You will be astonished at how easy it is to make sugar free marshmallows at home. These keto friendly treats are perfect in hot chocolate and delicious on their own. And they are almost completely carb free!
Seriously, people, please tell me why it took me so long to try making my own keto marshmallows??? I am kicking myself. HARD!
I finally decided to give it a try a few years ago, after many reader requests. And I was utterly dumbfounded by how easy it was. My only regret was that I didn’t try it earlier.
The truth is that I don’t like marshmallows all that much. Let me rephrase that. I don’t like conventional marshmallows all that much and I never have. I find them way too sweet and lacking in any flavor.
And most of the packaged sugar free marshmallows on the market are kind of scary. Maltitol, and sorbitol, and sucralose, oh my! Don’t go there. Just don’t.
But now you don’t have to, because this sugar free marshmallow recipe will blow your mind. And you can use them in other wonderful desserts like Keto Rocky Road Fudge or Mississippi Mud Bars.
You need to try this!
Have I mentioned how easy these are to make? Really, quite shockingly easy. The hardest part is waiting for them to dry out properly.
They’re also quite tasty and I like them far better than those made with sugar. They are pillowy and soft, with a balanced sweetness. And they melt slowly and delightfully in a mug of keto hot chocolate.
I did a quite a bit of research when I created this recipe. I honestly hadno idea what marshmallows were even made of, besides copious amounts of sugar. Most of them also have plenty of corn syrup.
I did manage to find a few corn syrup-free recipes, like this one, that I used as a guide. But I did a couple of things differently to make them keto friendly. I used more gelatin and quite a bit less sweetener than the recipe called for.
And it worked like a charm! Hooray! So much better than regular marshmallows, since they aren’t tooth-achingly sweet.
Reader Testimonials
Here’s what readers are saying about my sugar free marshmallow recipe:
“These are amazing and even my kids love them and can’t tell the difference!” — Kiley
“Omg I just made these marshmallows and tasted the spoon after pouring them into the pan, and they’re absolutely amazing! Just like the real thing. Thank you!” — Hannah
“WHAT….. These are AMAZING! They’re already amazing straight out of the mixer (I couldn’t help myself) and are even more incredible when they’ve had time to set! Tomorrow I’ll be making the No-Bake Smores Bars with them! THANK YOU for another home run!” — Elizabeth
“These are a new staple recipe in my house – I couldn’t tell the difference between the full sugar kind. They even brown well when put in fire!” — Christine
Ingredients you need
- Gelatin: I always use good grassfed gelatin in my keto recipes. But Knox gelatin will work as well. It has more gelling power so you need to use less. Try about 1 1/2 tablespoons.
- Sweetener: I use two different sweeteners for these marshmallows to give them the right consistency. Powdered Swerve and BochaSweet work well together so that they firm up properly but they don’t become too hard and recrystallize. Some readers have had success using all of one or the other. I do not recommend allulose here as it makes them so soft that they melt away the moment you use them in anything.
- Cream of tartar: This useful baking ingredient is made of tartaric acid. Cream of tartar helps stabilize egg whites and other whipped recipes such as these keto marshmallows. You can skip it but I do recommend it.
- Pinch salt
- Extract or flavoring: Use vanilla for regular marshmallows. But you can also have fun playing with the flavors here. Peppermint extract is delicious, but caramel extract is tasty too!
Step by Step Directions
1. Prep the pan: Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment or waxed paper and lightly grease the paper.
2. Bloom the gelatin: Attach the whisk attachment to a stand mixer. Pour half of the water into the bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let stand while preparing the syrup.
3. Make the sweetener “syrup”: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining water, the sweeteners, the cream of tartar, and the salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sweeteners. Using a candy thermometer or an instant read thermometer, bring the mixture to 237F to 240F. Remove from heat.
4. Beat until fluffy: Turn the stand mixer on low and slowly pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl. Once all of the syrup is mixed in, add the extract. Turn the stand mixer to medium high and beat until the mixture is lukewarm, thickened and white. This can take 5 to 15 minutes.
5. Spread in the pan: Working quickly, pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Let set for 4 to 6 hours, until the top is no longer tacky to the touch.
6. Let them dry: Flip out onto a cutting board and cut to the desired size. Dust with powdered sweetener, if desired. Let sit for a day exposed to the air to dry out a bit, then store in a covered container.
Expert tips
I’ve made these keto marshmallows many, many times and I’ve learned a few things along the way. So I figured I’d pass these tips on to you!
Make sure to let the gelatin bloom in water for a few minutes, as it allows the gelatin to combine properly with the hot syrup. Also remember that gelatin and collagen are not the same thing. Collagen does not work in this recipe because it does not have the gelling powder of gelatin.
Erythritol based sweeteners such as Swerve will recrystallize if used on their own. And sweeteners like Bocha Sweet will leave you with a goopy mess that may not firm up properly. So using them in combination is best. I do not recommend allulose for these sugar free marshmallows, as it makes them extra soft and they melt away too easily.
