Homemade Peeps – Marshmallow Bunnies

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Do your kids love Easter Candy? Instead of heading to the store, try making these easy Homemade Peeps this year! Your kids will love them and you’ll love the ingredients list!

homemade peeps

Homemade Peeps Recipe

I’m not sure what it is about those brightly colored marshmallow treats that come out every Easter, but kids seem to love them. Honestly, they make me cringe a little. All of the added ingredients and dyes. Yuck! Don’t get me wrong, I love a good treat now and then, but those seem excessive. So I decided to make my own version with just 3 simple ingredients that my kids can enjoy instead. It tastes like the store version, only better!

If you’ve ever made candy before, you know that one of the most important things you can do while making this recipe is to give it all your attention. Things tend to burn fast and get to hard quickly. If you don’t do anything else while making it, you will feel like a homemaking superstar.

Tip: New to candy making? Here’s another easy recipe to try- Maple Syrup Candy. For these, you only need 1 ingredient!

a wooden spoon of white sugar

Ingredients for Homemade Peeps Recipe

  • Gelatin. This is unflavored gelatin that you can get at most grocery stores in small packets. You can also buy a good brand like Vital Proteins online.
  • Sugar. Just plain white cane sugar is used in this recipe, not corn syrup!
  • Cold water.

You will also need a mixer for this recipe; a hand mixer or a machine will work, and you need a candy thermometer.

unflavored gelatin

Variations to the Homemade Peeps

My version in this blog post is of a simple white Marshmallow Bunny Peep, but there are many things you can do with these! Here are some ideas.

  • Make colored sugar by mixing natural food coloring with white sugar. Sprinkle this over the finished product.
  • Dip part or all of the homemade Peeps in melted chocolate (just melt chocolate chips) after they’ve firmed up for a chocolate-covered peep.
  • Add a bit of vanilla extract to the mixture after you remove it from the heat to add a little more flavor.
  • Coat with shredded coconut while the marshmallow is still wet for a fuzzy bunny look.
  • Add a bit of lemon extract for lemon-flavored marshmallows.
  • Add in a pinch of salt to boost the flavor.
ingredients in a bowl

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Homemade Marshmallow Peeps

Mix 1/3 cup of water and the packet of gelatin in a large bowl. Set aside.

raw sugar

Add 1/4 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan. (I used raw sugar this particular time and my family couldn’t tell the difference.)

sugar syrup with a candy thermometer

You want to boil the sugar syrup mixture, stirring it constantly so it does not burn. Using a Candy Thermometer, watch the temperature closely as you stir out any sugar lumps. When it gets to 238F, (soft ball stage) remove the pan from the heat. 238F – That’s the magic number! A candy thermometer is required for this recipe. Your marshmallow will not turn out correctly without it!

sugar mixture in a bosch mixer

Once you’ve removed the mixture from the heat, pour it into the gelatin mixture. You want to whip the mixture together using your mixer’s whipping or whisk attachment. I used all 800 watts of power on my Bosch mixer to whip this together. It was amazing. Now I think I know what the hubby feels when he hears an awesome car start-up.

a whisk attachment with whipped mixture

After several minutes of whipping in a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, it should look puffy. Very much like homemade marshmallow cream (because that’s what it is!)

Tip: Learn how to make homemade marshmallows with this Maple Marshmallows recipe. You could also make those and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter!

a ziploc bag of homemade marshmallow cream

Scoop the mixture into a large piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a ziplock baggie, as I did. Scoop the mixture in and seal it up. When you are ready to pipe them out, cut the small tip off the corner of the bag.

a parchment lined baking sheet with homemade peeps

Here’s where I messed up. If you want to make traditional Peeps, you will want to lay down a layer of sugar on your wax paper first. I wanted to make chocolate-covered peeps. If I piped them onto wax paper, I figured they would come right off, and I could easily dip them in chocolate. Boy, was I wrong!

