These healthy homemade marshmallows are a delicious (and more nutritious!) way to enjoy the soft, pillow-y bites. They're made with a combination of honey and stevia, thus lowering the sugar content.
Marshmallows have always been one of my favorite treats.
The soft, sweet, pillow-y bites strike a childhood chord that resonates throughout my taste buds.
Though the sugar bombs of yore boast no nutritional value, this recipe could actually be the source of a few nutrients!
This is not a 'hands off' recipe by any means.
It is important to stay close by in order to have your marshmallows turn out well, especially if you're not using a candy thermometer, like myself.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Water
- Gelatin - I've used both Knox gelatin packets and powdered gelatin.
- Honey - Maple syrup would also work!
- Sea salt
- Vanilla extract
- Stevia - I specifically created this recipe to be lower in sugar, so stevia is used to make up for the lost sweetness.
Recipe steps
When the honey/water/salt mixture is simmering, have an ice-cold cup of water and a spoon ready by your side.
At about 11 minutes, drop a tiny spoonful of the syrup into the water. If you see a ball form (as in the picture above) you are in the 'soft ball' stage and can remove the syrup from the heat. If you do not see the ball shape, keep trying every 30 seconds or so until you see it.
Mine almost always comes between 13-14 minutes.
Recipe notes
Here's a quick video on what to look for in the soft ball stage. This is especially helpful if you're not using a candy thermometer.
Though I have tried these with my Graham Crackers, I haven't tried them in s'mores. They are, however, mighty tasty in my Thick and Creamy Hot Vanilla or this Protein Hot Chocolate!
Healthy Marshmallows
Ingredients
- ½ cup cold water
- 3 1/4 ounce packets gelatin or about 7 1/2 teaspoons
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 20-25 drops liquid stevia
Instructions
- Oil and 'flour' an 8 x 8 baking dish. Use arrowroot or ground coconut sugar for the 'flour'. If you're not paleo, you can use any all-purpose (GF or not GF) flour you'd like.
- Pour the cold water into the bowl of a standing mixer or a bowl that you can use a hand mixer with.
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let stand while you prepare the honey syrup.
- In a medium saucepan (mine holds about nine cups), gently heat the 3/4 cup of water.
- Stir in the honey and salt just until combined.
- Bring the mix to a low simmer (you should see bubbles forming, but not rising up). DO NOT STIR THE MIXTURE AT ANY TIME WHILE IT IS SIMMERING.
- Allow the mix to reduce for about 12-15 minutes until it reaches the 'soft ball' stage (see Recipe Notes for link to a short video).
- Along the way, the mixture may begin to rise as it reduces. If this occurs, just gradually reduce the heat and blow on it until it lowers back down.
- Once it reaches the 'soft ball' stage or a temperature of 235-245℉, turn your mixer on low and begin adding the syrup SLOWLY to the gelatin/water mix.
- Once all the syrup is added and incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium high and allow it to run for about 7-9 minutes until the marshmallow is fluffy and thick. It will almost be stiff-looking.
- During the last minute of the mixer running, add in the stevia and vanilla.
- Use a spatula to scrape the marshmallow into the 8 x 8 dish and spread it to fit. I like to use an oiled spatula so that the mix doesn't stick.
- Set in the fridge until marshmallow is set (you should be able to lift the entire square out of the dish). This takes about an hour.
- Use an oiled pizza cutter or knife to slice the whole square into as many marshmallows as you like (usually about 36 big ones or 288 small ones).
Notes
Nutrition
If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!
June
Lauren, I just made the marshmallows and they are delicious! They set up so quickly. I plan to freeze some for later. What do you recommend for 1 to 2 day storage? I saw some comments on line that homemade marshmallows will weep in the refrigerator...is room temperature okay?
Thank you for sharing !
Lauren
Thanks, June! I'm so glad you like them. I just keep ours in a ziploc bag in the fridge, and I haven't noticed 'weeping'. 🙂
Claudia
Love your marshmallows to sweeten hot chocolate but I find them to sweet by themselves, how do I half the honey/maple ? I assume I have to increase the gelatine ? I tried to sub sweetener with arrowroot, it didnt work.
