Infused with marshmallow root to soothe your digestion, ease a sore throat, and support your respiratory system, Homemade Marshmallows are an essential melted into that perfect, comforting, cup of cozy.
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. Except in my morning RYZE Mushroom Adaptogen coffee or evening Golden Milk or Hot Chocolate. Homemade Marshmallows add that perfect amount of sweetness to your favorite cup of cozy. Not to mention, gelatin has added benefits for healthy gut and skin health, and marshmallow root soothes inflammation and gut health.
Store-bought marshmallows are anything but healthy. They are loaded with sugar and Carrageenan, an organic substance 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’ll pass on the “mouthfeel” and save my colon.
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 pillowy marshmallow cloud with your eyes closed. I won’t say, “I told you so.”
Marshmallow Root
I love using herbs in my everyday life. Any way I can incorporate the supportive property of plants, I will. Homemade Marshmallows are one of those ways. Technically, you can eliminate the marshmallow root from this recipe and just use plain water. Your marshmallows will turn out just fine. But why? The original marshmallows were actually made using…you guessed it, marshmallow root.
Marshmallow root is wonderful for the respiratory system and for soothing an inflamed lining of the digestive tract or irritated mucus membranes. Consequently, this may help in supporting issues in the gut. Applied topically, it can ease swollen skin conditions. Not that you are going to rub these marshmallows all over your face.
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 tea.
Apologies for geeking 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 chocolate, right? So, just think of marshmallow root as being that comforting and soothing balm that brings balance amid the chaos…which is exactly why you drink hot chocolate or warm cozy drinks in the first place.
How to Eat a Homemade Marshmallow
Unfortunately, I haven’t had much luck making Crispy Rice Treats with these homemade marshmallows. You can try roasting them over a campfire, but you will need to be ready with a graham cracker in hand as they do drip. No, these homemade marshmallows are strictly for dunking in hot chocolate or melted in your morning cup of Ryze Mushroom Coffee (adaptogen coffee) as a way of adding a bit of sweetness and herbal goodness. They are an important part of my Morning Sanctuary ritual I enJOY every morning. When I master the campfire marshmallow, I will let you know…I promise.
Homemade Marshmallow Recipe
Homemade Marshmallows
Infused with marshmallow root to soothe your digestion and support your respiratory system, Homemade Marshmallows are an essential, melted into that perfect, comforting, cup of cozy.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon marshmallow root (not necessary for the recipe but this additional herbal step will add soothing respiratory strength).
- 1 cup warm water, divided (consider using 1 1/4 cup when steeping marshmallow root as the root absorbs some of the liquid. Then after steeping, measure out 1 cup marshmallow tea for the recipe).
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons (3 scoops) grass-fed beef gelatin powder (I use Perfect Bovine Gelatin because they are sustainably sourced and grass-fed)
- 1 cup maple syrup.
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder or arrowroot powder for dusting (to keep them from sticking together).
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 cheesecloth-lined colander. Discard solids in your compost and reserve the marshmallow tea for the next step. Note: Make sure you have a cup of marshmallow tea after you strain out the herbs. The herbs will absorb some of the liquid. If needed, add additional water to make one cup of liquid or begin with 1 1/4 water.
- Pour 1/2 cup of the marshmallow tea into a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Evenly sprinkle your gelatin over the water so it all comes in contact with it. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes to bloom. Give it a gentle stir to make sure all the gelatin is submerged.
- Slowly bring the remaining 1/2 cup marshmallow tea and the maple syrup to a boil on medium-high heat in a 4-quart saucepan. When it comes to a rolling boil, start the timer for 5 minutes. You may need to pat the bubbles down if they try to creep over the pot. If you use a thermometer, it will get to about 240° F. Be careful not to get it too hot, or it will clump. Personally, I have done away with the thermometer and just go by sight. I have had perfect marshmallows every time since getting rid of the thermometer and trusting my senses.
- Turn on the standing mixer with the gelatin on low speed and slowly add in your boiled maple syrup.
- Slowly work the mixer up to high speed and beat until the mixture resembles marshmallow cream. About 5 minutes. Your marshmallows should be white with soft peaks. I love this transformation from dark brown to white—miraculous!
- While marshmallows transform into pillowy clouds, prepare an 8x8 pan. Line it with parchment paper on both sides. You will use the parchment paper as handles to remove the marshmallows from the pan after they are set. Dust the bottom with either cocoa or arrowroot powder to prevent sticking together. (I have only ever used cocoa, personally.)
- After 5 minutes, turn off the mixer and add in vanilla. Mix until incorporated
- Add marshmallows to your prepared pan and smooth them evenly.
- This is my favorite part: dust the top with more powder of choice and pat it down with your fingers.
- Set aside, uncovered, or lightly covered with a tea towel, protected from any curious felines or irritating gnats for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.
- The next morning, flip onto a cutting board and cut with a pizza cutter, kitchen shears, or bread knife to whatever size you prefer. First, cut into long strips and then into smaller squares. If you want to get really creative, you can even use a cookie cutter to cut out a shape. Dust each individual marshmallow in powder to prevent sticking.
- Store in an airtight container on your counter or pantry for 3-7 days (depending on heat and humidity). I do not make these in warm weather as they tend to mold in humidity. If you notice white dots of mold (easily seen against the cocoa powder), discard them.
- Plop a few marshmallows into your hot chocolate or coffee whenever the urge arises, and EnJOY!
Notes
Just a note: The marshmallows will keep longer in the cool fall and winter months. Humidity and heat may cause them to mold quickly. Refrigeration makes them wet, so your best bet is to eat them quickly in the warmer months or stick to preparing these in the cooler months when we tend to drink hot drinks anyway.
Check out my Instagram post for a glimpse of how I prepare these marshmallows.
Troubleshooting: Using Herbs
During the autumn and winter months, I prepare these delicious marshmallows every Sunday afternoon for the week. They are part of my daily Morning Sanctuary ritual. They add the perfect sweetness to my morning adaptogen coffee, not to mention the added benefit of soothing marshmallow root and antioxidant-rich gelatin. As I said above, these marshmallows can be prepared without the marshmallow root, and they will turn out just fine. But why not add the extra herbal benefit and give your body a healing treat?
My word of caution when incorporating the marshmallow root is to watch your liquid level. The marshmallow root will absorb some of your water; you will need a whole cup of liquid to make this recipe. Unfortunately, I prepared several batches that didn’t turn out when I was experimenting with using maple syrup versus honey and using herbs or not. Because I wasn’t measuring the liquid after steeping, I didn’t notice that the marshmallow root was absorbing about 1/4 cup of the liquid. After I topped off the liquid with additional water to make a cup, it resulted in perfect marshmallows every time. When preparing these using marshmallow root, consider upping the starting liquid to 1 1/4 cups warm water and steeping your marshmallow root, and then dividing the measured liquid equally into 1/2 cups afterward. That way, all the liquid is made of marshmallow root tea. EnJOY!
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Perfect Bovine Gelatin 100% Grass-fed
Marshmallow Root from Mountain Rose Herbs
RYZE Mushroom Adaptogen Coffee
My favorite Maple Syrup in the whole world…Mount Mansfield Maple Syrup
KitchenAid Mixer This particular mixer is an investment. We have a large family so I make big batches of things and use it DAILY!
Candy Thermometer or instant-read analog thermometer (I have not been using my candy thermometer lately and rely on my sight, so if you need the specifics of a recipe, then feel free.)
*This recipe has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Herbs are used to aid the body in promoting a healthy lifestyle. For educational purposes only.
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