Here’s how to make the BEST homemade chocolate marshmallows! After some rigorous recipe testing, it’s time to share my detailed, step by step recipe to make the most perfect chocolate marshmallows! Just like my vanilla marshmallow recipe (which is a HUGE reader favorite and one of the most popular posts on my blog!), you’ll have foolproof results with this recipe too. My vanilla marshmallow recipe is a troubleshooting guide on how to make classic marshmallow. For more details about all the fundamentals of making marshmallow, please see that post.
Why this chocolate marshmallow recipe works
Well tested recipe that guarantees consistent, foolproof results. Does not result in heavy, dry chocolate marshmallows. Melts in your mouth, with a deep chocolate flavor. (Imagine pairing this with a thick, creamy French hot chocolate?) It’s actually easier than you think! Check out all my reader feedback on my vanilla marshmallows to see how many of my readers love making their own marshmallows!
Most chocolate marshmallow recipes online add cocoa powder directly to the marshmallow base, which will result in very dense, dry marshmallows. This recipe uses a cocoa powder paste instead. The bloomed cocoa powder not only has a more intense chocolate flavor, but the hydration ensures that the cocoa powder doesn’t dry out the marshmallow base. To compensate for the extra water and ingredients that are being added to the marshmallow base, there are a couple of adjustments that need to be made.
Heat the sugar syrup mixture to a higher temperature, so that more water evaporates. Whisk the marshmallow base for longer to achieve the same texture and consistency.
Ingredients to make chocolate marshmallows
For the gelatin bloom
Powdered gelatin – Powdered gelatin is what is widely available where I live. Each teaspoon is about 3g. Water
For the sugar syrup
White granulated sugar – You can use brown sugar as well, but then you may need to increase the whisking time. Corn syrup – You can substitute the corn syrup with honey or golden syrup. You can also replace it with a little extra sugar, but inverted sugar syrups help prevent crystallization. Salt – Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor. Water
For the cocoa powder paste
Cocoa powder – Use a good quality cocoa powder, since much of the flavor comes from this. I use callebaut extra brute cocoa powder, which is a dutch cocoa powder. It has an intense cocoa flavor without much of the bitterness. Vanilla extract – Just adds more flavor. But you can add coffee extract only as well. Instant coffee – This is optional, but a little coffee deepens the chocolate flavor. Increase the amount of instant coffee that you add if you want to make mocha marshmallow. Boiling water – This is what will bloom the cocoa powder. So make sure to measure boiling water (instead of measuring the water first, and THEN boiling it).
How to make chocolate marshmallows
Bloom the gelatin and cocoa powder (separately)
Place the water and gelatin in the mixing bowl, and gently mix to saturate the gelatin. Let it sit until the gelatin is fully hydrated (at least 10 minutes). Mix the cocoa powder and boiling water in a bowl. Make sure you have a smooth paste with no lumps. Dissolve the instant coffee in the vanilla extract (or same amount of water), and stir it into the cocoa paste. Cover and set aside to cool. This will be your cocoa mixture. Also prep a 8 or 9 inch square pan for the marshmallows. I usually rub a thin layer of butter or coconut oil on the pan, but now I line the pan with parchment paper instead. This way I can easily lift the marshmallows out from the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Some like to use cooking spray, but I prefer not to.
Make the sugar syrup
Place the sugar corn syrup salt and water in a saucepan (I like using golden syrup instead of corn syrup). Create an “x” with a fingertip in the center of your ingredients to slowly distribute the water and saturate the sugar. Alternatively, you can stir the mixture gently to saturate. Heat the sugar mixture while swirling the pan occasionally to make sure the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, brush the sides of the pan with a pastry brush saturated with cold water. This is so that the sugar on the sides of the pan will dissolve back into the syrup. Alternatively, you can cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for about 2 minutes. The condensation will help wash down any sugar crystals as well. Heat the sugar syrup until it reaches 245 – 250 F on your candy thermometer. This is higher than the 240 F I recommended for my regular marshmallows. At 240 F, the sugar syrup is at a soft ball stage, but between 245 – 250 F, the sugar syrup will be at the hard ball stage. Let the sugar syrup sit for a few seconds until the bubbles subside, and use immediately.
