These Pink Vanilla Key Lime Mallow Cones look just like soft serve ice cream! Make them for fun party favors, or for a sweet summer treat.

Heaps of marshmallow and meringue were whipped up this weekend and then tinted in the softest pastels.
Sugar cones make great little vessels in which to carry fluffy homemade marshmallow. To make it a ringer for soft-serve, I piped it with a large French decorator tip. The colors and flavors were inspired by two paint swatches I’ve been toting around in my purse since late December. Maybe someday I’ll get to use those colors on a wall, but for now they look pretty good on dessert.

I find key lime treats so dreamy, and from my kitchen, they somehow they always end up with some sort of marshmallow accompaniment. (See here.) This recipe puts key lime flavor directly into the marshmallow!

Method to the madness.
Both recipes are adapted from fellow blogger Shauna Sever’s book Marshmallow Madness! (highly recommend!). I increased the gelatin ever-so-slightly to make sure the marshmallow batter would pipe well and hold up to a second layer stacked on top. I couldn’t have asked for better results!
The key lime marshmallow flavor is so delicious, and together with the crunchy cone it reminds me of key lime pie. The pink vanilla layer swirled on top is a nice compliment, too. After the marshmallow is piped and set, the layers really stick together well, so I wouldn’t hesitate to make these for a kid’s party. There’s no chance of the marshmallow falling off/out of the cone, and it’s something that would be so easy for little hands to hold.

These were a delight to make, and pretty easy, too. Just a note – like most marshmallow recipes, you’ll need a candy thermometer to make these. If you need a large French star piping tip, you can buy one here.

