Marshmallow Recipe Without Corn Syrup (2024)

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Marshmallows are a beloved treat enjoyed toasted over a campfire, melted in hot chocolate, or eaten straight out of the bag. These fluffy confections are a favorite among children of all ages. Unfortunately, many store-bought marshmallows contain corn syrup, a highly processed sweetener that some prefer to avoid, which is why I created this decadent marshmallow recipe without corn syrup.

Marshmallow Recipe Without Corn Syrup (1)

Fortunately, making marshmallows from scratch is easier than you might think, and the results are simply delicious. You can create a more wholesome version of this classic treat using an alternative sweetener like maple syrup instead of corn syrup.

Contents show

Are Homemade Marshmallows Worth It?

Absolutely! Homemade marshmallows have a much better texture than their store-bought counterparts. They are soft and fluffy and have a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth consistency that is hard to replicate with mass-produced marshmallows. In addition, making this marshmallow recipe without corn syrup involves whipping air into the mixture, creating a light and airy texture that is much more enjoyable to eat.

Making gluten-free marshmallows allows you to control the ingredients and customize the flavor. You can use high-quality ingredients, such as organic sugar and natural flavorings, resulting in a healthier and more delicious treat. You can also experiment with different flavorings, such as peppermint, coffee, or powdered freeze-dried fruit, to create marshmallows that are uniquely your own.

Marshmallow Recipe Without Corn Syrup (2)

How To Make Gluten-Free Marshmallows

  1. Soften The Gelatin- Soaking gelatin in cold water softens and fully dissolves it when combined with hot liquid.
  2. Simmer The Sugars- Bringing the maple syrup and sugar temperature a little past the "soft ball" stage allows the marshmallows to set up and harden.
  3. Whip It- The key to making fluffy marshmallows is to whip the mixture until it becomes thick and glossy, which creates air pockets that give the marshmallows their characteristic texture.
  4. Let It Set- The marshmallow fluff will harden within 4-6 hours.

Recipe Variations

  • Peppermint Marshmallows: Add peppermint extract to the mixture near the end of whipping to create a festive marshmallow that is perfect for the holidays.
  • Chocolate Marshmallows: To make chocolate marshmallows, add unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixture before whipping. This will give your marshmallows a rich chocolate flavor, perfect for s'mores or hot cocoa.
  • Fruit-Flavored Marshmallows: Add fruit puree or extracts, such as strawberry or raspberry, to the mixture before whipping to create a fruity flavor. If you want to makestrawberry marshmallows, I already have a corn-syrup-free recipe for those using real strawberry purée!
  • Toasted Coconut Marshmallows: Mix coconut flakes into the marshmallow mixture before cooling it. This will give the marshmallows a slightly nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch.
  • Coffee Marshmallows: Mix instant coffee granules into the water with gelatin to create a marshmallow with a rich coffee flavor.
  • Cinnamon Marshmallows: Add ground cinnamon at the beginning of whipping to create a warm and comforting marshmallow with a hint of spice.
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How To Use Marshmallows Without Corn Syrup

Homemade marshmallows are a versatile treat that can be used in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas on how to use them:

  1. S'mores: Homemade marshmallows are perfect for making classic campfire s'mores. Sandwich a roasted marshmallow between twogluten-free graham crackersand a piece of chocolate for a delicious treat.
  2. Hot Chocolate: Melt a few no-corn syrup marshmallows into your hot chocolate (our favorite is thispeppermint hot chocolate) for a creamy and decadent drink.
  3. Rice Krispie Treats:Use marshmallows from scratch to make classic Rice Krispie Treats.
  4. Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream: Use marshmallows without corn syrup as a topping for ice cream, or mix them into the ice cream for a delicious and creamy treat.
  5. Fondue: Melt marshmallows into a fondue pot for a fun and interactive dessert. Serve with fruit, pretzels, or other dippable snacks.
  6. Homemade Candies: Use homemade marshmallows without corn syrup to make homemade candies, such as chocolate-dipped marshmallows or marshmallow pops.

Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

Chocolate-dipped marshmallows are one of my family's favorite ways to enjoy these corn-free marshmallows. Here's how to make them:

  1. Place the chocolate-dipped marshmallow on a piece of parchment paper to set. Sometimes I'll pop my marshmallows into the freezer to speed up the chocolate hardening (they only need 5-8 minutes in the freezer).
  2. Melt your favorite chocolate over a double broiler, and then use a fork to dip the marshmallows into the chocolate. The excess chocolate will dribble through the tines of the fork.
Marshmallow Recipe Without Corn Syrup (5)

Did you make this recipe? If you did, please give it a star rating and leave a review or comment below! And remember to take a pic and share it on social! Tag @allergyfreeak or #allergyfreealaska on Instagram!

This recipe was originally published in October 2014. Blog post and recipe card updated to include better instructions and notes in May 2023.

