If there is something more comforting than snacking on pillowy marshmallows, I don’t know what it is.
Whether you make s’mores out of them, roast them in a fireplace or use them to top desserts, marshmallows are unique sweets with no substitute.
Well, read on and learn how to make your own, and we’re not using any sugar.
Regular marshmallows are basically gelatin, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla extract — and I’m sure we can do better than that.
As I was looking to pull off a recipe for keto marshmallows, I experimented with several sweeteners and ingredients. Finally, I discovered an easy 5-ingredient recipe for the puffiest marshmallows ever, and they’re super low carb. Here’s what you need to know about them.
What Goes into Keto Marshmallows?
To make a batch of around 24 marshmallows, you’ll need:
- some water,
- gelatin powder (the unflavored kind,)
- a pinch of salt,
- sweetener, preferable xylitol
- and vanilla extract
— that’s pretty much it.
We’re using a low-calorie sweetener, and you’ll be happy to know xylitol is up for the task.
Xylitol only has a third of the calories found in table sugar, and it has a sugar-to-xylitol ratio between 2:1 and 1:1. It’s perfect for making marshmallows.
What Equipment Do You Need to Make Keto Marshmallows?
To make marshmallows, you first need to hydrate the gelatin in water; it’s just like making Jell-O, so have a small bowl around.
Then we’re combining the gelatin with the xylitol, a bit more water in a saucepan. Have one in hand.
You’ll also need an electric hand mixer to incorporate all the ingredients, including the most critical element in marshmallows — air bubbles.
Finally, you’ll need a 9-inch pan and some parchment paper. That’s where we’ll let the marshmallow mixture set for a few hours.
And once you have an entire marshmallow tray, it’s just a matter of cutting it to the desired size and shape. Did I mention making keto marshmallows is super easy?
How to Make Keto Marshmallows
- To make marshmallows, prep everything beforehand, including lining a 9-inch pan with parchment paper. Make sure you leave some paper hanging out to remove the marshmallow easily.
- Then, we’re hydrating the gelatin in a bowl with water. It should take about ten minutes.
- Place a saucepan over a medium-high flame on the stovetop and combine ⅔ cups of water and the sweetener. After 10 minutes, add the gelatin and whisk it all together.
- Now it’s time to add some air to the mixture, remove it from the stovetop and use a hand mixer to whisk for about 8 minutes. You can also use a stand mixer.
- Once fluffy and airy, incorporate the vanilla extract and the salt. Beat for 8 more minutes until you see some stiff peaks.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepped pan, and don’t forget to tap on a surface to smoothen the mix and eliminate the larger bubbles.
- Let the marshmallow set for 6-7 hours. Once solid, cut it with a wet knife to the desired shape. And here’s a tip: use any powdered sweetener to prevent the marshmallows from sticking back together.
Enjoy these beauties on their own or drizzle them with chocolate. Better yet, make a few strawberry marshmallow kabobs; how does that sound?
Note: Store the marshmallows in the fridge in an air-tight container. They’re lovely when chilled.
When to Make Keto Marshmallows?
Marshmallows are always crowd-pleasing. You need no particular reason to make a batch, and since they keep pretty well, you can have some to snack on when craving something sweet.
Having said that, there are many ways of adding marshmallows to coffee drinks and desserts. After all, one of the marshmallows’ most remarkable traits is their versatility.
Homemade marshmallows are also lovely gifts. I mean, you get points for originality. And if you think these are not as good as store-bought marshmallows, fear not, they’re better — way better.
The Recipe Tips and Tricks
I want to substitute xylitol for another sweetener
If you don't want to use xylitol (pet owners, I understand you don't like having it around), I recommend buying or making your own erythritol - monk fruit blend that comes out as sweet as sugar. You can also youse plain erythritol if you don't mind its aftertaste. You might want to use around 30% more of it as it's less sweet than sugar. I do, however, recommend making a small batch at first to make sure you don't dislike the outcome of the erythritol mixture.
How do I store the marshmallows?
Store them in a cold and dry place, in an airtight container. I love mine from the fridge when chilled for few hours.
Recipe
Keto Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon gelatin powder
- ½ + ⅔ cup water
- 1 cup xylitol
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Line 9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving the sides overhanging for easy removal.
- In a bowl, combine gelatin powder with ½ cup water. Set aside for 10 minutes to bloom.
- In a saucepot, over medium-high heat, combine ⅔ cup of water with xylitol. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add syrup to the gelatin and whisk until gelatin dissolves.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat gelatin with syrup for 8 minutes.
- Add vanilla and salt.
- Beat for another 7-8 minutes or until you have stiff marshmallow fluff.
- Transfer the marshmallow fluff to the baking pan and smooth the surface as much as you can.
- Let the marshmallow dry for 6-7 hours and remove it from the pan.
- Cut the marshmallows into cubes.To cut the marshmallows, I run the knife under running water. If your knife is dry, it will stick to the marshmallows. Alternatively, you can try greasing it with coconut oil. Finally, to prevent sticking marshmallows to each other or the counter, you can dust the surface with some powdered sweetener.
- Serve plain, drizzled with chocolate, or make strawberry marshmallow kabobs.
Notes
Nutrition
Lisa Hartjes says
Will these marshmallows brown when you toast them?
Tisa says
Unfortunately, the xylitol doesn't caramelize, so no. I guess, a caramelizing option would be using allulose, but I haven't had a chance to try.
Claire says
Hello,
I love marshmallows. These sound great. Do you think Allulose would work to replace the xylitol?
Tisa says
I'm taking a wild guess because I still haven't had a chance to try allulose. It's hard to get where we are.
But I guess it should actually work best for these marshmallows since it does caramelize and gets sticky, contrary to xylitol or erythritol.