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A few weeks ago we had a power outage in our neighborhood. All the neighbors congregated out on the street and the evening became an impromptu party.
Me? The second the power went out, until the second it came back on an hour later, I was gripped in the throes of an anxiety attack. Heart-racing, stomach cramping, worry-ladden anxiety. All because the power was out.
I know, I’m special. Want to be my BFF?
Let me give you some background. At our old house (a mile away from this one) the power would go out about twice a year. No biggie, right? Except that the power would go out for, on average, 17 hours. For no reason. No storm. No car crash. No “bees nesting in the transformer box” (um, hum, that did actually happen).
17 hours isn’t that horrible, I guess. Unless it’s the middle of summer (which is often was). Or if, by chance you’d just dropped a buck and a half at the grocery store the day before on milk, eggs, and other perishables. (And by chance I mean every. single. time.)
Did you know that if your power is out for 17 hours, often including a night, when you get up the next morning you can’t make coffee?
*Shudder*
The year before we moved, the power did its 17 hour off thing. It came back on, everyone was happy. And then, just an hour or so later, it went back of. For another 14 hours.
At that point the anxiety was pretty much instilled. But I think what happened the following month settled it for sure.
Our electric company finally figured out there was some issue in the lines (go figure!) They planned an outage for a Saturday to fix the problem. Okay, good.
We started construction on our master bath the week prior. On the first day, the contractors demo’d the old bathroom and sprayed horrible chemicals all over because of a leak. About five minutes later guess what happened?
Yup. Power out. Give you a guess how long?
We ended up having to go to a hotel, with the kid and the dog. I guess we could have stayed, but getting high wasn’t on my priority list that evening.
So, yeah. I have power outage issues. Like, writing this? Is giving me anxiety.
Good thing I know how to make my own comfort food.
Recently, my friend Lisa posted Toasted Coconut Marshmallows. Immediately something clicked in my head and I decided to make flavored marshmallows too.
Funny thing? I wasn’t going to make pumpkin. These are a result of my dessert ADD. I still have that other flavor tucked in my brain.
Of course, I couldn’t just make pumpkin marshmallows. I had to make them pie inspired, and give them a crust. Duh, this is me we’re talking about.
I used gingersnaps for my crust. I love pumpkin and gingersnap together. But if you don’t like gingersnaps and maybe we can’t be friends anymore, feel free to use graham crackers.
Or, leave off the crust all together. I bet these would be rockin’ in a glass of coffee. I *may* have pulled the crust off a few and done just that.
Pumpkin Pie Marshmallows. Way better than a power outage.
Pumpkin Pie Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 30 Gingersnap cookies or graham crackers, finely ground
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin 1 envelope + 1 1/8 teaspoons
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and spray it uniformly with cooking spray. Mix gingersnap crumbs and butter in a small bowl with a fork. Press into the bottom of the pan and bake for 8 minutes. Let cool.
- Put the 1/4 cup cold water and the gelatin in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow to sit and bloom while you make the sugar mixture.
- Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir, then bring to a boil and do not stir anymore! Heat to 250°F registers on a candy thermometer.
- In a separate bowl, stir together pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.
- Attach the mixing bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and start the mixer on low speed. Carefully pour the boiling sugar mixture down the side of the mixing bowl. Increase the speed to medium high and add the salt. Mix until stiff, shiny and white, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula. (The mixture will be very sticky.)
- Turn off the mixer. Add the pumpkin and stir with a spatula as much as possible. Turn the mixer back on medium-high and mix for another 2-3 minutes. You can test to see if it is ready if you dip a spatula in the mixture and it should form a continuous ribbon off the spatula into the bowl.
- Pour the mixture over the crust. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours.
- Place some powdered sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the top of the marshmallows and your knife with powdered sugar. Cut into squares, dipping the top and sides in the powdered sugar to reduce the stickiness. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe Nutrition
Last Updated on September 12, 2022
This is genius! I have been wanting to try to make homemade marshmallows and this just might be the first ones that I attempt! 😉
I featured your recipe on my All Things Pumpkin edition of ~A Little Extra Helping of Sunday Potluck~ post today. To check it out and to grab your Featured button, click the link! 🙂
http://www.thefrugalfoodiemama.com/2012/09/a-little-extra-helping-of-sunday.html
Thank you so much! 🙂
Dorothy,
OMG, I can’t believe how delicious these look! Well, actually I can because everything you make is delicious looking. I can’t wait to try these now that I’m trying pumpkin recipes daily. Hmmm, power outages? We haven’t had one is years. I can’t even remember the last one, but then I live with a survivalist husband and he’s ready for anything. hehehe
Michelle
LOL, you’re sweet. I swear, I almost became a survivalist and got a generator after that one!
These sound heavenly! I’m so making these for my marshmallow -loving sweetheart. Thanks for posting at Bacon Time’s link party!
-Amberly
I hope he loves them! 🙂
I must try these- especially with the gingerbread crust! They look airy and light! Saying Hi from Mom on A Time Out Hop…I host Photo Friday Link Party, I’d love to have you link up this or any other original photo from your blog. Happy Hopping!
Thanks so much! I’ll try to come by tomorrow. 🙂
Those look really good.
Love for you to link this recipe (and a couple others if you’d like!) to Wonderful Food Wednesday at http://www.athometake2.com. Hope to see you there!
Jessica @ At Home Take 2
Looks super yummy! How creative. Found your link at Back for Seconds. Stopping over from Bulldogs and Brown Sugar.
Welcome! And thank you!
You are genius for creating this awesome concoction!
Thank you!
First, I saw this pic at the hop and had to come over because it sounded so unique. But you def. had me at gingersnap crust. I’m so happy not to be alone! Every pumpkin pie I make of any kind, no matter what the crust is supposed to be, I use gingersnaps. I also make a holiday trifle I use gingersnaps in. So glad to have found this recipe!
Thank you! I love the ginger snap pumpkin combo! So good!
Oh my! This looks amazing and will be on my fall recipes to try. Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday 🙂
Thanks Lisa!
Dorothy – you are so amazing! Creating marshmallows with a crust and pumpkin flavored???? You are just so amazing…..a little wierd, yes, but we all love you so! ;-}
LOL! I embrace my weirdness. 🙂 Thanks so much!
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