How to Make Homemade Marshmallows with Kids

I decided to try making homemade marshmallows with the kids.  Because of Doodle’s previous reaction to corn, I try as much as possible to stay away from corn syrup and since that is the first ingredient in standard marshmallows, homemade marshmallows seemed like a good idea. I’ve always shied away from trying to make homemade marshmallows before because it seemed overly complicated but I figured, why not just give it a try?  It can’t possibly be too bad, especially with the help of four little ones!

homemade marshmallows

What you’ll need to make homemade marshmallows with kids:

  • 1 cup water, divided
  • 2 packets Knox gelatin
  • 1 cup Honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • Powdered Sugar for dusting
  • 1 cup size Measuring Cup
  • Stand Mixer with Wisk Attachment
  • Saucepan
  • Spatula
  • 8×8 Baking Pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • Candy Thermometer
  • Multiple kids of various ages
  • 1 large roll of Paper Towels
  • 1 bottle Countertop Cleaner
  • a pinch of Insanity
  • a crap ton of Patience

How to make homemade marshmallows with kids:

  1. Gather all your supplies and children.
  2. Have your 5-year-old fill the measuring cup with water.s marshmallow
  3. Use paper towels to clean up the water she spills.
  4. Add gelatin and 1/2 cup water to bowl of stand mixer.
  5. Put remaining water in saucepan.
  6. Ask your 7-year-old measure out 1 cup of honey.h marshmallow
  7. 5 minutes later, remove squeezy lid from honey and fill the rest of the measuring cup.
  8. Add honey, vanilla and salt to saucepan, mix with spatula and place over medium-high heat.
  9. Tell 5-year-old NOT to bring a chair over by the stove.
  10. Remind kids not to touch the stove because it’s hot.
  11. Wipe 2 year old’s hands and face with wet paper towel after he helps himself to the honey stuck in the measuring cup.
  12. When honey mixture comes to a boil, put in candy thermometer.
  13. Again, remind kids not to touch the stove because it’s still hot.
  14. Prepare baking pan by lining with two pieces of parchment paper and sprinkle bottom with powdered sugar.
  15. Watch temperature and your children get bored and leave the kitchen one by one.
  16. Retrieve screaming baby and begin to nurse while watching temperature of honey mixture.
  17. See 2-year-old trying to sprinkle the sugar all over the counter, cupboards and floor (atop the chair you asked the 5-year-old not to bring over).  Clean with paper towels and cleaner while trying not to yell.d marshmallow
  18. Notice honey mixture is about to boil over and reduce the heat.
  19. Check temperature (you’re looking for mixture to reach 240 degrees Fahrenheit).
  20. Wait. And wait. And wait.  Get impatient when temperature plateaus at 225 and give up on heating the honey mixture.
  21. Call kids back for the next step.
  22. Remove baby from the boob and put in high chair.
  23. Turn on stand mixture to low and slowly add honey mixture to gelatin.  Try your best to ignore the baby’s wailing as you handle the extremely hot, sticky liquid.
  24. Scream for your 2-year-old not to touch the hot stove as he nearly lies on it trying to reach honeyed measuring cup (again, on the chair 5-year-old was not supposed to bring over that you haven’t had a chance to move because of nursing baby).
  25. Turn stand mixer up to high.
  26. Pick up crying baby and continue nursing while mixture beats.
  27. As mixture splashes all over the place, realize you’re using your paddle attachment and not the wisk.homemade marshmallow
  28. Change attachment to the wisk and turn machine back to high for about 10 minutes.
  29. When mixture is light and fluffy, return happy baby to high chair.homemade marshmallow
  30. Pour mixture into baking pan and smooth the top.
  31. Use paper towels to clean up the baby spew everywhere since you forgot to burp him.
  32. Clean the 2-year-old’s hands, again, and smooth his fingerprints out from the top of the marshmallow.
  33. Give in to letting your 5-year-old sprinkle powdered sugar on top of marshmallow.
  34. Clean up the powdered sugar all over the counter, again.
  35. Ask “who wants a lick?” and listen to ensuing arguments about who gets to lick what.
  36. Clean up sticky hands and faces.
  37. Let marshmallow set up for 4-6 hours (or days).homemade marshmallow
  38. Throw the pot, bowl, wisk, measuring cups, spatula, etc. in the sink to wash another time.
  39. Put all the kids to bed and collapse on the couch.
  40. Vow next time to buy marshmallows instead of freaking out about the corn syrup (after all, the 2-year-old hasn’t actually had a reaction to corn in a year and a half!)

After letting the marshmallows set, you can make bite size morsels:

  1. Grease a knife.
  2. Cut the marshmallow into your desired size.
  3. Put some powdered sugar in a zip bag and add the cubed marshmallow.
  4. Have the kids take turns shaking the bag to coat the sticky sides of the marshmallows in the sugar
  5. Clean up the spilled powdered sugar after the 2 year old accidentally unseals the bag but still shakes.