Are Marshmallows Keto-Friendly? Discover the Truth & Low-Carb Alternatives!

For those embracing a ketogenic lifestyle, the occasional craving for familiar sweets can be a challenge. Marshmallows, with their fluffy texture and sugary taste, often come to mind. However, the standard marshmallow presents a problem.

The Unfortunate Truth: Regular Marshmallows and Keto

The short answer is no, marshmallows aren’t keto-friendly. With their high level of processing and sugar content, they’re definitely not a model food for a low-carb, minimally processed eating plan like keto.

Commercially prepared marshmallows are chock-full of sugary and artificial ingredients. Most brands list their ingredients as corn syrup, sugar, dextrose, modified corn starch, gelatin, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, artificial flavor, and artificial color. In addition to this questionable ingredient list - or, rather, because of it - commercially prepared marshmallows are a highly processed food.

Let's break down why these ingredients are problematic for a keto diet:

Corn syrup: As you probably know, corn syrup is a type of sugar, and sugar is, of course, made of 100% carbohydrate. Since keeping carbs low is necessary for staying in ketosis, corn syrup doesn’t make the cut on a classic keto diet.

Read also: Crafting Healthy Marshmallows
Dextrose: The sugar parade continues! Dextrose is a simple form of sugar made from corn. Like corn syrup, it’s known for its ability to raise blood sugar quickly. In fact, dextrose is sometimes given intravenously to bring people’s blood sugar up rapidly.
Modified corn starch: Modified corn starch doesn’t always mean genetically modified. Rather, corn starch in marshmallows may have been modified chemically or enzymatically. However, even if the corn starch in marshmallows isn’t a GMO, corn products are typically a no-no on keto.
Gelatin: Gelatin is the one ingredient in marshmallows that’s keto-friendly - but there’s not enough of it in the gooey confections to make much of an impact on your protein intake. Going grass-fed and organic (like Vital Proteins) is a good idea in my book health-wise.
Tetrasodium pyrophosphate: Tetra-what? Not every ingredient with an unpronounceable name is a dietary bogeyman, but tetrasodium pyrophosphate definitely comes with some red flags. This artificial additive used to texturize and thicken foods is generally recognized as safe by the FDA but has been associated with symptoms like nausea, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. While you may not experience these unpleasant issues after eating a few marshmallows, the addition of tetrasodium pyrophosphate is one more sign that marshmallows are extremely processed.
Artificial flavors and colors: Each brand of marshmallows has its own formulation of ingredients, most of which include some artificial flavors or colors. Blue 1 is the most common artificial color in marshmallows.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

By now, you can probably see why regular marshmallows aren’t a healthy addition to a keto eating plan (or any other nutritious diet).

Keto-Friendly Alternatives

But never roasting another s’more or popping puffy white squares into your hot chocolate? That sounds like a serious bummer. When sugar cravings hit, you’ve only got three choices. You can white-knuckle it, give in to your sweet tooth, or treat yourself to a snack that’s appropriate for your keto lifestyle.

Keto-Friendly Bars

These yummy gluten-free bars are a lot like rice crispy treats, except they’re appropriate for low-carb and keto diets. They’re available in Marshmallow, Chocolate, and Peanut Butter flavors. You can eat Mallow Munch bars straight from the package for easy keto snacking, drizzle them with nut butter, or even incorporate them into your own crunchy keto recipe ideas if you’re feeling creative!

Homemade Keto Marshmallows: A DIY Delight

We get it - not every situation calls for a rice crispy bar. Sometimes you may be craving a springy, fluffy marshmallow all by itself (or for use in recipes).

Most DIY keto marshmallow recipes are made with the help of a hand mixer or stand mixer and include a blend of gelatin, water, vanilla extract, and low-carb sweetener, a pinch of salt, and around a cup of water. As mentioned, the usual sweet suspects of corn syrup, sugar, and dextrose in commercially made marshmallows can all too easily undo your keto efforts.

To create sweetness without the high carb count, keto marshmallows usually use xylitol, allulose, or erythritol. Instead of relying on artificial colors to create white-as-a-cloud color, these sweeteners are naturally white enough. As for thickening up your little pops of fluff, extra gelatin does the job in place of the artificial additive tetrasodium pyrophosphate. (And it adds a boost of protein, too!) By the time you’ve finished, you’ve got a gluten-free, dairy-free keto dessert just about anyone can enjoy.

Considerations for Keto Marshmallow Recipes

Got your low-carb marshmallows all mixed up and ready to go? Since keto marshmallows use different ingredients than regular marshmallows, they don’t always have the perfect texture for roasting over an open fire - but that doesn’t mean you can’t use them in lots of other craveable ways.

