Homemade Marshmallows With Egg Whites (Dairy-Free!)

Get ready to win winter with my Easy Homemade Marshmallows recipe. Made in the traditional French fashion with egg whites and a handful of other ingredients, these fluffy, dairy-free treats will make even marshmallow haters into converts. Plus, it only takes 25 minutes of active time to make them!

As a Grocery Addict, you know I'm all about buying store-bought cheats that make it easier to get yummy food on the table. But there are some DIYs—dairy-free marshmallows included—that are echelons above their store-bought counterparts. The first time I tried one at Marché, my mind was blown. 

As someone who has never cared a hoot about Peeps, I was shocked how different they are! Once you experience the sheer joy that is encapsulated in a melty, gooey, vanilla-scented homemade marshmallow, you'll see what I mean. (Bonus points if you serve it in a mug of rich hot cocoa or a spicy Mexican mocha. LIFE-CHANGING, I tell ya!)

Making marshmallows might sound like a complicated project. It might sound ridiculous to even consider it. Plus, they couldn't be all that different from what you get at grocery stores, right? Wrong! None of these things is true. Take a leap of faith with me and dedicate 25 minutes to making these homemade marshmallows. I can promise your life will be sweeter because of it.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love Homemade Marshmallows
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How to Make Homemade Marshmallows with Egg Whites
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
• Expert Tips 
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Easy DIY Dessert Add-Ons 
• Homemade Marshmallows with Egg Whites (Dairy-Free!)
• 💬 Reviews

Why You’ll Love Homemade Marshmallows

• The French Know What’s Up - When I worked pastry, I was taught to traditional marshmallows in the French way—using egg whites. This method yields a softer, fluffier and altogether lighter than store-bought, but with a supremely gooey consistency when melted atop a hot drink. They legit turn into marshmallow fluff! Plus, unlike popular brands, my homemade marshmallows are made with no artificial colors, artificial flavors, or dairy ingredients. That means this is a sweet treat you can share with almost anyone who has a sweet tooth—even if they have food allergies!
• Basic Tools & Ingredients - These tasty treats require a shockingly short list of ingredients, most of which I'd reckon you already have on hand. There's also no real special equipment that you need, with the exception of a candy thermometer. 
• Perfect for Budget-Friendly Gifting - The winter holidays are fast approaching, which means gift-giving is about to kick into high gear. But, rather than spending a bunch of hard-earned money, why not make your own gifts for way less? Marshmallows are a great way to use up excess egg yolks (yay for no-waste cooking!), and are perfect for pairing with my homemade dark hot cocoa mix.

Ingredients & Substitutions

I followed Cronut master and French legend Dominique Ansel's recipe, using the same main ingredients but adding a touch of vanilla paste to up the flavor quotient. (This was nearly the same recipe we used at the restaurant, but in a much smaller batch.) 

Here’s the ingredient list:

• Egg Whites - Make sure you’re using egg whites you’ve separated yourself—egg whites in a carton don’t whip the same way. It’s easiest to do it when they’re still cold from the fridge so the yolks don’t break, but then let them come to room temperature for maximum volume.
• Corn Syrup - Often used in candy-making, corn syrup helps prevent sugar crystals from making the marshmallows grainy. For my health nuts out there, note that this is different (and less processed) than HFCS. If you can’t do corn, tapioca syrup or invert sugar will work in a 1:1 ratio.
• Gelatin & Water - You can use either powdered gelatin (which is easier to find at the grocery store) or a sheet of gelatin (what we used in professional kitchens). Either way, you’ll need to bloom it in cool water first.
• Granulated Sugar - We melt the sugar down into what is essentially a pale caramel, then whip it with the egg whites. This serves multiple purposes—adding the requisite sweetness, cooking the egg whites, and providing structure to maintain the fluffy consistency of our marshmallows. Pure cane sugar or beet sugar works too!
• Vanilla Paste - I love having the pretty black vanilla bean flecks throughout, but regular vanilla extract works just as well.
• Cornstarch & Powdered Sugar - We need something to keep the marshmallows from sticking, and cornstarch is perfect for the job. I prefer a 50/50 mix of cornstarch and powdered sugar to keep it sweeter, but that’s entirely optional. Can’t do corn? Swap in potato starch in a 1:1 ratio and make sure your powdered sugar is made with a cornstarch alternative like tapioca starch.

