Homemade Chocolate-Dipped Candy Cane Marshmallows
Homemade Candy Cane and Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows are a fun holiday treat to make. They are delicious in a mug of hot cocoa and are great for holiday gifting!
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Making Homemade Marshmallows
Did you know you can make homemade marshmallows? It’s pretty easy, and like most things homemade they taste so much better! You can even dip them in melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy cane.
These chocolate dipped-marshmallows are so good! The kids love to help me dip and sprinkle the marshmallows. The first time I ever made them, Madeline was really little and didn’t like that I wouldn’t let her help. What a mess that would have been.
Homemade Marshmallow Recipe
Plus, I think she would have just eaten all of the homemade marshmallows as I was making them!
Along with these chocolate-covered marshmallows, this year I am trying some new toffee recipes, and will definitely be resisting some of my other favorite holiday candy recipes. Yummy!
If you’ve never make chocolate-dipped candies before, make sure you check out these instructions for How to Temper Chocolate.
Learning how to temper chocolate properly is essential when you want to make homemade candies. Tempered chocolate will cool into a hardened state with a shiny appearance. When broken or bitten into will break with a snap.
Think about the outer shell on a ganache truffle – you wouldn’t want the outer texture of a truffle to be dull, sticky and tacky, would you? Nope. You want it to be a smooth and shiny shell.
Pair a bag of these candy cane and chocolate-dipped marshmallows with a mug or hot cocoa mix for an inexpensive (and yummy) holiday gift.
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What are the Ingredients in Homemade Marshmallows
Because these chocolate-dipped marshmallows are made with homemade marshmallows, you’ll need a few extra ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make candy cane and chocolate-covered marshmallows:
- Unflavored gelatin
- Cold water
- Granulated sugar
- Light corn syrup
- Egg whites
- Vanilla bean
- Powdered sugar
- Dark baking chocolate
- Candy canes
Tip: I have a blog post on How to Separate Eggs, which I recommend reading if you’re unsure how to separate the egg whites from the yolks.
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
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How Do You Make Homemade Marshmallows
The most time consuming part of this chocolate-dipped marshmallows recipe is making the homemade marshmallows themselves. Don’t worry, they’re easy to make! But they do take a little time and effort.
Here’s how to make marshmallows from scratch:
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and set aside to soften.
- Combine the sugar, more cold water, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil without stirring it. Once it registers 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer, turn off the heat.
- Pour the hot sugar mixture over the gelatin mixture, then stir in the insides of a vanilla bean.
- Beat the mixture on high until tripled in volume.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then, stir into the gelatin mixture.
- Spread the soft marshmallow mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Place in fridge for 3 hours to set.
- Once set, cut marshmallows into squares, then toss with powdered sugar to coat.
Want your homemade marshmallows to have fun shapes?
You can cut them out with cookie cutters, too. Snowflake shaped marshmallows would be super cute with these snowflake cookie cutters.
If you want marshmallows that are shaped more traditionally, like store bought marshmallows, then I recommend cutting them out with round cookie cutters or a small biscuit cutter, like I’ve done in these photos.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
How to Make Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows
Once you’ve made the homemade marshmallows, it’s easy to finish making these chocolate-dipped marshmallows.
- Melt the dark chocolate, then spoon into a bowl.
- Set up a dipping station. You’ll need one bowl of marshmallows, one bowl of melted chocolate, and one bowl of crushed candy canes.
- Dip the marshmallows into the chocolate, then the crushed candy canes.
- Place candy cane and chocolate-dipped marshmallows onto a baking sheet. Let sit in fridge until set.
Tempering Chocolate for Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows
For more detailed instructions on tempering chocolate, be sure to head over to my post on How to Temper Chocolate. You can also check out this chocolate tempering video below to help you with making your chocolate dipped marshmallows.
Click HERE to save this recipe for Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows!
How Long Do Homemade Marshmallows Last?
These chocolate-covered marshmallows have a pretty long shelf life and will last up to 3 weeks if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Make sure your homemade marshmallows are well dusted in powdered sugar (prior to dipping them in chocolate) so they don’t get stuck together in storage.
