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–+ servings
three marshmallows stacked on a white plate with more behind

Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows

5 from 4 votes
Prep Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours 20 minutes
Author: Traci Crossland
Indulge in the sweet, fluffy perfection of homemade vanilla marshmallows with this easy recipe! Create giant, extra fluffy marshmallows with a mouthwatering vanilla flavor that melts in your mouth. Perfect for snacking, baking, and gifting, these homemade treats are a delicious alternative to store-bought!

Ingredients

  • 2½ Tablespoons unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup water divided
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • powdered sugar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Line a 9 inch x 13 inch glass baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  • Spray with cooking spray and coat heavily with powdered sugar. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine gelatin and ½ cup water.
  • In a saucepan, combine remaining ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts.
  • Stop stirring and let cook without disturbing until syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. (You can brush down the side a couple of times with a pastry brush dipped in warm water.)
  • Remove from heat.
  • Turn mixer on low and pour syrup slowly into mixing bowl with gelatin mixture.
  • Increase speed to high and beat until thickened - about 15 minutes.
  • Beat in vanilla.
  • Pour out into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula, if needed.
  • Coat the top with powdered sugar
  • Let sit at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, to give the marshmallows time to set up.
  • When marshmallows are set, lift out of pan.
  • Use a sharp knife or cutter dipped in powdered sugar to cut into desired shapes.

Notes

How To Store:
The best way to keep these marshmallows is in a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer! They will keep SO much longer, about 2-3 months. You could also keep them in an airtight container/bag on the counter, but they will only last for about 1 week.
 
Our Best Tips To Make These Marshmallows!
  • Check the dates on your gelatin and make sure it's not expired!
  • Be sure your thermometer is accurate. You can check by inserting it in a pot of boiling water. (This called calibrating.) If it reads 212℉, it is accurate. If not, adjust up or down the number of degrees when you cook the syrup. For example: if your thermometer reads 210℉, you would need to cook the syrup to 242℉.
  • Don't skip lining, spraying, and coating the baking dish! It makes it so much easier to get the marshmallows out.
  • Sift the powdered sugar over the baking dish and on top of the marshmallows.
  • You can cut them into large or small squares. You could also use biscuit/cookie cutters to cut them into shapes.
  • Keep your hands and knife clean when cutting the marshmallows!
  • Powdered sugar is the best way to keep everything from sticking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1marshmallowCalories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.003gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.002gSodium: 41mgPotassium: 2mgSugar: 23gCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.05mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.