In terms of equipment, you don’t need anything fancy. Just grab a heavy-bottomed saucepan, a whisk or fork, a candy thermometer, a measuring cup, measuring spoons and an 8 x 8 cake pan. 

How to Make Homemade Marshmallows with Egg Whites

Step 1: Boil. Bring your sugar and ⅓ cup of water to a boil over medium high heat. Add your corn syrup, but don't stir! Let the mixture continue to boil until it reaches a temperature of 260ºF.

Step 2: Bloom Gelatin. In the meantime, add the other ⅓ cup of water to your gelatin and stir to get rid of any dry parts. (If you are using a gelatin sheet, soak it in a glass of cold water for about 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess moisture before using.)

Step 3: Add Gelatin. Once the sugar mix comes to 160ºF, remove from heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin. It will bubble a bit, but don't fret. Just keep stirring. 

Step 4: Whip Egg Whites. In a separate mixing bowl, add your egg whites and whip to soft peaks. Make sure the bowl and beaters are immaculately clean and there are no yolks in the whites—even the least bit of fat will prevent them from creating a proper meringue.

Step 5: Mix Gelatin & Egg Whites. With the mixer going, slowly pour the sugar gelatin mix into the eggs using the side of the bowl to pour it down. Keep beating until the mix becomes thick and you can see air bubbles getting trapped.

Optional: Add Flavoring. If you want to add flavoring, the last minute of beating is when to do it! I added my vanilla paste here.

Step 6: Pour & Set. Scoop the finished marshmallow mix into a prepared 8 x 8 cake tin that you've greased with neutral oil and heavily dusted with a 50/50 mix of corn starch and powdered sugar. Rest for at least 3 hours before turning out and cutting.

Step 7: Cut & Enjoy. Once the marshmallows are firm, sprinkle the top with more confectioner's sugar and cornstarch. Turn out onto a work surface that you've dusted with the same. Use a bench scraper to cut into squares. Toss with more powdered sugar and store in an airtight, dry container at room temperature.

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations

As much as I love regular marshmallows, there are plenty of ways to make these your own. Here are a few ideas:

• Different Extracts - Feel free to switch out the vanilla paste and use a few drops of any number of extracts—almond, maple, coffee, orange, or peppermint are all delicious. Just start with ½ as much as you would for vanilla, as many extracts are more potent.
• Add Color - You can easily add color by adding gel food coloring to the mix. If you go the peppermint route, lightly swirl some red food coloring through the mix to make it look like a candy cane!
• Cute Shapes - Rather than cutting them into squares, use small cookie cutters to cut them into different shapes. You’ll end up with some scraps, which are perfect for snacking as you work!
• Dipped - My friend Jess suggested that I try a famous Minnesotan treat and dip the marshmallows in thick caramel like you would use for a candy apple. I'd also venture to say dipping them in some tempered dark chocolate would also yield a delicious bite.
• More Flavor Options - Per Dominique Ansel's suggestions (this is his base recipe, after all), you can also do the following:
  • Cinnamon Flavored - Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon during the last minute of beating, then add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the confectioner's sugar and cornstarch mix for tossing.
  • Hazelnut Flavored - Add ¼ cup of hazelnut praline paste during the last minute of beating, then roll the marshmallows in coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts.
  • Coconut-Lime Flavored - Add 1 teaspoon pure coconut extract and 2 teaspoons of lime zest during the last minute of beating, then roll them in toasted unsweetened shredded coconut.

