Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

How to make marshmallows: This recipe is the perfect Easter treat

Marshmallows: The homemade version of this popular Easter candy is easier to make than you think

By and
Homemade Easter Marshmellow Peeps
McCormick

Marshmallow candies are as much a hallmark of the Easter holiday as chocolate, ham, and drinking Champagne until your burps come out speaking French. Of course, you can always go out and buy the beloved Easter marshmallows we all know and love, but making your own at home is actually a really fun activity for the holiday, especially if you have little ones at home.

We absolutely love this recipe from McCormick. Learn how to make marshmallows this Easter.

Recommended Videos

Easter marshmallow recipe

homemade easter marshmallow sugar dip
McCormick

Ingredients:

For colored sugar:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • McCormick Assorted NEON! Food Colors & Egg Dye

For marshmallows:

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup cold water, divided
  • .5 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 envelopes (.25 oz each) unflavored gelatin
  • 1 tablespoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract

homemade easter marshmallow sugar

Method:

For the colored sugar:

  1. Place sugar in a large resealable plastic bag. Select your desired Marshmallow Variation in the tips section below and add the designated amount of Food Color with the sugar.
  2. Seal the bag and knead gently until the color is evenly distributed.
  3. Spread colored sugar in a thin layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and break up any large lumps. Allow to dry thoroughly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Sift or press through the sieve, if needed. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray then coat with some of the colored sugar. Set aside.

For the marshmallows:

  1. Microwave .5 cup of the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium microwavable bowl on high for 7 minutes. Stir to dissolve sugar.
  2. Microwave on high for 5 minutes longer. (Mixture will have a slight yellow tint.) Carefully remove the hot bowl from the microwave.
  3. Place the remaining .5 cup water in a large mixer bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand 5 minutes.
  4. Gradually beat in hot syrup mixture with a whisk attachment on medium-low speed. Beat 8 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high.
  5. Beat 10 to 12 minutes longer or until the mixture is fluffy, shiny, and has at least tripled in volume. Beat in vanilla.
  6. Spread marshmallow mixture in the prepared dish. Smooth top with a spatula. Sprinkle some more of the colored sugar on top to coat. Let stand at room temperature overnight or refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  7. Reserve the remaining colored sugar in a large resealable plastic bag or airtight container.
  8. Cut marshmallows with 1- to 2-inch Easter cookie cutters. Add marshmallows in batches to reserved colored sugar in the bag; toss to coat well. Shake off excess. Store marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For marshmallow color variations:

  • Pink: For the colored sugar, add 10 drops of pink color with the sugar.
  • Purple: For the colored sugar, add 5 drops purple color and 8 drops blue color with the sugar.
  • Blue: For the colored sugar, add 15 drops of blue color with the sugar.
homemade easter marshmallow face
McCormick

Note: To prepare marshmallows as seen in the photo, prepare the baking dish as directed, sprinkling the pink, purple, and blue colored sugars in stripes in the bottom of the dish. Prepare marshmallows as directed. Decorate the top of the marshmallows with stripes similar to the bottom. Cut into bunny shapes and sprinkle sides with remaining sugar. Melt chocolate chips as directed on the package and use to paint or pipe on the bunny face, if desired.

Related

To prepare Colored Sugar using McCormick Nature’s Inspiration Food Colors, add .25 teaspoon desired color and 1 teaspoon water to sugar. Continue as directed.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
How to make a classic Manhattan (and several variations)
The right way to make this classic cocktail and more to try
A bartender stirs a cocktail in a mixing glass.

One of the world's most ubiquitous cocktails, the Manhattan cocktail has been enjoyed by spiritous imbibers since it was made famous at the legendary Manhattan Club in New York City sometime around 1880. Even while falling in and out of fashion throughout the years, Manhattan has withstood the test of time to firmly cement itself as one of the great classic cocktails of all time.

As with many classic cocktails, the origin of the Manhattan drink recipe is murky at best. The most popular theory is that the drink was invented by Dr. Iain Marshall at a party for Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Winston Churchill, held at the Manhattan Club. Sounds plausible, but this story never happened. It was later verified that Lady Churchill was never partying it up in New York at that time as she was pregnant at home in England. What is for sure is that the Manhattan emerged on the scene in the 1880s. The earliest known mention of both the name and the Manhattan cocktail ingredients was in September 1882 in the Sunday Morning Herald in Olean, N.Y.

Read more
Learn how to make perfect grill marks every time
Perfect grill marks are shockingly easy to achieve with these easy tips
Steak on the grill

Let's be honest — when it comes to grilling, a lot of the fun is in the show. It just wouldn't be a proper backyard barbecue without all the hubbub that comes once that grill is ignited. The sounds, the smells, the caveperson astonishment and pride when it comes to all things fire-related. The whole thing is rather dramatic. And part of putting on a good show is, of course, a picture-perfect, Instagram-worthy, beautifully charred, and cross-hatched piece of meat. Be it a steak, pork chop, burger, or eggplant, no grilled entree is complete without the cosmetic upgrade of gorgeous grill marks.

Chances are, though, if you've ever attempted these beautifully blackened lines in your backyard, you know just how tricky they can be. So you may have just tossed in the tongs and forgotten the whole thing. And who could blame you? The truth is that grill marks don't make a huge difference in flavor. With all the cooking methods, tricks, and techniques used today, the technique of how to make grill marks is actually something of a lost art. But damn, they're sexy. And if you can get them just right, you'll be sure to impress your guests at your next cookout. So we're here to help with a few tips and tricks for how to get those perfect steak grill marks and make your barbecue show one worth watching.
How to make perfect grill marks

Read more
How to reheat pulled pork: 6 methods that will taste just as good the second time
Yet another use for your air fryer.
Pulled pork

Pulled pork is one of those foods that's heavenly on or in just about anything, any time of the year, for any reason whatsoever. In burritos, quesadillas, nachos, soups, salads, over rice or pasta, or simply slapped between two buttery, toasty buns, pulled pork is one of the more delicious indulgences one can make. Even simply piled atop a paper plate next to the grilled corn on the cob and crisp green apple coleslaw, this dish shines in all its sweet and spicy glory.

In addition to its deliciousness, versatility, and easiness to prepare, pulled pork has another perk that anyone who regularly enjoys this delicious dish already knows - there are always leftovers. It doesn't matter how much you've made or how many people you served. In the end, there's always leftover pulled pork. And while this is a gift, to be sure, it isn't always clear how to reheat this incredible ingredient. Thankfully, there are plenty of options. So, if you've ever wondered how to reheat pulled pork, we've got you covered.
In the oven

Read more