These homemade ghost marshmallows are such a fun Halloween treat! Soft, fluffy vanilla marshmallow is piped into little ghost shapes, then decorated with simple cocoa faces. They're adorable on a Halloween dessert table, fun to package as a homemade treat, and especially cute floating on top of a mug of hot chocolate.
Love homemade marshmallows? Start with my Homemade Marshmallows recipe. It's the recipe I use to make these adorable ghost marshmallows!
The marshmallow mixture comes together using my homemade marshmallow recipe, but instead of spreading it into a baking dish and cutting it into squares, you'll pipe it directly onto a powdered-sugar-coated baking sheet.
And don't worry if you've never piped marshmallows before! The ghosts don't need to be perfect. In fact, I think their little variations in shape and expression are part of the fun.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They're adorable. These little ghosts are almost too cute to eat!
- No special mold is needed. All you need is a piping bag and a large round opening.
- They're soft and fluffy. The marshmallow itself is my classic vanilla marshmallow recipe.
- They're perfect for Halloween. Serve them as candy, add them to a dessert table, or use them as hot chocolate toppers.
- You can make a half batch. This is especially helpful if you're new to piping marshmallows.
- They're easy to decorate. The faces are simply made with cocoa powder and water.
Jump to:
Tips and Tricks
- Have everything ready before you start: Once the marshmallow is whipped, you'll want to pipe it right away. Have your buttered and powdered-sugar-coated baking sheet ready, along with your piping bag.
- Work quickly: Marshmallow mixture becomes thicker as it cools. This is especially noticeable when you're piping individual shapes instead of spreading the mixture into a pan.
- Don't worry about perfect ghosts: Each ghost will look a little different, and that's part of their charm. Build them up into little swirled mounds and finish with a pointed top.
- Make a half batch for easier piping: If you're making ghost marshmallows for the first time, a half batch is a great option. You'll have fewer ghosts to pipe and less marshmallow mixture to work through before it thickens.
- Dust lightly at first: A light coating of powdered sugar is all you need once the faces have dried. After the ghosts have rested for several hours, you can add more powdered sugar to any sticky spots.
Ingredients
- Unflavored gelatin: This gives the marshmallows their fluffy, chewy texture.
- Ice water: Used to bloom the gelatin before adding the hot sugar syrup.
- Granulated sugar: Forms the sweet base of the marshmallow.
- Light corn syrup: Helps create a smooth marshmallow texture and prevents the sugar from crystallizing.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Gives the marshmallows their classic vanilla flavor.
- Powdered sugar: You'll use this to coat the baking sheet and lightly dust the finished ghosts.
- Baking cocoa: Mixed with a small amount of water to make the edible "paint" for the ghost faces.
Equipment You'll Need
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Candy thermometer
- Baking sheet
- Piping bag
- Large open round piping tip, or a piping bag with the end snipped off
- Toothpick or lollipop stick
See the recipe card below for complete ingredient amounts.
How to Make Ghost Marshmallows
Step 1: Prepare the baking sheet. Butter a baking sheet and generously coat it with powdered sugar. Shake the pan gently to distribute the sugar and coat the surface. Set the prepared baking sheet aside.
Step 2: Bloom the gelatin. Combine the unflavored gelatin and ice water in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the sugar syrup.
Step 3: Combine the sugar syrup ingredients. Combine the sugar, salt, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan.
Step 4: Cook the syrup mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the syrup reaches 243–245°F on a candy thermometer.
Don't guess at the temperature. A candy thermometer is important for getting the right marshmallow texture.
Step 5: Whip the marshmallow mixture. Add the bloomed gelatin to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the bowl with the gelatin. The syrup is extremely hot, so pour carefully.
Beat on medium-high speed for about 13 minutes.
Step 6: Finishing touches. Add the vanilla and continue beating for another minute. The marshmallow should be thick, fluffy, and still warm.
