Homemade Marshmallows with Egg Whites|| A vintage recipe that melts in your mouth!
By Rebecca St.Clair
If you’ve never made homemade marshmallows, this vintage marshmallows with egg whites recipe is a must-try! These soft, pillowy marshmallows from scratch are sweet, airy, and full of nostalgic charm. Use them for holiday treats, in your hot chocolate, or melted inside of s’mores.
These homemade marshmallows are packed with protein from the egg whites and can be made with maple syrup or honey for a healthier treat! This Soft & Pillowy Homemade Marshmallow recipe is a vintage classic made the old-fashioned way, with airy whipped egg whites for that light, melt-in-your-mouth texture and tastes way better than store-bought!
This vintage marshmallow recipe creates the lightest, fluffiest marshmallows you’ll ever taste. Perfect for special desserts, holiday baking, or cozy winter drinks. All you need is simple ingredients for timeless flavour!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Soft texture – The perfect classic melt-in-your-mouth marshmallow texture.
Healthier option – Made with simple ingredients and protein rich egg whites. The sugar can be replaced by maple syrup or honey for a healthier option.
Kid-approved – The perfect taste and texture of store-bought marshmallows. These will disappear in no time!
How to Store Homemade Marshmallows with egg whites
Room Temperature
- After cutting, allow the marshmallows sit out for several hours to dry slightly and form a delicate crust.
- Dust the outside lightly with a mixture of cornstarch and powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
- Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Fridge
- After cutting, allow the marshmallows sit out for several hours to dry slightly and form a delicate crust.
- Dust the outside lightly with a mixture of cornstarch and powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
- Place marshmallows in an airtight container lined with parchment paper.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
How to make homemade marshmallows without a candy thermometer
Sugar needs to cook to the ‘soft ball’ state. Don’t let this scare you, it is easy to do this without any special equipment at all!
Instead of a thermometer, drip a little bit of the cooked maple mixture into a glass of cold water. Fish the little lump out with your fingers and if you can mold it into a squishy but firm ball, the sugar is cooked.
If it is still quite loose, continue to cook the mixture another minute and then check again.
Sugar for homemade marshmallows with egg whites
The white sugar in this recipe can be replaced by other sugars for a different taste or healthier options.
White sugar – This is the most common sugar used to make homemade marshmallows. It has a clean, classic taste and dissolves easily.
Brown sugar – This common sugar can be used to replace the white sugar in this recipe. The marshmallows will have a darker appearance and have a rich caramel flavour.
Corn syrup – This is not the same as high-fructose corn syrup. It gives marshmallows a soft and bouncy texture. It also prevents crystalization of the sugar for a smoother texture.
Honey – This natural sweetener can be used to replace the white sugar in this recipe. Since the sugar makes up the main flavour of this recipe, these marshmallows will have a rich honey flavour.
Maple syrup – This natural sweetener can be used to replace the white sugar in this recipe. They will have a rich maple flavour and aroma.
Powdered sugar – Also called icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar. This white powdery sugar is used to dust on the finished marshmallows to prevent sticking.
Cooking sugar for homemade marshmallows with egg whites
What is soft ball
Soft ball is how we refer to a sugar mixture that has been heated to 240°F. Heating sugar to different temperatures will result in a softer to harder candy in the end.
| Jelly | 220 °F (104 °C) |
| Thread | 230 °F (110 °C) |
| Soft-ball | 240 °F (115 °C) |
| Firm-ball | 248 °F (120 °C) |
| Hard-ball | 260 °F (127 °C) |
| Soft-crack | 285 °F (140 °C) |
| Hard-crack | 302 °F (150 °C) |
If you have a candy thermometer and would like to use this for making homemade marshmallows, make sure to keep the bottom of the thermometer in the liquid and not touching the bottom of the pot, this will give you a false reading.
Since candy thermometers are not always available, candy makers would use the method of dropping the cooked candy into cold water. When the liquid is dropped in water it will easily be formed, by your fingers, into a soft squishy ball. This is just as reliable a method as using a thermometer.
