Thick and flavorful Homemade Marshmallow Creme (aka Marshmallow Fluff) is easy to make. Use it for s'mores, as a frosting base for cakes and cupcakes, or as an ice cream mix-in. It's better than store bought!
Why this recipe works
- In under 30 minutes, you can have marshmallow creme
- Only 6 ingredients needed
- You can flavor the marshmallow creme as you'd like
I didn't know how easy it was to make homemade Marshmallow Creme. Really.
I'd always bought a jar of marshmallow creme (aka marshmallow fluff) whenever I needed some, which wasn't very often, truth be told. I always thought it tasted a bit like plastic.
[Side note: Since I didn't grow up in New England, I hadn't heard of a Fluffernutter Sandwich, a concoction of marshmallow fluff and peanut butter on white bread. It's supposed to be quite the delicacy. But I digress.]
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What you need
There are just six ingredients needed, and only two might not be familiar. Cream of tartar is used to stabilize the egg whites as they're whipped into meringue. It isn't strictly necessary, but it is recommended.
Corn syrup is used to stabilize the marshmallow fluff and help keep it tacky. If you haven't any at hand, you can replace it with ¾ cup honey (255 grams).
You can flavor the marshmallow cream with different extracts. Use ¼ teaspoon of almond, mint, or Fiori di Sicilia (an orange vanilla extract). You can even add 1 to 2 tablespoons of whiskey or bourbon for a boozy twist!
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How to make marshmallow creme
Making marshmallow fluff from scratch is similar to making homemade marshmallows. The only special equipment you'll need is a digital or candy thermometer.
Step 1: Make the sugar syrup
A basic marshmallow recipe has you make a sugar syrup (which is sugar, corn syrup, and water) and bring it up to 240°F (soft-ball stage). Separately, you have softened gelatin in a mixing bowl, waiting to receive the syrup. When the syrup is hot enough, you add it to the mixing bowl and whip it all together to make the marshmallow base. Drying the marshmallows comes next.
Making a homemade marshmallow fluff recipe is even easier. Start by heating the basic sugar syrup (photo 1).
Step 2: Whip the egg whites to meringue
As the syrup begins to boil, whip egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks. They come together after about three minutes of whipping (photo 2).
Step 3: Add the sugar syrup to the meringue
Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl into the whipped egg whites with the mixer running on low speed. After it's all been added, beat until the marshmallow creme is very thick and glossy, about 7 to 8 minutes (photo 3).
Step 4: Add the flavoring
Add the vanilla (or another flavoring of your choice), and whip for a minute more (photo 4).
That's it! You're done (photo 5).
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
While they may look the same, they're not the same. Marshmallows have gelatin in them that help them to set, so melted marshmallows don't stay soft and creamy like marshmallow fluff does.
Well, the obvious uses are for rice krispy treats or s'mores. You can also use it as a mix-in for ice cream or as a base for Marshmallow Buttercream frosting or fondant.
Pro Tip: Saucepan cleaning tip
When it's time to clean your saucepan from the sugar syrup, the remainder left in the pan might harden into something that no amount of scrubbing will remove.
In that instance, fill the pan with water and bring to a boil. That will soften the leftover syrup, and it will magically melt away with no scrubbing needed. Neat, huh!
Easy to make and fun to eat
The best part is that this homemade marshmallow fluff tastes so good. No plastic flavors here!
It's thick, creamy, and chewy, perfect for those Fluffernutter Sandwiches everyone around here talks about! And the marshmallow creme recipe doubles easily and keeps up to 6 weeks at room temperature.
Then there's just licking it off the beaters. Or sneaking a taste from that tub over there.
The next time you think about marshmallow fluff, head to your kitchen instead of the store!
Uhm...hand me a spoon, will you?
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
Candy making doesn't have to be hard, and making fudge definitely isn't. And if you want to try your hand at chocolate dipped treats, here's a guide to temper chocolate for that satisfying snap.
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Recipe
Homemade Marshmallow Creme (Marshmallow Fluff)
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, optional, see Recipe Notes
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup corn syrup, see Recipe Notes
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, see Recipe Notes
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Let this sit while you go to make the sugar syrup.
- Combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a 3-quart saucepan, stirring to wet the sugar. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure it's in the mixture but not touching the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring.
- As the sugar syrup begins to boil (the temperature will be at about 225 °F), beat the egg whites on high speed just to soft peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes. Keep an eye on the sugar syrup - it should reach 240 °F (soft-ball stage) just about the same time the egg whites are ready.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Don't worry if the egg whites lose some volume at first - they will recover as the sugar syrup gets beaten in.
- After all the syrup is added, turn the mixture to high and whip for 7 to 8 minutes. The marshmallow creme will be very thick and glossy at this stage. Add the vanilla and whip for 1 more minute.
- Transfer the marshmallow creme into an airtight container and store at room temperature. It will keep up to six weeks. This recipe can be easily doubled.
