Homemade peanut butter marshmallows are so much fun! This peanut butter marshmallow recipe makes marshmallows that are gorgeous, silky smooth, and impossibly soft. They are huge, fluffy, and dreamy. These aren't peanut butter flavored marshmallows using a flavor - they are actually filled with peanut butter. They are apart of my "cookies turned into marshmallows" mini series, where I've taken the top five American cookies and re-imagined them as marshmallows.
These are pillowy clouds of marshmallow goodness, layered with velvety smooth peanut butter.
Looking for more marshmallows? Check out these red velvet marshmallows or pumpkin spice marshmallows!
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Are marshmallows easy to make?
Yes. Marshmallow are easy to make, especially for the home baker, since most home bakers already have all of the ingredients and equipment needed to make homemade marshmallows. Homemade marshmallows are easier than you think to make and the results are so WORTH IT! Bouncy and full of flavor, they blow store bought marshmallows away.
What is in homemade marshmallows?
Marshmallows have a long history! Modern marshmallows are made of: sugar, a syrup (corn, glucose, tapioca, etc), gelatin, and flavoring. Some marshmallows are made using egg whites to incorporate air while others are made using gelatin. A few marshmallow recipes will call for both!
Ingredients
- unflavored gelatin
- water
- white sugar
- corn syrup
- peanut butter powder: powdered peanut butter is defatted peanut butter, which allows the marshmallow to retain the fluffy, aerated, texture.
- creamy peanut butter: Swirl into the very top of the marshmallows
- confectioners sugar: for dusting marshmallows after cutting
See recipe card for quantities and ingredient prep (you'll to melt the regular peanut butter to swirl it into the top of the marshmallows)
Instructions
Prepare all of your ingredients and equipment and have them ready to use.
Line 10 x 10 square baking pan with greased parchment paper.
Bloom gelatin in cold water.
Melt regular peanut butter until fluid in the microwave. Set aside.
Cook sugar, corn syrup, and water on medium high heat until the temperature reaches 252F.
Cool syrup mixture undisturbed until it reaches 210F.
Turn mixer to low, slowly stream cooled syrup over bloomed gelatin. Once it is all incorporated, whip on high for 10 minutes.
Turn mixer on low, add powdered peanut butter until incorporated.
Pour into prepared pan. Swirl in melted peanut butter into the top third of the marshmallow. Don't mix it in the whole thing to the bottom.
Set up for 12 hours.
Cut into squares.
Roll in powdered sugar.
Hint: drizzle the melted peanut butter on top of the marshmallows and swirl with a knife
Equipment
- five quart planetary mixer
- candy thermometer
- 10 x 10 square baking pan
- parchment paper
- high heat spatula
- butter knife
Looking for more candy making equipment? Check out my favorite equipment for at home candy making!
Marshmallow set up time
Marshmallows need plenty of time to dry out and set at room temperature. 12 hours or overnight is ideal - prior to cutting. Do not put these in the fridge because it causes the mixture to deflate and the sugar structure of the marshmallows to change.
Storage
Store marshmallows in an air tight container at room temperature to maintain their softness and texture.
Marshmallows will stay fresh for about a month.
Top tip
I've tested A LOT of unflavored gelatins and the Great Value Unflavored Gelatin is my favorite by a mile. It is truly unflavored without that typical gelatin scent.
FAQ
Yes. You need to measure the end temperature for cooking marshmallows and the cooling syrup temperatures. For example, if your end temperature is too low, you will make marshmallow fluff. Consequently, if your end temperature is too high, your marshmallows will be tough and not fluffy. If your cooling syrup is too hot, the marshmallows will not set up correctly. However if your cooling syrup is too cold, it will turn into a hard block in your mixer and not whip.
Yes, home made marshmallows are gluten free. However, the equipment used to make marshmallows is also used to make items containing gluten so cross contamination may be an issue. Please make sure to check with your marshmallow maker for information on their particular recipe and kitchen.
Homemade marshmallows will stay good for approximately one month at room temperature and stored in an airtight container.
No. Do not refrigerate homemade marshmallows because it causes changes to the texture.
Sticky marshmallows can be from wrong final cooking temperatures or improper storage. Coating the marshmallows in powdered sugar reduces stickiness from where they were cut with a knife.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Recipe
Peanut butter marshmallows
Equipment
Ingredients
Gelatin
- 40 grams unflavored gelatin
- 230 grams cold water
Syrup Slurry
- 680 grams sugar
- 560 grams corn syrup
- 170 grams water
Flavors & Inclusions
- 90 grams powdered peanut butter
After spreading in pan
- 150 grams creamy peanut butter melted for drizzling
Post cutting
- 100 grams powdered sugar
Instructions
Prep work!
- Melt regular peanut butter in the microwave until fluid. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one. Set aside.
- Line a 10 x 10 x 2 " pan with lightly oiled parchment paper, making sure the parchment covers the sides.
Hydrate Gelatin
- Whisk 40 grams of gelatin and 230 grams of cold water in the bottom of your 5 quart mixing bowl. Set aside to hydrate while you cook your syrup.
Cooking Syrup
- In a heavy duty thick bottomed pot, combine 680 grams sugar, 560 grams corn syrup, and 170 grams of water. Heat over high heat, stirring constantly, until 252F.
- Remove from heat. Cool until 210F, undisturbed.
Making Marshmallows
- Once syrup has cooled to 210F, add to gelatin.
- Using the whisk attachment, start mixer on low, bringing it up to high speed so syrup doesn't splash out of mixer. Mix on high for 10 minutes. Marshmallow will double in size.
- Turn mixer to low. Add in powdered peanut butter until combined.
- Spread into prepared pan. Drizzle fluid peanut butter on top in lines, swirling with a butter knife.
- Top with additional sheet of lightly oiled parchment. Set aside for 12 hours before cutting.
Cutting
- Cut into desired size.
- Roll in powdered sugar mix after dusting. Store in an airtight container.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!