How to make homemade marshmallows without a candy thermometer
For homemade marshmallows the sugar mixture needs to cook to the ‘soft ball’ state. Don’t let this scare you, it is easy to do this without any special equipment at all!
Instead of a thermometer, drip a little bit of the cooked sugar mixture into a glass of cold water. Fish the little lump out with your fingers and if you can mold it into a squishy soft ball, the sugar is ready.
If it is still quite loose, continue to cook the mixture and then check again.
Ingredients
Water – Used to soften the gelatine and to dissolve the sugar.
White sugar – This is cooked until it is a soft ball consistency.
Corn syrup – Gives a super soft texture.
Powdered gelatine – The main ingredient to give marshmallows that bouncy, chewy texture.
Vanilla extract – Optional flavouring.
Egg whites – Adds protein and gives marshmallows a silkier, lighter, and less rubbery texture.
Powdered sugar – To prevent sticking.
Cornstarch – To prevent sticking.
How to Make Homemade Marshmallows with Egg Whites
- Lightly grease and dust with a mixture of powdered sugar and cornstarch a 9 X 13 in pan and set aside.
- In a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat add 3/4 cup of water, 2 Tablespoons of cornsyrup, and 2 cups of sugar.
3. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then allow it to boil until it reaches 240 °F ( 115 °C) or soft ball. *This step requires caution! Cooking sugar is very hot and can easily burn you if it touches you skin.
4. Meanwhile in a small pot over low heat, sprinkle 3 packages (3 Tablespoons) of powdered gelatine into 3/4 cup of water.
5. Stir to melt the gelatine into the water as it is heated. Then remove from the heat.
6. In a large bowl, whip 2 egg whites until it holds a stiff peak.
7. As soon as the gelatine cools, whip this into the egg whites.
8. As soon as the soft ball stage is reached with the sugar, slowly pour this into the egg white mixture while constantly whipping.
9. Continue to whip the mixture until it holds a thick mass that holds its’ shape. This can take several minutes.
10. Spread the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and set aside for several hours to solidify.
11. Cut into bite sized cubes. The cubes can again be dusted with the cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture to prevent sticking.
Homemade Egg White Marshmallows
These soft, pillowy homemade marshmallows are sweet, airy, and full of nostalgic charm. Use them for holiday treats, in your hot chocolate, or melted inside of s'mores.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup water, divided 375 ml
- 2 Tablespoons corn syrup 30 ml
- 2 cups sugar 400 g
- 3 packages powdered gelatine
- 2 egg whites
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar 15 g
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 15 g
- 1 Tablespoon oil 15 ml
Instructions
- Lightly grease and dust with a mixture of powdered sugar and cornstarch a 9 X 13 in pan and set aside.
- In a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat add 3/4 cup of water, 2 Tablespoons of corn syrup, and 2 cups of sugar.
- Stir to dissolve the sugar, then allow it to boil until it reaches 240 °F ( 115 °C) or soft ball. *This step requires caution! Cooking sugar is very hot and can easily burn you if it touches you skin.
- Meanwhile in a small pot over low heat, sprinkle 3 packages (3 Tablespoons) of powdered gelatine into 3/4 cup of water.
- Stir to melt the gelatine into the water as it is heated. Then remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, whip 2 egg whites until it holds a stiff peak.
- As soon as the gelatine cools, whip this into the egg whites.
- As soon as the soft ball stage is reached with the sugar, slowly pour this into the egg white mixture while constantly whipping.
- Continue to whip the mixture until it holds a thick mass that holds its' shape. This can take several minutes.
- Spread the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and set aside for several hours to solidify.
- Cut into bite sized cubes. The cubes can again be dusted with the cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture to prevent sticking.
Notes
Decorations like sprinkles can be added to the top before the marshmallows have set.
Nutrition Information
Yield
25Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 95Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 15mgSodium 7mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 0gSugar 21gProtein 1g
Nutrition information isn't always accurate.
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