Make Ahead

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff (with Gelatin)

by:
June 20, 2014
4.5
2 Ratings
Homemade Marshmallow Fluff (with Gelatin)
Photo by Sydney Kramer
  • Makes 2 1/2 cups
Author Notes

Perfect marshmallow fluff made right at home, and it tastes and looks just like the real thing! Recipe adapted from Chow: http://www.chow.com/recipes... —CrepesofWrath

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean)
Directions
  1. Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often, until the it reaches 240° F on a candy thermometer. Be careful not to let the mixture bubble over: Turn the heat down if you need, and keep a watchful eye over it. This might take a little longer than you think, but just keep at it. Mine took about 10 minutes, but when you're standing there watching it, it feels like an eternity. It got stuck at around 220 for what seemed like forever, but then it eventually got up to 240.
  2. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Start whipping the egg whites to soft peaks on medium speed. You want to have the egg whites whipped and ready to go, waiting for your syrup to be drizzled in. If they’re whipping faster than your syrup is coming to temperature, just stop the mixer until the syrup is ready, which is what I did.
  3. When the syrup reaches 240° F, reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly drizzle about 2 tablespoons of syrup into the egg whites to warm them. If you add too much syrup at once, the whites will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the rest of the syrup, a bit at a time -- seriously, do not do more than 2 tablespoons at a time.
  4. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until the marshmallow fluff is stiff and glossy, about 7 solid minutes. Don't try to speed this process up! Add in the vanilla and whip 2 minutes more. Use the fluff immediately, or store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. I made my fluff about 4 hours ahead of time, stored it in an airtight container, and served it on its own with graham crackers and chocolate later in the day at a barbecue.
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14 Reviews

Cat
Cat September 19, 2017
After reading some comments I would like to stress that any frosting is very different from a marshmallow recipe. They have similar ingredients, but two things set this recipe apart from Marthas 7 minute frosting; gelatin, and the process. This recipe takes longer, as its more of a 'candy' process due the cooking of the sugar (also found in Italian buttercream). I view this recipe as more of a topping than an icing, but, as with anything, its open to interpretation. As far as holding up in the freezer, gelatin inhibits freezing, and so does sugar. so I would personally just make this fresh per use. If you don't have corn syrup in your country, glucose is the same thing. If you have neither, just make some thick simple syrup; 1 to 1 ratio of water to sugar to start, and add more sugar until its thick and clear, but don't heat past boiling temp, 212°F (100°C). Now, time to go make some fluff :D
 
Bambi G.
Bambi G. February 11, 2017
What to use as substitute to corn syrup? Australia does not have that!
 
Cat
Cat September 19, 2017
Do you have glucose? it's the same thing.
 
Cat
Cat September 19, 2017
Do you have glucose? it's the same thing.
 
Allison
Allison December 14, 2014
I made this yesterday thinking I could use it instead of regular 7 minute icing (Martha Stewart), as the recipes are so similar. I did use this as the frosting on a big cake, but this is definitely not 7 minute icing, this is straight up marshmallow fluff. I was really impressed with this recipe. It was easy to make, and if you needed fluff, it's exactly what you would need. Instead of using vanilla I used 1/2 tsp peppermint extract. Delish!
 
JanetRoss
JanetRoss December 14, 2014
I believe this recipe is more stable than 7 minute frosting due to the higher proportion of corn syrup and the addition of significantly less water.
 
Marsha M.
Marsha M. September 4, 2014
I'd rather have a dollop of marshmallow cream instead of marshmallows on top of my hot chocolate! yummmmmmmmmmmm
 
JanetRoss
JanetRoss August 6, 2014
I use 7 Minute Frosting for my Chocolate Marshmallow ice cream and was wondering if the Fluff would be a good substitute. Do you think it would retain a good consistency in the freezer.
 
CrepesofWrath
CrepesofWrath August 6, 2014
I'm not completely sure, to be honest. I've got a feeling that it might just get rock hard because there is no gelatin or anything like that in it.
 
JanetRoss
JanetRoss August 6, 2014
The 7 Minute Frosting recipe contains sugar, egg whites, corn syrup and vanilla. It retains a soft consistency in the freezer. (I use Martha Stewart's recipe).
 
CrepesofWrath
CrepesofWrath August 6, 2014
Hmm, maybe then! I've never made ice cream so I am a noob.
 
Julie F.
Julie F. August 3, 2014
Fluffernutter sandwiches! Yum!
 
nice R.
nice R. August 3, 2014
I will definitely be making this very soon . thank you , it looks luscious !
 
Allison T.
Allison T. August 1, 2014
Around the holidays I have several recipes that use fluff, I would much rather make it homemade. Thank you for the recipe!
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