Because 1.5 billion Peeps a year simply aren’t enough.

This Easter, why not add to that staggering population by making a few of your own marshmallow critters. From scratch.

Sure, the real things, as cranked out in bright colors by Just Born Inc. in Bethlehem, Penn., can be had for pennies apiece. But they’ll never have the character or the personality you could give your own.

Plus, it’s a creative and (mostly) child-friendly project.

Authentic Peeps are basically dollops of tinted marshmallow coated with colored sugar. On her Web site, Martha Stewart has directions for making similar critters by piping marshmallow into bunny shapes.

It looks nice. It also looks hard. Marshmallow is difficult to work with (it is, after all, rather sticky). And piping is tricky (it takes experience to not make everything look like blobs).

Clearly, a simpler approach is warranted. The solution is cookie cutters. After spreading freshly-made marshmallow in a thin layer and coating both sides with colored, coarse sugar (also called sanding sugar), it is easy to use cutters to extract bunnies, ducklings and chicks.

This is not a difficult recipe, but some planning is advised. Once the marshmallow is spread in a thin layer and coated with sugar, it must set about eight hours before cutting.

Spread one container of the decorating sugar evenly over the rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the gelatin and 1/2 cup of the water. Let stand 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heavy 2-quart saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir well, then add food coloring until desired color is reached. This also can be adjusted later.

Cook, stirring constantly, over low to medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring often. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan.

Reduce heat to medium and boil at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, until the thermometer registers 244 F, about 15 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent mixture from boiling over. If necessary, reduce heat to medium-low.

With the stand mixer (with whisk attachment) on low to medium-low, slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture. Increase mixer to high and beat 15 minutes. Mixture should be thick, white and nearly tripled in volume.

Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon water, then beat until combined. If marshmallow is not the desired color, add additional food coloring and mix until just incorporated.

Spray the wooden spoon with cooking spray, then spoon the mixture onto the prepared pan. Spray the offset spatula with cooking spray, then use it to spread the marshmallow evenly over the pan in a 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick layer.

Sprinkle a second container of decorating sugar over the marshmallow and use your hands to spread it, coating the marshmallow evenly. Let stand, uncovered, overnight.

Once the marshmallow has set, use cookie cutters to cut animals from it. Set them aside, making sure the edges don’t touch.

(Marshmallow recipe adapted from the September 2005 issue of Country Home magazine)

How to make ’em

(Start to finish: 1 hour active, plus setting up overnight)

Special equipment:

• Rimmed baking sheet
• Stand mixer with whisk attachment
• Candy thermometer
• Wooden spoon
• Offset spatula
• Cookie cutters

• For the marshmallow:

• Three 4-ounce containers colored, coarse decorating sugar (all the same color)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup water, divided, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Food coloring (gel food colorings are best, but any can be used)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Cooking spray
• Decorating gel