Name: Homemade Marshmallows
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 5 h 20 min
Yield: 30
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon marshmallow root powder; 1 cup warm water (used twice in the recipe); 1/4 grass fed beef gelatin powder (I use either Vital Proteins or Perfect Bovine Gelatin because they are sustainably sourced and grass-fed); 1 cup honey; 2 tsp vanilla extract; cocoa powder, arrowroot powder, or powdered sugar for dusting

Infused with marshmallow root to soothe your digestion and support your respiratory system, Homemade Marshmallows are essential, melted into that perfect, comforting, cozy cup of hot chocolate.

a jar of cocoa dusted homemade marshmallows by the fire with snowballs in the background

Better Than Store-bought Marshmallows…Obviously

Let me just preface the fact that homemade marshmallows are my FAVORITE recipe to make; not necessarily my favorite food to eat. I am actually not a huge marshmallow fan…especially considering all the garbage on the ingredients label of the store-bought brands. Even the organic marshmallows are loaded with sugar and Carrageenan. Carrageenan is an organic substance found in many organic foods like ice cream and protein drinks. Although banned in several countries, we somehow still find it in our food supply because we like the distinctive “mouthfeel.” I think I’ll pass on the “mouthfeel” and save my colon.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a sucker for a Rice Crispy Treat just like the rest of you. It’s just I like knowing what is in my food. Plus, it is kind of a hobby of mine to accept the challenge of making something myself…healthier.

So, why is this my favorite thing to make and not necessarily eat? I was wondering if you were going to ask. Okay, let me just say that this recipe brings out the kid in me. When it gets to the part where you dust the top of your marshmallows with powder and pat it down…it seriously takes everything in me to contain myself. Unashamedly, I close my eyes and picture myself fairy-sized, jumping up and down on this cocoa dusted marshmallow cloud. I am totally hoping I will have the opportunity someday in heaven to jump on a marshmallow cloud. Seriously, I had no idea I was a tactile person until I met the marshmallow. Trust me. When you get to this part in the recipe, see if you too don’t find yourself jumping on a marshmallow pillowy cloud with your eyes closed. I won’t say “I told you so.”

Marshmallow Root

I love using herbs in my every day life. Any way I can incorporate the healing property of plants, I will. Homemade Marshmallows are one of those ways. The original marshmallows were actually made using…you guessed it, marshmallow root. Marshmallow is easy to grow in your herb garden. Once established, it is very prolific and boasts a beautiful flower for your summer bouquets. You will be using the root for this recipe, steeped in water like a tea.

Marshmallow root is wonderful for the respiratory system and for soothing an inflamed lining of the digestive track or irritated mucus membranes. Consequently, this may help in healing a leaky gut. Applied topically, it helps with inflamed skin conditions like eczema or rosacea. Not that you are going to rub these marshmallows all over your face.

Apologies for nerding out on you like that. This is not exactly what you want to be talking about when thinking of drinking that cozy cup of hot cocoa, right? So, just think of marshmallow root as being that comforting and soothing balm that brings balance in the midst of chaos…which is exactly why you drink hot chocolate in the first place.

How to Eat a Homemade Marshmallow

Unfortunately, I haven’t had much luck making Rice Crispy Treats with these homemade marshmallows. You can try roasting them over a campfire, but you will need to be ready with graham cracker in hand as they do drip. No, these homemade marshmallows are strictly for dunking in hot chocolate. When I master the campfire marshmallow, I will let you know…I promise.

Homemade Marshmallow Recipe

Yield: 30

Homemade Marshmallows

Infused with marshmallow root to soothe your digestion and support your respiratory system, Homemade Marshmallows are essential, melted into that perfect, comforting, cozy cup of hot chocolate.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon marshmallow root powder
1 cup warm water (used twice in the recipe)
1/4 grass fed beef gelatin powder (I use either Vital Proteins or Perfect Bovine Gelatin because they are sustainably sourced and grass-fed)
1 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
cocoa powder, arrowroot powder, or powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Start by steeping your marshmallow root in the warm water. Think of this like making a tea. Cover and allow to steep for an hour. This will be strained using a fine mesh strainer or cheescloth-lined collander. Discard solids in your compost and reserve the marshmallow tea for the next step.
Pour 1/2 cup of the marshmallow tea into a standing mixer fitted with the wisk attachment and add your gelatin. Whisk to incorporate and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Slowly, bring the remaining 1/2 cup marshmallow tea and the honey to a boil in a 4 quart saucepan, stirring constantly until it reaches 240° F on a candy thermometer (about 8 minutes).
Turn on the standing mixer with the gelatin on medium speed and slowly add in your boiled honey strup.
Once incorporated, add in your vanilla and turn the mixture on high whipping for 10-15 minutes until the mixture resembles marshmallow cream. Your marshmallows should be white with soft peaks.
While your mixture is whipping, prepare your 9x13 pan. Line it with parchment paper up both sides. You are going to use the parchment paper as handles to remove the marshmallows from the pan after they set. Dust the bottom with either cocoa, arrowroot powder, or powdered sugar to prevent sticking together.
When marshmallows are whipped, add them to your prepared pan and smooth evenly.
This is my favorite part...dust top with more powder of choice and pat down with your fingers.
Set aside, uncoverd and yet protected, from any curious felines or irritating gnats for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.
The next morning, flip out onto a cutting board and cut with either a well oiled pizza cutter, kitchen shears, or bread knife. Cut to whatever size you prefer. First in long strips and then into smaller squares. If you want to get really creative, you can even use a sprayed cookie cutter to cut out a shape. Dust each individule marshmallow in powder to prevent sticking. This is the part the kids like. They like to play swords with the long marshmallow strips.
Store in air-tight container on your counter or pantry for 2-3 weeks.
Plop a few marshmallows into your hot chocolate whenever the urge arises and EnJOY!