Note from Heather: Today’s recipe for fluffy homemade marshmallows comes from my friend Jenni, founder of The Urban Poser and author of My Paleo Patisserie. They’re absolutely delicious on their own or served with homemade hot chocolate.
As The Sun Goes Down Earlier These Days . . .
I find my mind drifting with anticipation to the the smells of chimney smoke in the cool winter air. I can almost taste the warm chai on my tongue along with some chewy gingerbread men and and a few spicy peppermint sticks. But more than all of this, I anticipate one of our longest running family traditions. Making homemade MARSHMALLOWS!
In addition to the classic recipe you’ll find below – a definite favorite – we make chocolate, raspberry, neopolitan, earl gray tea and even gingerbread ones. You can find all of those recipes in My Paleo Patisserie.
Can I roast these marshmallows?
Yes! Not only do we love to eat them…we love to give them away. Marshmallows make great gifts and if you pair them up with some grain-free graham crackers and a few roasting sticks, you can make some amazing ‘Smore’ packages.
If you plan to roast them, it’s best to let them dry out a little first. I like to put them in a paper bag for 2 days or so. They do best under very hot heat rather than a slow roast. Right to the flame and not for very long.
The marshmallow recipe below uses grass-fed gelatin and organic honey instead of corn syrup, making these marshmallows a great option for paleo, GAPS and SCD style diets.
Perhaps you’ll make these tasty marshmallow treats one of your holiday family traditions, just like we did.
Video: How To Make Homemade Marshmallows
Homemade Marshmallow Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup filtered water (split into half cups)
- 3 tbsp grass-fed gelatin
- 1 cup organic honey
- 1 tsp organic vanilla extract (or use homemade vanilla extract)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
Instructions
- Grease an 8×8(or larger) pan and line with unbleached parchment paper in both directions. Leave some length to use as handles when removing your finished marshmallows. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder.
- In your mixer bowl, add the gelatin with 1/2 cup of water
- While the gelatin is softening, pour the other 1/2 cup of water in a sauce pan along with the honey, vanilla and the salt. Turn the burner to a medium high heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Place a candy thermometer in the sauce pan and continue to boil the mixture until it reaches 240 degrees (the soft ball stage). This will take approx. 7-8 min. Immediately remove from the sauce pan from the heat.
- Turn your standing mixer to low/med. Slowly pour the honey mixture into the bowl combining it with the softened gelatin. Turn the mixer to high and continue beating the mixtures until it becomes thick like marshmallow creme (about 10 min).
- Turn off the mixer and transfer the marshmallow creme to the prepared pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder. Pat to smooth again.
- If you would prefer not to use the arrowroot, lightly grease your hands with oil and pat smooth. This will keep it from sticking to your fingers. Alternatively you can press it down with parchment paper, leaving it there till the marshmallows are completely set.
- When set, remove the marshmallows by lifting from the parchment paper flaps. Cut to desired size and enjoy!
Nutrition
About Jenni
In 2010, Jenni went from being an active mother, yoga teacher and chef, to bed ridden with uncontrollable pain and muscle spasms. Diagnosed with severe gluten and casein intolerance, she discovered hope through strict real food and supplement protocols. Bringing together her love of culture, her culinary skills, and her compassion for the suffering, TheUrbanPoser.com was launched. Her stunning new cookbook, My Paleo Patisserie: An Artisan Approach to Grain Free Baking, is now available on Amazon.com.
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Oh my goodness, that video is awesome! You’re adorable when you get marshmallow on your face and I love that mixer. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
awesome video!
Can these be stored or do you have to eat them all right away? Great recipe..thanks!!
Kari, I have stored marshmallow for up to a few days. The do pretty well. We package them up in bags to give away. If your home is really humid you may need to toss the marshmallows in a little extra coating just before serving. The hold up pretty well though. You can also make the marshmallows less moist and a bit more stable by taking out a little of the water in the recipe. (like a few TBLS. I like them really fluffy and moist though.
Does anyone have a marshmallow recipe that actually has marshmallow plant in it? I heard it has good health benefits and was hoping someone might have an old-fashioned recipe
Gah, was really hoping to make some with a marshmallow root, but I haven’t the slightest idea how to even begin
Ava, instead of using just plain water in this recipe, steep a couple of tablespoons of marshmallow root in boiling water, strain the marshmallow root out, and use the water from that.
Here’s a very similar recipe that uses marshmallow root!
http://www.anorganicwife.com/2013/01/recipe-real-deal-marshmallows.html
Wellness mama does
If you make a tea with the marshmallow plant, you can use this as the liquid in the recipe. I have made this with success. I suggest you colour it with beet or matcha as the marshmallows will be not quite white.
Can we substitute pure maple syrup in place of honey?
These are good! Not like other homemade marshmallows that use sugar and corn syrup, but still good. Two things: Do not use an 8×8 pan, I used a 9×13 and filled to the top! Also, as with traditional ones I add the vanilla at the end of whipping, about a tablespoon. If you really can’t have corn syrup a good option, but don’t expect the same taste.
Ok, so having eaten them again today, sorry but I just don’t like them. They taste very sour. Maybe it’s the honey I used, don’t know and don’t know what to do with them. After using a whole cup of liquid gold I hate getting rid of them.
weird. i’ve made these a few times and i love them! mine have a strong honey flavor, but nothing sour.
and they are awesome for roasting over a camp fire. i think they melt fast than traditional marshmallows, but to be able to have marshmallows when camping….. totally worth it!!!
mine has a sour taste too…
Hi! Maybe obvious answer to my question, if using a hand mixer am I standing there for 10 mins also? And blending in the hot syrup, just be super careful, right?
somehow I thought it would involve egg white, don’t know why
Some recipes use egg white instead of gelatin. Some use both.
