Homemade Sugar Free Marshmallows

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Hot Chocolate really just isn’t complete without marshmallows. However, store bought marshmallows are less than ideal.

They do not taste as good as homemade marshmallows. They are also full of crazy ingredients! Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate? Artificial flavorings and even food dye (because apparently a natural white isn’t enough!)

Homemade marshmallows are very simple to make. It’s essentially whipped gelatin.

I wanted to make our marshmallows a bit healthier so I do not use the usual sugar or corn syrup that many homemade recipes use. Instead I turned to honey and stevia.

I could have gone with all honey in this recipe but that’s a lot of honey. I’d rather save my honey and cut out a bit of the natural sugars so I added a bit of stevia powder to make up for the honey that I left out. (If you prefer, you can still do all honey…just double the honey and cut out the stevia).

I also use the good gelatin. Great Lakes makes an amazing gelatin that is made from grass-fed cows.

These marshmallows are amazing! They taste great and are perfect in a cup of hot chocolate!

I’ve yet to try roasting them but from what I’ve read, you just need to let them dry out a bit longer before roasting.

Homemade marshmallows last about 2-3 weeks if you keep them in a air-tight container. Of course, our marshmallows never make it that long!

Sugar Free Marshmallows

1 cup water – divided in half
3 Tbs. gelatin
1/2 cup honey
1/32 tsp. stevia powder*
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Dusting choice: arrowroot, cornstarch, cocoa powder, cinnamon, shredded coconut, etc… or nothing at all. Mine have done fine with no dusting powder but I also love them when dusted. 

Directions: 

Thoroughly grease 8×8 or 9×13 pan or line with parchment paper. (8×8 makes big marshmallows, 9×13 makes mini marshmallows)

In mixer bowl, add 1/2 cup of cold water and gelatin. Stir for a few seconds to combine.

In saucepan, add remaining 1/2 cup water, honey, stevia, and salt. Stir so it’s incorporated and cook over medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until you hit 240-245 degrees (or the soft ball stage if you lack a candy thermometer). During this process your mixture will foam. That is ok, just slowly stir occasionally and make sure it doesn’t boil over.

Take your pan of hot honey mixture to the mixer. Turn mixer on low and let break up the gelatin a bit then slowly pour the honey mixture down the side of the bowl and into the gelatin. (Do not pour directing into the bowl otherwise the mixture will stay too hot and the marshmallows will not set properly).

Once you’ve incorporated the honey mixture into the gelatin, turn mixer on high, add the vanilla, and let the mixer do it’s thing.  Continue mixing until mixture has cooled off and resembles marshmallow cream. This will take roughly 5-10 minutes.

Transfer the marshmallow mixture to the pan and spread evenly. Use well greased hands to even out the top or use a piece of parchment paper to flatten. If using parchment paper, leave it on top until marshmallows have dried out. Let marshmallows set for 4-6 hours.

After the 4-6 hours, remove from pan, cut into desired size or shape. Coat in cinnamon, arrowroot powder, coconut, cocoa powder, etc to prevent sticking.

Store in an air tight container.

* 1/32 tsp of stevia is the amount that is in the scoops that are in many stevia bottles. It is also the amount that is in a “smidgen” measuring spoon.