Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows

*Forewarning, this post has absolutely nothing to do with pecans!

So truthfully, marshmallows are good but I was never obsessed with them. Of course, you have to have marshmallows to top off your hot chocolate and s'mores would be nothing without a marshmallow in the middle but that was about the extent of my love for them. Until I went to Kilwin's in Destin, FL. They make their own homemade marshmallows, dip them in chocolate, and cover them in sprinkles, and they take marshmallows to a whole new level. They are soft and pillow and sweet, with absolutely no chalky aftertaste. I immediately got it into my head that I had to make homemade marshmallows for myself.

Armed with a recipe, I set off to the grocery to gather all the ingredients. Just one problem, Covid-19 had hit, and apparently everyone was at home canning and preserving because there was NO gelatin to be found within a 100 mile radius of where I lived. I could have ordered it from Amazon but I just felt silly ordering one box of gelatin. So I waited and looked and waited, until I finally found some gelatin. I immediately did a happy dance and then went home to brave my marshmallow recipe. They were so much easier to make than I thought they would be; I mean they required some patients but other than that, making marshmallows was a walk in the park.

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Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows

Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ice cold water

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin

• 1 1/2 granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup light corn syrup

• 1/2 cup Yellow Label syrup

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour 1/2 cup ice cold water and gelatin packets

2. In a small sauce pan, combine 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, Yellow Label syrup, and salt, cook over medium high heat until all ingredients have dissolved together

3. Attach candy thermometer and cook mixture until 240°, soft ball stage

4. Once syrup has reached 240°, using the whisk attachment, turn mixer on low speed and very slowly pour the syrup down the side of the mixing bowl into the gelatin mix

5. Once all the syrup has been poured into the mixer, turn mixer on high and let whip for 12-15 minutes

6. While mixer is running, combine pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice

7. In the last minute of mixing, add pumpkin mixture and vanilla extract

8. Combine cornstarch and confectioners sugar in a small bow

9. Using a non-stick spray, spray a 9x9 or 9x13 baking dish, then sprinkle evenly and heavily with the cornstarch mixture

10. Once the marshmallow fluff has finished mixing, pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle top with more of the cornstarch mix

11. Allow to sit for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow marshmallows to set up

12. Turn marshmallows out of the baking dish and onto a surface dusted with the cornstarch mix

13. Cut into equal sizes and roll each piece in cornstarch, otherwise your hands will be sticky

14. Store in a airtight container for up to a week

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Tips & Tricks

1. Wanna make OG marshmallows? No problem, just don't add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.

2. In the recipe, I saw you can use a 9x9 pan or a 9x13 pan. The choice is really up to you. If you want a thicker marshmallow like those pictured above, use a 9x9. If you want a thinner marshmallow like those shown below, use a 9x13.

3. I used Yellow Label syrup in my marshmallows, it's a Southern thing and my husbands all time favorite syrup. If you can't find Yellow Label or just don't want to deal with trying to find it, just use all light corn syrup. I've tried it both ways and the only difference I can tell is that the marshmallows that I made with part Yellow Label were slightly softer and fluffier.