Oh my goodness! Marshmallows are one of my favorites and I was JUST telling my husband that I missed them a lot. Thank you so much for posting this!! It’s the most simple recipe (not to mention best ingredients) I have seen yet!
Can I use a regular food thermometer instead of a candy one?.I’m not sure what a candy thermometer difference is.
really cool video by the way, now I have to make it!
Anna Drozdova – I can totally see why you’d think egg white 🙂
thank you! where can I get the book Nourished Baby?
Hi Lesley! You can buy it here this Friday! It will also be available as a Kindle download on Amazon and iPad and Nook versions are coming soon. Check out this post for more info plus a chance to win a Kindle! https://mommypotamus.com/amazon-kindle-giveaway/
Lucy just asked last night if we could make marshmallows…perfect timing! Where does one get grass fed beef gelatin?
Lucy, I used the Great Lakes Brand. If you are in the DFW area, the Sunflower Shoppe carries it in their supplement section. You can also order on line. http://www.greatlakesgelatin.com/ The Great Lakes web site states that all their cows are grass fed. There are a few other brands out there, but this was the easiest to find.
Now I’m just wondering…is that elliptical still available?
Ummmm…yes PLEASE!
Oh…My…Heck!! Those look so good! I have not made marshmallows in such a long time and what is more, is that the last time I made them with Knox gelatin because it is cheap. I am now in the mood for marshmallows! Since my son needs a birthday treat for his tap dancing class so I have an excuse. Thanks so much!
Nice mixers,blue one especially. You have good recipes on your page and I’m glad I found you
I made this today and it was AWESOME!!!!! Thank you so much.
HI,
I made this recipe yesterday and it was a big mess !!!!
So I have a couple of questions !
Are you using powdered grass fed gelatine ?
Can I use other natural sweetener … I used 1/4 cup of raw honey and that was soooo sweet and tasted to much honey!
The all never been thick and after a couple of fridge hours the gelatine separeted from the rest!
Please help me
Thanks
Martine
Martine, yes it is powdered gelatin. The brand should be in the post. Also, You can not change the honey ratio, it will ruin the final consistency and stability of the marshmallow. This is probably why it was was so messy for you. You might want to try a mellower honey next time, however if the marshmallows didn’t fluff right because your ratios were off, the marshmallows will taste much sweeter and more like honey. You can use agave but then that wouldn’t be GAPS friendly. I do not store marshmallows in the fridge, the condensation will break them down. Also, these marshmallow will not last quite as long as others ones due to the honey. Honey absorbs water, so they will break down a bit faster, this is also while the fridge doesn’t work for them. Hope this helps.
Hi! Just wanted to say I made this recipe today and I did mess with the honey ratio with great success. Our palates at home are not used to things that are too sweet but as I was looking for a different way to feed gelatin to the family, I decided to make these. I used only half the honey stated in the recipe and it was fine!
My marshmallows turned out great and are wwaaayy better than the pink tinted strange spongy things we have in Portugal.
Thank you for that! 🙂 Anyway, just wanted to say that it is possible to make them with less honey (I used a rather runny honey from a friend’s bees).
Hi! I follow this recipe exactly using Great Lakes grass fed gelatin, the Acqua Panna water, and even a little less honey or salt sometimes. I totally skip the arrowroot because we are following SCD, and use parchment instead. They not only turn out beautifully, but they stay perfect in the fridge for days!
If I were to use sugar instead of honey, would it mess with the consistency?
Jenni (I like your name) do you need one of those fancy smancy kitchen aid mixers or would a standard hand mixer do the trick?
I do like your mixer though.
Thanks for this. My kids (who have been on gaps for a year) are going to be thrilled!
Jenni
Jenni – I mad this tonight with an electric mixer (not one of the fancy stand ones) and it worked beautifully . . . waaaay easier than I expected and so yummy!
I just ordered the gelatin to try this, can’t wait!! Do you know, if this would work with a BlendTec on a low setting? I would rather use the blender instead of standing there with a hand mixer for ten minutes, lol. A lot can happen in ten minutes with two young boys running around, lol.
LOL! I totally understand! Unfortunately I don’t think a BlendTec will work – it seems to need air exposure to fluff up.
oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! My son isn’t on a GAPS diet, but he did test sensitive to 35 different foods and additives, so his diet is pretty similar. He has been asking me if he will ever be able to have marshmallows again but all of the homemade recipes I have call for either corn syrup or egg whites (or both). I am so excited to find this gelatin and give this a try for him. I can’t wait, thank you so much!
i use maple syrup instead of honey. it’s a lot more expensive, but i don’t like to cook “raw” honey.
oh and also,,, i’ve found that sometimes it takes FOREVER for the temp to get up to 240 and have found that 225 works just fine. 🙂
Thank you for posting this substitution – I was wondering if that would work! I always feel so bad about cooking with raw honey – the poor bees work so hard to make it, and the taste just gets funky once it’s heated. And since ALDI now has maple syrup, it’s not too expensive to use it.
I LOVE marshmallows and cannot wait to try this! thank you! thank you! thank you!
