If you’d told teenage me I’d be hand-whipping up homemade strawberry pink marshmallows one day, I probably would’ve laughed into my instant cocoa. But here I am, genuinely converted. My youngest, Emma, calls them “fairy clouds.” Last family movie night, we demolished a whole batch during Paddington 2—no regrets. These are nothing like those bagged supermarket cubes that squeak when you squish them. They’re so fluffy it’s silly. There was a time I was scared stiff of candy thermometers, but honestly? You can manage fine if you just watch for that sugar syrup’s thick bubbles.
Why This Strawberry Pink Marshmallow Recipe Is My Secret Party Trick
I make these when the weather’s grey and drizzly out, because somehow, pink marshmallows just brighten up everything. My crew goes bonkers for these every Valentine’s Day. Sometimes I make them just because the strawberries at the market are way too nice to ignore (when they’re a bit sad and wrinkly, I use jam instead, and nobody’s ever noticed). I have totally ruined these by trying to multi-task while the sugar’s boiling—don’t recommend that, ha! But it’s all worth it in the end, promise.
What You’ll Need (And Maybe What You Don’t)
- 1/2 cup strawberry puree (fresh or thawed frozen berries work—sometimes I reach for strawberry jam if I’m out of the real deal)
- 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 21g, but a bit more or less never seems to matter much)
- 1 cup cold water, divided (250ml in total. I never measure it perfectly, to be honest)
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (if you like things less sweet, you can get away with 1 1/2 cups)
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup (or golden syrup if you’re feeling British)
- 1/4 tsp salt (sea salt, table salt, whatever’s in the cupboard)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (I sometimes forget this, and it’s fine, but it does add a nice touch if you remember)
- Pink food coloring (totally optional, but my kids love when I go a bit overboard)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (tapioca starch or cornflour work too, but then you get a slightly different mouthfeel)
How To Make Strawberry Pink Marshmallows Without Going Bonkers
- Spray or grease a 9×9 inch pan (or something close—on really lazy days, I’ve used a baking sheet), then dust the bottom with powdered sugar so nothing sticks. You can use parchment, but it always wrinkles on me.
- Mix the strawberry puree (or jam) and 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a big mixing bowl if you’re feeling strong), then sprinkle the gelatin over top, and leave it alone to let it soften up. Looks gloopy, but that’s normal.
- Now, grab a medium saucepan. Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, remaining 1/2 cup water, and salt. Give it a stir over medium heat until you can’t see any sugar grains. Then crank up the heat to high, and let it bubble away. No frantic stirring now—just let it go until it hits 240°F (soft-ball stage). A candy thermometer’s handy, but if you don’t have one, wait till the bubbles slow down and the syrup looks really glossy. (I always peek at this point, as if anything changed. It never does.)
- Once the sugar’s ready, carefully pour it—slowly!—into the strawberry-gelatin mix, with your mixer on low. If you’re doing this by hand, enlist moral support. Once it’s all in, crank it to high and let it whip for a good 12–15 minutes. It’ll get super thick, pale pink, and look outrageously glossy. I usually lick the beater at this stage. Don’t judge. If you’re adding food coloring, this is the time. Vanilla goes in now, too.
- Scrape the whole fluffy mess into your prepared pan. Don’t worry if it’s a bit uneven. Smooth the top with a spatula (run it under hot water first, otherwise it sticks everywhere, and you’ll be cursing my name).
- Let it sit. At least 4 hours, but overnight is best if you can stand the suspense. I once tried putting it in the fridge to speed things up. It went weirdly rubbery—don’t do that.
- Once set, dust a board with powdered sugar, tip your glorious pink slab out, and slice it up with a sharp knife. If everything’s sticking, dust your knife and hands with more sugar. Also, eat the crusty bits from the bowl. Perks of being the cook!
- Toss the pieces gently in more powdered sugar so they don’t glue themselves together like star-crossed lovers. Done.
Notes Form The Trenches
- If your berries aren’t that sweet, add a bit more sugar or a squeeze of lemon. Swings and roundabouts.
- I’ve discovered using golden syrup gives a slight caramel note, which is ace if you want something cozier.
- If you don’t wait for the sugar syrup to properly bubble away, you’ll get sticky, melty marshmallows, not fluffy cubes. Ask me how I know.
- Powdered sugar dusting is messy. Seriously, clear your workspace first, or you’ll be eating marshmallows with a side of sticky keyboard.
Variations & Wild Experiments
- Blackberry puree makes a wild violet-purple batch. Looks wild, tastes great.
- Lemon zest in the vanilla step for a “sherbet” vibe—kids love it, adults raise a brow.
- Once I tried blending freeze-dried strawberries for extra zing. Overdid it, and they turned gritty, so… maybe use a light hand.
- Peppermint extract at Christmas. I probably wouldn’t do that again unless I wanted pink toothpaste flavor.
Equipment (Or What Happens If You Improvise)
- 9×9 inch pan—or whatever fits. A loaf pan works, just gives chunkier cubes.
- Stand mixer, but a decent hand mixer works for small batches (my mate James insists he did it with a whisk once; he looked a bit defeated after).
- Medium saucepan. Anything sturdy. Thin pans scorch the sugar, and that’s a right pain to clean.
- Candy thermometer is helpful, but honestly, I rarely use it—eyeing the bubbles works okay for me.
