Light and pillowy homemade marshmallows flavored with coconut.

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What could possibly be better than a homemade marshmallow melting into a hot mug of cocoa? On a cold day like today, especially when I’m feeling more than just a little under the weather, absolutely nothing.

And it turns out marshmallows aren’t that hard to make in your own home. Sticky, sure, but not that hard. I admit I was a little intimidated at first, which is why marshmallows have sat untouched on my to-make list for several years now. But Steve and I have been enjoying so much hot cocoa this winter and store bought marshmallows just don’t even come close.

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Marshmallows begin with a little gelatin and water mixed with hot sugar and whipped till white and fluffy. Then you add stiff egg whites and flavorings and pour it all into a prepared dish to stiffen up. Doesn’t sound so bad, right? Believe me, it’s worth it.

I’m a sucker for nearly all things coconut, and so I thought it would be fun to make this batch coconut flavored, dusted with shredded coconut. But if coconut isn’t for you, simply omit the coconut extract and toss the marshmallows in powdered sugar instead.

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If you’ve never had a homemade marshmallow, you don’t know what you’re missing. They’re light and airy, and not overly sweet. And they will do wonders for your hot cocoa, though these little heavenly pillows are perfect all by themselves.

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Coconut Marshmallows

Servings: 32 marshmallows
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Rest Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Homemade marshmallows flavored with coconut.

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup cold water (8 fl oz)
  • 3 ½ packets gelatin (25 grams)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (460 grams)
  • ½ cup corn syrup (4 fl oz)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (1 gram)
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Approximately 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut , for dusting (see Note)

Instructions
 

  • Grease the sides and bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish and dust with some shredded coconut.
  • In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, sprinkle the gelatin over ½ cup of the water. Let stand for a few minutes to soften.
  • In a heavy bottom saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, remaining ½ cup water, and salt over low heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium and let bring to a boil. Continue to cook mixture, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 240°F. Immediately poor over the gelatin in the stand mixer, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
  • Beat the mixture on high speed until white, thick, and tripled in volume, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Add the egg whites, and vanilla and coconut extracts to the gelatin mixture and mix until combined.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle generously with shredded coconut. Let sit uncovered for at least three hours, and up to one day.
  • Use a knife to cut around the edges and cut the marshmallows into squares, greasing the knife if necessary. Toss the marshmallows in more shredded coconut to cover the now exposed sticky edges.
  • Store the marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Notes

Note: If possible, try to find baker’s coconut, it's finer than the larger shredded/flaked coconut found in most grocery stores. You can also pulse traditional flaked coconut it a few times in a food processor to make it finer.
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen.
Calories: 66kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 25mg, Potassium: 3mg, Sugar: 17g, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Annalise
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