I’ve made (corn syrup) homemade marshmallows before, but I would like to try this. A question first: Is there a Paleo additive that would remotely equal corn starch? I ask because I tend to use marshmallows in holiday treats (as you would with rice krispie treats), and without a starch, the homemade ones will NOT set up without the starch. Would arrowroot powder be legit? (i’m new to this kind of diet).
Sorry EllaJac, I can’t really say. If you experiment and find a solution I’d love to know about it, though!
Arrowroot and tapioca(mannioc) are both root starches (carbs, but not much in the way of redeeming nutritional value) and would be paleo “legal” in small amounts for occasional use. Guar gum is from a seed, so IMO is also okay in small amounts occasionally. Not that I’m a paleo expert but have been reading, researching & cooking “paleo” for a year.
I was looking through homemade marshmallow recipes to see if there was a solution to making rice krispie treats that don’t taste like ABC food — “already been chewed.” Is the starch the trick??? My heart is pounding because I’m excited that I might have found the way to make yummy “crisp” rice krispie treats. 🙂 THANKS!!!!! ~AnnMarie
Were you successful?
I tried making rice krispies with this and threw them all out, big fail. I don’t know why, but the rice had the texture/consistency of having benn chewed already or like when chips or crackers have been out too long. This recipe should be eaten as marshmallows.
I just read EllaJac’s comment and I know arrowroot powder is a great gluten free starch alternative and works great! I use it often, but I don’t know how it rates on the Paleo diet. Maybe check it out!
Hi, fell in love with your recipe and tried making it today. I used an organic raw wildflower honey and the marshmallows seemed to be really overpowered by the honey. I did put them in the fridge and noticed they weren’t has fluffy has I had expected. I then went to read your comments and saw that I made a huge mistake. Could this mistake have resulted in the extreme honey flavor? Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Thanks
Possibly. Sometimes overwhipping can also cause them to be dense instead of fluffy. If you’re using a handmixer instead of a standmixer try blending at medium speed. Hope that helps!
I just made these today for smore packets. Still working on the graham crackers because I burn the first batch. The marshmallows are great but I am a little disappointed that they don’t last longer. Somehow, I thought they would.
Hi Rachel! Do you mean you ate them all . . . that’s why they didn’t last?
Have you ever cooked these, like on holiday yams?
I have. They melt a lot more than commercial marshmallows but taste really good!
Love your website and this recipe!! The only thing is: I cant’ watch the videos on Mozilla Firefox…wishing you might be able to make them work on Firefox! And a print button would be so awesome!!!! THANKS
Hi Kathy! I use Firefox also and am able to view the videos – not sure what is going on there, sorry! And a print button is a great idea! I’ll put that on my wish list 🙂
It wasn’t your fault after all — I needed to reboot. Sorry to bother you! And thanks for considering the print button! I downloaded — hmmm… I think it was called PrintFriendly for free on mine…
Kathy, here’s a list of possible reasons why you aren’t able to see the videos:
Check out those possibilities. Hope you find it!
Thank you — I needed to reboot and update!
I just love marshmallow, and always looking for new recipes. They sounds like perfectly wonderful homemade marshmallow to me! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing. This marshmallow looks so delicious and the instructions are straightforward.
Could you use Knox gelatin instead?
Yep 🙂
Do you have recommendations for making this recipe into “peeps”?
Hi Rebecca! I am working on a tutorial about that right now 🙂
Hi, I’m looking forward to try this recipe! Great video!
Has someone tried it subbing the gelatin for agar-agar?
Thanks!
Have you tried roasting these? We will be on GAPS during camping season and would really like to be able to roast by the campfire.
I haven’t, Desiree, though I did melt them over sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving. They pretty much turned to goo so I don’t think they’d roast very well. You could let them cure for a few days though so their more dried out and try, though!
Just made these and plan on taking them camping. They’ll be aged a bit by the time we embark so I hope they hold up to a little toasting! 🙂 Thanks for the tip.
Hi Jennifer. I was wondering if the roasting worked out for you? My son wants s’mores for the first time and I wanted to see if these would work. Thanks!
I would be interested to know if agar-agar could be substituted as well.
Sorry, Veronica, I haven’t tried it with agar-agar so I can’t really say.
Thanks, Heather. I’ll just have to buy some and try for myself 🙂
Using water cooked with cinnamon and ginger to add to the honey and cooked it
for 10 minutes. Didint have a candy thermometer, so hoped the boiling worked.
After slowly pouring into the gelatin water, and beating for 12 m minutes , realized
that it wasnt staying foamy. And the beater thing is 45 yrs old and getting very hot.
So will eat it that way.(taste good!)
How long does it usually take to get to boil to softball stage?
Thanks
Hmmmm, cinnamon and ginger sounds delish! Regarding how long it take to get to softball stage: It all depends on your heating element and how conductive your pots are. Wish I could give a more definitive answer, but that’s it!
I follow a slightly varied recipe that calls for bringing the water/salt/honey to a rolling boil and keeping it there for 3 minutes. I have made that recipe 4x in the past 3 months and it has come out fine each time.
Made these today for camping tomorrow and couldn’t resist a pre-camping s’more cooked up in the toaster oven 🙂 The marshmallows came out AMAZING, after I thought I totally ruined it by not paying attention and letting the honey boil over. I just put it back on and actually watched it while I boiled it until it formed a ball in cold water. This was my first time using gelatin and it was so cool, I can’t wait to make more stuff with it. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay, so glad you liked them. Jenni is a genius!
Can I use unflavored gelatin in the packets from the store? Like, the powder stuff from the baking aisle?
This recipe came out as a honey jello with foamy sticky marshmallow stuff on top???
