Want to make an easy holiday treat? These homemade peppermint marshmallows are a fun twist on a classic and taste great in hot chocolate!
I’ll be honest, I’m not normally a big fan of marshmallows. My girls, on the other hand, can’t get enough of them, and when I saw they were charging $16.95 at Williams Sonoma for a box of 15 hand crafted peppermint marshmallows, I knew I had to figure out how to make these lil’ puppies.
And friends, let me tell you, homemade marshmallows are so, so, so, soooooooo much better than the store-bought kind. They can hardly even be called marshmallows. They should instead be re-named Sweet Nuggets of Heavenly Peppermint Fluff. Or something like that.
Even better, they are SO easy to make! Yes, you need a candy thermometer, but don’t let that scare you. I promise it’s not complicated or tricky. Like, at all. Plus a single batch makes approximately 88 marshmallows, which would sell for $99.44 at Williams Sonoma. Why not make them for all your friends and be a hero this Christmas?
Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows
Here is what you need:
butter or Crisco 1/4 cup corn starch 1/4 cup powdered sugar 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin 1 cup ice water 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon peppermint extract or 1/4 tsp Peppermint Vitality™ essential oil red food coloring (optional) candy thermometer (NOT optional!)
Step 1: Grease 9 1/2 x 11″ glass casserole dish with butter or Crisco. Mix together corn starch & powdered sugar; sprinkle a few spoonfuls of cornstarch mixture over butter or Crisco and tilt dish around until well coated. Set baking dish aside and save remaining corn starch mixture for later.
Step 2: Place gelatin and 1/2 cup ice water in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside.
Step 3: Mix remaining water, sugar, salt, and corn syrup in saucepan; heat, covered, over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Clip candy thermometer to side of saucepan; continue heating mixture until it reaches 240 degrees, approximately 6-8 minutes.
Step 5: Once mixture reaches 240 degrees, remove from heat. Turn on mixer on low (use whisk attachment) and slowly add syrup mixture to mixing bowl.
Step 6: Turn mixer to high speed and whip for 12-14 minutes, until mixture is quite thick. Add peppermint extract and whip 1 minute more.
Step 7: Grease a spatula with butter or Crisco and transfer marshmallow mixture to prepared dish. Use a buttered knife to spread it smooth.
Step 8: (Optional) Drop red food coloring onto mixture and use buttered knife to pull color through marshmallow mixture to create swirls.
Step 9: Generously sprinkle the top of marshmallow with remaining cornstarch mixture. Let set overnight.
Step 10: Invert marshmallows onto a cutting board. Use butter & excess cornstarch mixture to coat sharp knife or pizza cutter blade, then cut marshmallows into 1×1″ squares.
Step 11: Coat cut edges with cornstarch/powdered sugar mixture & wipe off excess. Serve in hot chocolate or package in cellophane bags to give as gifts.

Peppermint Marshmallows
These homemade peppermint marshmallows are a fun twist on the ordinary marshmallow. The perfect addition to a cup of hot chocolate.
Ingredients
- butter or Crisco
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup ice water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp peppermint extract or 1/4 tsp Peppermint Vitality™ essential oil
- red food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Grease 9 1/2 x 11" glass casserole dish with butter or Crisco. Mix together corn starch & powdered sugar; sprinkle a few spoonfuls of cornstarch mixture over butter or Crisco and tilt dish around until well coated. Set baking dish aside and save remaining corn starch mixture for later.
Place gelatin and 1/2 cup ice water in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside.
Mix remaining water, sugar, salt, and corn syrup in saucepan; heat, covered, over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.
Clip candy thermometer to side of saucepan; continue heating mixture until it reaches 240 degrees, approximately 6-8 minutes.
Once mixture reaches 240 degrees, remove from heat. Turn on mixer on low (use whisk attachment) and slowly add syrup mixture to mixing bowl.
Turn mixer to high speed and whip for 12-14 minutes, until mixture is quite thick. Add peppermint extract and whip 1 minute more.
Grease a spatula with butter or Crisco and transfer marshmallow mixture to prepared dish. Use a buttered knife to spread it smooth.
(Optional) Drop red food coloring onto mixture and use buttered knife to pull color through marshmallow mixture to create swirls.
Generously sprinkle the top of marshmallow with remaining cornstarch mixture. Let set overnight.
Invert marshmallows onto a cutting board. Use butter & excess cornstarch mixture to coat sharp knife or pizza cutter blade, then cut marshmallows into 1x1" squares.
Coat cut edges with cornstarch/powdered sugar mixture & wipe off excess. Serve in hot chocolate or package in cellophane bags to give as gifts.
Recipe Notes
Drying time: overnight
Other recipes you’ll love:
- 8 Sweet (& Quick) Holiday Cookie Recipes
- White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Cocoa
- Hot Cocoa Truffles (Just 4 Easy Ingredients!)
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I just made my batch they seem so short or small in height they don’t rise? Can’t figure out what I did wrong ?
I used the right pan!
Did you make sure to mix them for the right amount of time? I know the more air you can incorporate into the batter, the better.
My daughter and I tried some fresh marshmallows at Whole Foods and loved them. We like just plain & not fans of peppermint. Should we just add 1 teaspoon of vanilla then? Thank you Ruth. Anxious to try your recipe.
I just made these as plain marshmallows. I substituted vanilla extract for the peppermint extract and they are delicious. I also did not add the food coloring. My syrup took much longer than 6-8 minutes to come to 240 degrees, but I’m blaming my temperamental gas stovetop.
I received some homemade marshmallows as a Christmas gift a few years ago. I was amazed how much better they taste. Instead of peppermint extract, the ones I received had almond extract in it. I love both! I now make these every year around Christmas time for gifts. I thought the candy thermometer would be intimidating, but it really isn’t. Thanks for the recipe!
Do you think it would work to use peppermint essential oil? I don’t have extract and wouldn’t really want to buy some if essential oil would work.
Mmmm….I don’t think I would use essential oil. I have both peppermint extract and peppermint essential oil, and they are very different. The good news is that peppermint extract is fairly inexpensive! You could also skip the peppermint and use vanilla instead.
Usually I’m scared to death of anything involving hot sugar and a candy thermometer. I know…pure silliness. Ruth…you truly did make it seem doable. And as a hot chocolate lover…oh my! These would be amazing!!!
Pinning!!