Put down a sprinkle of sanding sugar first!!

homemade peeps

So, either pipe the marshmallow mixture onto a sugar-coated surface OR first brush a layer of chocolate into a candy mold and then pipe the marshmallow cream into the mold. You could also sprinkle arrowroot powder on the parchment paper first and then more over the top. **Highly recommended**

homemade peeps

Aren’t they cute, though? You could do the traditional Peeps shape or change it up and do a simpler form, like these sweet spring bunnies. They were very easy to do, and the kids loved them! Have fun!

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Want to print this recipe for Homemade Peeps? Grab it below:

Homemade Peeps Recipe

How to make your own marshmallow bunnies!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Homemade Peeps
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 129 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, mix together 1/3 cup of water and the packet of gelatin. Set aside.
  2. In a saucepan, add 1/4 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar.

  3. You want to cook the sugar-water mixture, stirring it constantly, so it does not burn. Using a Candy Thermometer, watch the temperature closely as you stir. When it gets to 240F, remove the pan from the heat.

  4. Once you’ve removed the mixture from the heat, pour it into the gelatin mixture. Using your mixer’s whipping attachment, you want to whip the mixture together.
  5. After several minutes of whipping it should look very puffy, like marshmallow cream. Scoop the mixture into a pastry bag.
  6. Pipe the marshmallow mixture onto a sugar coasted surface OR first brush a layer of chocolate into a candy mold and then pipe the marshmallow cream into the mold.
  7. Let sit and then enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Peeps Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 129 Calories from Fat 1
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.1g0%
Sodium 2mg0%
Potassium 1mg0%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Sugar 33g37%
Protein 0.1g0%
Calcium 1mg0%
Iron 0.02mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

How to Store Leftover Homemade Peeps

Once you have decorated your peeps (sugar, chocolate, coconut, etc), place them in an airtight container on the countertop. Do not let them get damp, or you will have a runny mess on your hands.

You can also freeze homemade marshmallow peeps by putting them in a freezer bag, although I would recommend doing this without any toppings except for arrowroot powder.

Can You Make Homemade Peeps Without Gelatin?

You could try using Agar Agar instead of the gelatin, but it’s not something I’ve tried yet, so I’m not sure of the exact amounts needed.

Homemade Maple Marshmallows

More Easter Recipes

Have you ever made Homemade Peeps? What shapes do you like to make?

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a star rating on the recipe card above! And if you enjoyed it, share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and through Email using the sharing buttons below!


Me and Kady

Merissa Alink

Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.


This Homemade Peeps Recipe was originally published on Little House Living in April 2011. It has been updated as of March 2024.

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19 Comments

  1. I may just have to do this for my food allergic daughter! Hopefully I will have the time before Easter! The Ziploc bag probably did better than a pastry bad because it is larger and then you did not have to get the pastry bag clean 🙂 Thanks!

  2. How funny, I made marshmallows last night and just finished writing up the post for it. 😛 Question though, when you say you use 1 packet of unflavored gelatin, what size did you use? I used 3 packets of the small envelopes from Knox. Oh, also if you pipe it onto a silpat they just come off once they set. No need to use any coating or spray when you use the silpat.

  3. I’ve never made this before so please excuse my ignorance…once you pipe the shape how long before it sets? How long are they fresh? Do you have to put them in the fridge?

    1. I stuck the in the fridge so they set faster so I’m not sure exactly but it’s not very long. And yes, I stored them in the fridge too but if you ask my hubby I’m a fridge freak and keep everything in there, lol.

  4. Awesome! My son is allergic to corn products, so I am hoping to make these Peeps for him before Easter! What kind of thermometer?? I have never made candy before, excuse my ignorance!

  5. Oooooohhhh…. I don’t think I’ll make peeps (though they look awesome), but I see rice crispy treats in my near future! Being allergic to corn means no marshmallows. I had NO IDEA that making them would be so easy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  6. I made these today for my grandaughter for Easter. The only complaint I have is that they get hard really fast. Mine started out good but before I could put them into the molds it was like glue. They do taste good though. What did I do wrong?

  7. I enjoy a lot of your recipes, but have a recommendation. When you specify temperatures on the candy thermometer, also include a note that the higher
    altitudes need adjustment. I live at 6000 feet above sea level and I have had
    to learn adjustments. Your local Extension Agent can supply you with a chart
    to help.