Hi C! Yes, you can use the gelatin from the store. I’m not exactly sure what went wrong with your batch . . . maybe it didn’t quite get to “soft ball” stage?
Again…I could just KISS you Jenni! I made your amazing recipe this afternoon. We are taking the kids camping and I really needed to have some marshmallows on sticks ready for the roasting (so my kinds won’t spend years in therapy wondering why they were the only kids in town that never had roasted marshmallows on camping trips).
Jenni, you really are a treasure. Thank you for all your fabulous, healing recipes. I’m over the moon.
I shared on my FB page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Tasty-Alternative/288512964505836
I would love to make these but my son is allergic to beef 🙁 What is a good alternative for the gelatin?
Great Lakes also makes a porcine (pig) based gelatin, I believe. You might want to check with them and see if it is manufactured in the same place as the beef gelatin, though
Hey! I followed this recipe to a T…and the only difference was I used Bovine (the one in the green canister) instead of beef….I was so upset to find that after everything was combined it just stayed as liquid…so I figured it must have been the Gelatin….so I kept adding Gelatin…and the only thing that got it to the marshmellow stage was that I kept adding. So after letting it sit for an hour I checked on it and it was all straight liquid and the marshmellow froth had disappeared!!! LOL I was so mad at myself…But I could never get it to whip. Does the Bovine Gelatin make that much of a difference ? I was so sad…and I used my nice organic honey I use when I wash my hair…I would have felt guilty using the crap from walmart lol. Any suggestions ladies?
Hi Summer, it sounds like you may have used Great Lakes gelatin hydrolysate, which is a special kind of gelatin that stays liquid at room temp. For this recipe you’d want to use the regular (red can). Sorry you had trouble with the recipe!
AGH!! I bought the wrong one…. No wonder :/ Thanks
I know this only halfway pertains to the marshmellows because of the Gelatin but I read your article about the real cause of acne…I have been “Enduring” this plague since the age of 12…I bought some zinc for acne pills and they actually did a good job(I stop taking them the acne comes back of course) but the texture of my skin was still really poor. I just turned 26 btw. So I ordered the liver supplements and this is my 3 week of taking them…So over a small period of time I have noticed my skin has felt soooo smooth… Like never before. The texture has improved and my pores have shrank…blackheads diminishing…I know I’m not crazy, my husband has even noticed. I also have been taking this geltain.
I have stretchmarks from when I was pregnant…theyre not horrible but theyre not something I want there either. So when I woke up this morning I noticed they looked smaller…they seemed more shallow and like they shrank… AM I CRAZY?! Does it really start working that fast??
Hi Heather, I don’t eat pork or beef; any alternatives for me re: the gelatin? thanks!
I don’t have any experience working with alternatives to gelatin so I wouldn’t even know where to start – sorry Allison!
could agar-agar powder be used instead of gelatin?
I’m not sure Allison, sorry!
Back again, in search of an alternative to beef or pork gelatin; online I found kosher gelatin made from fish but I haven’t tried it yet; I tried agar-agar flakes today & it didn’t turn out, but it might work better using agar-agar powder instead of flakes; I ground up the agar-agar flakes but the flakes never took on the same form as powder; as they still had more of a grainy texture even after lots of grinding; also, my honey mixture seemed get to the 240 temp very fast – not sure if I did something wrong? when I mixed it (using an older Kitchenaid electric mixer) the mixture never became fluffy; the flavor is good but it looks more like pancake batter instead of fluffy marshmallow creme. So, after spending $10 on a very small packet of agar-agar flakes, I will try this again using kosher gelatin next time and report back! According to the web, agar-agar should work. If you try agar-agar, I strongly recommend using the powder & not the flakes. If you try it please post your results. Thanks!
Hope it works out with the fish gelatin, Allison!
This did NOT I repeat N O T work for me. Sorry but i’m pretty mad I wasted a cup of honey and 3tbs grass fed gelatin. The water/gelatin mixture turned hard as a rock while I was making the honey mixture on the stove.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Vashti! Perhaps the temperature exceeded the softball stage?
Mine went hard too but as I added the not liquid it dissolved in the mixing, worked just fine.
This is so dangerous! I have all of these ingredients right now! Plus my hubby loves hot chocolate this time of year, so how awesome would it be to surprise him with homemade healthy marshmallows!?
Thanks so much for this! Made it tonight for our Halloween treat, along with healthy truffles and caramel corn. These were a HUGE hit. I think I’ll use it as frosting next week for my daughter’s birthday, too. My kids will be getting these in Christmas stockings and Easter baskets from now on. I love no-sugar treats that they get excited for — and my mom thinks they’re deprived because they can’t have M&Ms and Snickers. 🙂
Anyone made these with marshmallow root included? That would be the original starch wouldn’t it? I would love a little info! Double the nourishing with marshmallow root in it. Not sure if that’s GAPS friendly though because it’s mucilaginous.
I tried these over the weekend and it was so good! But mine did not slice at all. It is just one big sticky glob that sort of rips when I try to cut it. Is there some secret how to get it from pan shape into reasonably sized pieces? The texture of them seems perfect, so I don’t think it’s that I made them wrong.
These are awesome!!! I coated mine in cocoa powder, and when I put them in my hot cocoa, the cocoa powder melted away and I had lovely white marshmallows on top. My husband is pretty much ecstatic about these… hehehe!
*happy sigh* Thanks Jenni (& Heather)!!
