Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

in Beverages, Candy, Christmas

How do you drink your hot chocolate?

I prefer mine spiked with a shot of Bailey’s Mint. But if I’m not sneaking in a little Bailey’s, I go for marshmallows. Growing up, I loved the Swiss Miss packets that came with “marshmallows.” You know the “marshmallows” that more resembled pencil erasers than an actual marshmallow. They’d rehydrate and then melt into a creamy layer that would leave you sporting a Got Marshmallow mustache.

Homemade marshmallows most definitely do not resemble pencil erasers. They’re light, fluffy, and you can spike them with whatever flavor you want. I wanted peppermint. Toss in 2-3 marshmallows into a steamy mug and your hot chocolate slowly infuses with peppermint as that creamy layer forms on top. Yum!

I love to use Ina Garten’s Toasted Coconut Marshmallow recipe for a non-chocolate marshmallow base (and David Lebovitz’s recipe for chocolate marshmallow). It has consistently given me picture perfect, crazy fluffy marshmallows every single time. They’ll keep for ~2 weeks in treat bags dusted with plenty of powdered sugar.

Peppermint Marshmallows

Fluffy homemade marshmallows are spiked with peppermint to flavor your favorite mug of hot chocolate.

Ingredients

  • 3 packages unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup cold water, divided
  • 1 cup light Karo syrup
  • 1 1/2 cup grandulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp peppermint extract
  • Gel food coloring (optional)
  • Baking or cooking spray
  • Powdered sugar for dusting/stick-proofing

Instructions

  1. Place 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin over top and set aside.
  2. Clip a candy thermometer to a small sauce pan. Heat corn syrup, sugar, salt, and the other 1/2 cup cold water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Turn to high and cook to 240 F (use a candy thermometer), 6-8 minutes longer.
  3. Turn mixer to low and slowly pour the hot syrup over the gelatin. Increase the mixer speed to high (and because I had an unfortunate experience once, I do this gradually over about a minute to prevent sugar lava from slinging on me... again) and let run for ~10 minutes. Add the peppermint extract and whisk for another 5 minutes until you have a glossy, smooth, and thick marshmallow mixture.
  4. While the marshmallow is whisking, heavily coat the inside of an 8x8 pan with baking spray (there's no such thing as over-greasing!). Coat with powdered sugar and tap out the excess. Pour in the marshmallow mixture (it will come all the way to the top). Drop 6-8 drops of red food coloring over the top and swirl with a knife held vertically. (Alternately, you could add this to the stand mixer and let the whisk go around the bowl 2 or 3 times.) Let sit for at least 4 hours (I do overnight) until solidified and cooled.
  5. Turn the marshmallow squares out onto a heavily powder-sugared surface. Using a long greased knife, cut the marshmallows into 1-inch pieces (they'll be 2 inches tall if you don't cut them in half horizontally, which I did). As you're cutting the marshmallows, keep all sides of the marshmallows dusted with powdered sugar and store in an airtight container for ~2 weeks.

Notes

Yields: ~128 marshmallows

Adapted from Food Network

Estimated time: 4 hours 45 minutes

The 12 Days of Homemade Christmas 2010
Swirly Chocolate-Peppermint Bark Fleur de Sel Caramels Chocolate Crackles Tahitian Vanilla Beans Peppermint Chunk Cookies Red, White, and Green Biscotti
Cranberry Pecan Bread Salted Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Homemade Red Wine Vinegar Homemade Granola Homemade Marshmallows

17 comments… add one
  • I’ve never made my own ‘mallows- yours looks wonderful!

  • I’ve tried marshmallows twice now with less than optimal results. Maybe third time’s the charm. I love the swirl in these!

  • Jami

    these look aweseome! how complicated are they to make?

    • Jami – if you have a candy thermometer and a stand mixer, super easy.

  • Yum! And they are beautiful with the red swirl!

  • This looks absolutely wonderful. I need to try to make these.

    xo

  • What a pretty (and delicious) holiday treat!

  • Hi Foodiebride! Wanted to let you know that your marshmallows look great, and I should know. I own a company named Daybreak Farms (www.daybreakfarmsstore.com), and we make Gourmet Marshmallows. I would love to send you a free sample bag and maybe discuss the possibility of a “giveaway”. Thanks, Karen Day

  • Your recipe was posted.

  • Oh wow! I just made my hot chocolate recently and mine looks nothing compared to yours. Your marshmallows are so cute!

  • The 3 packages of gelatin in the recipe, would that be 3-1/4 oz. packages? I only have gelatin in bulk, so a measurement would be most helpful. I have had plans for homemade hot cocoa mix, and peppermint marshmallows for goodie bags for weeks, and I’ve been scouring the internet for the perfect recipe! This makes my life so much easier! I am so excited to get these made! Thanks!

  • Hannah – yes! The pkgs of gelatin are 1/4 oz each. Good luck!

  • Ooh those marshmallows look gorgeous. I want a candy thermometer for this specific reason!!

  • Maria Malaveci

    These look so yummy!

  • Thanks for an amazing recipe, Bridget! I made these for my 2012 holiday treats, and they were fun and easy to put together. I’ve also linked back to you here: http://evabakes.blogspot.com/2012/12/peppermint-marshmallows.html

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