A must-have for both campfires and hot cocoa, marshmallows are fluffy sweet candies that are surprisingly easy to make! With just honey, water, gelatin, and a pinch of sea salt these marshmallows are also suitable for many allergen-free diets including SCD and the GAPS diet.
These marshmallows will toast, but they need to be cured first to help them dry out a little more. To cure simply cover them with parchment or waxed paper (not plastic wrap), and leave on the counter for 3-5 days, then they will be ready to toast.
Equipment Used
- Instant Pot or Heavy-Bottomed Stock Pot
- Stand mixer
- Candy Thermometer
- Parchment Paper
- 9×13 pan
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Marshmallows
To toast, these honey marshmallows do better ‘searing’ quickly over high heat than the long-slow toasting of the Jet Puffed variety. In any case, they still get the delicious sweet crunch on the outside with the soft melty goo in the middle.
To add to hot chocolate (honey-sweetened dairy-free hot cocoa recipe here), these marshmallows are perfect as soon as you cut them! For mini marshmallows, simply spread them into two pans instead of one, and then cut the thinner marshmallow sheet into many mini cubes. Or enjoy floating one gigantic iceberg marshmallow on top of your cocoa. ❤️
Honey-Sweetened Marshmallows (GAPS Legal)
Ingredients
Instructions
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In a large saucepan, small stock pot, or bowl of your instant pot combine honey, 1/2 cup water, and sea ssalt and heat over medium heat until it gets to the soft ball stage (235*).
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As the honey-water mixture heats, attach the whisk attachment to your stand mixer. Place gelatin and remaining 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the mixer bowl, and use a fork (the mixer attachment usually doesn't get the powdered gelatin at the very bottom) to mix. Add in 1 tablespoon more water if needed, until all the gelatin is wet. Allow to sit so the gelatin absorbs the water as the honey-water mixture comes to the correct temperature.
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Once the honey mixture is at the correct temperature, remove from heat and turn the mixer onto medium-low.
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Slowly pour the hot honey mixture into the gelatin as the stand mixer stirs, taking about a minute to pour in all the honey mixture. Do not scrape the sides of the pans, pour in only what comes out easily from the pan.
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Once all the honey-mixture is in the mixer bowl with the gelatin, raise speed as you can without the mixture starting to splatter, until it's on high speed (or medium-high if you can't get it to high without splatters).
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You now have marshmallow cream! Keep the mixer running on high for another 5-10 minutes, or until the marshmallow cream starts to form soft peaks when the mixer is lifted, you can also tell it is getting to this point because a line is left when the mixer whisk runs through the cream, rather than immediately merging back together.
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As you wait for the marshmallows to whip in the mixer, prepare a large (9x13 or similarly size) casserole dish by lining it with parchment paper that covers both the bottom and the edges, and then either spraying the parchment with cooking spray, or rubbing with a thin layer of coconut oil or other oil.
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When the marshmallow cream holds soft peaks, use a spatula to gently scoop into the middle of the prepared pan, and then smooth it evenly. Greasing the spatula with coconut oil can help prevent it from sticking.
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Allow marshmallows to set overnight.
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The next day, grease a large chef's knife with coconut oil. Lift marshmallows out by the parchment and place parchment directly onto a cutting board.
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Use the greased chef's knife to cut marshmallows into cubes. Allow to dry further for a couple hours, then transfer to an air-tight container, with parchment between the marshmallows.
Recipe Notes
Marshmallows can be covered in cocoa powder or shredded coconut after cutting to keep them from sticking together.
To make fun shapes, grease cookie cutters and cut out that way rather than with a knife. It works better if you prepare two pans and get thinner sheets of marshmallows if you wish to do this.
You can also cover in honey-sweetened homemade chocolate. Either reheat in a double boiler, or make a new batch and dip the marshmallows while the chocolate is still liquid.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️This recipe is from our new ebook Candy Making Without Corn Syrup! You can purchase it here.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Wow, perfect timing for the holidays! Do these roast up well over a campfire?
Thank you Daphne!
They do, but they do better with a short time over high heat :) You’ll also want to ‘cure’ them (let them dry out a bit) for a few days extra after cutting.
Hi cara, thanks for all these great recipes using gelatin, I make gelatin gummy bear type treats and now would like to try making marshmallows. I only have a hand held mixer, do your think I could still make the marshmallows?
Did you try this using a hand held mixer? That’s all I have too and am wondering if I can still make these.
I have made them with a hand held mixer and it turned out just fine.
We love these and so do our friends. Have you ever used the marshmallow cream to make rice crispy treats??
I haven’t, but I bet it would work!
I’ll let you know!
It works! I just eyeballed it. I took half of the marshmallow mixture and added it to a little melted ghee and peanut butter. Then I mixed in Love Grown Power O’s. Kids love it! Rice crispy cereal would work well. I think there are a few sugar free ones.
Perfect! Thanks for letting us know, I’m so glad it worked for you!
Can this be eaten on the intro diet? Since honey and gelatin are allowed.
I don’t recommend honey on intro, but yes if you’re including it you may.
This is my first time making marshmallows. We are on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet(daughter and I. She is 4.)
I made these using a handheld mixer from 1950, and it worked, although I would say it took about fifteen minutes to turn into fluff, I had to switch bowls twice, and pans twice, because of the volume. Almost burnt my motor out. Will have to look into getting a standup mixer in the future if this is going to be a regular thing… I poured into a smaller brownie pan, under parchment paper, and let it sit overnight, I also added vanilla to the marshmallows, during mixing. They were so easy to cut , and I made toasted coconut to roll them into. It is delicious. I’m wondering how long they last and if they should be stored in the fridge. I’m guessing yes.
I was so hesitant to make marshmallows for the longest time. Now I am confident I can do it again. They turned out so well. Thank you for providing a great recipe. Daughter loves them too.