Vegan gelatin-free marshmallows can be enjoyed in desserts or eaten as a sweet snack. And they’re easy to make at home with just a few ingredients!
Marshmallows are traditionally made using gelatin, produced by boiling animal bones, skin and tendons (usually from cows or pigs) in water. It is commonly used as a thickener in cooking, but clearly not vegan-friendly. Our vegan gelatin-free marshmallow recipe uses agar agar (a seaweed derivative) powder and aquafaba — the water from a can of chickpeas or white beans — for its vegan gelatin substitutes.
These vegan marshmallows can be eaten as a tasty snack, toasted on the campfire, sprinkled on the top of your homemade hot cocoa or cupcake or in vegan s’mores (use vegan graham crackers for those!)
You can also add different natural flavors, which change the color from white to brown (cacao or cocoa powder), green (peppermint) or pink (strawberry). In this recipe, we cut the marshmallows into one-inch squares, but you can cut them into smaller sizes for mini marshmallows.
How to Make Gelatin-free Marshmallows
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for dusting, or a suitable powdered sugar substitute
- 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup aquafaba (find out what aquafaba is and how to make it)
- 2 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. agar agar powder
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar (make sure the sugar is vegan)
Instructions:
- Sprinkle some powdered sugar onto the bottom of an 8″ x 8″ baking tray until covered.
- Place the cream of tartar and aquafaba in a large bowl and use a mixer to mix quickly for five minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until it forms stiff peaks and is white.
- Stir together the agar agar powder and water in a small saucepan and boil for about three minutes, stirring continuously.
- Mix in the sugar, lower the heat to medium/low and keep stirring while it bubbles to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from the heat and gradually mix into the peaked aquafaba with the mixer on a low setting. It will look shiny.
- Immediately pour into the dusted baking tray and use a sieve to dust the top of the mixture. Allow it to cool for an hour.
- Cut into one-inch squares and place them on a plate. Dust each side of the marshmallows with the remaining powdered sugar.
- Preheat the oven to 150°F and then turn it off. Put the gelatin-free marshmallows back on the baking tray and place them in the oven to dry them out.
- Remove and let them cool. Store in an air-tight container for up to five days — do not refrigerate or freeze.
Fun Flavors for No-Gelatine Marshmallows
- Chocolate — Before beating the aquafaba, add two tablespoons of cocoa powder and continue beating (step two). After cutting the marshmallows, mix one tablespoon of cocoa powder into the remaining powdered sugar and use it for dusting (step 8).
- Strawberry — Pulse half a cup of dehydrated strawberries in a blender until they resemble a powder. Put two tablespoons of the strawberry powder into the aquafaba before beating it (step two). After cutting the marshmallows, mix one tablespoon of the strawberry powder with the remaining powdered sugar and use it for dusting (step 8).
- Peppermint — Instead of vanilla extract, use one teaspoon of peppermint extract for minty gelatin-free marshmallows (step 3).
Read more:
- Aquafaba Meringues: Easy Vegan Dessert Recipe
- Homemade Gummy Bear Recipe – Vegan & Delicious
- Vegan Peppermint Chocolate Cookies: A Festive Recipe
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