homemade marshmallows on LaurenConrad.com

When I think summer treats, I almost always jump straight to gooey roasted marshmallows sandwiched between chocolate and graham crackers. It could be all of those evenings spent around a bonfire in Laguna or the fact that one of my favorite delicacies to whip up in the kitchen are good old fashioned homemade marshmallows. Believe it or not, they’re not as difficult to make as they seem and are way better than the bagged marshmallows that you can find at the grocery store. Use them in s’mores, plop them into a mug of coffee or hot cocoa, or package them up and give them as gifts. You can’t go wrong with these pretty little sweets!

Instead of giving you one recipe, I thought it would be fun to share three decadent and delicious flavors created by my friend and baker Lauren Lowstan to add a gourmet hint to your next bonfire. Below you’ll find Lowstan‘s recipes for lavender-vanilla, rose-strawberry, and blood orange-lime marshmallows. Say it with me: yum! Let’s get started…

Homemade Marshmallows

Get the recipe for these pretty homemade marshmallows

Ingredients:

This standard marshmallow recipe will be used when whipping up your lavender-vanilla and rose-strawberry marshmallows.

  • 7 ½ teaspoons powdered gelatin
  • ½ cup ice cold water
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 ½ cup sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Homemade Lavender Vanilla Marshmallows

For the lavender-vanilla marshmallows: 

  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon dried lavender
  • 1 drop violet gel food coloring

Rose strawberry marshmallows

For the rose-strawberry marshmallows:

  • 1 teaspoon rose water
  • ½ teaspoon strawberry extract
  • 1 drop pink gel food coloring

Homemade Rose-Strawberry Marshmallow recipe

For the blood orange-lime marshmallows: 

  • 7 ½ teaspoons powdered gelatin
  • ½ cup ice cold water
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup fresh blood orange juice
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • zest from 1 lime
  • 1 drop orange gel food coloring
  • 1 drop lime green gel food coloring

Instructions: 

For the lavender-vanilla and rose-strawberry marshmallows:

1. Sift together powdered sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Take a 9×13 inch pan and spray with non-stick spray. Heavily dust the pan with half of the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture.

2. Place gelatin and ice cold water in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk lightly and let sit to come together and create a hard Jell-O-like texture.

3. In a small saucepan over high heat, stir the remaining ½ cup of water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt lightly until the sugar is dissolved. Using a candy thermometer, cook sugar until temperature reaches about 230 degrees.

4. Once the sugar mixture has reached 230 degrees, pour sugar over the gelatin in the stand mixer. Turn on the mixer right away and whisk in high speed. After about 6 minutes, the mixture will start to thicken and become fluffy, white, and glossy, and doubled in size. You may have to continue whipping it for about 10 minutes. You want the fluff to have soft peaks! Once you get to this stage,add in the add ins/extracts/and food coloringand whip just until combined. Tip: You want to work quickly at this point because the marshmallows can set very quickly.

5. Spread the marshmallows as evenly as you can into the prepared pan (the mixture will be very sticky and somewhat hard to spread). Cover the top with the rest of the cornstarch/powdered sugar mixture, and let the mallows harden for about 4 hours.

6. Run a small pairing knife around the edge of your pan. Invert the marshmallow block onto your work surface, and place right side up. Dust off the excess cornstarch/sugar with a pastry brush.

How to make your own marshmallows at home

Homemade marshmallows on LC.com

7. Using a well-oiled knife, cut your marshmallow block into little squares. Top the lavender with a small sprig of fresh lavender.

For the blood orange-lime marshmallows:

Blood Orange Lime Marshmallows

1. Sift together powdered sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Take a 9×13 inch pan and spray with non-stick spray and heavily dust the pan with half of the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture.

2. Place gelatin and ice cold water in a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Whisk lightly and let sit to come together and create a hard Jell-O-like texture.

3. In a small saucepan over high heat, stir the remaining 1/4 cup of water, blood orange juice, sugar, corn syrup, and salt lightly until the sugar is dissolved. Using a candy thermometer, cook sugar until temperature reaches about 230 degrees.

4. Once the sugar mixture has reached 230 degrees, pour sugar over the gelatin in the stand mixer. Turn on the mixer right away and whisk in high speed. After about 6 minutes, the mixture will start to thicken and become fluffy, white, and glossy, and doubled in size. You may have to continue whipping it for about 10 minutes. You want the fluff to have soft peaks! Divide the batter into 2 bowls. In one bowl, add in orange food coloring, and in the other, add in lime zest and green food coloring. Tip:You want to work quickly at this point because the marshmallows can set very quickly.

5. Dollop both bowls of marshmallow batter into the pan alternatively, and swirl together with a butter knife. Try to even the surface out as much as you can (the mixture will be very sticky and somewhat hard to spread). Cover the top with the rest of the cornstarch/powdered sugar mixture, and let the mallows harden for about 4 hours.

6. Run a small pairing knife around the edge of your pan. Invert the marshmallow block onto your work surface, and place right side up. Dust off the excess cornstarch/sugar with a pastry brush.

7. Using a well-oiled knife, cut your marshmallow block into little squares.

Make your own marshmallows, three different ways

I told you that they were easy to make! How mouthwatering does the finished product look? You can never have enough powdered sugar in my opinion…

Have you ever made homemade marshmallows?

Let me know if you have a favorite recipe in the comments! And thanks to Lauren Lowstan for sharing these beautiful treats with us!

XO Lauren

Photos: Stephanie Todaro for LaurenConrad.com
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  • These look so yummy!

  • Ohh, I love making marshmallows, and these look amazing!
    -Lauren
    http://www.chic-ethique.com/

  • Jess

    These marshmallows are so cute! I’ll have to make them some time x

    http://www.jessbethan.blogspot.co.uk

  • I’ve never thought about making homemade marshmallows, but you make it look so easy and pretty! <3 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!

    XO, Elizabeth
    http://clothestoyouuu.com/

  • These look beautiful and so delicious!

    http://www.citycookie.co.uk

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  • Sally

    my husband makes great ones, and they are covered on coconut 🙂

  • Rafael Centenera

    Your PRESENTATION doubles it’s DELICACY! 🙂 <3