Pink Vanilla Key Lime Mallow Cones
Ingredients
Cones
- 15 sugar cones
- piping gel or clear corn syrup
- white nonpareils
Key lime marshmallow
- 5 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1/4 cup key lime juice
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup divided
- 1/4 cup water
- Pinch of salt
- Green food color
Pink vanilla marshmallow
- 5 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup divided
- 1/4 cup water
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- Pink food color
Instructions
Cones
- Brush piping gel or clear corn syrup around the top edges of 15 ready made sugar cones. Place the nonpareils on a small plate and then roll the edge of a cone in the sprinkles. Repeat with remaining cones and leave to dry on parchment paper. Have the cones placed upright in glasses and ready to receive piped marshmallow.
Key Lime Marshmallow
- Whisk together in a small bowl – gelatin, key lime juice and 1/4 cup cold water. Let set for 5 minutes until gelatin absorbs liquid.
- In a saucepan with a candy thermometer inserted, combine sugar, 1/4 cup corn syrup, 1/4 cup water and salt. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Heat the gelatin in the microwave or on the stove-top until melted completely and pour into the mixing bowl with the corn syrup. Turn mixer on low and keep it stirring until the sugar syrup is ready.
- When the syrup reaches 240F. slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes, then increase to medium-high and beat 5 more minutes. Finally, increase to highest speed and beat 5 more minutes, until tripled in volume. Add food coloring and beat until incorporated. Immediately scoop marshmallow into the large piping bag – do not tarry here -and quickly pipe the mixture into the cones, swirling in a circular motion as you pipe.
Pink Vanilla Marshmallow
- Whisk together in a small bowl – gelatin and cold water. Let set for 5 minutes until gelatin absorbs liquid.
- In a saucepan with a candy thermometer inserted, combine sugar, 1/4 cup corn syrup, 1/4 cup water and salt. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Heat the gelatin in the microwave or on the stove-top until melted completely and pour into the mixing bowl with the corn syrup. Turn mixer on low and keep it stirring until the sugar syrup is ready.
- When the syrup reaches 240F. slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes, then increase to medium-high and beat 5 more minutes. Finally, increase to highest speed and beat 1-2 more minutes, add vanilla then beat again for 1-2 minutes. Mixture should be opaque and tripled in volume. Add food coloring and beat until incorporated. Immediately scoop marshmallow into the large piping bag – do not tarry here -and quickly pipe the mixture into the cones, swirling in a circular motion as you pipe.
- Let cones stand upright in small glasses until set. Dust with marshmallow coating if desired (see notes for coating recipe).
Perfectly gorgeous, Heather!
Mmmmmmmmmmmm que delicia!
These are too precious. It makes me think of some old-school marshmallow-y cone things I got for Christmas as a kid. I loved those! Can't wait to try these 🙂
They look so pretty! What a wonderful idea.
Cheers,
Rosa
Gorgeous (as always)! You are so my idol.
What a wonderful idea!!! angie
Would you please provide the weight equivalent for your 5 teaspoons of gelatin? I would love to see all recipes use weight instead of volume measurements… it's so much more accurate! Thank you so much!
I am hosting a baby shower in April using these exact colors!!
This looks SO good!
http://therealfoodrunner.blogspot.com
Lovely, lovely lighting in your photos. What a fun idea for Easter!
So delightful. So dreamy. What a perfect treat at a children's birthday party!
Stunning…..So spring-y!
i am totally speechless 🙂
So lovely!!
These are so pretty, love them! 🙂
Simply beautiful! I would especially love to try the key lime:)
Wow..this is such a cute idea!!
I love these; but where do you find the mini sugar cones?
Genius! I'm already thinking of a way to use these!
Chef Beth – 5 teaspoons is about 3/4 oz.
Claudia – they are't mini, I used the standard size cones that you get at the grocery store.
xo
H
Oh! thank you so much, love your work!
Wow these are beautiful. I'd like to eat one of those cones right now. Perfect for spring!
so pretty! i agree don't wait to pipe (made that mistake with marshmallow!)
Aww so cute and clever! And those spring colors! Yum.
Beautiful, luscious and no doubt delectable!
These are so cute. They would make great Easter treats for sure!
What an adorable idea for a children's treat! The colors are so pretty & they sound delicious! Love the photography, as always… 🙂
Yummy! These look delicious and cute! They'd be perfect for a friends birthday- the only problem is that she's vegetarian. Is there any way I could substitute the gelatin?
I love making marshmallows and have been eyeing up this particular method! I love the color and flavor combination here, super pretty and springy!
these are adorable and so perfect for spring! i love the marshmallow in the cone, too cute!
Oh my gosh! These are too cute to devour! 😀
Siriusyareader – There are vegetarian gelatins out there; some of the kosher varieties (not all). I think Hein may be one brand. I have a friend who is vegetarian and so I've bought some before for various projects around her birthday.
Would a simple honey and water solution work (in place of the sugar, water and corn syrup)? I try to avoid corn syrup and typically make a honey, gelatin and water version of marshmallow, was wondering how that would work out and in what measurements to get the right end product.
The colours are lovely…! And it looks oh-so-tasty! 🙂 xxx
Oh my goodness, these are lovely!
OMG, I love these! I am making a dessert table for my niece and this would be a perfect addition! Thanks!
So, so pretty! Would be perfect for a baby or bridal shower this spring!
Oh these are so so pretty and delicate and just so sweet! I love them! 🙂
These are so cute! I love them. you are so genius!
These are gorgeous. I might have to get that book…
Pretty! Makes me think of spring!
PEEPS re-invented. CUTE!
These are so pretty I can't even…
These are totally adorable!!
What a wonderful idea for a marshmallow holder (other than my finger)!I do love marshmallows. 🙂 They look so pretty. By customizing the colors they would be great at a baby or bridal shower!
These are just so lovely I could cry. Well done, as always.
Hei, can I melt store bought marshmallows and use those? Would they return to their original consistency?
Hi Cristina!
No, I'm afraid that won't work. The marshmallow won't hold its shape after melted.
Oh my word – your pictures and recipes are just amazing. I'm love love loving your blog.
I’m not sure what you mean but dust the whole cone. Marshmallow and cone? I’m doing an all edible Christmas tree this year since we didn’t get to celebrate last year due to the pandemic. My 6 little granddaughters will love this
Hi Marsha,
Dust only the marshmallow part of the cone so it’s not sticky and won’t cling to packaging (such as a cellophane bag).
Six granddaughters? How fun – I bet they keep you busy. An edible Christmas tree sounds like a wonderful memory in the making. These would be perfect on that tree.