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Make Your Own Peeps And You Just Might Want To Eat 'Em, Not Kill Them

By Patty Wetli | April 3, 2015 9:31am | Updated on April 13, 2017 2:12pm

Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2016.

LINCOLN SQUARE — People have a love-hate relationship with Peeps, mostly in that they love to hate them.

They smash 'em and skewer them.

Peeps on a spit. Flickr/Victoria Pickering

Nuke 'em and shoot 'em.

Pretty much anything but eat them.

The Peep Vinci Code. Flickr/Scott Costello

Because as a foodstuff — emphasis on "stuff" — Peeps are ... not good.

Or so we thought.

Stephanie Samuels, former owner of the dearly departed Angel Food Bakery, showed us the light.

A genius at creating homemade versions of packaged, chemical preservative-laden foods like Twinkies, Samuels tackled Peeps her first year in business, more than a decade ago.

"Let's just say I love marshmallows. I love cheap, crappy candy. If I could find a way to make a Circus Peanut, I would," Samuels said.

After testing a number of marshmallow recipes, she settled on one that incorporates whipped egg whites, largely because it makes the goo easier to pipe than versions that rely solely on gelatin and sugar.

The result is a revelation in deliciousness.

Who knew? Peeps, not just for exploding in microwaves.

Wanna make your own Peeps at home? Samuels generously shared her recipe and professional tips with DNAinfo Chicago.

Stephanie Samuels' homemade Peeps. DNAinfo/Patty Wetli

For the marshmallows

¼ c. corn syrup

¾ c. sugar

2 egg whites

1 Tbsp. gelatin

2 Tbsp. cold water

¼ tsp. vanilla

For the sugar coating

Granulated sugar

Cornstarch

Food coloring

Directions

1. To make the Peeps' sugar coating: Place 2 cups of granulated sugar in a ziplock bag. Add food coloring and massage the sugar until the coloring is evenly disbursed. Repeat if you plan on making more than one color of Peep. Pro tip: Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the sugar to prevent it from clumping.

2. Spread the colored sugar on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil. Set aside.

3. To make the marshmallows: Measure 2 Tbsp. water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let dissolve. Microwave the mixture for 10-12 seconds. Set aside.

4. Combine ¼ c. water, corn syrup and sugar in a sauce pan on the stovetop. Boil to the "soft ball" stage, measuring the temperature with a candy thermometer until it reads between 235 and 238 degrees. When it does, add the gelatin mixture.

5. While waiting for the sugar-water to boil, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Pro Tip: Begin whipping the egg whites when the candy thermometer reaches 220 degrees.

6. Once the egg whites have been whipped to stiff peaks, add the sugar-water-gelatin and mix. Add the vanilla. Whip until cool, approximately 10 minutes. Pro Tip: Feel free to substitute your favorite flavor — coffee, almond, mint, etc. — in place of the vanilla.

7. Scoop the marshmallow mixture into a pasty bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip.

8. Pipe the "Peeps" onto the prepared baking sheets. See: Video of proper piping technique.

9. Cover with sugar. Let dry overnight.

10. To make the eyes: Samuels paints them on with melted chocolate. Food coloring is another option, as are decorator icing "pens."

Stephanie Samuels with her homemade Peeps. DNAinfo/Patty Wetli