And this doesn’t mean you have to dial your carbohydrates down to zero. If you choose to eat marshmallows on keto, just keep portions to a minimum and keep your overall daily intake of carbs in mind.

The Magic of Homemade Keto Marshmallows

Virtually carb-less, extra fluffy, chewy and just 3 ingredients! Yup, these sugar free, paleo and keto marshmallows are easy to whip up and a delight to devour. Think low carb s’mores in your foreseeable (i.e. I’m super psyched to share this recipe with you guys; because I’m not gonna lie, this is one I never thought would be feasible at all! It turns out that, unlike their sugar counterparts loaded with additives and corn syrup, these sugar-free marshmallows are not too bad health-wise at all.

These guys are honestly very simple. Gelatin, a sweetener and vanilla extract are the three ingredients! Add water, a touch of salt, and a little magic (i.e. Just note that, because they’re sugar-free and sugar alcohols do not have the same candy-making properties, these guys won’t toast properly (I know… #tear!). But! you’ll get a yummy melted marshmallow fluff, just be sure to lightly melt your chocolate before. And while you can definitely whip up some awesome keto s’mores with our graham cracker cookies, please (please!) also try them out topped off with raspberry chia jam and covered in melted chocolate. Do you have this combo anywhere else? In Mexico they’re a very popular candy called Bubulubu (crazy name right?!).

Sweetener Options for Keto Marshmallows

You’ve got a couple options here, and know that the recipe was thoroughly tested with xylitol, allulose and erythritol.

Xylitol is definitely my top choice. The resulting marshmallows are a bit denser than with the other two sweeteners (but this was a plus in my book, because chewier too!).
Allulose is a close runner-up. The resulting marshmallows are extremely fluffy, and taste delicious too. Just note that this sweetener is 70% as sweet as sugar (i.e. you need to add 30% more).
And honestly just don’t bother with erythritol. I tried a few batches, and even threw some glycerin in there and every single time it seemed to crystalize during whipping.

How much sweetener? Now this is the question. Traditional marshmallows use about 2 cups of sugar + corn syrup per batch, but in my opinion 1 cup of sweetener for keto palates is more than enough.

Tips for Making the Perfect Keto Marshmallows

Prep! Have all your ingredients handy, measured out, and make sure you won’t be disturbed for 20 minutes. Seriously!

Mix mix mix! If you’ve got a stand mixer, awesome and definitely use it! Only got a hand mixer? Awesome too, you’ll even get to workout your arms a little. You’ll need to whisk the mixture for about 15 minutes nonstop at high speed until the mixture is fully whipped and stiff.

The weather. Make them when it’s sunny out and dry out (yup, summer is ideal marshmallow-making weather!) Ok, so kind of kidding (and not) with this one. Turns out that if it’s too humid out (think rainy summers here in Mexico City), your marshmallows could sweat a bit; particularly if under-whipped. Let them dry, at room temperature and uncovered. Don’t be tempted to cover them and pop them in the fridge- you’ll just make them wet.

Extra light, fluffy, chewy and just 3 ingredients! Yup, these sugar free, paleo and keto marshmallows are easy to whip up and a delight to devour. Think low carb s'mores in your foreseeable (i.e. Please see post for thorough details and tips. Have all your ingredients handy, measured out, and make sure you won’t be disturbed for 20 minutes. Seriously!

They’re easy and quick, but you need to work through the steps continuously and quickly.

Line a 9x9-inch pan with foil and grease well with coconut oil. Set aside. If using a stand mixer, fit it with the whisk attachment; otherwise have your hand mixer handy and ready to go.
Pour the cold water (1/2 cup) into your stand mixer's bowl or a large glass bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin in, mix thoroughly with a fork, and allow to bloom for 10 minutes while you melt the sweetener.
Pour the remaining water (2/3 cup) into a saucepan, and pour in the xylitol or allulose into the center without stirring (they don't form crystals, but just in case). Bring to a boil over medium heat, allowing the sweetener to completely dissolve by giving the saucepan some light shakes, keeping the mixture at a rolling boil for about 2 minutes. If you've got a thermometer, temperature reaches about 210ºF/100ºC. But don't worry if you don't have one; just be sure to let it boil for about 2 minutes to ensure maximum temperature is reached (sugar alcohols don't have the candy-making properties of sugar, so they don't heat up past a certain point).
You'll have to work quickly at this point to ensure no heat is lost. Turn on your mixer on low to break up the gelatin, and quickly pour in your hot syrup (trying to avoid the sides of your bowl so it doesn't cool down). Increase your speed to high, and whisk non-stop for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle in the salt at about minute 8 and the vanilla extract at minute 12 (if you're adding stevia drops, do so at this point). When ready, the mixture will be stiff and hold it's shape well, and if you're using a glass bowl it will feel only lightly warm to touch. The batter with xylitol won't be as fluffy as one with allulose, but it will still be light and stiff.
Turn mixer off, and quickly pour the marshmallow batter onto your prepared dish. Don't worry too much about what's left behind in the whisk etc, or your marshmallows will likely set in the bowl itself! Keep in mind that xylitol sets much quicker than allulose, so extra speed is required.
Allow your marshmallows to dry, uncovered and at room temperature, for 6 hours or preferably overnight. Gently remove from pan and cut with a greased knife. In my experience keto marshmallows don't need dusting as they're not overly sticky, and a touch of coconut oil does wonders if need be.

