Gluten Free Peeps

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Ingredients:

  • 3 packets unflavored gelatin (about 2 ½ tbsp)
  • ½ cup cold water (for blooming the gelatin)
  • ¾ cup water (for syrup)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light corn syrup or honey
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • Colored sanding sugar (you pick the vibe—pastel, bold, sparkly!)
  • Optional: candy eyes or melted chocolate for decorating

 

Let’s Get Peepin’:

  1. Bloom Your Gelatin:
    In a stand mixer bowl, pour in ½ cup cold water and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let it sit and bloom while you make the syrup. It’ll get thick—this is what gives the marshmallows their squish!
  2. Make Sugar Magic:
    In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine ¾ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let it boil until it reaches 240°F (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Be patient—this takes a few minutes.
  3. Fluffy Time:
    Carefully (seriously—it’s hot lava) pour the syrup into the gelatin while your mixer is on low. Once it’s all in, crank the speed up to high and beat for 10–12 minutes until it’s thick, glossy, and forming stiff peaks. Add your vanilla extract in the last minute.
  4. Shape It Up:
    Now for the fun part! You’ve got options:
    1. Pipe It: Grease a piping bag and pipe chick shapes onto a tray lined with parchment and generously dusted with colored sugar.
    2. Cut It: Spread marshmallow into a greased 9×13 pan, dust with sugar, let set for 4–6 hours, and then use cookie cutters to make shapes.
  5. Add Personality:
    Once your peeps are shaped, roll them in your colored sugar until fully coated. Add candy eyes or use a toothpick dipped in melted chocolate to dot on eyes and a beak.

 

Tips:

Store them in an airtight container for up to a week.

Want them flavored? Add a drop of peppermint, strawberry, or lemon extract for a twist!

Mixer:
A stand mixer with a whisk attachment is definitely the easiest and safest option. The mixture needs to be whipped at high speed for 10–12 minutes, and it gets super thick—so a stand mixer saves your arms and sanity.

Don’t have a stand mixer?
A hand mixer can work, but it’ll need to be a good-quality one with power. You’ll want to hold it steady the entire time (which can get tiring), and make sure your bowl is deep enough to avoid sugar splatter.

Mixing Bowl Material:
Stick with metal or glass Avoid plastic if you’re using a hand mixer—hot syrup can warp it or leave weird flavors behind.

 

Other Handy Tools:

  • Candy thermometer (for syrup accuracy)
  • Silicone spatula (greased)
  • Piping bag (if you’re shaping chicks)
  • Parchment paper
  • Sifter or shaker for sanding sugar