- If you have none of these, I guess just grab a wooden spoon and hope for the best. That’s how my nan did it, swear down.
Storage: The Honest Truth
These keep in an airtight box at room temp for about a week, if you’re disciplined. But honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day or two. If you do store them, sprinkle a bit more powdered sugar between the layers—otherwise, you get a marshmallow brick, which is better for comedy than eating. They don’t love the fridge, and they hate humidity.
How I Like To Serve These (Not That You Asked)
My personal favorite: plop a couple in hot chocolate and watch them melt like pink islands. My eldest likes eating them straight off the tray while “helping” to dust. For birthdays, I cut them into fun shapes with (lightly greased!) cookie cutters. Once, we even sandwiched them between digestive biscuits for DIY s’mores. Out of season, these look like a treat on a fancy tea plate next to proper scones. Oh! And nibbling a marshmallow while reading a good book—heaven.
Pro Tips (Or, Here’s What I Messed Up)
- Don’t rush the whipping—once, I tried to save time, and all I got was droopy marshmallow soup. Be patient.
- Actually, I find if you add the syrup too quick, it splashes and makes sugar glue all over the mixer. Slow pour is king.
- Let them cure overnight if you can bear it. I think this tastes better the next day, actually—the flavour deepens.
- If you don’t use enough powdered sugar, you’ll basically glue the pieces together. Clean hands work better than oiled knives, in my experience.
FAQ (Real Questions I’ve Heard—And My Best Answers)
- Can I use agar if I’m vegetarian?
- So, I tried this once. It kinda half-worked—the texture is more bouncy and less melt-in-the-mouth, but if it’s your only option, give it a crack. You might need to tinker with amounts.
- Do I need a candy thermometer?
- Short answer: It helps, but you can get away without one—just eyeball those thick, rolling bubbles like a sugar scientist.
- Can I double the recipe?
- Yup, just use a bigger pan (like a lasagne dish!). By the way, it splatters more, so wear an apron or risk the pink polka dot look.
- Will this work with other fruits?
- Absolutely. Raspberry’s fab. Mango went a bit odd, though. Citrus makes them a wee bit softer, so maybe cook it down more.
- Help! My marshmallows are gooey, what happened?
- Might be under-whipped, or the syrup wasn’t quite hot enough. Just eat them sloppily with a spoon—still tasty!
- How do you stop them sticking everywhere?
- Honestly, I still find powdered sugar everywhere for days, but tossing them straight after cutting does the trick. Or just embrace chaos, as I do.
And there you have it: the pinkest, fluffiest, most not-from-a-bag marshmallows you’ll ever eat—at least in this postcode.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup strawberry puree (fresh or thawed frozen berries work—sometimes I reach for strawberry jam if I’m out of the real deal)
- 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 21g, but a bit more or less never seems to matter much)
- 1 cup cold water, divided (250ml in total. I never measure it perfectly, to be honest)
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (if you like things less sweet, you can get away with 1 1/2 cups)
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup (or golden syrup if you’re feeling British)
- 1/4 tsp salt (sea salt, table salt, whatever’s in the cupboard)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (I sometimes forget this, and it’s fine, but it does add a nice touch if you remember)
- Pink food coloring (totally optional, but my kids love when I go a bit overboard)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (tapioca starch or cornflour work too, but then you get a slightly different mouthfeel)
Instructions
-
1Spray or grease a 9×9 inch pan (or something close—on really lazy days, I’ve used a baking sheet), then dust the bottom with powdered sugar so nothing sticks. You can use parchment, but it always wrinkles on me.
-
2Mix the strawberry puree (or jam) and 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a big mixing bowl if you’re feeling strong), then sprinkle the gelatin over top, and leave it alone to let it soften up. Looks gloopy, but that’s normal.
-
3Now, grab a medium saucepan. Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, remaining 1/2 cup water, and salt. Give it a stir over medium heat until you can’t see any sugar grains. Then crank up the heat to high, and let it bubble away. No frantic stirring now—just let it go until it hits 240°F (soft-ball stage). A candy thermometer’s handy, but if you don’t have one, wait till the bubbles slow down and the syrup looks really glossy. (I always peek at this point, as if anything changed. It never does.)
-
4Once the sugar’s ready, carefully pour it—slowly!—into the strawberry-gelatin mix, with your mixer on low. If you’re doing this by hand, enlist moral support. Once it’s all in, crank it to high and let it whip for a good 12–15 minutes. It’ll get super thick, pale pink, and look outrageously glossy. I usually lick the beater at this stage. Don’t judge. If you’re adding food coloring, this is the time. Vanilla goes in now, too.
-
5Scrape the whole fluffy mess into your prepared pan. Don’t worry if it’s a bit uneven. Smooth the top with a spatula (run it under hot water first, otherwise it sticks everywhere, and you’ll be cursing my name).
-
6Let it sit. At least 4 hours, but overnight is best if you can stand the suspense. I once tried putting it in the fridge to speed things up. It went weirdly rubbery—don’t do that.
-
7Once set, dust a board with powdered sugar, tip your glorious pink slab out, and slice it up with a sharp knife. If everything’s sticking, dust your knife and hands with more sugar. Also, eat the crusty bits from the bowl. Perks of being the cook!
-
8Toss the pieces gently in more powdered sugar so they don’t glue themselves together like star-crossed lovers. Done.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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