This marshmallow peeps recipe is a fun way to make one of the most popular Halloween candy treats at home (especially during shortages!). Our orange pumpkin homemade peeps are a super fun Halloween recipe to make with kids!
HALLOWEEN PUMPKINS MARSHMALLOW PEEPS RECIPE
If you’re wondering how do you make homemade peeps, we have great news: this recipe is easier than you think! Before we get to our recipe for Halloween treats, you may be wondering…
How To Make Homemade Peeps
How do you make peeps from scratch?
Homemade peeps are actually super simple to make. They are made from water, unflavored gelatin, sugar, vanilla, and colored sugar or sanding sprinkles. The one thing that is vital for peeps made from scratch is a candy thermometer so that your peeps can reach the right temperature.
A candy thermometer like this one is a must for making homemade peeps!
Keep scrolling for the printable recipe card and tips for making Peeps marshmallows at home! These homemade marshmallows are fun Halloween project kids activities! Don’t miss our pumpkin children’s book pairings at the bottom of the post!
How To Pipe Marshmallow Peeps
If you want to make the traditional marshmallow peeps chicks, you will need to use a piping bag or a plastic bag with the tip cut off. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before piping or else the peeps mixture won’t hold its shape.
For our peeps recipe, we used a Halloween pumpkin cookie cutter with a face (instead of piping).
You can adapt this to make any shape you want, like homemade ghost peeps using a ghost cookie cutter.
Wondering what to do with leftover peeps?
What can I do with marshmallow Peeps?
Things to do with peeps:
- Eat them alone (of course!).
- Use peeps to decorate cakes or cupcakes.
- Dip them in white, milk, or dark chocolate for chocolate covered peeps.
- Make peeps krispy treats.
- Use peeps to make s’mores.
- Make peeps candy pops.
- Make peeps cookie sandwiches.
- Make peeps brownies.
- Use them to make peeps popcorn.
ALSO TRY MORE FUN HALLOWEEN MARSHMALLOW TREATS
Can you freeze marshmallow peeps?
You can freeze marshmallow peeps by placing them in a single layer in a sealable freezer bag. Frozen peeps can be frozen for up to three months. To eat, defrost on the counter to room temperature.
ALSO CHECK OUT MORE PUMPKIN FUN FOR FALL:
Is Pumpkin A Fruit? Learning About Pumpkins and Pumpkin Recipes
What is the coating on Peeps?
The coating on Peeps is a fine sanding sugar coating. When making homemade Peep treats, make sure that you use the fine sugar coating and not coarse sprinkle sugar or else it will be too sweet!
Let’s get to our recipe for homemade peeps! (Learning how to make homemade marshmallow peeps is so much easier than you think!)
DIY PUMPKIN HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOW PEEPS RECIPE
How To Make Marshmallow Peeps At Home
This really is the best homemade peeps recipe! The texture and taste are perfect and it’s a fun recipe to make with kids for Halloween or for fall recipes!
IMPORTANT RECIPE TIP: The only thing we’ll do differently next time is to make our sugar sprinkles finer by running them through our grinder or food processor. Our crystals were a little too coarse. Make sure your sugar sprinkles are fine (not quite a powder) in order to get that full store bought peeps texture.
We made these for Halloween desserts, but you can change up the color of sprinkle sugar and cookie cutout and make them for Christmas Peeps or Easter Peep ideas, too! Use different shapes (like Easter cookie cutters or bunny molds) and different colors of food coloring on the marshmallow mixture to match your holiday or fun treats for your party theme!
Halloween Marshmallow Peeps Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 packet plain unflavored gelatin
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 cups orange sugar fine sanding sugar or fine orange sprinkles sugar
Instructions
- Pour 1/3 cup cold water into a medium mixing bowl. Pour gelatin on top of cold water in mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium baking dish (15 ounce), pour a layer of orange sugar to cover the bottom. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup water. Stir to combine.
- Heat over medium until candy thermometer reaches 238 °F. Do not stir.
- Remove from heat and slowly add sugar water to the mixing bowl with the gelatin.
- Slowly stir to combine gelatine and sugar mixture.
- Cool slightly, then mix on medium-high until the clear mixture turns white and begins to get thicker and stiff, around 8 minutes.
- Add in vanilla and mix for additional 1-2 minutes.
- Pour mixture onto top of orange sugar in baking dish.
- Sprinkle top of mixture with top layer of orange sugar.
- Place in freezer for 1 hour to harden.
- TO SHAPE THE PUMPKINS
- Remove marshmallow mixture from freezer. Mixture should be slightly hard and set, but not frozen.
- Using a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter, gently press down into mixture all the way to the bottom. Carefully remove marshmallow from cutter.
- Roll edges in orange sugar to cover the white completely.
- Store in airtight container for up to 3 weeks or in freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Note
Nutrition calculations are approximate. If you're following a special diet, please calculate your own nutrition values.
In previous years…
Where to buy Halloween Peeps?
Unfortunately, with all the shortages, Halloween peeps and no Christmas peeps this year may be hard to find. The company has said they will provide their traditional Easter peeps, though. Time to make this homemade peeps recipe!
(Nope, no Target Halloween peeps and even no Halloween peeps Walmart this year or anywhere else. Sorry. You gotta go homemade Halloween peeps this year!)
Recipe and Read: Kids Books About Pumpkins
Want a fun read to go with these Halloween recipe treats? Let’s give you some fun pumpkin children’s books to go with this recipe. It’s such a fun activity for a recipe & read for kids of all ages!
Childrens Books on Pumpkins
- Pumpkin Circle: The Story Of A Garden
- The Pumpkin Book By Gail Gibbons
- Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
- Pumpkin Jack
- The Roll-Away Pumpkin
More Halloween Foods You’ll Love: Easy Halloween Breakfast Ideas For Toddlers And Kids