Vashti, it’s normal for the gelatin to get stiff. If you break it up with a fork, the hot mixture should melt it while it’s being beaten together and make smooth marshmallows. Also, it can be so disappointing when a recipe doesn’t turn out as planned, but since the ingredients are so expensive, it’s rare that I throw everything away. The honey mixture could be refrigerated and used to sweeten something else, for instance. Even if the marshmallows don’t set up, the goop can be used in some other dessert.
It’s also true that many people who are not used to sweetening everything with honey, and even some who are, may find these overwhelmingly sweet and cloyingly honey-flavored, since honey is almost twice as sweet as cane sugar. Eating a very small serving, or using the mallows to sweeten something else is one solution if you find them inedible as is. If you are not on SCD and just want to make a better marshmallow than store-bought, you can substitute organic cane sugar (with more water – see other recipes on the web) or less-sweet syrups like sorghum or rice for some or all of the honey.
It doesn’t make sense to pay for raw organic honey and then boil the raw out of it. Why specify an ingredient that costs so much more when its virtues will not be preserved during cooking? Marshmallows are touchy, and can fail even when you know what you’re doing. Ten bucks better spent elsewhere, for the majority of natural cooks who are working within a budget.
I made these as a present for Christmas and they absolutely loved them! ( I did of course sample some for quality assurance…of course!) Great recipe and will definitely be making these again very soon.
So my marshmallows tasted great! However, they were not that white at all. Do you think it’s b/c I used a different brand of gelatin? I used the Now brand. I also was low on honey and so about a 1/4c of the sweetener was brown rice syrup (which is the same color as honey, so I didn’t think it would affect it…).
would these work to make rice crispy treats with? I know its not GAPS. Its for my kids who I do not give refined sugar but they are only gluten free.
I made peppermint marshmallows using the “traditional” corn syrup and sugar plus crushed candy canes. They looked beautiful but were super sticky, like I thought marshmallows should be. However, when I made these marshmallows, I used toasted coconut and coconut flavoring and the honey as the sweetener. These were not sticky at all! I had a hard time trying to get the toasted coconut to stick to the marshmallows!! I was worried that they would stick together in the goodie bags, but they didn’t! Great recipe. I think I will try pumpkin spice ones next, or gingerbread.
would it work with a regular gelatin from fish?
These are on the counter firming up right now. I could not get it to reach 240, the highest I got was about 229. I let it boil for a while and I was worried it would boil too long so I took it off. I was worried they would be brown because of the initial color but by the time they whipped up they were nice and fluffy white. Cannot wait to try them!
This was my test batch as I plan to make some later in the week to pipe onto cupcakes for my son’s class. I did taste the fluff before putting it in the pan, delicious!
Can these be made with liquid stevia or powdered stevia instead of honey? If so, how?
Thanks!!!
Hi Chris, I don’t think so. The honey is a vital part of the liquid ratio.
So I cannot just add water to the liquid stevia or powdered stevia?
Thanks!
(stevia based) basic vanilla marshmallows
makes: depends on how big or small you cut marshmallow slices
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 tsp liquid stevia
3 tablespoons gelatin (beef grass-fed based)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean (optional we used it for the little specs of vanilla bean in marshmallows)
Directions:
Place the 3 tbsp gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup water. Mix together. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Have the whisk attachment standing by. **you could use a hand mixer for this
Next step you can do in a small saucepan , heat up 1 cup water over medium high heat or heat up the 1 cup water in the microwave. Basically you are looking for just about boiling water. Begin to heat the water. Once the water reaches just about boil temperature immediately remove from the heat.
Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the hot water down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the water, add in vanilla extract and vanilla bean powder and liquid stevia, and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat at medium-high for 1-2 minutes than increase speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes slightly thick, approximately 10 to 13 minutes.
While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.
We used a bread loaf pan. You can use anything you like. Lightly grease your pan with some coconut oil (which is what we do). You could put done wax paper instead if you wanted.
Once your marshmallow mixture is starting to look like it has some body to it (almost forming peaks), pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a spatula for spreading. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4-5 hours.
Once marshmallows have set for a few hours you can start to cut into desired shapes using a sharp knife. Store in an airtight container. We store our sugar-free marshmallows in the refrigerator.
** for those that do not want to use gelatin – you can try agar agar – 3/4 tsp – 1 tsp
Thank you so much because Stevia is my favorite sweetener…..
Matt, have you found that these come out tasting delicious? Do you think children would like them, even kids used to store-bought marshmallows?
I’d be using fish gelatin. Do you think that would work?
Thanks for posting,
Zehava
Well, my dear, love your website and all the great ideas, recipes, and info. Wonder if there’s anything i can sub for the gelatin as I’m vegan (probably not but) just thought I’d ask!! May God continue to bless you and yours, Mommy.:)
Sorry, Grandma Shelley, I haven’t tested any gelatin substitutes with this recipe!
I was wondering if anyone else had a horrible smell when making these. they turned out great but the smell is overpowering and they taste a little bit like a cow hide 🙂 I’m wondering if I am just not used to real gelatin 🙂
They shouldn’t taste at all like cow hide. If I had to guess I’d say your candy thermometer might be a bit off and the mixture got too hot 🙁
I made them the other night and the smell was terrible, as well. I’m wondering if the gelatin a purchased may have spoiled? Any ideas? I’d love to make them again, but they stunk up the whole house.