Make sure the chocolate has completely hardened before storing so chocolate doesn’t smear all over the marshmallows.
You’ll also want to make sure you store them airtight because otherwise homemade marshmallows will dry out and become hard.
Can I Use Store-Bought Marshmallows in this Chocolate Dipped Marshmallow Recipe?
Of course, for a shortcut to this Homemade Chocolate-Dipped Candy Cane Marshmallow recipe, you can use store bought marshmallows and then proceed with all of the rest of the instructions for dipping.
Although, if you’ve never made homemade marshmallows, I highly recommend giving it a try! Homemade marshmallows are much tastier than the store-bought kind.
Tips for Making Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows
You’re welcome to switch up this chocolate-covered marshmallow recipe as you see fit.
If you don’t like candy canes, leave them out. You can also use milk chocolate instead of dark, although I like pairing bitter chocolate with the sweet marshmallows.
As for the homemade marshmallows themselves, there are really not many ingredient substitutions you can make.
You need all the ingredients listed to make perfect marshmallows! You can, however use vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean. Use 1 – 2 teaspoons depending on preference.
You can add different extracts to the marshmallows to play with the flavors. This recipe for homemade marshmallows is infused with the flavors of vanilla, but you can also add peppermint extract if you’d like the marshmallows themselves to be peppermint flavored.
If leaving out the candy cane, you can experiment with other flavor combinations using a variety of different extracts, and you can always dip the chocolate in nuts, other candies, or freeze dried fruits if you’d like that instead of candy canes.
What to Do With Homemade Marshmallows
These Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows are great eaten as is for a special holiday treat, but there are plenty of other ways to enjoy them, too.
If you love peppermint, I highly recommend popping a few of these chocolate-covered marshmallows into a mug of Peppermint Mocha Spiked Hot Chocolate or Candy Cane Hot Cocoa.
These homemade marshmallows without the peppermint added would be great in a mug of Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.
I also love making this Triple Chocolate Peppermint Bark around the holidays. You can make small homemade marshmallows to add to this peppermint bark recipe.
How to Package Homemade Marshmallows
For gifting these Homemade Chocolate-Dipped Candy Cane Marshmallows, I love to package them up in small cellophane gift bags and tie them with cute, festive baker’s twine or holiday ribbon for gifting!
They are great for teacher gifts. Pair the packaged homemade marshmallows with a cute Christmas mug.
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More Edible Holiday Gifts:
Homemade gifts from the kitchen, like these Homemade Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows, make great holiday gifts for friends, teachers, and neighbors. Here are some more ideas for your inspiration:
Bittersweet Chocolate Swirl Fruit and Nut Bark pairs bittersweet chocolate, white chocolate, almonds, raspberries, strawberries, pumpkin and chia seeds for a delectable holiday treat.
Homemade Pancake Mix Jars are a fun way to gift a delicious and healthy breakfast recipe. Pair it with a cute mixing bowl and a wooden spoon or a nice spatula.
Do you like making candied nuts? Cinnamon Vanilla Glazed Walnuts or Sweet and Spicy Rosemary Bar Nuts are both simple to make and nice additions to a candy and nut gift box.
Homemade BBQ Chicken Rub features a mix of brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika for a flavorful homemade spice rub. I love that this BBQ Chicken Rub stores well in a jar so that you can make a large batch ahead of time and use it throughout the year.
If you’re looking for a fun family Christmas craft that can also serve as a homemade gift, Salt Dough Ornaments are the sweetest! You can make them with hardly any effort and the kids will have a blast. your limitations are only set by the cookie cutters you own.
Chocolate Pretzel Bark is another edible Christmas gift my friends and family love receiving. It’s so simple to make and my kids love sprinkling on the toppings!
Gingerbread Caramels are a fun twist on a classic caramel recipe. Caramel pairs awesomely with hints of molasses and ginger.
Still want more ideas? Check out these Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas if you’re looking for homemade gift ideas this holiday season. These Homemade Chocolate-Dipped Candy Cane Marshmallows are definitely on the list, but there are tons of other ideas, too!
