These Honey and Peanut Butter Swirl Marshmallows are next level delicious. Making homemade marshmallows is a lot easier than you'd think, and the results speak for themselves. Once you've tried these pillowy peanut butter bites, you'll never want to go back to the packaged stuff.
(This recipe was originally published in September 2013, but was updated with new photos and content in 2022).
Unlike store-bought marshmallows which are chewy and stretchy, homemade marshmallows are extremely delicate, spongy, and basically melt in your mouth. If you have a candy/deep fry thermometer and some patience (they need a couple hours to set), homemade marshmallows are absolutely worth making!
These honey and peanut butter swirl marshmallows are not only pillowy soft, but they feature a lovely peanut butter flavor (along with crunchy peanuts) that really set them apart from plain puffs.
These homemade marshmallows have been described by tasters in my inner circle as being "little pillows of heaven."
Homemade marshmallows are great for gift giving (make sure none of the recipients have peanut allergies of course), snacking, or as a unique sweet treat. They are relatively easy to make as long as you follow the directions closely. There's also no baking required!
Ingredient notes
- Egg Whites: Egg whites are an integral part of making homemade marshmallows. You only need 2 of them to make this recipe. Egg whites whip up to a greater volume if you beat them at room temperature rather than beating cold whites. Let them come to room temperature before whipping for the best results.
- Freezer Hack: Egg whites freeze beautifully and whip up perfectly after thawing. Next time you need just egg yolks for a recipe, freeze the whites for later!
- Granulated Sugar: You'll need 2 cups of granulated sugar to make these peanut butter marshmallows. If using superfine sugar, use an equal weight but don't measure in cups/volume because it has a lesser volume for the same weight.
- Honey: In my opinion the honey really takes these marshmallows to the next level. It adds a complexity in the sweetness and really complements the flavor of the peanut butter. Use a lighter honey like clover, orange blossom, or wildflower rather than a dark honey like buckwheat.
- Pro Tip: Honey doesn't actually go bad, but it can crystalize after a while. If you have a jar of crystalized honey, place the jar of crystalized honey in a saucepan with water high enough to reach the height of the honey in the jar. Heat over medium-low heat until the honey liquifies.
- Gelatin: This homemade peanut butter marshmallow recipe uses gelatin, which is not actually vegetarian. I have not tested the recipe with vegetarian substitutes like agar-agar so I can't say for sure how it will turn out if you swap them.
- Peanut Butter: Even though I'm normally a creamy peanut butter fan, for these marshmallows I think crunchy peanut butter is definitely the way to go. It adds a really nice texture to these pillowy soft morsels that you wouldn't get otherwise.
How to make it
Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with oil, line the base and sides with parchment paper (with some overhang on the sides) and lightly spray the paper with oil.
Begin by making the sugar and honey syrup. Combine sugar, honey and water in a medium, deep heavy-based saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil and simmer, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, slowly sprinkle the gelatin over cold water in a shallow microwave-safe bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Heat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or until the gelatin has dissolved.
Once the sugar syrup reaches 240°F, start whisking the egg whites in an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on medium speed. When frothy, increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add sugar, whisking until thick and glossy. Keep the mixer running on medium speed.
When the sugar syrup reaches 260°F, turn off the heat and allow the bubbles to subside.
Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and gradually pour the gelatin mixture down the inside of the bowl in a thin, steady stream. Add the hot sugar syrup in the same manner.
Increase the speed to high and whisk until the mixture is very thick and holds its shape, about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on your mixer. The outside of the bowl should almost be at room temperature.
Meanwhile, put the peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds until softened slightly, but not hot.
Reserve a couple tablespoons of the peanut butter and use a large spoon or spatula to gently fold the rest through the marshmallow mixture. Use the spatula to scrape the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and gently smooth it out.
Swirl the reserved peanut butter through the top of the marshmallow.
Stand at room temperature uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, until set.
Meanwhile, to make the coating, sift the icing sugar and cornstarch together. Dust the top of the marshmallow with some of the coating
Turn it out onto a clean surface and peel away the parchment paper.
Dust the bottom with more coating, then use a large knife sprayed with oil to cut the peanut butter marshmallow into pieces, cutting rows of 5 by 7 to yield 35 squares. Toss the pieces in the remaining coating, dusting off the excess.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
Store honey and peanut butter swirl marshmallows in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
If you have a lot of experience with sugar work, you could make these marshmallows without a candy thermometer, but in general I wouldn't recommend that. I like the security of knowing exactly how hot my sugar is at all times.
