Light and fluffy, homemade marshmallows are easy to make, and these Irish Whiskey Marshmallows are a grown-up treat with a kick. Add a couple to a cup of coffee for the best Irish coffee you’ve ever had!
Why this recipe works
- Homemade marshmallows are light and fluffy
- Irish Whiskey imparts lots of flavor to the marshmallows
- You can control how strong the alcohol kick will be
How easy is it to make homemade marshmallows?
Easier than you think! At its essence, marshmallows are just a sugar syrup firmed up with gelatin.
Ok, maybe there’s a bit more to it than that.
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What you need
Making spiked marshmallows doesn't involve any fancy ingredients. Most you'll probably already have on hand: sugar, powdered sugar, salt.
Since the Irish Whiskey will be prominent (as will its kick!), use what you like to drink. You're not using a whole lot of whiskey, so you can experiment with higher end brands, like Kilbeggan, for more flavor. Or, use your favorite whiskey or bourbon instead.
Gelatin is what makes the sugar syrup set up. I use Knox unflavored gelatine.
In addition to adding more sweetness, corn syrup helped to stabilize the sugar as it’s being heated. Can you make marshmallows without corn syrup? Check out my comments in the FAQs.
The powdered sugar isn’t so much for sweetness as it’s to help keep the cut marshmallows from sticking to each other...the counter...your fingers. Since you’ll be eating it, it’s better to dust with powdered sugar than flour in this instance, wouldn’t you agree?
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How to make homemade marshmallows
There are four easy steps to making a homemade marshmallow recipe.
The hardest part is having the patience to let the sugar syrup get to temperature, whipping the mixture for enough time, and letting the marshmallows dry completely.
Step 1: Bloom the gelatin
All this means is to let the unflavored gelatin get thoroughly hydrated. Just sprinkle it over a liquid, in this case a 50/50 mix of water and Irish whiskey (photo 1). Make sure all the gelatin gets wet (you don't want a dry gelatin "island" floating around).
Step 2: Make the sugar syrup
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the remaining ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved (photo 2). Using a digital thermometer (or a candy thermometer), bring the syrup to a boil without stirring until it reaches 238 °F (soft-ball stage), like when making Pecan Pralines. It might foam up, so lower the heat if necessary. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the proper temperature. Remove from heat.
Yes, you could use the drop-a-bit-into-a-glass-of-water-and-check-the-texture method, but digital thermometers are quite handy to have around, so I’d suggest just keeping one in your equipment drawer.
Step 3: Whip syrup and gelatin mixture
Turn on the mixer to Low to mix the gelatin for a few seconds. With the mixer running, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl (photo 3). Be careful…you don’t want to have any splashes. This is a good time to use a splash guard if you have one.
Whip the sugar syrup into the gelatin/liquid mixture until it’s really fluffy, about 10 to 12 minutes. When properly whipped, the mixture will be thick and will slowly slump back into the bowl when the beater is lifted (photo 4).
Don't be tempted to stop the whipping early. There are consequences, as I discovered.
Step 4: Dry and cut the marshmallows
Pour the mixture into an 8- x 8-inch collapsible pan that's been sprayed with canola oil spray (or brushed on using a pastry brush) and dusted generously with powdered sugar. You can smooth the surface with a small offset spatula. Sift a generous layer of powdered sugar on top.
Allow the marshmallow to dry on the counter, uncovered, for at least 4 hours. You want it to pull away cleanly from the sides of the pan when you gently tug it with your fingers. If you have the time, allow the marshmallows to dry overnight.
When you’re ready to cut the marshmallows, open the sides of the collapsible pan. Use the guides on the pan to cut the block into 1-inch squares with a plastic pizza cutter (mine came with the pan), a regular pizza cutter, or a chef’s knife (photo 5). If you’re using a metal cutter or knife, wipe it with canola oil and dust it with powdered sugar repeating as necessary to keep it from sticking to the marshmallow block as it’s being cut.
You can also cut the block into larger squares or make fun shapes with cookie cutters dusted with powdered sugar.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions that you might have...
Yes, there are many recipes for making vegan marshmallows, like this one from Taste of Home. Since gelatin is an animal derivative, Agar powder is used instead. However, I readily admit that I’m not vegan (say it ain’t so!), so I haven’t tried it myself. If you do go that route, please let me know how it goes in the comments below.
First, let me say that corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are not the same thing, as this article from The Kitchn says.
The reason for including corn syrup is to help stabilize the sugar as it’s being heated to the soft-ball stage temperature (238°F). It’s the same reason for including it when making caramel sauce and as a way to recover sugar syrup that has crystalized during heating.