Making the chocolate marshmallow base
Attach the whisk attachment in your stand mixer, and the mixer bowl with the bloomed gelatin. Start running the mixer on medium low speed, and pour the hot sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin. Once all the sugar syrup is added, the gelatin should also be dissolved in the hot syrup. Mix for about 1 minute, and then add the cocoa powder paste. Whisk the marshmallow mix on medium high for 3 – 4 minutes. The marshmallow mix will seem very liquid, but keep whisking. After about 3 – 4 minutes, increase the stand mixer speed to high and whisk until the marshmallow base turns into a light brown, meringue like mixture. The mix should have at least doubled in size and you will see the mixture forming strings on the side of the bowl during whisking. This should take an additional 6 – 8 minutes depending on the speed of your mixer. The marshmallow mix should also be slightly warm (when you touch the metal bowl). A slightly warmer marshmallow mix is easier to scrape out of the bowl. As the marshmallow mix cools, it will start to get thicker and set faster. So you want to scrape the marshmallow mix while it’s still a little warm so that it can be spread more easily in the pan.
Curing the marshmallows
When the chocolate marshmallow mix is ready, scrape it into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to evenly spread the mix. Whisk equal amounts of confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder together (the mallow mix), and evenly sieve this mixture all over the chocolate marshmallow mix. Make sure the whole surface is covered with the powdered sugar and cocoa powder mix. This creates a barrier between the marshmallow surface and air as it cures for at least 6 hours. I like to make my homemade marshmallows in the evening or at night and then let it cure overnight.
Cutting the chocolate marshmallows
Once the marshmallows are cured, lift the marshmallow mix (with the parchment paper) out of the pan and place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp, clean knife to cut the marshmallows into whatever shape you like. I usually cut them into 6 x 6 squares, but you can make them larger or smaller. You can also use a greased knife (with butter or coconut oil) to make it stick less. But I find that if you clean the knife between cuts, you can also get nice clean cuts. After the marshmallows are cut, coat each chocolate marshmallow with a light dusting of the mallow mix (roll the marshmallow in the mallow mix).
Storage instructions
These marshmallows have a very long shelf life as long as they are stored well. Store them in a jar or container that is air-tight and leave them at room temperature. Do NOT store marshmallows in the fridge or freezer.
Other variations of chocolate marshmallows
Mocha marshmallows – Add more instant coffee to the cocoa powder paste. Chocolate dipped chocolate marshmallows – Melt some chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and then half dip the marshmallows. Chocolate orange marshmallows – Add 1 1/2 tsp of orange extract to the cocoa paste. Mexican hot chocolate marshmallows – Add 1 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to the cocoa powder and bloom them together. Chocolate peppermint marshmallows – Add 2 tsp peppermint extract to the cocoa paste.
Serving suggestions
These marshmallows can be eaten just as they are. I mean they are freaking chocolate marshmallows! What more can you ask for? 😀 BUT, they are also fantastic in the following ways.
Add them to hot chocolates (like this authentic French hot chocolate, peanut butter hot chocolate or even dairy free hot chocolate) or hot mochaccinos, Add them to a deliciously spiced vanilla steamer (my current favorite!), Make double chocolate s’mores! Make chocolate rice krispies treats.
Final recipe notes
Making marshmallows is SUPER easy! Chocolate marshmallows require an extra step than vanilla marshmallows, but they are still not complicated. Make sure to use a candy thermometer. But if you don’t have one, you can do the water test to check the sugar stages as explained in my in-depth baking 101 article on cooked sugar stages and candy temperature chart. Because of the cocoa powder, the inherent sweetness of marshmallows is perfectly balanced too. These chocolate marshmallows are so soft and fluffy, and infinitely better than ANY store-bought marshmallows. They melt in your mouth. Really, once you’ve made homemade marshmallows, you’re NEVER going back to store-bought again!
Frequently asked questions