*Please see post for thorough details and quantities to use of each particular sweetener (xylitol and allulose are recommended). And keep in mind that when calculating nutrition facts, it's generally common practice to subtract sugar alcohols as you do fiber… which essentially makes these keto marshmallows 0g net carbs.

3-Ingredient Keto Marshmallows

These soft, melt-in-your-mouth marshmallows are high protein, low carb, low sugar and keto-friendly. They only need 3 ingredients and are easy to make. These marshmallows are a fun treat. They are much easier to make than traditional marshmallows because you don’t need a candy thermometer and you don’t need to make a meringue. While they are not the same as classic marshmallows, they are a high protein treat that has a texture very similar to traditional marshmallows.

Gelatin powder: Gelatin powder is used to create the structure for the marshmallows.
Protein shake: We used vanilla flavored protein shakes but you can use other flavors. Protein shakes adds protein, vanilla flavor and sweetener to the marshmallows. This recipe should work with most protein shakes. I recommend one with around 26-32 grams of protein per serving. You can use ones with higher amounts of protein but the higher the protein, the darker the marshmallows will turn out.

Cut marshmallows with a sharp knife. These marshmallows are not the exact same as classic marshmallows. They are more light and airy but they do have a slight bouncy texture to them, similar to traditional marshmallows.

I recommend using a protein shake with around 30 grams of protein per serving. If you make this shake with too little protein, the marshmallows won’t have as much of a bouncy texture. Be careful not to whip the mixture until peaks form. The marshmallows do need to be stored in the fridge to keep their form.

Making homemade marshmallows has never been easier. They only require 3 ingredients and don't include complicated meringue steps! You don't need eggs or a candy thermometer to make these.

Steps for Making 3-Ingredient Keto Marshmallows

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix the gelatin with cold water and let it bloom for 5 minutes.
Add the protein drink and bloomed gelatin to a small saucepan. Place the saucepan over low heat and gently stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Transfer the cooled mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer. Use a wire whisk to whip at medium high speed until it becomes light and fluffy. About 5-7 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy and look like it will soon form peaks but don’t let it reach the stage of forming peaks. This is important. You don't want the mixture to reach peaks.
Spread the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. The mixture does condense down a little as it sets and also when you cut into them, so don’t worry if it seems a bit high.
Place the pan into the fridge until marshmallows are set (this can take a few hours).
Remove marshmallows from the pan. Cut marshmallows with a sharp knife. To help prevent marshmallows from sticking, you can dust the marshmallows with powdered sweetener before or after cutting (like powdered Swerve).
Store marshmallows in the fridge in an airtight container.

You do need to be careful with whipping these. Normally when making marshmallows you want to whip to stiff peaks, but not for these. These are not the same as regular marshmallows. Some protein shakes have ingredients added to them that make them not suitable for a keto or other special diets.

The Joy of Sugar-Free Marshmallows

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. 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. 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.

The Research Behind the Recipe

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. And it worked like a charm! Hooray! So much better than regular marshmallows, since they aren’t tooth-achingly sweet.

Testimonials:

“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."
“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!"
“These are a new staple recipe in my house - I couldn’t tell the difference between the full sugar kind."

Key Ingredients for Keto Marshmallows

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.
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.
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!

Steps for Making Sugar-Free Marshmallows

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.

Tips for Success

I’ve made these keto marshmallows many, many times and I’ve learned a few things along the way.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are sugar free marshmallows made of? 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.
How many carbs are in sugar free marshmallows? These keto marshmallows have only 0.1g carbs per serving!
How long will keto marshmallows keep? 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.

tags: #are #marshmallows #keto #friendly