Marshmallow Recipe Without Corn Syrup (6)

Marshmallow Recipe Without Corn Syrup

Yield: one 9x13" pan

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Marshmallows are a beloved treat enjoyed toasted over a campfire, melted in hot chocolate, or eaten straight out of the bag. These fluffy confections are a favorite among children of all ages. Unfortunately, many store-bought marshmallows contain corn syrup, a highly processed sweetener that some prefer to avoid, which is why I created this decadent marshmallow recipe without corn syrup.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unflavored beef gelatin powder
  • 1 cup cold water, divided
  • 2 cups organic cane sugar
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons arrowroot starch

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add ½ cup cold water and sprinkle in the unflavored beef gelatin powder. Set aside so the gelatin can soften for at least 10 minutes. Have the mixer’s whisk attachment out and ready to go.
  2. Line a 9x13” baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease. Generously dust all sides and the bottom of the pan with 3 tablespoons of arrowroot starch.
  3. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining ½ cup cold water, organic cane sugar, pure maple syrup, and sea salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low, or as needed so the syrup remains at a constant simmer. Stir occasionally, use a candy thermometer, and bring the mixture up to a temperature of 245 degrees (F). This should take 8-10 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat, and carefully pour the syrup mixture down the sides of the mixer bowl while mixing on low (it’s hot, so please be careful!).
  5. Gradually increase speed to high and whisk for 7-10 minutes, or until the marshmallow mixture is glossy, light and fluffy, and nearly triple in volume.
  6. Immediately place the marshmallow mixture in the baking pan and use a greased spatula to spread it out evenly.
  7. Dust the top of the marshmallows with the remaining 1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch and let the mixture set for 4-8 hours, or overnight.
  8. Turn the marshmallows out onto a large cutting board, and use a pizza cutter to cut the marshmallows into 1-2 inch pieces. Roll the sticky edges of the marshmallows in additional arrowroot starch, and store in an airtight container. Consume within 3 weeks.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle @ My Gluten-free Kitchen.com says

    I'm always excited to see what you'll create next! These blow me away! I can just imagine your kiddos excitement over having these!
    Also, snow?!? Wow! We were sweating in the sun today. Wish we could trade for just a few days! 🙂

    Reply

  2. Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Cooking & Creating says

    These look amazing! I haven't tried making marshmallows yet, but I need to. Love that they are free of corn.

    Reply

  3. Judy Mason says

    You mentioned books? I am currently re-reading the assembled letters of John & Abigail Adams (our 2nd President and his wife). With astonishing vocabulary and literary references, their letters are considered (by historians) to be the best first-person observation of the Revolutionary War era available. Their love of each other, family, friends and God shine through clearly and they sacrificed many years together for the creation of our country. Quite appropriate for families, plus making historical figures into "real" folks. I found them gripping, and their lives were well lived. Their son, John Quincy was President later too! She wrote to all the Presidents and had decided views upon rights for women which was fascinating and refreshing to me.

    Thanks for the recipes, I find them interesting and tasty!

    Reply

  4. Megan from Wyoming says

    Wow, these look fantastic. You just might have inspired me to try making marshmellows again. I tried a Martha Stewart recipe years ago but it failed horribly. Could be 2 things, one I got the sugar too hot so it was at the hard crack stage and solidified to the side of my bowl when I was pouring or two, I didn't let it mix nearly long enough.

    If you don't mind me asking, what elevation are you at? I am at nearly 7000' above sea level and the ladies in my community say that we should heat things lower because water boils at a lower temp? I have figured out the conversion before, but I just wondered what your expereince with that was.

    Also, what's your favorite candy thermometer? Thanks!
    Megan (great name right?!)

    Reply

  5. Nina says

    I loved the Witch of Blackbird Pond, it was a great book. I like JoJo Meyers books and recently read The Girl You Left Behind. It was a good read. (adult book).

    Reply

  6. Laura @PetiteAllergyTreats says

    Marhmallows are still a thing on my To-Do List… But these look fantastic!

    Reply

  7. Joanne Peterson says

    This is marvelous! We can eat marshmallows again! Thank you Megan!!!

    I used to make homemade marshmallows and then use smaller cookie cutters to cut out into shapes, put them in a cute bag, with some homemade hot cocoa mix and all of it tucked into a mug for a fun gift.

    You could count making the marshmallows as Home Ec :)!

    Reply

    • Larissa says

      I cannot do cane sugar at all. Can i just use coconut sugar for the whole thing? I would love to make this marshmallow.

      Reply

      • Mēgan says

        Hi Larissa, this is an order recipe, and since posting it, I've noticed that the coconut sugar bogs down the fluff of the marshmallows. They are significantly less fluffy. Hopefully that makes sense. So if you were to try this recipe only using coconut sugar, I'm not sure how lofty of a marshmallow you'd actually get?

