar syrup, with just sugar, corn syrup, and water.

The corn syrup in the mixture helps ensure the sugar doesn’t crystallize, and the water helps to make sure the sugar doesn’t burn before it reaches the right temperature. The syrup is left relatively undisturbed once it comes to a boil and a candy thermometer is clipped on. Don’t leave the kitchen though – once the water boils out, the temperature rises quickly.

When the sugar syrup is done, you’ll drizzle the mixture into the gelatin into a stand mixer running on high. Let it mix on high speed for 10 to 12 minutes.

Once fluffy, add your flavoring extracts (peppermint and vanilla, in this case), and pour into the pan.

To get those beautiful red swirls, we drop on red food coloring and quickly swirl it in with a toothpick. Let the marshmallows settle for a few hours, preferably overnight, and then make lots of hot cocoa to enjoy them with!

Making your own marshmallows is easier than you'd think! These Peppermint Marshmallows look gorgeous, taste 100x better than store bought, and make a great holiday gift. Be sure to save a few to enjoy in your hot cocoa!

How to use your homemade peppermint marshmallows

These marshmallows would be good in cocoa, coffee, or dunked in chocolate.

You can cut them into whatever cute shapes you want and you have the perfect gift. I love tying them up in a little bag or box and gifting along with homemade hot cocoa mix!

I’m sort of obsessed with these. Don’t be surprised if you see more homemade marshmallows on here! The endless flavors are calling my name.

Making your own marshmallows is easier than you'd think! These Peppermint Marshmallows look gorgeous, taste 100x better than store bought, and make a great holiday gift. Be sure to save a few to enjoy in your hot cocoa!

More homemade marshmallow recipes…

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Homemade marshmallows are a super delicious, wonderful alternative to the store-bought ones – and you’ll impress everyone!

Homemade Chocolate Malt Marshmallows

These homemade Chocolate Malt Marshmallows are a delicious twist on traditional marshmallows, and you’ll love making them yourself! These are great in s’mores.

Homemade Cake Batter Marshmallows are irresistible! These marshmallows are way better than their store bought counterparts. Pair with white chocolate for a delicious s'mores.

Cake Batter Marshmallows

Homemade Cake Batter Marshmallows are irresistible! These marshmallows are way better than their store-bought counterparts. Pair with white chocolate for a delicious s’mores.

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Making your own marshmallows is easier than you'd think! These Peppermint Marshmallows look gorgeous, taste 100x better than store bought, and make a great holiday gift. Be sure to save a few to enjoy in your hot cocoa!

Peppermint Marshmallows

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 18 reviews
  • Author: Rachel Conners
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: About 64 marshmallows 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Making homemade marshmallows is easier than you’d think! These Peppermint Marshmallows look gorgeous, taste 100x better than store-bought marshmallows and make a great holiday gift. Be sure to save a few to enjoy in your hot cocoa!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 envelopes (0.75 oz unflavored gelatin)
  • ½ cup cold water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • Red food coloring
  • ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar (sifted, plus more for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Grease an 9×13-inch pan very well, using a paper towel to rub it and make sure you fully coated the bottom, sides and edges of the pan. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the unflavored gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water. Let stand while you make the syrup.
  3. Place the sugar, corn syrup and ½ cup water in a medium saucepan and stir gently. Clip a candy thermometer onto the pan, and place it over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, checking it occasionally–you are looking for it to eventually hit a temperature of 235-240°F (soft ball stage).
  4. Once the syrup reaches 235-240°F, pull it from the heat. Carefully transfer the syrup to a large, heatproof measuring cup or a similar vessel with a spout for easy pouring. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture. When all the syrup has been added, turn the speed to medium-high and let it go for about 10-12 minutes–the mixture should turn white and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt and increase the speed to its highest setting for 1 more minute.
  5. Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula spritzed with cooking spray to even it out. Working quickly, drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow. Using a toothpick, swirl food coloring into marshmallow to create a marble effect. Tap the pan on the counter a few time to get rid of air bubbles. Sift powdered sugar evenly and generously over the top. Let sit for about 6 hours or until firm.
  6. Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan and invert it onto a powdered sugar-dusted work surface. Dust the marshmallow slab with more confectioner’s sugar and cut into whatever size pieces you wish (a pizza cutter works great here). Dip the sticky edges of the marshmallows in more powdered sugar and shake in a sieve to remove excess powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Making your own marshmallows is easier than you'd think! These Peppermint Marshmallows look gorgeous, taste 100x better than store bought, and make a great holiday gift. Be sure to save a few to enjoy in your hot cocoa!

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