Marshmallows, which are commonly referred to as little “puffs of paradise,” are a favorite way for many to transform ordinary boring desserts into delicious, mouthwatering morsels that bring out the kid in all of us. I used to eat bags of them at a time when I was a kid (terrible, isn’t it? :) ), but luckily I’ve learned some self-control as an adult and my marshmallow eating has evolved into fancy recipes both kids and adults can enjoy. Whether they’re in S’mores, floating in a cup of hot cocoa or being melted into a gooey and delicious crisp bar, marshmallows are a multi-purpose treat that many bakers have in their kitchen pantry.
But here’s the drawback: conventional marshmallows contain gelatin, an animal product which many individuals stay away from for health, ethical and/or religious reasons. Luckily there are a number of vegan marshmallows out there today, though don’t be fooled — not all marshmallows are the same. Here’s a quick run down of my favorite vegan marshmallow brands, starting with:
Dandies air puffed marshmallows are arguably the most popular of the lot since they most closely resemble conventional marshmallows. They’re light, fluffy, and pillowy soft just like real marshmallows, and are lightly dusted with a delicious powder. They are in my opinion the closest thing to the real deal. As a bonus, they’re also made with non-GMO ingredients! (For reference, here are the ingredients: tapioca syrup, non-bone char sugar, tapioca starch and/or potato starch, filtered water, carrageenan, soy protein, natural vanilla flavor). They also come in two sizes — regular and mini, which is quite handy.
There are some potential drawbacks to the Dandies marshmallows, however. For one, they currently only come in a classic vanilla flavor, while other brands have branched out and played around with different flavors. Also, Dandies can sometimes be hard (but not impossible!) to melt for a recipe (I’ve got more to say on the subject and will revisit this topic soon).
{Here are some recipes where I used Dandies: Gluten-Free Vegan Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Tart, Gluten-Free Vegan S’mores Pie, Ooey-Gooey Extra Marshmallow-y Gluten-Free Vegan Rice Krispie Treats, and Gluten-Free Vegan Marshmallow Pops}
This brand of vegan marshmallows is a bit different than usual. Unlike most marshmallows which are light and fluffy, Sweet & Sara’s are square and dense. These marshmallows are a real delight on their own, since they come not only in vanilla flavor, but also in a delightful strawberry flavor and a vanilla flavor that’s coasted in decadent toasted coconut flakes (though the company also sells Rocky Road bark and their own S’Mores for those who may not be interested in baking). Sweet & Sara Marshmallows resemble homemade marshmallows at their finest and they really are a treat! (For reference, here are the ingredients for the vanilla flavor: corn syrup, cane sugar, water, corn dextrose, corn starch, carrageenan, soy protein, acacia, pure vanilla extract, sea salt, locust bean gum, confectioner’s sugar). NOTE: these marshmallows need to be kept refrigerated.
One drawback when using them in baking, however, is that they are quite sticky. One solution I found is to separate and freeze them a bit (for like 10 minutes) for easier handling if using them on something like a rocky road dessert. This is especially useful if you’re going to be cutting them into little pieces.
I’ve also heard some people say that due to their denseness they can make desserts a bit less fluffy. Personally I haven’t found that, but maybe I’m not just a marshmallow snob and am just happy to have a vegan alternative to marshmallows handy ;) . Either way, if you are concerned about fluffiness in a recipe, give the following marshmallow fluff a try:
Suzanne’s Ricemellow Creme is a wonderful vegan marshmallow fluff for baking. Unlike many marshmallows which are loaded with corn syrup, Ricemellow Creme uses brown rice syrup, soy protein (non-GMO. Yay!), natural flavors and natural gums. The fluff tastes just like conventional marshmallow fluff, has the same consistency, and can be easily be substituted in any conventional baking recipe. The main benefit for me to using this vegan marshmallow fluff is that it’s ready for use and there’s no need to wait around or add any oil to melt my marshmallows (especially handy for frostings, or rice krispie recipes).
The drawback: the price. It can be a bit pricey, though I found some great deals in local health food stores.
