Equipment Needed
- Deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Candy/deep-fry thermometer (essential!)
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Baking sheet lined with paper towels
- Small sifter or fine mesh strainer (for the powdered sugar)
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I pour my oil into the heavy pot and attach my candy thermometer. Heating the oil to the perfect 375°F is the most critical step. I learned the hard way that if the oil is too cool, the marshmallows will absorb it and become greasy; too hot, and the outside burns before the inside gets gooey. While it heats, I whisk together the pancake mix, egg, milk, vanilla, and that pinch of salt in my bowl until it’s smooth. The batter should be thick but pourable, like a classic pancake batter.
When the oil hits 375°F, I work in batches of 4-5 marshmallows. I drop one into the batter, roll it gently with a fork to coat it completely, and let any excess drip off for a second. Then, I carefully lower it into the oil. This is the fun part. They’ll sink for a split second before bobbing right back up and starting to puff almost immediately. I fry them for about 45-60 seconds, turning once with my slotted spoon, until they’re a uniform, deep golden brown. The smell is absolutely incredible.
I use my slotted spoon to transfer each fried marshmallow directly to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet. They need to drain for just a minute—this helps keep that exterior crisp. I let them rest there while I quickly fry the next batch, always making sure the oil temperature recovers to 375°F before adding more. The whole process from first fry to last is surprisingly fast, taking only about 10-15 minutes.
The final touch is a generous dusting of powdered sugar. I wait until all marshmallows are fried and slightly cooled, then I use a small sifter to shower them with snowy sweetness. I’ve tried rolling them in cinnamon-sugar, which is also delicious, but there’s something classic and beautiful about the powdered sugar. It melts just slightly on the warm surface, creating a delicate, sweet glaze.(See the next page below to continue…)