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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Seriously, you’re like some kind of keto wizard!!!! I’ve been on a baking spree thanks to you all week and decided to try these today… AMAZING is an understatement!! Thank you for all your hard work and incredibly delicious recipes
Thank goodness you love sweets!!! We sweet lover keto folks get lucky to use all of your tried and true recipes that taste fantastic!!! Will you please try to master Keto Rice Crispy Treats?! PLEASE! This seems like it would work fantastic – i don’t know what to use for the crunch. I have tried the High Key rice crispy’s once with different “marshmallows” and i felt like i was eating uncooked rice. Any tricks or suggestions would be fabulous. This is one of those special treats that I haven’t had any successful keto replications of …. And again – thank goodness for you and all of your hard work!!
Plain pork rinds crunched up make a fantastic substitute for crispy rice cereal. 🙂
I made these for the first time yesterday and they turned out fantastic!!! so easy… I will be making them with a multitude of different flavours – caramel, raspberry, coconut, orange … just to name a few
Hi Carolyn ! First I want to say thank you for all your recipes , love them ,big fan over here ! I just bought another of your books !
I did these marshmallows and I must confess I didnt use grass-fed gelatin. Would be that the reason the separated into two layers? One layer the fluffy stuff one layer the gelatin. Still delicious tho ! Would this be because of the gelatin ?
Thank you so much !
I honestly don’t know, as I always use grassfed gelatin.
After reading the above comment about her marshmellow mix seperating into half fluff do you think by omitting some of the gelatin it would make a fluff? I use to make the best fruit dip that was just cream cheese, marshmellow fluff and vanilla. Would love to be able to make that again.
Mine also separated like this and I used the exact gelatin suggested and kept the process as indicated so I’m not sure what went awry!
Absolutely no idea since I’ve made this many times and never had this issue.
One of my favorite recipes. Any chance you can come up with marshmallow fluff???? ????
I’m wondering if you’ve ever tried adding cocoa to the sweetener when making them for a chocolate through-and-through marshmallow? If not, do you have any guidance about the ratio of sweetener or wet ingredient that may need adjustment? Also, I’m guessing that adding cocoa to the final sprinkle would also be a good thing to do. Maybe something to add to the collection for Valentine’s desserts? Love all your recipes!! ????
I think you might need to google instructions on chocolate marshmallows. I haven’t tried it myself.
Carolyn, you are the best Christmas gift I could imagine!! This is a game changer. I have a family recipe fir a custard based dish that uses marshmallows. It’s four generations old and my daughter loves it but sugar gives her migraines. I had gotten the sugar out of except marshmallows. Just made these and so you have given us a gift of a family tradition returned!! We’ve list almost all of our family, but at least I can restore this part of our family for my daughter. Blessings to you and yours!????????
So glad you like them!
Do these work for roasting to make s’mores?
My understanding is that they melt a little too much. But you can try this! https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-smores-bars/
Hi Carolyn, I’m a long time fan of your recipes. I haven’t made these marshmallows yet, but I plan to. What I’m really interested in doing is making a gingerbread version. I saw a recipe for them in the white sugar version and thought, “I bet these could be ketofied!” I have gingerbread extract but I’m a bit terrified if I use the full amount of vanilla extract called for in your recipe they will be obnoxiously gingerbready. My question is, should I go for it or dial it back a skosh?
I made these today. Awesome! Letting them dry out after slicing. Am going to try freezing some and then dipping in ChocZero milk chocolate chips followed by a drizzle of their mint chips. This is just an awesome recipe. Its essential you follow the directions to a “T” to get a great turn out. As a directions follower I don’t get how folks think they can bear off script and get the desired results. But that’s just me. It might work in a soup or stew but not in a baking recipe or a candy recipe.
These came out wonderfully, I’m so pleased! Only took 5 minutes in the mixer once all the syrup was in for me. Cut some into minis for hot chocolate- yum!
I wanted to ask, how long will these last? Wondering if I can store them safely for a week, a month, indefinitely? Any ideas?
Thank you so much for this recipe, this blog, and all your hard work! It brings joy back into my low carb diabetic way of eating 🙂
Growing up my mother had this recipe for caramel corn which is something I have don’t eat anymore because i is basically all sugar. But I think I have found a work around. Need to limit how much you eat at one time whatever the limit on popcorn is anyway. Here is how I tried it using these marshmallows & Swerve Brown Sugar.
1 stick + 2 tbsp butter
1 cup packed brown sugar ((I used swerve but whatever substitute you want)
10 oz sugar free marshmallows.
Popcorn (I make enough to fill one of those dollar store plastic Popcorn containers)
I use a medium low heat
Melt butter, add sugar stir until dissolved
Add marshmallows & occasionally stir until they are melted and a little bubbly.
Pour over popcorn stir or toss until covered well & let cool.
Tip – I usually sort through the popcorn ad take out the duds, no fun chomping down on one of those. And I pour the caramel over the popcorn in layers to get a good mix. Also sometimes a lot of the caramel settles to the bottom and you run out of the popcorn & just have mostly caramel. Just pop a small amount of corn, pop the caramel into the microwave until it melt & dump in fresh popcorn & stir. I sometimes add a dash of vanilla to the caramel. I also experiment using blends of brown & white sugar subs since they do not always cook the way real sugar does. My latest batch was more like a caramel you would get in one of those popcorn tins they have around Christmas with real brown sugar the caramel is normally soft & chewy unless you over cook. Enjoy.
I’m wondering if I could use these marshmallows to make fudge. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
I haven’t tried that but I imagine you can.
My daughter is vegetarian. Would I be able to use Agar Agar in place of the gelatin?
I’m sorry I have never used it so I cannot guide you there. I recommend looking up a recipe for vegan marshmallows.
Ok thank you.
I was wondering if this could be used to replace the meringue on your s’mores bars?
Saw a recipe for keto “marshmallow squares” that aren’t using marshmallows at all. Think these could be substituted and use butter and keto rice cereal??
Without knowing what the recipe actually is, I can’t say for sure.
Oh yay!! You are my sunshine Carolyn! There are just a few things I miss from “non-keto” world and marshmallows are one of them. I’m not a big sweets eater but marshmallows are magical. Friday night wiener roasts will be even more special now with marshmallows back on the menu. Thank you for your creativity and dedication to excellence. ~Kindly, Diane M.