Work quickly once your mixture is thick and white. Very quickly pour it into the prepared pan and spread it. If you wait too long, it starts setting and you will get a one big lump that you can’t spread properly. But you can rewarm the mixture gently until spreadable, if this happens.
Use whatever flavoring or extract you desire. Vanilla is the standard, but peppermint extract or caramel extract are delicious too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Many sugar free marshmallows contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose. Other use maltitol, which can spike blood sugar. However, this recipe is made with natural keto sweeteners, gelatin, water, and a little vanilla extract.
These keto marshmallows have only 0.1g carbs per serving!
Keto marshmallows can keep for weeks and weeks, as there is nothing in them that spoils. You can store them on the counter in a covered container for 2 to 3 weeks. You can also refrigerate or freeze them them for several months. I had a batch in the refrigerator for over 2 months and it was just as good as when I first made them.
Sugar Free Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, , divided
- 2 1/2 tbsp grassfed gelatin
- 2/3 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2/3 cup Bocha Sweet
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment or waxed paper and lightly grease the paper.
- Attach the whisk attachment to a stand mixer. Pour half of the water into the bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let stand while preparing the syrup.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining water, the sweeteners, the cream of tartar, and the salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sweeteners.
- Using a candy thermometer or an instant read thermometer, bring the mixture to 237F to 240F. Remove from heat.
- Turn the stand mixer on low and slowly pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl. Once all of the syrup is mixed in, add the extract. Turn the stand mixer to medium high and beat until the mixture is lukewarm, thickened and white. This can take 5 to 15 minutes.
- Working quickly, pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Let set for 4 to 6 hours, until the top is no longer tacky to the touch.
- Flip out onto a cutting board and cut to the desired size. Dust with powdered sweetener, if desired. Let sit for a day exposed to the air to dry out a bit, then store in a covered container.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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WOW !!! You come up with amazing recipes. Do you think I can use a silicone mold instead of what you recommend (parchment lined pan)?
Yes, but still spray it with oil so they don’t stick.
Oh my word! These are great! I just made a rich keto hot chocolate and dropped a couple in and they held up! I’ve made some before that just melted at any sign of heat. I am wondering if I use half the amount of gelatin if it could become fluff? I would love a fluff and peanut butter sandwich. I’m also adding these to some rocky road ice cream. These will be made repeatedly. Thanks Carolyn for the recipe!!
Try rolling in straight cocoa powder. Sift it first but that is how I always did my regular marshmallow. Just made these and they are firming up I used granular swerve and xylitol. No cream of tartar. But I have a Bosch mixer so needed no help in whipping in air. Texture seems fine right now.
Has anyone toasted them? I made a sugar free version years ago and it smelled like burnt cow hide so I’m a little leery to try with these.
I teach a small college home ec class how to make marshmallows once a years. There is always someone asking for a “healthy” recipe. I always told them don’t bother because all the ones I had tried either didn’t set or smelled horrible. So far these seem to be doing well.
Unfortunately I was a dummy and used granular swerve instead of powdered – so they have a slight grit to them – but goodness they are tasty and pretty close to regular marshmallows! I think they’d be perfect, had I used powdered. I’m going to need to make more tomorrow at the rate my kids are eating them! Thank you!
Did you ever try roasting these?
I’m curious as to how it would go!
I have not…yet! Maybe this summer.
I just went to a bonfire and had to pass on the Smores. Such a bummer…I just made your s’mores dessert to make up for it but am wondering if have you tried roasting theShe marshmallows yet?
They don’t roast well, sadly.
Hi Carolyn, I had an interesting experience while attempting flavored marshmallows today, and I wonder if you have any input. First I made raspberry marshmallows, in which I used raspberry extract and natural pink and red food colorings, and they worked up just as well as the usual vanilla. So I tried orange marshmallows next, but they did not turn out at all. After I added the orange extract and colorings and began mixing, the frothy texture dissipated immediately, and it just wouldn’t whip into marshmallow. As the gelatin cooled, the mixture did thicken some and turn opaque, but it wouldn’t hold air. Whenever I stopped mixing, the bubbles just rose to the surface and popped rapidly. No marshmallows from this stuff.
I used Nielsen-Massey orange extract and natural yellow, pink, and red food colorings. The only unique ingredients in this batch were the orange extract and the yellow coloring. I thought maybe the coloring had bromelain in it, which breaks down protein and inhibits gelling, but it’s just turmeric in liquid base. The orange extract contains alcohol, orange oil, and water.
I don’t blame the recipe at all, which has worked perfectly multiple times. I’m just really curious about what went wrong, y’know? Any thoughts?
Interesting! What is your raspberry extract made with? The peppermint extract I use is oil based so I wonder if the alcohol is actually an issue. It shouldn’t be, though, since many marshmallow recipes, which this is based on, use any old extract and don’t have issues.
It’s OliveNation raspberry extract: alcohol, red raspberry concentrate, glycerin, natural raspberry flavors, water. My vanilla has alcohol in it too, so I don’t think it’s that.
