Pumpkin flavored marshmallows are a lot easier to make at home then you think and will beat anything you find at the grocery store.
A couple weeks ago, I was in the grocery store, and I saw some bags of marshmallows claiming to be pumpkin marshmallows.
They were pumpkin shaped marshmallows, but that was the only pumpkin thing about them, they were just the same old generic store bought marshmallow.
But it got me thinking, pumpkin flavored marshmallows sound like a good idea.
It's something else I can do with all the pie pumpkins I have my disposal.
I was inspired by the blog "Taste and Tell" to make my own pumpkin marshmallows. I took the knowledge I already had from making marshmallows before and combined it with the instruction list of that blog recipe and came up with these pumpkin flavored marshmallows.
Alton Brown Marshmallow Method
I learned to make marshmallows from Alton Brown. On an episode of Good Eats, Alton showed how easy it was to make marshmallows by combining the mix of boiled water, corn syrup, and sugar with unflavored gelatin that you beat air into with a stand mixer.
The two types of sugar - white sugar and corn syrup, help prevent sugar crystals from forming. If you have ever had grainy fudge or ice cream that has melted and re-frozen, that's the kind of grainy I am talking about. We don't want that.
The magical ingredients of marshmallow making is really the air. You need a stand mixer to pump enough air to make the marshmallows light and fluffy. A hand mixer would probably tire you out before they were done.
I have had much success with Alton's method - there are others out there. I stand by this one and it's the one I use for these pumpkin marshmallows.
How to Make Pumpkin Flavored Marshmallows
To give marshmallows that pumpkin flavor, I use fresh pumpkin puree that I made myself. No pumpkin from a can here.
The pumpkin puree is added near the end of the process. I have been working on my own flavors of marshmallows such as raspberry that didn't come out as well. I think the mistake now was adding the fruit puree too early. You need to add your flavoring, in this case pumpkin, after you have whipped some air into your sugar/gelatin mixture.
When I first tried these I was concern at first that they weren't going to set up well. But hours later, the texture was perfect. So don't worry if it seems to soft, give it time and your patience will be rewarded.
Adding a Coating like Graham Crackers
Homemade marshmallows need some type of coating on them so they don't stick together and are easier to eat. The basic coating I use is powdered sugar and corn starch. You could add some cinnamon or ginger to the coating as well for even more spicy fall flavor.
What would be even more fun is coating them in graham cracker crumbs or finely smashed up ginger snap cookies. Now we are talking!
Other Pumpkin Recipes You Might Like
Ginger Cookies with Pumpkin Buttercream
Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows
Ingredients
For the bloom
- 3 ¼ ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup cold water
For the pot
- 2 cups sugar
- ⅔ cup corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
To add the flavor
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
For the coating
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup corn or potato starch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Start by blooming the gelatin in the cold water. Pour ½ cup of cold water into the bowl of your stand mixer. Add in the 3 packs of gelatin. Set aside.
- Mix the spices into the pumpkin puree and set that aside
- Bring 2 cups sugar, ⅔ cup corn syrup, and ¼ water to a boil in a saucepan. Clip on your a candy thermometer
- Do not stir in once it has begun boiling.
- Cook until the temperature reaches 250 degrees.
- Slowly pour into the stand mixer with your whisk attachment on the lowest setting. Once you have it all in raise the speed to high. Whip for 7 to 8 minutes until white and fluffy. Stop the mixer. Add in the spiced pumpkin.puree.
- Turn your mixer back up to high and whip for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Pour the marshmallows into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Smooth out with a spatula. Work fast.
- Allow to set in the pan for 4 to 8 hours before attempting to remove and cut.
- In a bowl, combine the coating ingredients. Sprinkle on top of the marshamallows. Then remove from them the pan. Sprinkle the other side of the marshmallows. Then cut into pieces. Roll each piece in the coating.
- Store them in a cool, dry place.
Deborah
I'm so glad that you liked these!! Now I feel like making another batch!
admin
You definitely should!