March 19, 2020

Lemon Lavender Marshmallows

Did you know marshmallows are super easy to make from scratch? I probably wouldn’t make plain marshmallows from scratch because I’m all about the easiest way possible, and it’s obviously easiest to buy plain ol’ regular marshmallows. But with marshmallows made from scratch, you can make so many different flavors! And I can’t think of a better flavor for spring than Lemon Lavender Marshmallows! These are light and bright and are the perfect flavor to bring spring!

Ingredients

The two key ingredients for making marshmallows from scratch are gelatin and corn syrup. The gelatin helps the marshmallows to hold their shape and helps create the texture, while the corn syrup also contributes to the texture as well as the flavor. Additionally, a combination of powdered sugar and cornstarch keep the outside of the marshmallows from sticking to everything! You’ll also need water and sugar to create the marshmallow, and lemon extract and ground lavender for the flavor.

How to make Lemon Lavender Marshmallows

You’ll want a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or you’ll get a solid arm workout. You’ll also need a candy thermometer for this, but if you don’t have one you can get a good one for super cheap (I got mine for about $6 on Amazon)!

In the bowl of your stand mixer, put the gelatin and first half cup of water, and set aside. Next, you’ll combine sugar, corn syrup, and the other half cup of water in a pan on the stove. You’ll cover this pot and heat over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Then, remove the lid, clip on your candy thermometer, and keep heating until the mixture reaches 240 F. Remove the pot from the heat, start your stand mixer on low speed, and slowly stream in the hot mixture. Once the mixture is fully added, turn up the speed to med-high and let that baby do it’s thing for 12 minutes.

side view of lemon lavender marshmallows arranged in a rectangular pattern on top of a wooden cutting board. The image focuses on the corner of the marshmallow in the bottom right corner of the cutting board, which is sitting at an angle in the frame. the remaining marshmallows are blurred in the background and going out of the frame.

While that’s going, prepare your pan. You’ll do this by lining an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Combine the corn starch and powdered sugar, and sprinkle half the mixture along the bottom of and up the sides of the lined pan.

After your 12 minutes are up, stop your mixer, add in the lemon extract and lavender, and then let the mixer run for another 1-2 minutes. You should have a thick, bright white, fluffy mixture. Spray your spatula with nonstick spray and spread the mixture into the pan. Top the mallows with the remaining corn starch/powdered sugar mixture, and let sit about 4 hours to set.

When ready to serve, you can cut these with a knife, or you can use cookie cutters to make them into fun shapes! Whatever you use to cut them, make sure to spray it with non-stick spray before cutting. You may also want a little bit extra powdered sugar/corn starch mix if the sides of the mallows are sticky once they’re cut. You can roll those sticky edges in some extra powder.

I usually eat these straight out of the bag, but you can enjoy them however you’d like!

Close up of lemon lavender marshmallows from a 45 degree angle view. One marshmallow in the middle of others is clear and the others are blurred.

How to Use a Candy Thermometer

When you use a candy thermometer, you’ll want to make sure the tip of the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot, but otherwise you just clip it on to the side of the pot and it does all the work! And be careful when you remove it because it can get hot to the touch. I always use a potholder to take it off the pot.

Candy thermometers are unique in that they are able to measure a wide range of temperatures. Meat thermometers generally have a much smaller temperature range, though if you have one that goes up high enough you can certainly use it!

Are homemade marshmallows worth it?

YES! As someone who is fully in support of short cuts and easy recipes and buying ingredients you don’t enjoy making (you will not see me making a pie crust anytime soon!), I truly mean it when I say that it is SO worth it to make marshmallows from scratch. They are super easy to make, they taste significantly better than store-bought mallows, and when you make them from scratch, you can make them in a wide variety of flavors.

How to Store Lemon Lavender Marshmallows

The marshmallows can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. A zip top baggie is perfect for these!

How long will homemade marshmallows keep?

If you store them as stated above, they should stay good for a few weeks…assuming they last that long without being devoured!

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