Thank you so much for this recipe, it looks so yummy and I want to make it. I have a doubt as I’ve read so many times that honey shouldn’t be heated because it becomes toxic so if we are trying to eat healthier, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to heat the honey to such a high level of heat but then I really don’t know, we read so many things on the web so I wonder if there is anybody who has good information regarding using honey at this level of heat. thank you
Antonieta, heating honey does not make it toxic. It DOES destroy the beneficial enzymes present in raw honey so you lose some of the nutritional content but you will not get sick. People the world over put honey in hot tea with no ill effects.
I have now made four batches of marshmallows using this base recipe, with somewhat mixed results. The first batch was exactly like the recipe, plain vanilla tossed in toasted coconut. SO good and far easier than I expected. The other three batches I made this morning, adding fruit purées for both flavor and pretty, natural color. I over-whipped the strawberry and mango batches and they are a lumpy (albeit tasty!) mess in the pan. My last attempt, blueberry, was MUCH better and will look as good as it tastes when set.
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! I’m always on the hunt for SCD friendly recipes and this one’s a keeper!
Love this recipe for marshmallows. Great job on the video which really makes them look less intimidating to make. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks!
This is going to be my next fun baking project!
YUMMY! Some of the fluff didn’t make it to the pan….
Do you mind adding that it takes 4 hours to set, to the printed instructions? Thanks!!
It looks really good!!! But what about a recipe that uses real marshmallow root?? Like the real marshmallows?
I’m hoping to figure out a recipe someday. For now, Jenni’s recipe is amazing!
Thanks! I really love marshmallows and making them myself would be even better so I know what goes in there!
You could use marshmallow tea instead of water!
How long do these keep?
Made these but they stick to the parchment paper. Is there any way to prevent this?
You can lightly oil the parchment paper if you’d like.
Also, are they freezeable?
I’ve never tried, sorry!
Still the best marshmallow recipe ever! Just made these again this afternoon. I was sharing the recipe with a friend and got inspired to make them again. Who can resist that marshmallow-y goodness when you know it doesn’t need to be a guilty pleasure any more? I make mine with only 1/2 cup of honey because the full amount what just too honey-ish for my taste buds (adding back in 1/4 cup of extra water to make up for the loss of the liquid by reducing the honey). They come out soft and perfect for me. Thanks again, Heather!
Do you think this would work with maple syrup, since it’s not a good idea to heat honey (ayurvedically speaking). I hope so! I’ve been looking for an alternative to the regular, gross marshmallows for roasting by the fire.
Wow, these sound and look so amazing! I never thought I would have marshmallows as part of my diet ever again. I am so excited to try making these & am really glad I found your wonderful blog full of so many healthy tips and recipes. Cheers 🙂
Finally!!! Corn-free marshmallow! Thank you!
The marshmallows are awesome but I am curious about the comment made about curing hubby’s B.O. with 3 ingredients!!! My pre-teen son has become quite stinky lately!! I need to know these 3 ingredients!!!
Here you go, Rhea! https://mommypotamus.com/easy-homemade-deodorant/
I am going to have to try these. My kids love them but I don’t love what’s in them so I rarely buy them. On the beef gelatin….what exactly does this do? Hold them together? Will another gelatin work or maybe pectin like what I use for my jellies?
The gelatin is what creates the marshmallow fluff. I don’t think pectin would work, unfortunately.
If you are vegetarian, you can substitute agar agar for the beef gelatin. Equal parts.
Could you use the Great Lakes “Collagen Hydrolysate Gelatin” for this recipe?
I have not tried it, Rachel, but I’m guessing probably not 🙁
Collagen Hydrolysate is NOT GELATIN and will NOT gel! You must use GELATIN or, as some have mentioned works, agar agar. Both Great Lakes and Vital Proteins work, but be SURE to get GELATIN and NOT collagen.
I just saw a recipe for Espresso Marshmallows, but the recipe was full of lots of other ingredients and didn’t sound near as good or easy. The recipe called for 1/2 cup espresso (about 2 shots). Do you think your recipe could be modified for this? and if so, how would you suggest one go about it? They just sounded so good.
You might try replacing the water with espresso. I’m not sure how boiling it might affect the flavor, but please let me know how it turns out if you give it a go!
Sorry, I don’t have time to read all 166 replies 🙂 Just wondered if this could be made with Agar? My son would so love this…we don’t eat gelatine.
Regards,
Jo. AUSTRALIA
Hi Joann, unfortunately I haven’t tested it so I’m not sure 🙂
Jo, here’s a recipe using agar. Hope it works for you! 🙂
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/890254
Sorry, Jo. That’s not the right link and I can’t seem to delete it. I’ll try again.
Here we go…. http://www.cooking-eggs.com/marshmallows.html
Here’s another that has an agar option. http://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/stories/how-to-make-your-own-marshmallows
This has made one little girl VERY HAPPY! Thanks for a wonderful and healthy recipe. Easier than I thought, turned out perfect. My 10 yr old is so excited she can eat marshmallows again 🙂 Can’t wait to try different flavors with them, the coffee replacing water sounds genial.
Is it possible to “over beat” the fluff? Mine wound up being too fluffy and globby to be able to smooth down. Has marshmallow taste though. My daughter will be 8 in a few weeks. She has never had marshmallow before. This is a test run.
My aunt used to make these, she passed in 1994 I miss these she also made stuffed dates ! love her!
I just made these! So simple and easy. I’ve just tasted the “fluff” so far and it’s good! Can’t wait for them to set. Thank you!
Do these roast over a fire, or do they melt of the stick?