7. Pipe the ghosts. Immediately transfer the marshmallow mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large open round tip, or use a disposable frosting bag with the end cut off.
To make each ghost, pipe a mound of marshmallow, gradually building it upward as you go. Finish by lifting the piping bag to create a little point at the top.
Note: Work quickly! The marshmallow will continue to thicken as it cools, making it harder to pipe.
Step 8: Let sit. Allow the piped ghosts to sit for about 20 minutes. This gives the surface enough time to firm up before you add the faces.
Step 9: Add the faces. Combine the baking cocoa and water in a small dish. Stir until smooth. Use a toothpick or lollipop stick to dab three small dots onto each ghost—two eyes and a mouth.
Let the cocoa faces dry completely.
Step 10: Dust with powdered sugar. Once the faces are dry, lightly dust the ghosts with powdered sugar.
You don't need to coat them heavily. A light dusting gives them a pretty finish while allowing some of the marshmallow's glossy surface to show through.
Step 11: Let marshmallows finish setting up. Leave the ghosts uncovered at room temperature for 4–6 hours. After they've had time to set, check for any sticky areas. If you find any, gently pat those areas with additional powdered sugar.
What Can I Serve With Ghost Marshmallows?
These are especially fun served with:
- Hot chocolate
- Hot chocolate bombs
- Halloween dessert boards
- Halloween cupcakes
- Brownies
- Homemade cookies
- Halloween party treats
faqs
A full batch makes approximately 30 ghost marshmallows, depending on how large you pipe them.
Store ghost marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature.
Keep them in a single layer or separate layers with parchment paper if needed to prevent them from sticking together.
Absolutely! A half batch works just as well as a full batch. The proportions remain the same; you're simply making less marshmallow.
The biggest advantage is that you'll have less marshmallow mixture to pipe, which can be helpful for beginners because the mixture thickens as it cools.
Half Batch Ingredients
1½ packets unflavored gelatin
¼ cup ice water
¾ cup granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar, as needed
⅛ teaspoon baking cocoa
⅛ teaspoon water
The syrup temperature does not change for a half batch. Cook it to 243–245°F just as you would for the full batch.
Yes. A large open round tip works well, but you can also simply cut the tip off a disposable frosting bag.
The important thing is to have an opening large enough for the thick marshmallow mixture to pass through easily.
Yes. These are a great make-ahead Halloween treat. Give them the full 4–6 hours to set before storing them.
More Halloween Treats to Try
If you're making these ghost marshmallows for Halloween, here are a few more fun treats to add to your dessert table.
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Ghost Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 3 packets unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup ice water
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar for coating baking sheet and dusting ghosts
- ¼ teaspoon baking cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon water
Instructions
- Prepare the baking sheet. Butter a baking sheet and generously dust it with powdered sugar. Set aside.
- Bloom the gelatin. Combine gelatin and ice water in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Make the syrup. Combine sugar, salt, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the mixture reaches 243–245°F.
- Whip the marshmallow. Add the bloomed gelatin to the bowl of a stand mixer. Carefully pour in the hot syrup. Beat on medium-high for about 13 minutes. Add vanilla and beat another 1–2 minutes.
- Pipe the ghosts. Immediately transfer the marshmallow to a piping bag fitted with a large open round tip, or cut the end from a disposable frosting bag. Pipe approximately 30 ghost shapes onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Rest. Let the ghosts sit for about 20 minutes.
- Make the faces. Mix cocoa powder and water until smooth. Use a toothpick or lollipop stick to dab two eyes and a mouth onto each ghost. Let dry completely.
- Dust. Lightly dust the ghosts with powdered sugar.
- Set. Let the marshmallows sit uncovered for 4–6 hours. Pat additional powdered sugar onto any remaining sticky areas before serving.
Notes
Work quickly: The marshmallow mixture becomes thicker as it cools, so have your baking sheet and piping bag ready before you begin whipping the marshmallow.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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