Spring signals sunshine, flowers, bunny wabbits, promise of growth and renewal — and Easter candy! Delicious, adorable Easter candy. I can’t help it, pastel Peeps and chocolate bunnies just put a big goofy grin on my face.
If you want to bring the magic of Peeps into your own kitchen, try these DIY cactus Peeps from Brit + Co. They’re a ridiculously cute on twist on the traditional shapes. Put them in a pot and voila! you have the perfect Easter basket addition (that doubles as a table setting.)
Best of all — you never have to feel guilty about biting those marshmallow chicks’ heads off again 
DIY Cactus Peeps Recipe
Ingredients:
— 1/2 cup light corn syrup
— 1 1/2 cups sugar
— 1/2 cup water + 4 Tablespoons
— 4 egg whites
— 2 Tablespoons powdered gelatin
— 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
— green food coloring
— edible glitter (in green, orange and pink)
Tools:
— candy thermometer
— paint brush
via GIPHY
Instructions:
1. Mix gelatin with four tablespoons cool water and mix to combine. Set aside.
2. Separate four egg whites and whisk in a mixer until soft peaks form.
3. Combine corn syrup, sugar and water in a sauce pan and bring to 235 degrees Fahrenheit using a candy thermometer. Once temperature is reached, remove from heat, add gelatin and quickly mix together. Then slowly pour the mixture into the egg whites with the mixer on medium speed.
4. Add vanilla and mix until stiff. Pour a few drops of food coloring into the mixture and mix until even. A few drops go a long way!
5. Using a pastry bag or plastic bag with a corner cut off, spoon the mixture in and then pipe onto a sheet of parchment covered in powdered sugar. Create your cactus shapes!
6. Let your cactus Peeps set overnight in a cool, dry place.
7. Once dry, brush with water and then sprinkle edible glitter on top.
Pro Tip: The mixture will start to harden if you turn the mixer off, so keep it going while you are piping your Peeps.
First, get your gelatin ready. It will get really clumpy and will be completely stuck together. That’s fine!
Separate those egg yolks!
When you add the gelatin, it’s going to constantly threaten to boil over, so keep mixing and take it off the heat to avoid a sticky, overflowing mess.
Brit + Co only dyed their mixture green, but if you want to make multiple colors, separate the Peep batter into batches and dye each batch individually. Just be sure to move quickly because the mixture will harden.
Cut the corner of your pastry bag large enough to pipe the shape you want. The shape will turn out cleaner if you make them with a single squeeze.
For even coverage, sift the powdered sugar onto the parchment. If you need to move your Peeps, put a little bit of powdered sugar on your fingertips — they’re super duper sticky.
Just a touch of water will do the trick here. Brush water onto your Peep, then add edible glitter (which you can buy online in a wide array of colors).
Brit + Co “potted” these cute little guys in mini terra cotta pots and brown sugar “soil.”
To make your own potted cactus Peep. stick a toothpick into the packed brown sugar and either skewer the Peep or let it lean against it.
Let the battle for the cutest Peep begin!
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