If you’ve followed Butter Me Up Brooklyn for a while—or clicked the meet lillie tab—you might already know I don’t own a stand mixer. I learned to knead bread and stir cookie dough by hand, with a wooden spoon and a lot of elbow grease. It’s worked fine, but I admit that a stand mixer would make certain jobs much easier.
That said, if a sleek white appliance happened to appear on my doorstep one week from today, I would happily revise my kitchen philosophy. I can imagine finding excuses to use it constantly, even for trivial tasks: “Let me mix that for you…” would become my favorite line. Until then, I’m content to borrow friends’ mixers whenever the opportunity arises.
When a friend invited me to a marshmallow-making party, I didn’t hesitate. Homemade marshmallows are a treat that benefit from a stand mixer, but they’re also perfectly achievable by hand if you’re prepared for an arm workout. Historic cooks didn’t have electric mixers and still made confections just fine, so don’t let a missing appliance stop you.
Marshmallows begin with simple ingredients: gelatin, sugar, corn syrup, water, and flavorings. We made a basic batch and then experimented. I suggested a bit of booze for flavor—maple syrup plus a splash of rum and pumpkin pie spice created a cozy, autumnal profile. The result was airy, springy, and subtly spiced marshmallows that were perfect melted into hot cocoa or eaten on their own.
Before you start, gather a whisk attachment or a sturdy whisk, a candy thermometer, a 9×13 pan, spatula, cooking spray, and a bowl for the coating. Make the coating mixture first so the pan is ready: powdered sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice. Spray the pan, then dust it thoroughly with the coating so the marshmallows won’t stick.
Sprinkle the gelatin and pumpkin pie spice into the mixer bowl, then add half a cup of very cold water. Stir briefly so the gelatin hydrates evenly; it will look odd and jiggly but that’s normal. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup water with the sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cover and heat over medium-high for a few minutes, then uncover and clip on the candy thermometer. Bring the syrup to 240°F (soft-ball stage). Remove from heat immediately when it reaches temperature.
With the mixer on low, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin bowl. Once all the syrup is added, increase speed to high and whip until the mixture is thick, glossy, and has cooled slightly—about 12–15 minutes total. Reduce the mixer briefly to low, add the maple syrup and rum, then bring it back to high to incorporate. The mixture should hold its shape and feel pillowy.
Spiced Maple Rum Marshmallows
Makes roughly 9 dozen
Marshmallows:
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup very cold water, divided
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rum
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Coating:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
cooking spray
Instructions: First, whisk together the powdered sugar, cornstarch, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and coat it generously with the powdered sugar mixture. In the mixer bowl, combine the gelatin and spice, then add 1/2 cup cold water. In a saucepan, mix the remaining 1/2 cup water with sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cover and heat for 3–4 minutes, then uncover and bring to 240°F. Remove from heat. With the mixer on low, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin. After all the syrup is added, beat on high until thick and glossy, about 12–15 minutes. Lower the speed, add the maple syrup and rum, then beat on high briefly to incorporate. Spray a spatula with cooking spray and transfer the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing to the edges. Dust the top with the powdered sugar mixture and reserve the rest for coating. Let stand uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife dusted with coating to cut into 1-inch squares, then toss each marshmallow in the coating mixture so all sides are covered. Store in an airtight container for up to three weeks.
P.S. I may have exaggerated a bit about kitchen secrecy—some photos are worth sharing. These marshmallows were fun to make and even more fun to eat.
