Ghost Marshmallows

Last Updated on October 31, 2025 by becky

Flavored with vanilla bean paste, cut with a ghost-shaped cutter, and hand-painted with black gel food coloring, these ghost marshmallows make the cutest homemade marshmallows for Halloween.

What Inspired These Ghost Marshmallows?

Nothing says “spooky season” quite like ghosts. Or Halloween candy!

Although I’ve never been big on dressing up (it’s the costume designer in me—when you spend 365 days/year making costumes for a living, the novelty of playing dress-up definitely wears off…) I do enjoy making Halloween treats. In the past I’ve created recipes for Halloween pretzels, pumpkin-shaped Rice Krispie treats, and even homemade candy corn. I also really like handing out candy to Trick-or-Treaters, and in fact, it’s one of the US traditions I missed most after relocating to London to attend pastry school. Trick-or-Treat is very much an American “thing.”

Here, I’ve combined my love of homemade marshmallows with my fondess for all things Halloween. This recipe starts out like all of my marshmallow recipes, and features a classic vanilla bean flavor. But after cooling the poured marshmallow slab, the fun really begins. I’ve used a ghost cookie cutter to cut the marshmallow into spooky shapes, then finished each one with a hand-painted “ghost” face. If you listen carefully, you can practically hear these guys saying BOO!

Ghost Marshmallow Recipe Ingredients

To make these ghost marshmallows, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Gelatin – I developed this recipe using a US-made powdered gelatin, such as Knox. To substitute sheets, please visit my post on how to convert gelatin sheets to powder.
• Granulated Sugar – Along with corn syrup, granulated sugar adds sweetness and texture.
• Corn Syrup – I test most of my marshmallow recipes with Golden Barrel, but you can also use Light Karo Syrup. Liquid glucose will also work.
• Kosher Salt – A small amount of kosher salt (I like Diamond Crystal) cuts the sweetness of the marshmallow.

• Vanilla Bean Paste – Because vanilla represents the key flavor in these marshmallows, I recommend choosing a good-quality vanilla bean paste, such as Nielsen-Massey, Taylor & Colledge, or Simply Organic.
• Nonstick Spray – You’ll need plenty of nonstick cooking spray to grease the tin, parchment, cutter, and foil.
• Cornflour – Cornflour (UK) or cornstarch (US) is a chalky white powder often used for thickening stews, puddings, and pastry creams. In this recipe, coating the marshmallows in cornflour prevents them from sticking together.
• Black Gel Food Coloring – You’ll need black gel food coloring (and a food-safe paintbrush) to make the eyes and mouth.

Special Tools and Equipment

You will need a few special tools to make ghost marshmallows. All are readily available on Amazon, or from a local shop craft or kitchenware/cake decorating store:

• Ghost Cutter – I purchased this 2 1/2-inch ghost cookie cutter on Amazon. You can use a slightly bigger or smaller cutter.

• Square Tin – I designed this recipe to fit in an 8×8-inch square tin. Don’t use a larger tin, or the marshmallows will be too thin.
• Food Safe Paintbrush – You’ll need a food safe paintbrush to apply the black gel food coloring. In a pinch, a toothpick/cocktail stick will also work for decorating. Do not use a paintbrush which has previously been used for art or craft projects.
• Candy Thermometer – Marshmallows require precise temperatures—you don’t want to overcook the sugar and accidentally make hard candy! Do not attempt this recipe without a good digital thermometer.
• Mixer – You will absolutely need an electric mixer for this recipe. A stand mixer works best, but a sturdy hand mixer will do the job just fine. In fact, I test most of my marshmallow recipes using a hand mixer.

Tips and Tricks for Making Ghost-Shaped Marshmallows

Line the tin. Arrange the parchment in a criss-cross fashion, allowing at least a 1-inch overhang on all sides. The excess paper creates “handles” which make it easier to lift the slab from tin to countertop for cutting.

Save the scraps. Due to the shape of the ghost cutter, you’ll have some oddly-shaped marshmallow bits and pieces left over. Don’t throw them away! You can save these for snacking, or toss them in a batch of pumpkin Rice Krispie treats.

Use plenty of nonstick spray. Greasing the cutter makes it much easier to cut the ghost shapes, and to remove the marshmallow slab after it sets. If you cover your tin with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, you’ll want to spray that, too.

Gifting and Serving Halloween Marshmallows

These spooky sweets are perfect for gifting or giving out on Trick-or-Treat, and even children can help to create marshmallows for their classmates and friends. Just make sure an adult takes care of the cooked sugar step—molten sugar is very, very hot.

For Halloween parties or warming up post-Trick-or-Treat, pop a ghost marshmallow into a mug of “boo berry” hot chocolate.

Because they’re free from gluten, nuts, eggs, and dairy, these homemade marshmallows make a reasonably allergy-friendly classroom treat. Do double-check the packaging on all of your ingredients, and remember that gelatin contains animal products (usually beef, pork, or fish.)

Ghost marshmallows will stay fresh at room temperature for a month or longer, so they’re also ideal for shipping, and since they’re nice and soft, they aren’t prone to breaking in transit. I suggest packaging your ghost shaped marshmallows in a Halloween themed cello bag, accompanied by a big black and orange bow.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Store ghost marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Other Halloween recipes you might enjoy:

Pumpkin Krispie Treats
Homemade Candy Corn
Candy Corn Cookies
Halloween Pretzels
Pumpkin Hand Pies
“Boo Berry” Hot Chocolate
Leftover Halloween Candy Cookies

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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