{Here’s a decadent recipe using Ricemellow Creme: Vegan Gluten-Free Brownies with Marshmallow Fluff}
Final Notes:
If you’ve been around my site, you probably know that nowadays I tend to go for more wholesome, healthful, nutritions, refined sugar-free recipes that also happen to be gluten-free and vegan. I love exploring paleo recipes and raw recipes, but mainly I’m just trying to avoid using refined sugars as much as possible for health reasons. So, where do marshmallows fit into all this you ask? Since marshmallows pretty much are sugar, my only defense is that I really treat them as a treat or an occasional indulgence. I haven’t yet found an adequate gelatin-free and refined sugar-free marshmallow alternative, though I think I’m pretty close to coming up with a homemade one and as soon as I do you’ll be the first to know ;) .
I’d love to hear if you have experience using any of these or other vegan marshmallows. I’d also love to hear of any homemade vegan marshmallow recipes, especially if they are sugar-free. Leave a comment if you have anything to share or add.
xo Audrey
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This post contains affiliate links to Dandies marshmallows and Ricemellow Creme.
I’d LOVE to find vegan marshmallows that are Soy-Protein-Free!! We eat Soy, but ever since we discovered how cancer-promoting Soy Protein is, we (very) sadly removed all marshmallows from our lives.
Hi LR ~ I’m also looking for soy free marshmallows ~ did you find any?
There’s a UK brand called Freedom Confectionery that apparently makes soy-free vegan marshmallows — called Mallows. I haven’t tried them out myself, nor seen them around where I live, but maybe you can find them locally or online.
They’re mentioned on the PETA website here: https://www.delish.com/food-news/g25240624/vegan-marshmallows-to-buy/
And here: https://www.livekindly.co/morrisons-vegan-marshmallows/
I find it completely odd how you want to say gelatin is avoided for health reasons (as it is a healthy substance if procured correctly) but you have no issue that Dandies has carrageenan in it. Which is gotten via a solvent that would remove your hands if you touched it.
It is often why people have dairy issues because it is often in those products as well.
Hi Brie,
I just want to clarify that I never said gelatin is unhealthy — only that some people avoid it for health reasons. I know that for some people it causes bloating, headaches, indigestion and constipation, heartburn, or an allergic reaction, etc., while others avoid it for ethical reasons or religious ones.
My blog is most definitely not about telling people what’s healthy and what isn’t (though I think most people would agree marshmallows are not exactly a health food :) ), but about offering options for those that are looking for alternatives for certain dessert-related ingredients. Many of my readers have sensitive digestion and / or food intolerances. Many are vegans as well (myself included), so gelatin, healthy or not, is just not an option for them either way.
Note, I also never said the alternatives are “healthy.” In fact, from my perspective I mentioned the contrary at the end in the final remarks, hence why they are a very rare treat for me (and actually in the last few years not at all since this blog turned refined sugar-free; this is an old article). I intentionally listed the ingredients in each substitute so people can clearly see if these are ingredients they can tolerate or are ok with consuming and research anything further before heading out to the shops. I simply tried to round up the substitutes available on the market for those looking to replace gelatin-based marshmallows in a recipe and describe my experience working with them.
If you or anyone knows of any gelatin-free alternatives that are also free from refined sugars and / or carageenan (the two ingredients people have most trouble with from the alternatives), feel free to share — it would definitely be great to know of some options like that out there. Likewise if I ever come across new alternatives, I’ll be sure to report back here, but for now this is all I’m aware that’s out there / have had experience working with.
Those brands contain carrageenan. Nasty. I’m on the hunt for marshmallows without carrageenan that are vegan and gluten free.
Hey Kelly, yeah, I couldn’t call any of these marshmallows “healthy” or “wholesome”, just vegan. And unfortunately I haven’t seen any decent vegan and refined sugar-free solutions, so these have been off my menu for many years now (it’s an old blog post… but I left it up since some people would still rather enjoy these than nothing at all). Either way, sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Oh God. The color’s so beautiful!
Yes, pastels are very pretty :)
I was searching for a “healthy” form of marshmallows when I happened on the above article. Obviously, you are not aware that except for the marshmallow cream you recommend – the other ones have carrageenan in them. Have you looked up this ingredient? It’s hardly “healthy” as it causes inflammation – the basis of all diseases (cancer, IBS, ulcerative colitis, arthritis etc etc). Also called Agar. Thought you should know since you are seeking healthy alternatives.
Hi Carroll. I actually don’t use marshmallows in my recipes anymore — this is an old relic you’ve pulled up from when the blog and my recipes were different. I’m not aware of any brands at this stage that one could say are “healthy”. If you come across any though, let me know — I’d love some :)