Hot sugar can cause terrible burns. Please be cautious when working with hot sugar to ensure it doesn't touch your skin.
It took me about 20-ish minutes to cook my sugar and honey mixture to the soft ball stage, and another 5-ish minutes before it reached the hard ball stage. I'm not including these timing estimates in the recipe below. They could differ vastly based on your cooking vessel, stovetop temperature. This is, however, a general guide about how long it could take. Again, use a candy thermometer for the most accurate results.
If using a natural-style crunchy peanut butter, it may be soft enough at room temperature, in which case you could skip the step to microwave it.
For clean edges, when cutting the marshmallows with the oiled knife, cut straight downward and don't pull the knife through.
You can use oiled cutters in various shapes (like hearts or stars for example) to cut out these peanut butter marshmallows. There will be some waste in doing so, but you can always eat the scraps! I prefer cutting into squares to avoid scraps but for special occasions shapes can be nice.
Other recipes you may like
- Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
- Hawaiian Butter Mochi
- Soufflé au Chocolat (Ritz Paris Chocolate Soufflés)
- Capezzoli di Venere (Nipples of Venus)
- Browse all Dessert Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Honey and Peanut Butter Swirl Marshmallows
Ingredients
Sugar & Honey Syrup:
- 350 grams (1 ¾ cups) granulated sugar
- 150 grams (⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons) honey
- ½ cup water
Marshmallows:
- 14 grams (5 teaspoons/2 packets) powdered unflavored gelatin
- ⅔ cup cold water
- 70 grams (2 large) egg whites, at room temperature
- 50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 185 grams (¾ cup) crunchy peanut butter
Coating:
- 30 grams (¼ cup) confectioners' (icing) sugar
- 30 grams (¼ cup) cornstarch
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with oil, line the base and sides with parchment paper (with some overhang on the sides) and lightly spray the paper with oil.
- Begin by making the sugar and honey syrup. Combine the 1 ¾ cups sugar, the honey and ½ cup water in a medium, deep heavy-based saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring to a boil and simmer, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240°F (115°C) on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully, as the syrup has a tendency to bubble up, and lower the heat a bit if necessary to control it.
- Meanwhile, slowly sprinkle the gelatin over the ⅔ cup cold water in a shallow microwave-safe bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Heat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or until the gelatin has dissolved.
- Once the sugar syrup reaches 240°F (115°C), start whisking the egg whites in an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on medium speed. When frothy, increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add ¼ cup sugar, whisking until thick and glossy. Keep the mixer running on medium speed.
- When the sugar syrup reaches 260°F (127°C) (this is the upper end of the hard-ball stage), turn off the heat and allow the bubbles to subside.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and gradually pour the gelatin mixture down the inside of the bowl in a thin, steady stream. Add the hot sugar syrup in the same manner. Increase the speed to high and whisk until the mixture is very thick and holds its shape, about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on your mixer. The outside of the bowl should almost be at room temperature.
- Meanwhile, put the peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds until softened slightly, but not hot.
- Reserve a couple tablespoons of the peanut butter and use a large spoon or spatula to gently fold the rest through the marshmallow mixture, stirring and lifting the mixture only 2 to 3 times. Do not over-mix.
- Use the spatula to scrape the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and gently smooth it out. Swirl the reserved peanut butter through the top of the marshmallow. Stand at room temperature uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, until set.
- Meanwhile, to make the coating, sift the icing sugar and cornstarch together. Dust the top of the marshmallow with some of the coating and turn it out onto a clean surface. Peel away the parchment paper, and dust the bottom with more coating.
- Use a large knife sprayed with oil to cut the marshmallow into pieces, cutting rows of 5 by 7 to yield 35 squares. Cut straight down instead of pulling the knife through to get the cleanest cuts. Toss the pieces in the remaining coating, dusting off the excess.
- Keep in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
- If using a natural-style crunchy peanut butter, it may be soft enough at room temperature, in which case you could skip the step to microwave it.
- It took me about 20-ish minutes to cook my sugar and honey mixture to the soft ball stage, and another 5-ish minutes before it reached the hard ball stage. I'm not including these timing estimates in the recipe above as they could differ vastly based on your cooking vessel, stovetop temperature, etc., but this is a general guide about how long it could take. Use a candy thermometer for the most accurate results.
- Adapted from The Artisan Marshmallow
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
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