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Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

Recently Dan and I were perusing the freezer aisles during one of our frequent Target visits (yes, we go to Target more than is probably healthy–it’s a bonding experience).

Looking in the ice cream case, he started soliloquizing about the fatal flaw in Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream.

marshmallow fluff on a beater
Photo: Casey Barber

It would be his favorite flavor, apparently, if only the chocolate ice cream were switched out for vanilla.

“Oh, I can do that,” I said, and immediately wanted to pull those words right back into my mouth.

Let me be clear, I don’t exactly advocate that a sane person undertake the task of making homemade fudge, caramel sauce, marshmallow fluff, and vanilla ice cream to create your husband’s dream ice cream flavor.

marshmallow fluff in a stand mixer
Photo: Casey Barber

But at least one of those components is completely do-able in less time than it takes to try on a Liberty of London dress in one of those crazy Target particleboard dressing rooms.

May I present you with my recipe for the world’s easiest homemade marshmallow fluff.

If you have a stand mixer (and I always suggest that you do), it’s barely any work on your part.

Simply dissolve sugar into egg whites, then whip the bejeezus out of them until the sugar and proteins create a sticky, sweet web around the whipped air bubbles. Ain’t science great?

I like to add a tiny bit of cream of tartar to my marshmallow fluff as a little insurance policy. The cream of tartar helps keep those egg whites stabilized so your fluff is the silkiest and fluffiest it can be.

What can you do with homemade marshmallow fluff?

The better question is, what can’t you do? Apart from eating it straight out of the mixer with a spoon, I mean.

marshmallow fluff on a beater

You can use marshmallow fluff to:

  • Make Rice Krispie Treat ice cream
  • Or use it as an ice cream sundae topping
  • Make homemade fluffernutter sandwiches
  • Spread it on a cream pie as a simple meringue topping
  • Sandwich it between cake layers or fill cupcakes for a nostalgic treat
  • Or find some chocolate bars and graham crackers and go to town with a kitchen torch

Or, you know, go whole hog and make homemade Phish Food ice cream. That’s what my husband would want you to do.

marshmallow fluff on a beater

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Homemade marshmallow fluff is the stuff of dreams - light, sweet, spreadable whipped goodness that you barely have to lift a finger to make.

Ingredients

  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

  1. Make a double boiler by bringing a small pot of water to a bare simmer, then place a nonreactive, heat-conducting bowl like a stainless steel or aluminum bowl atop the water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the simmering water.
  2. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl, and whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is warm to the touch, about 3 minutes.
  3. Pour the liquid into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use the whisk attachment on a hand mixer.
  4. Whip the liquid on medium-high speed until it thickens and turns glossy, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the cream of tartar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, about 6-8 minutes more.
  6. Eat immediately or refrigerate for no more than a week.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 7Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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9 Comments

  1. mmmmm can’t wait to try this with s’mores!! Personally, I LIKE the chocolate ice cream in Phish Food but I’ll bet your homemade version is great!

  2. Yes, Lisa, she is. And the chocolate in Phish Food is OK, Mom, but with the fudge chunks, I felt it was a bit too much chocolate. The verdict: Two spoons up (and into my mouth, simultaneously)!

  3. Ladies, I swear to you that it *really* is this easy. There’s no gelatin, so it doesn’t set up into squares for s’more-type marshmallows, but it is a spreadable wonder.

  4. Three cheers for Casey demistifying cooking!! This seems crazy easy, and sounds DELICIOUS! I wish I was there to sample the Better Than Phish Food with you, Dan. It sounds fantastic.

  5. I found your blog last night browsing for a fluff recipe. This was absolutely the easiest and most delicious thing I’ve whipped up in a while. I introduced fluffernutters to my boyfriend, so we’re very excited about trying it on the sandwiches, but the reason for the recipe lookup was for fluff to spread on my homemade pumpkin bread. It was heavenly. Perfect consistency for spreading, delectable. I’m already sharing this link via Facebook, and I’m absolutely addicted to reading the rest of your blog to try other things! You have two new fans! Thanks so much!

    1. Jeri, thanks so much for the rave review! I’ve never tried the fluff on pumpkin bread, but now I can’t wait to dig in to that too. I just used it as a filling for some homemade whoopie pies last week —the possibilities are endless!

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