This is a hot cocoa kind of day.
Today, in Arkansas, it is a cold day. (Or it was when I started writing this post. The other day it was in the 70’s and today it’s back down in the 30’s again. Brrr…. Arkansas weather is kinda crazy.) On Wednesday night, we had freezing rain/drizzle and then it snowed some. But not enough to make snow ice cream. 🙁
So, this is a hot cocoa kind of day. Hot cocoa with a lot of marshmallows. Homemade marshmallows. Pillowy soft, creamy homemade marshmallows.
Yes. You can make hot cocoa without having homemade marshmallows, but homemade ones just make it all that more special. Homemade marshmallows, to me, are creamier and more tasty than the store bought ones. Plus, you can make them different flavors and colors! – strawberry, chocolate, coffee, mint, and so on. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
You could also use these marshmallows in other things besides hot cocoa. I have been known to make the marshmallow mixture and then dump rice krispies in for a very, very, very fluffy rice krispy treat.
And hey, think of the s’mores you could make with these big fluffy marshmallows. Yum!
I foresee a lot of homemade marshmallows and hot cocoa in my future, mostly because we have entered that time of year where everything is cold. My nose, feet, and toes are cold perpetually all winter long. 🙁
The hardest thing about making these marshmallows is waiting for them to set so you can eat them. I suggest making them at night before you go to bed so when you get up in the morning, your marshmallows will be ready and waiting for you.
This recipe comes from King Arthur Flour. I love to go to their website and browse their recipes.
Step by step photos after the recipe card.
- 3 packages (1/4 oz. each) unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup cool water, divided
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- powdered sugar, to sprinkle on top
- Combine the 3 packets of gelatin and 1/2 cup of the cool water in the bowl of a stand mixer. (I haven't tried this with a handheld mixer but I think it would work it would maybe just be a little bit more work.)
- Fit your mixer with the whisk attachment.
- Now into a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup of the cool water. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually until the sugar dissolves.
- When the sugar is dissolved, turn the burner up to high heat and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reads 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
- After it reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the heat.
- While the sugar mixture is cooking and I don't have to stir. I like to go stir the gelatin mixture around a little bit, to break up any clumps or anything, that way it will be ready for you when the sugar syrup has cooked enough.
- Now, turn the mixer on to the lowest possible speed. Slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar mixture into the softened gelatin.
- After all the hot sugar mixture has been added, let it mix for a few seconds then turn the mixer up on high. Let the mixture whip about a few minutes (3-10 minutes) until it has cooled to lukewarm and it is very thick and fluffy in consistency.
- The marshmallow mixture should be cool enough that you could touch it without burning yourself. (Maybe to take a taste.)
- When the marshmallows have reached the right consistency, thick and fluffy, add the vanilla or whatever flavor you are adding. Try coffee, mint, chocolate, vanilla bean, espresso, strawberry, banana, etc. You can also put the food colorings in now if you're coloring your marshmallows.
- After you've got all the flavorings and colorings mixed in, spread the marshmallow mixture into the 9x13 pan that we greased before starting.
- To smooth and flatten out the marshmallows: wet your hands, sling off the excess water, then pat the marshmallows with your wet hands. You may have to re-wet your hands a couple of times during this process.
- After you get the marshmallows smoothed out to your liking, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of the marshmallows and allow them to sit for several hours (or overnight) before trying to cut them.
- To cut the marshmallows: use a greased knife or fun shaped cookie cutters.
- Here’s a tip: After I cut the marshmallows in squares. I coat the sticky sides of the marshmallows with a little powdered sugar, so they won’t stick together. I usually just sprinkle some powdered sugar on the cutting board and dab the cut sides of the marshmallows on the sugar dusted cutting board.
- Here’s a tip from KAF : For softer, “creamier” marshmallows (though still stiff enough to cut), reduce the amount of gelatin to 2 packets.
First of all, grease a 9X13 pan and set aside.
Now into a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup of the cool water. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually until the sugar dissolves.
When the sugar is dissolved, turn the burner up to high heat and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reads 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
While the sugar mixture is cooking and I don’t have to stir I like to go stir the gelatin mixture around a little bit, to break up any clumps, that way it will be ready for you when the sugar syrup has cooked enough.
After it reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the heat.
Now, turn the mixer on to the lowest possible speed. Slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar mixture into the softened gelatin. After all the hot sugar mixture has been added, let it mix for a few seconds then turn the mixer up on high. (King Arthur Flour suggests whipping the mixture for 3 – 10 minutes, but mine usually get to the right consistency in about 3-4 minutes, the lower end of the time frame. They say, “depending on the mixer and attachment you use; a stand mixer using the whisk attachment will work more quickly than a hand mixer equipped with beaters.” So, if you’re making the marshmallows with a hand mixer, it may take you quite a bit longer to get to the right consistency.) Let the mixture whip about a few minutes until it has cooled to lukewarm and it is very thick and fluffy in consistency. The marshmallow mixture should be cool enough that you could touch it without burning yourself. (Maybe to take a taste.) 
When the marshmallows have reached the right consistency, thick and fluffy, add the vanilla or whatever flavor you are adding.
Try coffee, mint, chocolate, vanilla bean, espresso, strawberry, banana, etc. You can also put the food colorings in now if you’re coloring your marshmallows.
Yes, I do use this vanilla quite a bit because I don’t always want to use my expensive vanilla beans or buy $12 bottles of vanilla.
After you’ve got all the flavorings and colorings mixed in, spread the marshmallow mixture into the 9×13 pan that we greased before starting.
To smooth and flatten out the marshmallows: wet your hands, sling off the excess water, then pat the marshmallows with your wet hands. You may have to re-wet your hands a couple of times during this process.
After you get the marshmallows smoothed out to your liking, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of the marshmallows and allow them to sit for several hours (or overnight) before trying to cut them.
To cut the marshmallows: use a greased knife or fun shaped cookie cutters.
Here’s a tip: After I cut the marshmallows in squares. I coat the sticky sides of the marshmallows with a little powdered sugar and cornstarch, so they won’t stick together. I usually just sprinkle some powdered sugar that has been mixed with a little cornstarch (about 1/2 cup powdered sugar and a tablespoon or two of cornstarch) on the cutting board and dab the cut sides of the marshmallows on the sugar dusted cutting board.
Here’s a tip from KAF : For softer, “creamier” marshmallows (though still stiff enough to cut), reduce the amount of gelatin to 2 packets.
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