Recipe for Marshmallows – Marshmallows are a seriously delicious, sugary treat. Whether used for s’mores, to top a cup of hot chocolate, or used as a fruit dip, a good, healthy Recipe for Marshmallows just makes everything better!
And while most marshmallow recipes use corn syrup, artificial flavors, and incredibly processed ingredients, my Recipe for Marshmallows requires only 5 easy and clean ingredients! Paleo, AIP, SCD, gluten, dairy, egg, and refined-sugar free, this recipe is one you’ll want to make over-and-over again!
Recipe for Marshmallows
Hot or cold weather, marshmallows have their place all year long! And while most marshmallows you’ll find on the store shelf are full of sugar and incredibly processed ingredients (like mentioned above), thankfully, marshmallows are very easy to make from home with totally clean ingredients!
Why is Sugar Bad for You?
The problem of sugar doesn’t lie in sugar itself. The problem lies in refined, highly-processed sugars that are found in most food products these days.
According to the USDA, the average American adult consumes more than 64 pounds of sugar every year! To put that in perspective, 64 pounds of sugar translates to a whopping 108,800 empty calories eaten per year. Ugh.
Not only is sugar the perfect example of the ultimate empty calorie, but it is also incredibly inflammatory, and can also be a toxic age accelerator. In fact, diabetics can age on all levels significantly faster than non-diabetics. This is largely due to the toxic effects of sugar. Eating excess amounts of sugar can wreak havoc with your cells on the inside but also damage your skin on the outside too. Click here to read more about the dangers of refined-sugar.
However, we’ve totally been there, and know that sugar is highly addictive. Click here to learn how to kick those sugar cravings for good!
Healthy Sweetener Options
If you stick to unrefined natural sweeteners you can actually make a healthy, totally crave-worthy dessert! If you use unrefined natural sweeteners that contain nutrients and the rest of the ingredients in the dessert are also unrefined “whole foods” then you can create a healthy sweet treat.
In this recipe, I chose to use maple syrup (easily swapped for honey). Both maple syrup and honey are derived from plant foods and unrefined. Because of this, they still contain some nutrients, including antioxidants and phytonutrients. Because of this, they’re both fantastic options for clean, and healthy, nutrient-dense desserts!
Recipes to Try with Marshmallows
Like we talked about earlier, marshmallows really can be used all year long! Here are some of our favorite recipes that either use marshmallows, or can be enhanced with a little marshmallow topping:
Hot Chocolate Recipe: While conventional recipes for homemade hot chocolate are not exactly in alignment with clean eating, this one most definitely is. In addition to being dairy-free, it has no refined sugar. Perfect for topping with marshmallows!
Sweet Potato Casserole: This Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe is not only sweet and tasty, but it is also nutrient-dense, and healthy!
Monster Cookies: These cookies are full of oats, fruit, and seeds. Because of this, they pack in just as much nutrition as they do sweetness. Add some marshmallows for an even chunkier cookie!
Ready to learn how to make this Recipe for Marshmallows on your own? Keep reading!
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Recipe for Marshmallows
This Recipe for Marshmallows requires only 5, simple ingredients, and is just as healthy as it is delicious!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Electric Mixer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, divided
- 1 cup maple syrup, may swap for honey
- 3 tablespoons high-quality gelatin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Tapioca starch, enough to sprinkle, may substitute with coconut flour for SCD
Instructions
- Add 1/2 cup water to a small pot, and 1/2 cup into a mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle gelatin on top of water in bowl, and set aside.
- Add maple syrup from marshmallow ingredients to water in the pot, and turn on medium/high heat.
- Stir every couple of minutes, and allow mixture to reach a gentle boil. Once mixture has hit a boil, do not stir.
- While mixture is boiling, line a glass or metal casserole dish with parchment paper, and dust with tapioca starch (or coconut flour). Set aside for later.
- Cook mixture until it has reached the soft ball stage (235-240ºf). (This takes mine around 20 minutes, but be sure to monitor every 5 minutes or so to ensure mixture does not surpass 240º)
- Once soft ball stage is reached, combine with gelatin and water mixture in large mixing bowl.
- Use an electric mixture to slowly and carefully work up to high speed. Mix for 10+ minutes, or until a thick, yet spreadable marshmallow texture has been achieved (if you are making a marshmallow dip, I suggest you stop mixing between 7-10 minutes).
- Scoop mixture into prepared parchment lined casserole dish, and smooth top with a spatula.
- Dust with tapioca starch or coconut flour, and cover. Place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
- Cut into squares, and enjoy!
Keywords: Recipe for Marshmallows
Lilianne Labbe-Babin says
I thought this recipe for healthy marshmallows would NOT include gelatin which comes from boiling animal bones and hides. Disappointed.