You’ll LOVE these easy Homemade Marshmallow Peeps! These easy DIY marshmallow peeps are so much better than anything that you can buy at the grocery store. If you’re wanting to treat yourself to a simple Easter dessert, follow these simple steps to create a unique, customized Easter treat.
Homemade marshmallow peeps are not only fun to make, but they’re so festive for the Easter season. These are perfect for Easter brunch, egg hunts, church picnics, family gatherings, or Easter basket treats! Once you learn how to make these cute, pastel marshmallow peeps, you’ll be hooked!
This simple Easter peeps recipe might be for the Easter holiday, but you can apply this recipe to to just about any seasonal peep you want to make. You can make your own tasty peeps in ANY color, shape, size or flavor. Add unique flavorings or extracts to make your own custom made peeps!
EASY Homemade Marshmallow Peeps
There’s a really good chance that everyone attending your Easter celebrations will think these marshmallow bunnies are store-bought, because they look just like the real deal (but taste EVEN better).
Who says that marshmallows can’t be a unique dessert all on their own? They’re one of the best treats for Easter. AND if you LOVE all the Easter crafty things you might want to check out our DIY Easter Party Favors +FREE Printables or our Spring Daisy M&M Chocolate Pretzel Bites before you go.
Adding unique colors to this copycat peeps recipe is what makes them totally you! You can customize these to match the colors of your Easter brunch party, school function, Easter egg hunt or church picnic. I love changing up this recipe with new colors, flavors, sanding sugar and even edible glitter!
There’s so many ways to eat these DIY marshmallow peeps, and that makes them fun for the whole family to enjoy! You can add them to hot chocolate, make s’mores with them, or just add them to the Easter brunch table for a sweet nibble!
This nostalgic treat will transport you back to your childhood! Easter peeps are one of those vintage sweets that we all remember getting in our Easter baskets growing up. Now you can make them for your kids!
These peeps are a quick and easy step-by-step process that anyone can tackle. You can get the whole family involved with mixing & decorating. Once you see how it’s done you’ll want to turn this into an Easter tradition in your house every year!
Free Peeps Template + Cricut Cut Files
We’re also including FREE peeps template clipart that you can use as a gift tag to include with your homemade peeps. They’re perfect for attaching to an Easter basket OR package up your peeps in in food grade cello bags and attach this gift tag with a pretty ribbon to give away as homemade, edible Easter gifts/favors.
We provide you with a FREE PDF download and a Transparent PNG cut file if you want to use your Cricut (our file works just like an SVG- no conversion required). You can see what they look like below!
This recipe will make 16 delicious and colorful peeps to eat and enjoy in no time at all. We do have instructions in our tutorial for how to make you own custom colored decorating sugar. This is one of the best Easter recipes to make and enjoy year after year – so gather all the ingredients and lets get started! You’ll find a printable version of this recipe at the end of our step by step tutorial.
EASY DIY Marshmallow Peeps Recipe
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
Easter Peep Bunny Cookie Cutter
Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment
1 box (.25oz) of unflavored gelatin
2 cups white sugar
Pinch of salt
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (or extract flavor of your choice)
3 ounces yellow decorating sugar
3 ounces blue decorating sugar
3 ounces pink decorating sugar
3 ounces green decorating sugar
Wilton Chocolate Melts or Chocolate Bark
How To Make Marshmallow Peeps
STEP ONE: Make the Marshmallows
Add the 1 box (.25oz) of unflavored gelatin with 1/2 cup of water in a Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment. Mix and let it solidify for 5 minutes. While waiting for the gelatin to solidify we’ll work on melting the sugar.
In a saucepan on high heat, combine the 2 cups of sugar, pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of water. Don’t stir as this can cause crystals to form. Melt the sugar until the temperature reaches 240 degrees (or softb all mark on a Candy Thermometer). Once the temperature is achieved, pour the sugar mixture over the gelatin while whisking at medium speed.
Once the sugar and gelatin are mixed, turn the mixer to high and mix for 10 minutes or until the marshmallow fluff forms.
You can add the vanilla extract (or any other flavoring or extract) at this point if you choose. Get creative- don’t feel like vanilla is your only option.
Grease a 9×9 pan with oil, and then dust it with powdered sugar. Pour the marshmallow fluff into the pan, level and then coat the top of the marshmallow fluff with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Let the marshmallow set for a few hours before removing from the pan onto a cutting board.