        Reply

  8. Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry says

    Yes please! If we can sneak one more camping trip in this year, I'm making these babies to use in the evening. Thanks Megan. Love your new blog look too--Gorgeous!

    Reply

  9. Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says

    I think yours are the prettiest homemade marshmallows I've ever seen, Megan! Would love to sample one! 🙂 Thanks for sharing on Gluten-Free Wednesday!

    xoxo,
    Shirley

    Reply

  10. Erlene says

    I've always wanted to make my own marshmallows. I'm going to give this one a try. Thanks for sharing it. Came over from FoodieFridays.

    Reply

  11. GiGi Eats says

    I have tried to make my own marshmallows multiple times and have failed every time! ha! I don't know how the heck to do it even though all the directions are listed above! LOL!

    Reply

  12. Raia says

    Well, don't these look amazing? I should probably make them. 😉

    Thanks so much for sharing them with us at Savoring Saturdays, they were the most popular linkup and will most definitely be featured at this weekend's party. 🙂 Hope to see you there again, Megan!

    Reply

  13. Serene @ House of Yumm says

    These are wonderful 🙂 Pinning! Thanks so much for linking up to Saturday Night Fever link party. By the way, love your book recommendations. I homeschool two of my girls right now, 10 and 8, so those books are right up our alley! I'm going to have to look into the A is for Musk Ox. Have a Happy Halloween! XO

    Reply

  14. vegetarianmamma says

    Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays Party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 I can't wait to see what you share next time!
    -Cindy

    Reply

  15. Amanda says

    I've been wanting to make my own 'mallows! I'm determined - I WILL get around to it sometime this winter 😀 Thanks for sharing at the Homestead Blog Hop!

    Reply

  16. Stephanie says

    These look SO good! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!

    Reply

  17. Dorothy Greco says

    Im also cow free. Have you ever tried making these without beef gelatin? Agar Agar maybe?

    Reply

    • Megan says

      Hi Dorothy,
      No, I have not tried making these without the gelatin. I don't think that agar agar would work well (it behaves differently than gelatin), but that's just a hunch. I would look for another recipe specifically written using agar agar. Good luck!
      Megan

      Reply

  18. Celebes Coconut says

    Coconut sugar is a good alternative and definitely healthier sweetener. I’ll definitely give these a try soon.

    Reply

  19. Hannah says

    Woohoo! I'm so excited to find this recipe! We have a tradition of making "Resurrection Rolls" every Easter, where you wrap bread dough around a marshmallow, then bake. But since corn and soy are no-no's for us now, I haven't been able to find a marshmallow that would work. Will try these!

    Reply

  20. myrna says

    Great recipe!! Making them for the second time now. Have you tried roasting them on a fire?

    Reply

    • Megan says

      Hi Myrna,
      I'm so glad you enjoy them! Not over an open flame, but we have roasted them indoors using a kitchen torch. 😉 That works well!

      Reply

  21. Sarah says

    Hi! My child cannot have white sugar and we use coconut sugar as an alternative, would this recipe work if we used both cups as coconut sugar instead of one of coconut sugar and one of white sugar?

    Reply

    • Megan says

      Hi Sarah,
      Yes, it will still work, the marshmallows will just be darker (brown) and will have more of a caramel like flavor. 😉

      Reply

  22. Rose says

    These are just so very wonderful!!! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  23. renee says

    Can these be made with a hand held blender instead?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Megan says

      Hi Renee, I don't think a hand held blender would work, but I haven't tried it before. My gut thinks the marshmallow would be too hard to handle, and that it would climb the beaters.

      Reply

  24. Ginny Gillespie says

    Hi hi ? I have gluten free crispy rice cereal and want to make rice crispies! Maybe less gelatin? Have you ever done this? Gettin excited about gooey crispies ???????????

    Reply

    • Megan says

      Hi Ginny,
      No, I haven't tried it yet with this recipe, but I've always wanted to! You might have to experiment, but I think I'd still go with the same amount of gelatin, otherwise the rice crispy treats may never set up.

      Reply

  25. Susy says

    Hi all,
    This is my go-to marshmallow recipe. I have experimented and wanted to share my successes and failures:
    Agar Agar does not work in this recipe. I will keep experimenting to make a vegan marshmallows for my vegan friends.
    You can sub honey for the maple—I did that today and it’s still totally delicious.
    You can roast these over a flame but watch it because they start to melt if held over the flame too long. We had a ceramic plate for drips.

    Also, these freeze exceptionally well! After cutting and dusting, you can freeze a bunch in a large mason jar, and just pull them out of the freezer as needed. They taste so delicious and can be eaten straight from the freezer.

    Also I forgot the vanilla extract this time around and don’t miss it ?

    Reply

    • Megan says

      Thank you so much for all of your recipe notes! This is very helpful, Susy! 🙂

      Reply

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Marshmallow Recipe Without Corn Syrup (2024)
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