Isn’t that the most peculiar thing? My prime suspect right now is the acidity of the orange extract. Not sure what else it could be. Same base recipe, same method, and even less additional liquid in this one than in the raspberry marshmallows, because of less extract. When I have more allulose, I think I’ll try again with another acidic flavoring agent, perhaps some instant espresso dissolved in a tiny bit of water. I could try orange again, but first I want to make sure the salvaging dessert I made with it is edible, just in case. I added more water and gelatin, some clementine Bai, cream, and vanilla, and poured it into a loaf pan to set. Creamsicle gelatin! It did set too, so it’s not the gelatin at fault. Very intriguing…
I now recall that cream of tartar is an acid, though…so I wonder if it’s just too much acid? No idea at this point. ????
I’m thinking it’s the citrus oils in the orange extract. They break down sticky stuff.
Thank you for that tip, Rebecca!
Will be trying this for the grandkids’ hot chocolate!
I will say, though, that I find that Great Lakes gelatin DOES need to be bloomed. I wouldn’t use any other, but when I have tried using it without blooming it, I end up with un-dissolved clumps, and a poor end product.
Hi J, I’ve found that Great Lakes gelatin dissolves better when liquid is added to it all at once. Rather than slowly sprinkling the gelatin over standing liquid, I put the gelatin in a bowl and pour liquid over it, briefly mix with a fork to combine, and proceed with the recipe. It’s worked in every application so far, whether or not the gelatin is heated.
Wow, Carolyn…these are actually marshmallows! ???? I am so impressed. I made mine vanilla, using extract and paste together. My sweeteners were a heaping 1/3 cup, actually probably about 1/2 cup, of powdered Lakanto (which is supposed to be twice as sweet as sugar) and 2/3 cup allulose. I used a plastic bowl and my hand mixer, and it took 5-6 minutes for the mixture to turn white and thick. I think the plastic bowl helps it cool a little faster. The flavor and texture are just spot-on! The two sweeteners together taste like sugar, and the sweetness is perfect. I don’t know what impressed me more: how authentic these are, or the fact that the sticky liquid marshmallow cleans up completely with just water because it’s sugar-free. ????
I’m hiding them from my husband so I can dip them in chocolate and surprise him for Valentine’s Day. (He didn’t want chocolate-covered strawberries this year, can you imagine?) I have no doubt he’ll be thrilled with these. If I weren’t dipping them, I think I’d toss them with just a touch of tapioca starch. It’s a little humid here, so they’re not drying very much.
Thank you so much for this recipe, Carolyn. What a smashing success!
The chocolate-dipped marshmallows are an absolute success! Thank you, Carolyn.
Also, I did toss some of the undipped marshmallows in tapioca starch. They don’t stick to anything and the slightly powdery texture is reminiscent of bagged marshmallows (but delightfully fresher in flavor). It doesn’t take much; 1 T tapioca starch (7 nc) would easily coat a whole batch of marshmallows.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Can’t wait to try.
These marshmallows look super delicious. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.
Not that there will be any left when I make this, but how long can I store this? Thank you for your recipes.
I’ve kept them on my counter for up to a week or so. They have nothing in them that “spoils”.
Marianne, I am going over some of the recipes in this website and came across this one. I try to look at all of the comments, etc. I have to say, your comment made me laugh out loud! Thank you!
I love these recipes!
I follow THM- can I make these and add them to my sweet potato casserole at the end of baking?
I know this comment is almost two years old but oh my goodness that sounds amazing!! Sweet potatoes are an E (carb) and it seems these marshmallows are low fat, so they would go together beautifully!! That is the way I grew up with sweet potato casserole, I am SO doing this!
Unfortunately, in my country Bocha sweet and allulose are not allowed yet, so I can’t find them, and xylitol spikes my BG sky-high and causes me GI issues… so I’d really need to find an alternative sweetener to combine with the erythritol… I was thinking about a blend of stevia and erythritol, but you’ve already excluded lakanto as a blend of erythritol and monk fruit, so I suppose it wouldn’t work properly. What about adding just monk fruit extract?
Sorry, I am pretty clear in the blog post. You can try all erythritol or a combo of erythritol and stevia or monk fruit but I simply cannot guarantee your end results. I have no control over what is available in your country or not.
Would this work in silicon molds? Like the ones used for gummies….
You would need to grease them very well to make sure the marshmallows release properly.
Hi, what can I use instead cremor? I can’t find it in Sweden. This will be a challenge because there are another brands here but I will try it and we will see what happen
Merry Christmas or Godjul in Swedish!! I am ur fan
Hi Karla, instead of what? I am not quite sure what you are referring to! Have a wonderful holiday.
Sorry I meant cream of tartar, dumb keyboard lol
Oh! Okay… you can probably skip it but it does aid in whipping air bubbles into a recipe like this.
So no corn syrup. Sukrin has a fiber syrup. Is there a reason you didn’t use that in place of corn syrup?
Yup. Because that spikes my blood sugar (as it does with most people’s) and I think I proved with this recipe that any kind of syrup is utterly unnecessary.