If you’re looking for a simple way to take your hot chocolate and holiday desserts to the next level, look no further than these gut-healthy homemade marshmallows!

Not only do they taste like little fluffy puffs of a vanilla bean cloud, but they’re naturally paleo and refined-sugar-free (aka no weird additives or chemicals) and contain gut-boosting benefits thanks to the use of bovine gelatin.

Learn more about the gut-healthy benefits and snag the recipe + insider tips on how to make your own homemade marshmallows below. 

GUT-HEALTHY BENEFITS OF HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

Instead of purchasing store-bought marshmallows, which tend to include inflammatory ingredients like corn syrup, artificial flavoring and processed sugars like dextrose, I opt to make my own, and here’s why:

+ PURE INGREDIENTS TO SUPPORT GUT HEALTH

Inflammation is a common disruptor of both gut and hormonal health, thus this recipe only uses five natural, anti-inflammatory ingredients and leaves out any refined sugars, flavorings or artificial ingredients found in most store-bought marshmallows. 

+ BOOSTS GUT HEALTH NATURALLY

These homemade marshmallows are a great source of the amino acid glycine via gelatin, which helps to improve the mucosal lining of the digestive tract, thereby preventing intestinal permeability that can lead to digestive issues and hormonal imbalances. 

GUT HEALTHY HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOW INGREDIENTS

+ GRASS-FED BOVINE GELATIN

The primary ingredient in homemade marshmallows is gelatin, a crucial thickening agent. Not only does it provide the chewy, elastic texture, but it’s loaded with amino acids that work to heal and seal your intestinal lining and promote optimal digestion. Make sure to opt for a brand that uses grass-fed beef in order to get the full amino acid profile and health benefits. I love this brand and you can use the code SOFRESH10 to save 10% off your order. 

+ HONEY/MAPLE SYRUP

Real talk, I would never classify any type of sugar as “healthy” no matter how clean or unrefined it is. That being said, I believe sweetening agents are needed to bring out the depth and flavor in recipes, so that you’ll actually eat them and reap the benefits of all of the other nutrients (like gelatin!) I always opt for less refined or processed forms in order to keep it as anti-inflammatory as possible, and swapping honey and maple syrup for highly inflammatory corn syrup, dextrose and artificial flavoring works to do just that.

TIPS FOR MAKING HEALTHY HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

+ BLOOM OR HYDRATE THE GELATIN

Blooming or hydrating your gelatin basically means soaking or slowly sprinkling your gelatin in cold liquid prior to cooking. This helps to avoid any clumps of gelatin or a lumpy texture in your marshmallows.

+ USE A CANDY THERMOMETER

While it’s an annoying extra step, using a thermometer to measure the temp of your boiled honey/maple syrup mixture ensures you’ll end up with the right texture you want with your marshmallows, aka “soft-ball stage.” This means the texture will remain soft and fluffy while also being flexible and easily shaped into a marshmallow mold. 

+ USE A GREASED BAKING PAN

You’ll want to use coconut oil or an unflavored oil like avocado to lightly grease your pan before pouring in your marshmallow batter. This way you’ll be able to easily remove it without sticking when it’s time to cut. I also recommend an 8×8 inch square baking pan for thicker marshmallow.

+ DON’T REFRIGERATE 

I’ve seen some homemade marshmallow recipes that require refrigeration, however this method hardens the texture of the marshmallow, making it less soft/fluffy as a result. I’ve found the texture is best when you leave it out at room temperature overnight (or minimum 6 hours) to set. 

+ COAT YOUR MARSHMALLOWS

I like to coat my marshmallows with a little tapioca flour to avoid stickiness without affecting the taste and giving it that nice powdery finish, however you can go the more traditional route and coat with confectioner’s sugar, just note they will no longer be “refined-sugar-free.”

GUT-HEALTHY HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOW CUSTOMIZATIONS 

+ HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS WITHOUT CORN SYRUP

This recipe swaps corn syrup for a mixture of honey and maple syrup, in order to cut down on inflammation that can disrupt gut and hormone health. 

+ PALEO HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

These marshmallows are naturally paleo, thanks to the use of unrefined sugar and no additives/flavorings, however you’ll want to leave off any coating with confectioner’s sugar at the end and opt for tapioca flour. 

+ FLAVORED MARSHMALLOWS (CHOCOLATE, PEPPERMINT, ETC.)

If wanting a different flavor of marshmallow other than vanilla (which this recipe uses) you can use a 1:1 swap for an extract like peppermint, cinnamon, etc.

HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPES FOR YOUR GUT-HEALTHY HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

+ GUT-HEALTHY BONE BROTH HOT CHOCOLATE

+ HORMONE-HEALTHY PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE

+ HORMONE-HEALTHY PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

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Gut-Healthy Homemade Marshmallows

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These healthy homemade marshmallows taste like fluffy vanilla bean clouds, are paleo + refined-sugar-free & contain gut-boosting benefits!

PREP TIME:	TOTAL TIME:
30 Mins	01:10 Mins

• Author: Lauren Chambers

• Servings: 20-30, depending on cut

• Recipe Type: Dessert

• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp grass-fed gelatin **I love this brand, use code SOFRESH10 to save 10%
• 1 cup cold water
• 3/4 cup raw honey
• 1/2 cup organic maple syrup
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
• Coconut oil or avocado oil to grease pan
• Optional tapioca flour, arrowroot powder or confectioner’s sugar for coating

Instructions

1. Lightly grease an 8×8 square inch baking pan with either avocado or coconut oil and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl or bowl fitted with a stand mixer, add your gelatin and 1/2 cup of the cold water and whisk slowly to combine. Set aside to let it bloom while you boil your sugar syrup.
3. Add honey, maple syrup and the other 1/2 cup of cold water to a small stovetop pan and clip in your candy thermometer if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes, until the temperature reaches 235-240 degrees F. Once it reaches desired temp, remove from heat and slowly pour into your gelatin mixture, using hand or your stand mixers on a medium setting to whisk together.
4. Once sugar syrup is added, turn up speed to medium high and whisk for 8-10 minutes, until the texture has turned super fluffy (it will look like marshmallow fluff). Add in vanilla extract or desired flavoring and sea salt and whisk for 1 minute more.
5. Immediately pour marshmallow fluff into your greased pan and even out with a spatula, tapping the pan gently to remove any bubbles. *It’s important to do this step right away as the marshmallow fluff will set quickly.
6. Let pan sit at room temp for a minimum of 6 hours (up to overnight) to set.
7. Once marshmallow mixture has set, remove from pan and cut into squares, opting to either lightly dust or tip in coating of choice (tapioca, arrowroot, confectioner’s sugar, etc.)
8. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to one week.

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