Expert Tips 

• Prep everything first. Once your sugar syrup reaches temperature, you’ll need to move fast. Have your bloomed gelatin, whipped egg whites, and prepared pan ready to go before you start heating the sugar.
• If you're using a hand mixer, you can stop your bowl from spinning by dampening a kitchen towel and placing it on the counter in a ring shape. Set your bowl inside it like a nest. Neat, right?
• Don’t stir the sugar syrup. After adding corn syrup to the boiling sugar, resist the urge to stir. Agitation can cause the sugar to crystallize, resulting in a grainy texture.
• Use a candy thermometer. Precision matters here—too low and your marshmallows won’t set properly, too high and they’ll be dense or rubbery. Aim for exactly 260ºF. Also, make sure the thermometer isn’t touching the bottom or sides of the saucepan, which will give you a falsely high reading. 
• Keep it clean. Any trace of fat (like egg yolk or oil residue) can deflate your meringue. Make sure your whisk, bowl, and utensils are squeaky clean and completely dry. That’s why I like to…
• Use the three-bowl method when separating eggs. One bowl catches the white of the egg you are currently separating, one is for putting the yolks, and one is for storing the whites as you go. This way, you won’t ruin the whole batch if an egg yolk breaks—you’ll only be out the one egg!
• Separate eggs when they’re cold, but whip them at room temp. Cold egg yolks are less likely to break, which makes separating easier. But, slightly warmer egg whites capture more air and get extra fluffy—which means your marshmallows will be extra tall and bouncy. 
• Stream slow. When incorporating the sugar syrup, pour it slowly down the side of the bowl so you temper (i.e. don’t scramble) the egg whites.
• Flavor smarts. Add extracts, zest, or other flavorings at the end of whipping so they don’t interfere with the meringue structure.
• Dust generously. Marshmallows are naturally sticky! Use plenty of the cornstarch-powdered sugar mix to coat the pan, knife, and your hands when cutting.
• Let them cure. Even after cutting, leave the marshmallows uncovered for an hour or so to help them “dry” a bit. This gives them that perfect bouncy texture and prevents sticking.
• Aim for halves when you’re cutting to make it easier to make even sizes. In other words, cut down the middle of the square, then cut down the middle of the halves to make 4 neat rows. Trust me—this is way easier than trying to cut in thirds!

Serving Suggestions

Whatever your store-bought marshmallows can do, these can do much, much better. Here are some of my favorite ways to get you started:

• Toast them over the fire for some s'mores! (Or, make my indoor s'mores bars if it's too cold outside.) 
• Add them to chocolate marshmallow ice cream. (You can also toast them with a torch first for s’mores vibes.) Or, make a rocky road situation by adding them to chocolate chocolate chip ice cream with chopped nuts. 
• Chop them into mini marshmallows and run them through a dehydrator to make DIY Lucky Charms marshmallows.
• Add them to a mug of Aztec hot chocolate or a boozy Christmas coffee. Seriously, these marshmallows are one of the best hot chocolate toppings around.
• Make a batch of Rice Krispie treats or Fruity Pebbles treats. 
• Take them and dip them in chocolate or caramel, or both! 
• Wrap a few up in a cellophane bag with a cute ribbon, then attach it to a small mason jar of homemade dark hot chocolate mix.

Storage Instructions

These homemade dairy-free marshmallows are relatively shelf-stable and easy to keep fresh. Here’s how to make them last as long as possible:

• Room Temperature (Best Option): Store marshmallows in an airtight container at cool room temperature (around 65–70ºF) for up to 3 weeks. 
• Refrigeration: While not necessary, you can refrigerate marshmallows if your kitchen is humid. Place parchment between layers and store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
• Freezing: Using the freezer to store egg white marshmallows is not recommended (unless you’re using them as a mix-in for homemade ice cream). They tend to change texture under extreme cold, plus they end up weeping and getting sticky as they defrost.

FAQs

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