Need To Separate Stuck-Together Marshmallows? Use Cornstarch

Have you ever bought a fresh bag of marshmallows but discovered many are frustratingly stuck together? It can happen to even the best marshmallow brands. If you've wondered why this happens, it's actually pretty simple. Marshmallows are tasty and sweet because of the delicious amounts of sugar they contain. However, that sugar can easily absorb moisture from the air, which creates a sticky coating on the marshmallows that makes them adhere to each other. It can be tricky trying to separate sticky marshmallows while keeping them structurally intact. Thankfully, there's a simple solution: Just use cornstarch.

When you coat sticky marshmallows with cornstarch, the absorbent properties of cornstarch allow it to soak up the moisture on those fluffy pillows of deliciousness. As a result, the marshmallows will dry and begin to separate from each other. Even if they don't all come apart, the few that remain stuck together can be easily and smoothly separated by gently pulling them apart. Coating the marshmallows with cornstarch to unstick them is also a simple and quick process.

If you have a bag of marshmallows that are stuck together, grab your cornstarch and drop some into the bag. Shake the bag well to evenly distribute the cornstarch throughout the marshmallows. That cornstarch will absorb all of the sticky moisture on the surface of your marshmallows, which will cause them to lose their syrupy texture and smoothly separate from each other. You won't ruin the great sweet taste of the marshmallow either since cornstarch has a neutral flavor. But why is this trick so effective?

It's all to do with the absorbent properties of cornstarch. It's great at soaking up moisture, which is why it's so good as a thickening agent in sauces and gravies, and creates crispiness when fried. Cornstarch's ability to absorb moisture means it's the secret ingredient for light and fluffy waffles. You can also use it to add thickness to scrambled eggs. If you don't have any cornstarch nearby to help you unstick your marshmallows, though, no worries. You still have some great alternatives.

You can also detach those sticky marshmallows using water and a Ziploc bag. Transfer those stuck-together marshmallows to a Ziploc bag and seal it up tight. Fill a bowl with some hot water, then submerge the bag of marshmallows in the water while lightly rotating the bag. You'll start to see the heat cause the marshmallows to separate from each other while keeping the marshmallows structurally intact.

Using a preventative measure to keep your marshmallows from sticking together is effective, too. Put your marshmallows in a tightly sealed plastic bag or a container with an air-tight lid that can be stored safely in a freezer. If you fill your bag or container with too many marshmallows, it will defeat the objective, so leave them some room. Store the bag or container of marshmallows in the freezer, and they'll remain fresh and unstuck. When you're ready to defrost them, keep them fluffy and delicious by leaving them on your kitchen table for 15 minutes. But make sure you have some cornstarch to hand just in case those marshmallows become stuck together again.