Also I think you will find this useful it compliments this recipe if you want to expand on it :o)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07qr278
I hope you can watch it where you are I know I will be experimenting.
donna
Hi lauren
I do not like or tolerate stevia very well. Horrible after taste. Which brand do u recommend? I had read about a very "clean" stevia but cannot recall the name. Thx
Lauren
Hi Donna, I like the NOW brand powdered Better Stevia. It has zero additives and a great taste, in my opinion. 🙂
Cathy
I saw that article on kale as well. It was actually a joke the author was doing to show that anything can be made to sound "unhealthy". She did a follow up post a couple days after explaining that. Nonetheless, these look great and I am definitely going to try them. Question though does the gelatin flavor come through? I use Great Lakes gelatin which is great (I put it in my coffee) but I made fruit snacks with it and the flavor was so strong they actually tasted bad. Bummer too because it took a whole bag of organic strawberries and organic honey :(.
Lauren
Hi Cathy,
The gelatin doesn't come through to me...
I am aware that the author of the kale post was being facetious. I too was just poking fun at the fact that it seems every food has some downside.
amber
Hi Lauren,
Great recipe! I've made The Urban Poser's marshmallow recipe several times and I remember the first time I made it I was amazed at how easy it was and how the marshmallows tasted just like store bought! We took them camping and made smoores. It's encouraging to know how easy it is to make from scratch. I've tried to make rice crispy treats with homemade marshmallows but I did something wrong and it didn't turn out quite right. Maybe you will come up with the magic recipe. Ha ha.
I look forward to trying your version.
xo,
--Amber
Carolyn Spellman
And since she is allergic to vanilla ... what if I add extra maple syrup? Or peppermint oil! She loves peppermint! Perhaps in the same amount required of the vanilla?
Lauren
I bet peppermint would be delicious!
Lauren
Thanks Mary! If you could figure out a vegan/vegetarian version you'd be everyone's hero! 😀
Carolyn Spellman
Looks perfect for my 5 yr old dd who has many allergies! Could I double or triple the recipe? I'd like to freeze them for treats when she attends parties. I'd also like to mold them using silicone molds. Thanks!!
Lauren
Hi Carolyn,
I definitely think you could double the recipe, but I'm not sure how much luck you'd have getting them into molds. The 'batter' is really sticky. Perhaps you could use cookie cutters after they set?...
Cheryl
YUM! Do you think these would work without the honey?
Lauren
You can replace the honey with maple syrup, but I don't think they would work without a sweetener.
Donna
Beautiful pics!!....I simply LOVE marshmallows...and the american versions sold here in France are SO expensive...and filled with not-so-good stuff....Cannot wait to try your version with your Hot Vanilla cuppa cozy....and I also love a good no-bake Rice Krispie Treat when the "goo" factor is present!...Thank you for this pale-friendly treat!
Lauren
Thank you Donna! Your comments are always so sweet! 🙂
Danielle @ New England Daughter
This is wonderful! Did you have any luck experimenting without stevia?
Lauren
Hi Danielle,
My goal was actually to use stevia, as it helps lower the sugar. If you'd like the stevia-free recipe just click on the link below the recipe. 🙂
Danielle @ New England Daughter
Great, thanks!
I try to reduce sugar in all of my recipes as well, but I also avoid turning to alternative sweeteners, though I think Stevia is the least offensive of these. I suppose when you're trying to execute something like marshmallows though there's only so much you can do. 🙂
Holly
Hey Lauren!
these look great.. Is there a way to actually make them entirely with Stevia? I would like to omit the honey, but wasn't sure how that would impact the consistency?
Thank you in advance!!!
Lauren
Hi Holly,
I'm not sure on that, since I've not tried...I think a blog called Purely Twins has an all stevia recipe though!
Marianne @ Ragdoll Kitchen
Great looking marshmallows! You never cease to amaze me:)