Peeps are a beloved Easter treat, but what if you could make one that's the star of the show? This giant, homemade marshmallow Peep is sure to amaze your guests and is surprisingly achievable!
Skip the Store, Make Your Own:
Forget store-bought candies, this recipe uses homemade marshmallows for a fresh and delicious twist. The key? A special 3-D Peeps pan (available online or at craft stores).
Simple Steps, Big Impact:
The process is easier than you might think. I'll guide you through greasing and prepping the pan, making two batches of fluffy homemade marshmallows, and assembling your giant Peep masterpiece.
Tips and Tricks:
The post includes helpful hints like using yellow sugar for a vibrant color and creating eyes with chocolate chips. Plus, we answer the age-old question: Does a giant Peep go stale? (Spoiler alert: It depends on your preference for a soft or crunchy texture!)
Ready to impress your friends and family? Make this Giant Homemade Marshmallow Peep the centerpiece of your Easter celebration!
Giant Homemade Marshmallow Peep
You'll Need:
3-D Peeps Cake pan
butter (to grease pan)
⅓ cup yellow sugar (stir yellow food coloring into white granulated sugar)
2 batches of my homemade marshmallow recipe (see recipe on my Starfish S'mores post too)*
yellow food coloring
wooden dowel
2 large dark chocolate chips
*Each batch of homemade marshmallows will require these ingredients:
1 cup water
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
You will have extra marshmallow by making 2 whole batches. If you have a professional kitchen-aid with a 6 quart bowl, you can make 1 ½ recipes instead and should have enough to fill both sides of the pan. Otherwise, I suggest just making the two batches.
Instructions:
Grease the inside of each half of the 3-D Peeps pan really well with butter. Sprinkle yellow sugar all over the inside of the pan, making sure to get in all the grooves.
Make one batch of the homemade marshmallows, adding yellow coloring as the marshmallows are being whipped. Pour the yellow marshmallow into one half of the 3-D Peeps pan. Butter one hand really well and press down on the marshmallow making sure it's really well compacted in the pan.
You will have more than you need. Use any extra yellow sugar to coat the excess marshmallow.
Make another batch of yellow marshmallows and fill the other side of the 3-D Peeps Pan.
If the first pan of marshmallows is still sticky, just press the two sides of the pan together. If not, wet your fingers with water and rub the water all over the first marshmallow that you made. This will make the marshmallow sticky again. Then press the two sides together.
I set my pan inside a large bowl and snuggled a towel under the top of the pan to keep it level.
Allow the marshmallow to dry for at least 4 hours.
Set the Peeps pan upright and carefully peel the two sides off the marshmallow.
Trim off the excess marshmallow along the seam and sprinkle some yellow sugar over the seam and any bare spots.
Stick a wood dowel into the peep where the eyes should be, to create a small well. Stick the pointed end of a large chocolate chip into the well. It will just stick.
This marshmallow should stay fresh for a week sitting on Easter Grass in a basket. If you put it in an airtight container it will stay fresh for several weeks. Of course, I like stale Peeps, so letting it sit and get crusty isn't a bad thing. You can probably keep this for at least a month if you don't mind a more crunchy exterior.
More Sweet Easter Treats
from Hungry Happenings
Sugar Spoon Chicks - tiny sugar eggs on spoons
My Marshmallow Recipe can be found on this post:
If this Easter Recipe interests you, then you should go and check out all these other delicious ideas.
- Irresistible Sweets with Dixie Crystals® - July 13, 2024
- How to make peanut butter? - February 15, 2024
- OREO Penguins - December 20, 2023
Brenda (e-mail entry) says
My daughter and I just love peeps. There was never a time when we did not get peeps for Easter. Now, she is living in Germany, and I miss the holidays with her. If I had the Wilton pan kit to make these peeps I could surprise her and send her a giant peep! I also love all your great ideas.
Brenda
Brenda B. says
I have times where a sugar coated peep does the trick and times when I'll pass. I bought the silicone mold at Michael's to try and make different things like Jello Peeps And Peep ice cubes!
Jennifer Brobst says
We love peeps! Our favorite kind are the Alex's Lemonade Stand lemon flavored peeps. We love supporting our favorite charity! My daughter asks for more peeps every time we go to the store.
Maryanne & Duke says
I love Peeps, but I have to admit it's more for the novelty than the taste. I eat a requisite one or 2 each time I buy a package, and use the rest for decorating. That reminds me, I have an Easter wreath to refresh with new Peeps...
Michelle MaBelle says
I love peeps! They are a truly Spring/Easter tradition in my family.
I don't have kids, but just got a couple of peeps toys instead marshmallows for my puppy bulldog 🙁
Would be rad if we make some homemade peeps dog treats for his first Easter so the tradition keeps going 🙂
Anonymous says
I love peeps but have never experimented with them.
garynonnemacher @ comcast.net
Lori Vachon says
Love Peeps around here...cannot imagine how much my kids would love a Peeps cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cuevas77 says
I loved them as a child but now I cannot eat them because, well, it's a sugar coated marshmallow! i just ca't take the texture or the gritty sandiness. Maybe it's these old teeth 🙂 But I do like making fun things for my kiddos, nieces and grandkids.
Luciana (e-mail entry) says
This last Christmas we got our son a Peep stuffed animal with a Santa hat on. Ever since he has called Peeps "Ho Ho Peeps".
Thank you,
Luciana W.
~May the Force be with you~
Tim says
I have always loved Peeps - the yellow bunnies are the best 😉 - It isn't any kind of secret, as many of my fellow Soldiers know that I'm a peeps fanatic. While we were in Kandahar, Afghanistan, we all received many packages from home. Around Easter time, many of the packages contained Peeps, which were frequently donated to me. One night, one of the other Soldiers came to the station I worked at to find me building a "mutant bunny" out of several of them from one package. It had two heads, and a wide chest (two of the larger body segments stuck together) and arms and legs made from ears. Everyone got a laugh out of it, and I'll never forget it.
Katherines Corner says
Oh my goodness that is such a fun treat. My hubby would love a giant peep! I like those sweet bunny paws too. Hugs
ATC.XM says
I love peeps. They were always in my easter baskets
Chrissy says
I used to eat Peeps in elementary school and loved that they came in different colors for Easter.