What happens if you put peeps in the microwave

They quickly turn to steam and fill the air pockets in the marshmallow, causing them to expand. Something fun to do is to stick a toothpick in each Peep, then put the Peeps close to each other so that the toothpicks barely touch. The Peeps will taste like cotton candy. You'll probably also notice that your Peep may smell a little different when you open up the microwave door. The breakdown of the sugars from the heat can give off a somewhat nutty aroma.

Mmm, burnt Peeps. As far as taste, well, let's just say that nobody is going to mistake a Peep that's been put through the ringer of the microwave for one fresh out of the cellophane. Sure, it will probably still have a sugary taste, but's also likely to be a lot chewier and possibly even crunchy — depending on how long you microwaved it. This is because the Peep has lost all of the moisture once the water molecules were essentially sucked out of it. One thing is certain, though — that inflated and subsequently deflated Peep is going to be very, very hot, so watch the tongue.

Of course, the microwave isn't the only way to destroy, er, we mean "creatively enjoy" your Peeps. The secret life of Peeps. Bacon condoms. These chicks rule. Betty Hallock was the deputy Food editor, covering all things food and drink for the Saturday section and Daily Dish blog.

Wes Avila to open a new Mexican restaurant in Hollywood next month. Andy Baraghani puts his bold, stylish spin on Thanksgiving classics. This can ruin your microwave. If you plan on eating it, do it fast before it cools and hardens. So what makes the Peep puff up in the microwave and then collapse as it cools? Peeps are made mostly of sugar, water, and gelatin. This mixture is heated and whipped to add air bubbles.

This creates the light, fluffy texture of Peeps. As this mixture cools, the gelatin and air bubbles helps the Peeps hold their shape and not flatten. When we heat a Peep in the microwave, the air molecules in the bubbles inside the Peep start moving faster. As the molecules start moving faster, the pressure inside the bubbles begins to increase and push on the walls of the bubbles.

The heat of the microwave is, also, starting to cause the sugar in the Peep to soften. So, when as the air molecules push on the sides of the bubbles inside the peep, the bubbles to expand and grow.

This is what causes Peeps to get bigger when heated in the microwave. My kids are always disappointed when we take the puffed up Peep from the microwave only to see it instantly deflate. Once the heating stops, the air molecules slow down and stop pushing against the wall of the bubbles and some bubbles burst letting the air out of the Peep.

This, plus the fact that some of the water in the Peep evaporates during heating lead to the collapse of the Peep.