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Homemade Chocolate Dipped Candy Cane Marshmallows
Homemade Chocolate Dipped Candy Cane Marshmallows are a fun holiday treat to make. They are delicious in a mug of hot cocoa and are great for holiday gifting.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup cold water, divided
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 of a scraped vanilla bean
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 6-8 ounces dark baking chocolate
- 2/3 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13 rectangular metal baking.
- In a large bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Allow to stand and soften while you complete the next step.
- Combine the sugar, 1/2 cup cold water, corn syrup, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan.
- Cook mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat without stirring.
- Cook until mixture registers 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. This should take about 8-12 minutes.
- Turn heat off. Pour sugar mixture over the gelatin mixture Cut the vanilla bean in half, then cut a slit down the middle in the half you are using.
- Use a knife or spoon to scrape out the beans.
- Add to the sugar and gelatin mixture.
- Beat on high speed (using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer) until it is tripled in volume, thick, and white – approximately 10 minutes if you’re using a hand mixer and 5 for a stand mixer.
- Using a clean bowl and beaters beat the egg whites until they begin to hold stiff peaks. Add the whites to the sugar mixture and beat until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared 9x13 – note: you will not be able to get all of the mixture out. Don’t worry! Smooth batter across the top using a greased spatula.
- Place the uncovered marshmallows in the fridge and chill for 3 hours, or until firm.
- Loosen the marshmallows and invert over a large cutting board. Cut into one inch cubes using a large knife, or cut with cookie cutters into your desired shape.
- Place the cut marshmallows back in the baking pan, sift with powdered sugar, and toss until fully coated.
- Remove the marshmallows from the pan, discard any excess powdered sugar and store in an airtight container or Ziploc back. Marshmallows keep for one week.
- Melt 6-8 ounces baking chocolate per instructions on the packaging. Cover a work area with parchment paper.
- Arrange the marshmallows, melted chocolate, and crushed candy cane in separate containers on the parchment paper.
- Set a rimmed baking sheet, such as a jelly roll pan, to the side.
- Dip marshmallows in melted chocolate, place on the baking sheet, and sprinkle with crushed candy cane, sprinkles, coconut, or whatever you like.
- You will have to reheat the chocolate throughout this process as it cools and thickens.
- Lay dipped marshmallows out across a rimmed baking sheet (such as a jelly roll pan) and place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened.
Notes
If you love peppermint, I highly recommend popping a few of these chocolate-covered marshmallows into a mug of Peppermint Mocha Spiked Hot Chocolate or Candy Cane Hot Cocoa.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 118mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 2gSugar: 58gProtein: 4g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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Let me know if you try this recipe for Homemade Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows and what you think of it by leaving a comment below.
Click HERE to save this recipe for Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows!
Christine says
Hi,
I just made your marshmallows and put them in the fridge. Now I just noticed my salt is still sitting on the counter. When I reread the recipe, I couldn’t find anything that said to add the 1/2 t. salt. Am I misreading it, is it necessary? Thanks! We can’t wait to try them after they cool.
Katie says
Sorry, it was a typo on my part. I fixed it in the recipe, but it shouldn’t cause any problems if it is left out.
Cookin' Canuck says
Gorgeous! What a fun Christmas treat!
Candi says
We made homemade marshmallows a few weeks ago. Love the idea of dipping them in chocolate and then adding sprinkles to the top!! Thanks for sharing!
justut says
this recipe is so easy, definately going to make them for friends!!! making gitfs begins!
Ben says
I've been meaning to make marshmallows and now I really need to try them.
Amy J in SC says
These look so cute and festive.Oh, I do hope you share that salted caramel recipe.
The Mom says
I was going to make homemade hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows and package them up with a candy cane for Christmas. I love yours even more with the dipped in chocolate and candy canes. Thanks for sharing the idea.Can you share your recipe for salted caramels?
Tasty Eats At Home says
Oh these are so pretty!
hunebe says
Those are beautiful and yummy looking!
Amanda says
Those are so beautiful! I haven't made marshmallows yet, but it's on my list!
Sandy says
Delicious!