If you’re on this page, chances are you’re having a hard time melting Dandies marshmallows. I know just how frustrating it can be to stand over your pot and watch the clusters of marshmallows staying nearly fully intact… like FOREVER... Especially when other people you're randomly finding on google {Dandies' website included} report success with melting them… What gives, you may ask?
I noticed a lot of you are finding my site by searching for answers on this and instead are finding my rice krispie treats recipe using Dandies and are probably wondering why you're struggling with this. I've certainly experienced my share of those moments when my Dandies seem to just refuse to melt. I learned to work around that, so I figured I'd share a few tips from my experience here in case it may be helpful to some of you out there:
The problem with melting Dandies?
The most logical explanation I have found for this is that some batches of Dandies must just be a little stale. I mean, why else would one batch melt just fine and the next refuse? Another thing about Dandies, as great a vegan marshmallow as they are, is that unlike non-vegan marshmallows I find that they can have a slightly firmer consistency on the outside. It's as though they are coated more thickly and this can interfere with their breaking up when heated.
The solution?
Melting Dandies marshmallows is not impossible, so don't despair. You can melt them on the stovetop in coconut oil and in non-dairy butter {like I did for these rice krispie treats or this pb & marshmallow tart}. I followed the same old directions as one would with regular marshmallows -- heat up the oil, add in marshmallows, and allow them to melt into fluff. HOWEVER, melting vegan marshmallows can require A LOT of elbow grease as compared to their conventional counterpart. That means a lot of stirring and diligently breaking them up with a wooden spoon. And I mean A LOT. Keep at it until they break up into fluff. It will happen!
One trick I found especially useful and a huge time saver is cutting the Dandies in half using kitchen shears. Chopping them into pieces before throwing them into the oil helps them break up and melt faster and the thicker coating I mentioned earlier becomes less of a challenge.
Melting Dandies in the Microwave:
Microwaving them works too. I don't use this method as I'm not a microwave fan, but I know it works. If you choose to use this method, just put them in a microwave safe bowl with tall edges {they expand and rise before they melt, so don't fill to the top or you'll have a gooey mess to clean up!}, and heat on short bursts {like 30 second intervals} until they are melted. Give the melting marshamllows an occasional stir in between bursts.
Melting Dandies in a Double Boiler:
My suggestion is to keep away from melting Dandies in a double boiler -- though it works for regular marshmallows, I found it's not so great for vegan ones. Just put them in a pot with a bit of oil instead and follow the instructions above and you should be good to go.
Other Vegan Marshmallow Alternatives:
Lastly, you may also want to consider exploring other varieties of marshmallows depending on the recipe you're going for. I love Dandies and use them the most, but figured you might want to have a look at some other recommendations as well in case they are better suited to your needs. Sometimes going for ready-made vegan marshmallow fluff (like Ricemellow Creme) from the get-go can solve a lot of these "melting" issues. Here's a quick guide I put together of vegan marshmallow brands I like to use in my baking: Which Vegan Marshmallows Should Be in Your Cupboard?
Did I miss anything here? If you've got any other tips, I'd love to hear from you too!
Vegan Marshmallow Desserts:
P.S. Be sure to check these vegan marshmallow recipes out while you're here:
Good luck & happy baking!
xo Audrey
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This post contains affiliate links to Dandies vegan marshmallows and Ricemellow Creme.
Maah says
And i am thinking..didn't regular marshmellows melt better than this!?
Once the mini Dandies are melted, I am left with this huge thick lump, which does not lend itself to spreading through the rice crispies very nicely.
The Real Person!
Yeah, for sure. It's frustrating when they don't melt just right.
Jeri says
I'm about ready to melt these and don't see a recommendation for amount of either oil or vegan butter? Also, I'm wanting to pipe these. Have you done that? Did it go well?
The Real Person!
Hi Jeri, re: vegan butter, the amount depends on how much you're melting and whether you're using a non-stick pot, etc. You basically need enough to lightly coat the pan, similar to how you would use a little olive oil to sautee veggies, if that makes sense? Also depending on your final intended product. Like if you want the mixture to be richer you might want to use more butter and work it into the marshmallows. To give you an example, you can have a look at this recipe and the proportions of butter to marshmallows I used in them: https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/ooey-gooey-extra-marshmallow-y-gluten-free-vegan-rice-krispie-treats/
I've never tried piping vegan marshmallows, but I imagine just melted marshmallow mixture would be too sticky to pipe out cleanly on its own and would need to be mixed into something like a buttercream type frosting to work.
Jennifer says
Thank you so much for these tips. I was ready to pull my hair out trying to melt the 'shmallows.
Being that I am the worst cook in the world, I am quite pleased with how the Crisp Rice Squares turned out. Glad I found your website, it's bookmarked for future reference. :)
The Real Person!
You're most welcome, Jennifer. I've totally been there before -- that's why I shared :) I'm glad you enjoyed the squares!
Cathy P. says
Thanks so much for this info. I was helping my teenage daughter make a cake that has a "mousse" layer that calls for mixing melted marshmallows with melted white chocolate, then folding in some freshly whipped cream. (It's not a vegan recipe - though I'm sure it could be adapted - but Dandies were the marshmallows we had on hand.). When we tried blending the sort -of-melted marshmallows with the melted white chocolate over the double boiler, the marshmallow in the mixture resembled large cottage cheese curds. After even more stirring, and smushing with a flexible silicone spatula, it resembled smaller cottage cheese curds. I then decided to ask Google why my vegan marshmallows wouldn't melt, and your page was the first hit. What finally worked for me was a low boil over direct heat. I used my brand new Calphalon nonstick omelet pan as it's the only nonstick stovetop pan I have. I didn't want to let the mixture boil because the recipe didn't call for that, but until it started to bubble it was still very lumpy. The oil from the chocolate started to separate, but after all the lumps were gone I transferred the mixture back to a bowl and whisked it like crazy as it cooled. Once it was room temperature I was able to fold in the whipped cream a little at a time without any more lumps.
The Real Person!
Thank you very much for sharing what worked for you, Cathy! They can definitely be tricky to melt -- that's a great tip.