Let Them Eat Gluten Free Cake

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • GF Flour Blend Recipes
  • Subscribe

subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • GF Flour Blend Recipes
  • Subscribe

×
Home » Recipes » Gluten Free Candy Recipes

Homemade Marshmallows (Naturally Gluten Free)

Published: Oct 12, 2021 · Modified: Apr 20, 2025 by Kim · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These Homemade Marshmallows are easier to make than you think and are light years above and beyond those mass manufactured ones!

white plate stacked with homemade marshmallows

Some of the items linked in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission.

Have you ever had a homemade marshmallow? You'd remember it if you did. They are so soft and fluffy and unlike any marshmallow you've had from a store. Looking at them, you'd think it would be difficult to make them from scratch, but I'm the first to tell ya they're one of the easiest things you could make. In addition, they take barely any ingredients and those ingredients you may already have on hand in your pantry. So read on for help in making the best marshmallows of your life!

What You'll Need to Make Marshmallows

You can use this recipe as a base recipe for making any flavor of marshmallows. Let your creativity flow to make other flavors. The base ingredients are just a few:

  • Gelatin--I've heard agar agar can be substituted with decent results, but I've never tried it myself. I would suggest Googling vegan marshmallow recipes if you want to make these without gelatin.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Vanilla--this can be in the form of extract, vanilla bean seeds, or vanilla bean paste
  • Powdered sugar--for coating
  • Cornstarch--mixed with the powdered sugar for coating.

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows

Marshmallows are unbelievably easy to make and when you've tasted a homemade one, you may never go back to the store bought variety! They do involve using a candy thermometer (affiliate link), but I'm here to tell ya, I've been using one since I was about 12 years old (seriously, ask my mom). So if a kid can do it, so can you!!

  1. Bloom gelatin--this simply means to add gelatin to cold water and let it soak and hydrate. You can do this directly in your stand mixer bowl.
  2. Boil sugar syrup--it truly isn't as scary as you think. Pour the water, sugar, and corn syrup into a small saucepan. Set it over medium heat and allow the sugar to melt slowly without stirring, until the mixture begins to boil. Turn the heat up to high, clip on a candy thermometer (affiliate link) and don't touch it until the thermometer registers 240 degrees F. Take it off the heat.
  3. Add syrup to bloomed gelatin with the mixer on low speed until all the syrup has been added. Increase the speed to high and continue whisking until the mixture is much lighter in color and fluffy and looks like marshmallow. This can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes.
  4. Add vanilla and continue to whisk until combined.
  5. Pour into prepared pan and dust with more powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture.

Homemade Marshmallow FAQs

Can Marshmallows be Made Without a Candy Thermometer?

They can, but candy thermometers are so cheap, you can obtain them just about anywhere (Walmart always has them, as well as Amazon and even some grocery stores), and they're so much easier to use than trying to drop a small amount of very hot sugary liquid into cold water. Do yourself a favor and buy a candy thermometer.

I Can't Have Corn Syrup. Can I Use Something Else?

If you don't want to use corn syrup, glucose syrup is another option (although it's difficult to find any that are gluten free). Golden syrup (Lyle's) is an option, as is honey or maple syrup. Keep in mind, however, that if you use anything that is not corn syrup or glucose syrup, you will need to be very careful about agitating the mixture in the saucepan because the corn syrup is what keeps it from crystallizing.

How Long Do Homemade Marshmallows Last?

They have a very long shelf life of about 3 weeks. I keep mine in a ziptop bag, but you can also put them in a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid.

mug with hot chocolate and two large marshmallows on top

Uses for Homemade Marshmallows

  • Eat 'em as is!
  • Float a couple in hot chocolate. You won't believe how much better your hot chocolate will be with homemade marshmallows added.
  • Dip them in melted dark, milk, or white chocolate (or coating) and allow to harden.
  • Make s'mores. Homemade marshmallows are insanely good in s'mores!!
  • Use them in anything you'd use store bought marshmallows in.
marshmallows stacked on white plate over white towel

Try your hand at making these Homemade Marshmallows. They're so easy and leaps and bounds better than store bought ones!

white plate stacked with homemade marshmallows

Homemade Marshmallows (Naturally Gluten Free)

Kim
These Homemade Marshmallows are easier to make than you think and are light years above and beyond those mass manufactured ones!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 16 minutes mins
Resting Time 8 hours hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 40 large marshmallows

