- 3/4 cup milk
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying (about 4-6 cups, depending on your pot)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Equipment Needed
- Deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Deep-fry thermometer (essential!)
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet
- Tongs or skewers for handling marshmallows
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, let’s get our oil ready and safe. Pour your oil into your heavy-bottomed pot until it’s about 2-3 inches deep. Attach your deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 365°F (185°C). This precise temperature is your best friend here. I learned the hard way that oil that’s too cool will make the batter greasy and soggy, while oil that’s too hot will burn the outside before the marshmallow inside even thinks about melting. While the oil heats, whisk together the pancake mix, egg, and milk in your bowl until you have a smooth, thick batter with a consistency similar to heavy cream. A few small lumps are okay, but you want it smooth enough to coat evenly.
Now, for the assembly line. Set up your workstation with the bowl of batter, your plate of jumbo marshmallows, and a spot for your finished, fried beauties. I like to stick a skewer or a long fork into a marshmallow, which gives me perfect control for dipping and lowering. Dip one marshmallow completely into the batter, using a spoon to help coat it evenly. Let any excess batter drip off for a moment—this is key to a thin, even shell. You want it fully covered, but not gloppy. A thick batter coat will take too long to cook and insulate the marshmallow too much.
Here comes the exciting part. Carefully lower the battered marshmallow into the hot oil. I recommend frying no more than 3-4 at a time to avoid crowding the pot and dropping the oil temperature. They will immediately start to sizzle and float. Fry them for about 60-90 seconds, using your slotted spoon to gently turn them occasionally, until they are a deep, uniform golden brown all over. The timing is everything. The first time, I pulled them out at 45 seconds, and the inside was still solid. At 90 seconds, you get that magical melt. Use the slotted spoon to transfer them to your paper towel-lined plate to drain for just 30 seconds.(See the next page below to continue…)