For best results, cut into marshmallow bricks that are slight larger than the size of the cookie cutter. Then slice the brick in half so that you have a marshmallow that is roughly 1-inch thick.
STEP TWO: Cut Out the Bunny Shape
Using the Easter Peep Bunny Cookie Cutter, press the cutter into the marshmallow slice, and then remove any excess marshmallow around the outside of the cookie cutter by hand or using a sharp knife.
STEP THREE: Add Decorating Sugar
One at a time, brush the peep with a little bit of water. Be sure to fully coat the front, back and sides with the water. Dip each side of the peep into the decorating sugar. Be sure to get all those little corners! Let the peep + decorating sugar dry completely on a drying rack before proceeding to the next step .
How to Make Custom Color Decorating Sugar:
You can make your own custom colors for your peeps quite easily! You’ll need food coloring (preferably gel food coloring) of your choosing, a sandwich bag and 1 cup of plain white sugar.
Simply add 1 cup of sugar to the bag and 2-3 drops of gel food coloring to start. Remove as much air as you can from the bag and seal completely. Mix the food coloring into the sugar by massaging the outside of the bag gently to distribute the food coloring. Mix until all the sugar is completely colored. Make sure to massage out any clumps. Add color until you achieve the desired outcome.
STEP FOUR: Add Chocolate Eyes & Nose
Melt the Wilton Chocolate Melts per the package directions and pour it into a piping bag or plastic sandwich bag with a very small corner cut off. Add a very small dab of chocolate for the eyes and nose. It may be best to practice the eyes and nose on a piece of wax paper before attempting on your peeps. Allow chocolate to fully cool and set before storing or serving.
STEP FOUR: Store or Package Your Peeps
You can store the marshmallow peeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. I personally like to wrap these sweet treats in food grade cello bags and tie with a pretty pastel ribbon to give away as homemade, edible Easter gifts OR Easter Brunch party favors. I’ve included some cute gift tags that you can download below along with a printable version of the recipe.
I hope you enjoyed learning step-by-step how to make Copycat Marshmallow Peeps. If you love this Easter dessert recipe, be sure to check out some of our other EASY Easter recipes!
DIY Easter Party Favors +FREE Printables
Spring Daisy M&M Chocolate Pretzel Bites
Homemade Marshmallow Peeps
You'll love how easy these Homemade Marshmallow Peeps are! Perfect for Easter treats!
Ingredients
- 1 box (.25oz) of unflavored gelatin
- 2 cups of sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup Powdered sugar for dusting
- 1 tsp vanilla, optional
Peeps Ingredients:
- 8 Marshmallow bricks
- 3 ounces yellow decorating sugar
- 3 ounces blue decorating sugar
- 3 ounces pink decorating sugar
- 3 ounces green decorating sugar
- Wilton Chocolate Melts or Chocolate Bark
Instructions
- Add the box of gelatin with 1/2 cup of water. Mix it and let it solidify for 5 minutes. During this time, melt the sugar.
- In a saucepan on high heat, add the sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Don't stir. Melt the sugar until the temperature reaches 240 degrees. Once the temperature is achieved, pour it over the gelatin while mixing on medium with a whisk.
- Once mixed, turn the mixer to high and mix for 10 minutes or until the marshmallow fluff forms. You can add the vanilla at this point for flavoring if you want.
- Grease a 9X9 pan with oil, and then dust it with powdered sugar. Pour the marshmallow into the pan and then coat the top of the marshmallow with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Let the marshmallow sit for a few hours before removing it.
- Cut the marshmallow bricks to the size of the cookie cutter. Cut the brick in half to make the marshmallow 1-inch thick.
- Using the bunny cookie cutter, press the cutter into the break, and then remove any excess marshmallow.
- Apply the colored decorating sugar to the marshmallow by brushing it with a little bit of water to help coat it. Let the sugar dry completely.
- Melt the chocolate per the package directions and pour it into a plastic bag with the corner cut off. Add a very small dab of chocolate for the eyes and nose, and then let everything cool before serving.
- Store the marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 211Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 13mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 0gSugar: 52gProtein: 0g
NOTE! Our FREE Peeps template files are free to use for personal use only! Commercial use, profiting from, giving away or using as a part of a free giveaway is strictly prohibited. If someone you know is interested in using our files, send them to our website to download directly. By downloading you agree to these terms and conditions.
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