Ingredients
 

  • 3 packages (2½ tablespoon or 25 g) unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup (240 ml) cold water, divided
  • 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (240 g) light corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, the seeds from one whole vanilla bean, or 1½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Dusting Powder

  • ½ cup (112 g) powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup (39 g) cornstarch
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Combine the dusting powder in a small bowl. Prepare a 7 by 11-inch or 9 by 13-inch pan by greasing it with butter and sprinkling it all over (including the sides) with the dusting powder and set aside.
  • Pour ½ cup (120 ml) cold water into bowl of stand mixer. Sprinkle gelatin over water and let set while you make the sugar syrup.
  • Pour the rest of the water (½ cup or 120 ml) into the bottom of a small saucepan. Add the corn syrup followed by the granulated sugar in the middle, trying not to get the sugar on the sides of the pan.
  • Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixtures begins to bubble. Clip on a candy thermometer and increase heat to high. Boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240° F on the thermometer. Remove from the heat without agitating it too much.
  • With the mixer on low speed and fitted with the whisk attachment, carefully and slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin, being sure to hit the lower side of the mixing bowl and not the whisk (or somewhere in between the two).
  • Whip until the mixture is very thick and the bottom of the bowl is only warm, about 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
  • Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and then sprinkle the top heavily with more dusting powder. Let set at least 8 hours or overnight.
  • The next day, tip out onto a silpat or large piece of parchment paper. It may require some coaxing to come out of the pan. Dust with more dusting powder and cut into long strips one way. Then turn and cut into 2-inch marshmallows. Place marshmallows in more dusting powder to coat and then shake in a sieve to remove excess powder. Keep in ziptop bag or a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 weeks.
Keyword Gluten Free, homemade, marshmallows
Tried this recipe?Tag @letthemeatglutenfreecake on Instagram so we can see!

More Gluten Free Candy Recipes

  • two stacks of buckeye bars
    No Bake Peanut Butter Bars (Naturally Gluten Free)
  • white chocolate popcorn in large white bowl.
    White Chocolate Popcorn Mix
  • chocolate dipped easter egg
    Chocolate Dipped Easter Eggs (Naturally Gluten Free)
  • Passion Fruit Milk Chocolate Ganache Squares (A Ganachery Copycat Recipe)

Comments

  1. Susie Dowling says

    April 03, 2023 at 12:37 pm

    what can I substitute for the corn syrup......I cant have high fructose corn syrup....

    Reply
    • Kim says

      May 01, 2023 at 4:49 pm

      Corn syrup from the store is not high fructose corn syrup.

      Reply
    • Sonja says

      December 13, 2023 at 1:01 pm

      Salt is included in the ingredients list but not in the instructions.

      Reply
  2. elizabeth fraccaro says

    October 12, 2021 at 10:12 pm

    Do you know if this can be made at high altitudes?? Do you know what temp I would cook it to? I am at 5,000 ft. Thanks

    Reply
    • Kim says

      October 14, 2021 at 5:50 am

      I wish I could help with high altitude, but I'm at sea level and don't know anything about cooking/baking at high altitude. I know there are some websites out there that might be able to help convert recipes to work in high altitudes. I would Google just that and see if you can find something. Sorry I can't be of more help in this instance.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




profile picture of me and Scott.

Hey there, I'm Kim!

I won't let a celiac diagnosis stop me from enjoying my passion for baking and cooking, so stick with me and I'll show you how to make the BEST EVER gluten-free renditions of the food we used to know and love 🤗

More about me

Trending

  • landscape view of gluten free sourdough bread on white countertop with green tea towel.
    Best Ever Gluten Free Sourdough Bread
  • gluten free focaccia bread
    Gluten Free Focaccia Bread
  • landscape view of mason jar filled with active gluten free sourdough starter.
    Easy Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
  • landscape view of classic chicken salad on a bed of lettuce in a white bowl with red grapes and crackers alongside.
    Classic Chicken Salad

Gluten free seafood recipes

  • landscape view of crab cakes on white plate with green beans and remoulade sauce.
    Best Ever Gluten Free Crab Cakes
  • landscape view of lemon butter shrimp in large white bowl with hunks of bread alongside
    Amazing Grilled Lemon Butter Shrimp
  • landscape view of Old Bay rimmed bowl of she crab soup on white linen with navy blue cloth napkin on the side and glass bottle of sherry in the background.
    Gluten Free She Crab Soup
  • lobster rolls on white platter surrounded by lemon wedges.
    Homemade Gluten Free Lobster Rolls

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 Let Them Eat GF Cake, Inc.