That being said, you can substitute honey, maple syrup, or golden syrup for the corn syrup. Each will leave its subtle flavor on the finished product, and you can use it to enhance the whiskey's flavor profile.
You can adjust the amount of whiskey you use in the marshmallows up or down to suit your taste, as long as you adjust the amount of water by the same amount. If you want to make these homemade marshmallows kid-friendly (or you’re avoiding alcohol), I’ve got you covered - just substitute juice or water for the spirits. Flavor the marshmallows with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon of another extract flavor after all the whipping is done.
You want to make sure you whip enough air into your whiskey marshmallows, otherwise they come out more chewy than fluffy. On my first attempt I only whipped the mixture for 6 minutes, and they came out flat. Be patient and whip, whip, and whip some more!
Pro tip: Use the pan you have
If you don’t have an 8- x 8-inch collapsible pan, line an 8- x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Spray lightly with canola oil spray (or brush on using a pastry brush), then sift generously with powdered sugar. When you're ready to cut the marshmallow block, lift it from the pan using the parchment overhang and place on a cutting board dusted with powdered sugar.
Pillowy goodness is at hand
These Irish Whiskey marshmallows are light, fluffy, and pack a punch.
Eat these adult-only treats out of hand, make them into rice krispy treats, or bake them into brownies, just for a few ideas.
The best way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day would be to put a couple Whiskey Marshmallows in a cup of coffee for the best Irish coffee you’ve ever had!
Naturally gluten-free, homemade Irish Whiskey marshmallows are perfect for the Spring holidays of Passover and Easter (maybe strawberry flavored?). Have fun with shapes and flavors!
I’ll be making more marshmallows now that I know how easy they are, and I hope you will, too!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
Adding spirits contributes flavor and depth to your cooking and baking, and sometimes a kick as well! Here are some ideas to get you started.
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Recipe
Homemade Irish Whiskey Marshmallows
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Irish Whiskey, see Recipe Notes
- ¾ cup water, cold, divided
- 3 ¼-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin powder
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- powdered sugar, as needed for dusting
Instructions
- Lightly grease an 8- x 8-inch collapsible pan with canola oil spray (or brush on using a pastry brush), then use a sifter to dust generously with powdered sugar, shaking off the excess. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine ¼ cup water and ¼ cup Irish Whiskey. Sprinkle the gelatin over the liquid and let it sit while you make the sugar syrup. Make sure all the gelatin gets wet (you don't want a dry gelatin "island" floating around).
- In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the remaining ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Using a digital thermometer (or a candy thermometer), bring the syrup to a boil without stirring until it reaches 238 °F (soft-ball stage). It might foam up, so lower the heat if necessary. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the proper temperature. Remove from heat.
- Turn on the mixer to Low to mix the gelatin for a few seconds. With the mixer running, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Be careful…you don’t want to have any splashes. This is a good time to use a splash guard if you have one.
- Once all the syrup has been added to the bowl, gradually turn the mixer up to High, and whip for 12 minutes. Don’t be tempted to whip for less time - you need a lot a air whipped into the mixture to achieve that lofty marshmallow texture. When properly whipped, the mixture will be thick, and will slowly slump back into the bowl when the beater is lifted.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. You can smooth the surface with a small offset spatula. Sift a generous layer of powdered sugar on top.
- Allow the marshmallow to dry on the counter, uncovered, for at least 4 hours. You want it to pull away cleanly from the sides of the pan when you gently tug it with your fingers. If you have the time, allow the marshmallows to dry overnight.
- When you’re ready to cut the marshmallows, open the sides of the collapsible pan. Use the guides on the pan to cut the block into 1-inch squares with a plastic pizza cutter (mine came with the pan), a regular pizza cutter, or a chef’s knife. If you’re using a metal cutter or knife, wipe it with canola oil and dust it with powdered sugar repeating as necessary to keep it from sticking to the marshmallow block as it’s being cut.
- Cut the block lengthwise into 8 strips, then crosswise into 8 pieces, to form a total of 64 squares. (For larger marshmallows, cut lengthwise into 6 strips, then crosswise into 6 pieces, to form a total of 36 squares.) Dust the cut sides of the marshmallows with additional powdered sugar as you go. All the sides should be well coated and not sticky. See the Recipe Notes for additional cutting ideas.
- Eat these adult-only marshmallows out of hand, made into S’mores, baked into brownies, or put a couple in a cup of coffee for the best Irish coffee you’ve ever had. Enjoy!
- Marshmallows can be stored layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment in an airtight container in a dry place at cool room temperature, for 1 month. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
