Fluffy Cotton Candy Treats (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the Marshmallows
01 -
3/4 cup cold water, split into two parts
02 -
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 7g each)
03 -
2 cups granulated sugar
04 -
1/2 cup light corn syrup
05 -
1/4 teaspoon salt
06 -
1 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring
07 -
A few drops of pink or blue gel food coloring (or mix them!)
→ For the Coating
08 -
1/2 cup powdered sugar
09 -
1/4 cup cornstarch
# Instructions:
01 -
Grab a 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Lightly grease the paper with cooking spray or a bit of oil so your marshmallows won't stick later.
02 -
Pour 1/2 cup cold water into your stand mixer bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes - it'll get all weird and wrinkly, which is exactly what you want.
03 -
In a saucepan, mix the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup water. Heat it up, stirring until the sugar melts. Then crank up the heat and let it boil until it hits 240°F on a candy thermometer - no thermometer? Just cook until a small drop forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water.
04 -
Turn your mixer on low and slowly pour in the hot sugar syrup (careful, it's super hot!). Once it's all in, crank that mixer up to high and let it go for 10-12 minutes. It'll transform from clear goop to a fluffy cloud that looks like marshmallow cream. Add your cotton candy flavoring and food coloring during the last minute.
05 -
Quickly scrape the fluffy mixture into your prepared pan. It gets sticky fast! Smooth the top with a spatula that you've sprayed with cooking spray. Now comes the hard part - leave it alone for 6-8 hours or overnight to set.
06 -
Mix the powdered sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Dust your counter with some of this mixture, then flip the marshmallow slab onto it. Peel off the paper and dust the top too. Use a greased knife to cut into squares, or break out cookie cutters for fun shapes. Roll each marshmallow in the sugar mixture so they don't stick together.
07 -
Pop these fluffy treats into an airtight container. They'll stay fresh at room temperature for about a week, if they last that long without being eaten!
# Notes:
01 -
For a fun tie-dye effect, split your batch in half before adding colors, then swirl pink and blue together in the pan.
02 -
These make the most magical hot chocolate toppers - they slowly melt and turn your drink cotton-candy flavored!
03 -
Can't find cotton candy flavoring? Vanilla works in a pinch, or try strawberry for a similar sweet vibe.