They mostly melt 🙂
I have only ever loved marshmallows in rice krispy treats and on smores, but I would love to try homemade ones and see how I feel about them then. 🙂
I have got to make these! We love s’mores with coconut marshmallows, but can’t always find them…I want to try making some that are also good for us to eat, besides being yummy!
We made the marshmallows for a frosting recipe. Prior to using it, it set up like rubber. Did we do something wrong?
It sounds like the temp may have gotten a bit too high, though they do set up pretty quick! I don’t recommend this recipe for frosting overall 🙂
We made this for a frosting recipe, but it was really rubbery. Did we do something wrong?
I made pink marshmallows earlier this week. I was so proud of myself when it seemed to be working. 🙂 Wanted to wait enough time to post about them in order to make sure it worked, didn’t separate over time, or any other problem! Once all ingredients were in the mixer and going, I added in a few Tablespoons of powdered dehydrated berries. The result was a deep pink marshmallow with a bit of berry flavor. My 8 year old daughter was thrilled with them! You could experiment with what dehydrated (and then powdered) fruits you use depending on what color you would like the finished product to be. I was making these to use for Halloween. Now I wish I would have tried adding some juice from an orange. 🙂
Made these tonight and they taste amazing! Thank you so much for posting!!
I made these tonight with my daughter! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! They are amazing and she loved helping by licking the bowl.
I don’t see the video?…can someone send me link please?
Made these – LOVE these with raw honey! So happy my little girl with food allergies (egg, dairy, cane sugar) can enjoy her natural marshmallows! If anyone isn’t wild about honey flavor – the fresher they are eaten, the less “honey-like” they taste.
These look DELICIOUS! I’ve been looking for a healthier alternative for marshmallows. Thank You.
Just pinned this on pinterest! Looks great!
This recipe is an absolute life saver! I crave marshmallows and since getting really sick and depressed and totally ruining my body I haven’t been able to eat them until your recipe! Thank you so much!!! I pinned this one as part of the dehydrator giveaway 🙂
Hi!
I tried making these tonight without a thermometer and using agar agar instead of gelatin. They did not puff. The mixture stayed creamy and flat. DO you think it’s because of the agar agar? Also, I boiled for 8 minutes as I did not have a thermometer… maybe that did it?
Any help appreciated!
Thanks!
Hi Sandra, unfortunately I don’t know which factor would account for how they turned out, sorry!
OMG, these are not that hard to make 🙂 I love the video.Thank you, I have always wondered how to make them and they look ok for me to give it a go. Awesome recipes 🙂
I am craving for marshmallows these days o_o and i am so happy to find a healthier way to eat these soft and yummy things.Thank you so much and i will try this recipe as soon as possible:)
Is the peeps tutorial ready? I am interested to know how to make organic colored sanding sugar sans food coloring dyes.
A friend of mine figured it out before me – you can find her recipe here: http://www.mygutsy.com/homemade-honey-peeps/
These turned out fantastic! Tasted just like marshmallows. Whatdoyaknow!? Thanks so much for sharing! I always love finding raw recipes for tasty treats that us health conscious people feel like we have to just give up. 🙂
I thought you love ‘real food’. Do you know what gelatin is made out of…?
Yes, I do. Personally, I believe gelatin is one of the most nourishing ingredients available
I just tried making these and I think I may have done something wrong although the recipe is so simple that I can’t imagine how! I was mixing for over 30 minutes total and after 15 minutes of hand mixing (with electric mixer) it wasn’t getting thick at all. So I started adding more gelatin with water little by little. It still didn’t get as thick as I think it was supposed to. Any advice? It was still more liquid than marshmallow cream consistency.
Wow Marshmallows are one of my favorites! Great video! Thanks for sharing that video and your recipe!
Alright, so, I made them few days ago. LOVED them. But, given my lack of experience in the kitchen, I had to experience that learning curve thingy first hand (well, i always thought that Id’ get things right from the first try).
I did watch the video and thought it was VERY easy and straightforward (which it is). Which is why I didnt feel like re-watching it again before actually making them. Because if I did, I would have probably picked up on a little detail (pouring the hot honey into the gelatin SLOWLY), which might have saved me about 15-20 minutes of holding a hand mixer until my hand is numb shaking and the mixer is so hot I can’t touch it anymore, and all this without ever achieving the fluffy texture I saw in the video.
Oh well, learning curve that is. I poured it into some container and put it in the fridge and then I had some and it was still delicious. A little sweet, but that’d be good for satisfying a sweet tooth. I’m actually very happy with my learning curve, and I also know for next time to make half the recipe because that was too much (only I eat it).
So, ladies, if you so happen to make the same mistake as me in the future, worry not, it still turns out delicious.
These are definitely on my to-do list!
Do you think wax paper would work? I ran out of parchment flash freezing coconut butter pancakes this morning 🙂 Thanks!
can you store this as marshmallow cream?? and skip the actual marshmallows? i want to use it as a sundae topping!!!
I tried making these tonight, but I couldn’t get them to a fluffy consistency. I used my Blendtec (I ran it at different speeds for a good 10-15min) because I didn’t have mixers on hand, do you think this is why they didn’t turn out fluffy?
Yes, I think that’s probably why. Sorry it didn’t work for you!
Hi, I just made these again, (after forgetting about them for 6 months or so), and had to come back to say thank you. They are so, so good, and are perfect for an occasional treat that I can feel slightly un-guilty about, while the kids think mum has lost the plot and given them ‘real lollies’. Thanks again 🙂
Ok mine were super dense and not at all like fluff…did I over mix? Is that possible?
And what exactly is the ‘soft ball’ stage you are talking about? I was just going on time because I don’t have a candy thermometer (Farberware Millennium Stainless Steel pot is what I’m using if that makes a difference)
My daughter wants pink strawberry marshmallows. Do you think I could replace half of the water or all, with pureed and strained strawberries? Thanks.
I am anxious to try this recipe. My concern is that honey is supposed to become toxic after 145F degrees. Do you have more information?
Does honey help with the consistency? I would love to try these with stevia or monk fruit but didn’t know if these would thicken?
Is there any point in using raw honey in this recipe? Does boiling the mixture negate the positive things about raw honey? Should we save the raw stuff for recipes where we don’t heat it like this?
I made this for my husband who is on the SCD diet. I wanted him to have some “normal” comfort foods for our camping trip. They were easy as pie to make, and looked lovely. The texture is heavenly. I don’t enjoy the strong honey flavor, but it was a blessing to have this recipe. One note: don’t roast them over a campfire, they simply melt. lol
Hey, what a great recipe thank you! It’s my sons GAPS birthday party tomorrow and I’m trying to find a great icing solution for his almond meal cake – would this work as icing please? (And then last long enough to take it to the park for the party without going like rubber?) thank you!
Andrea
Hi Andrea, it will firm up almost immediately. I don’t think it would work well as an icing, unfortunately.
Thank you for this recipe! My 15 year-old has been on a special diet almost his whole life, and has always watched wistfully as other children enjoy S’mores. We can’t even use the gluten-free marshmallows from Whole Foods. I tried this recipe, and it worked beautifully. He was over the moon. I was definitely able to roast them, but they melt more quickly than commercial marshmallows. The secret is letting them dry out overnight so they have that “skin” and are a little more firm. I’m going to try reducing the honey and combining it with stevia. Even though the honey is natural and unrefined sugar, it’s still too much sugar for him. Anyway, thanks again!
I’ve made these marshmallows many times and love them!! I was wondering if anyone has tried dehydrating them? I’d like to add some to a homemade hot cocoa mix for Christmas gifts. Thanks!
Thank you for the recipe! Is there anyway to make them less sweet? Just made a double batch 🙂
Wow! Great video! I like to put corn syrup in my marshmallow, it makes them sweeter 🙂
Marshmallow is the most favorite thing that I want to eat especially during the bonfire camp with family and friends. Instead of buying it from the market, it is good to cook it at home. It will be more healthy and tasty.
Is it trolling if I state that arrowroot powder is not SCD approved? Sorry if it is. Arrowroot is starchy and can feed certain bacteria such a diet is meant to starve out. Just trying to help for future recipes. Thank you for this lovely recipe share however.
I have had a really hard time with this recipe. I have tried it two times and both times have had a really hard time getting the honey above 220 degrees. Once, I cooked it forever, like 45 minutes to get it there but it didn’t whip foamy like it shows in the video and was a brown color. Today, after cooking it 15 minutes at 225 I gave up. It turned into honey jello, not yummy. Both times it did not turn out white like your pictures show, but tan color. I am so disappointed. I would try again if I thought there was hope for a different outcome! Any ideas??
I wonder if that’s an altitude problem…
https://www.foodnetwork.com/terms/high-altitude-cooking-and-baking
Hi, what can I use instead of honey or maplesyrup? I can not eat fructose.
Hi Shila, I’m not aware of anything that will work in place of those two.
Hi, Love this! Love your site and am using it for all my Christmas gift crafting this year (caramels, calendula soap, beard oil, hyaluonic acid serum, etc…) so thank you so much for all of this amazing work that you share! Quick question: how long does it take for the marshmallow fluff to set so that it’s easy to cut like in the video? It would be lovely if that could be added to the written instructions because it isn’t mentioned there or in the video at the moment. 😉 Thank you so much!
Mine turned out the littlest bit sour as well. I did not use the arrowroot, and, based on the fact that I have made many honey sweetened marshmallows over the years, that maybe it is my homemade vanilla. I added it in the pan, like the recipe said, when most recipes have you add vanilla at the end, once the pan is off the heat.
Just found this recipe and love it. My wife and I have 8 grandkids, lots of allergies and these work really well. Question for you: I want to make a s’more cake for my wife. If I used your recipe for the marshmallows, would it work for the frosting? Would I need to stop mixing process sooner or keep it the same. I was planning on lighting it on fire before serving it to toast the marshmallow frosting. Thoughts?
Tried and didn’t work! Ended up being a goop. Maybe because I had to use kosher gelatin…
these are amazing! thank you!
one question: how do I store these?
Just wondering why you don’t use marshmallow root in these? That is how they were originally made…I was looking for a recipe that uses marshmallow root and gelatin to make them. I found 1 recipe, but it used corn syrup …not sure if I could sub the arrowroot powder for marshmallow root in these…..
Can you not use honey but a sweetener instead? I dont want any sugar or honey in them… thnx!
Any tips for roasting these? Mine melted into the fire 😬
Thanks 😊
Hi Amber, it helps to leave them out on a counter, uncovered, for a few days to let them dry out before roasting. Also, I’ve found that I get better results “toasting” them with a kitchen blowtorch instead of roasting them by a fire. You can roast them by a fire, but they are more prone to melting so you have to find the distance that allows for toasting without excessive heat.
Thank you for sharing! Made these many years back from your site when I was on SCD. Now I make them with maple syrup!
I forgot to add the salt. Will it affect how long they stay fresh?