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Not unlike a lot of other moms, I began my journey into clean, healthy food when my children were little. I recall wanting to make marshmallows at home; they are not something my family eats frequently, but my children do love them in my homemade hot chocolate, come Christmastime. Yet I was also tired and overwhelmed, I felt I didn't have the time or energy to make marshmallows from scratch. So, when I could, I bought expensive organic marshmallows online. Fast forward to today. My kids were having their seasonal hot chocolate - but there were no marshmallows. I'm now older, and therefore more tired, but right at this moment, I'm less overwhelmed. So I tried making them at home. 

Friends! It was so easy! And it didn't require much time at all! In fact, I'm a little mad at myself for not trying this sooner.

Now, all this said, I would not call these marshmallows healthy. They are basically just sugar. (Even if you use honey instead of granulated sugar, marshmallows are still just sugar.) But marshmallows made with this recipe do not contain the dubious ingredients of store bought marshmallows. 

For example, Jet-Puffs are primarily made with corn syrup (which is fructose, a simple sugar linked to gout, fatty liver disease, diabetes, etc., plus it's made from bio-engineered corn). They also contain modified cornstarch (bio-engineered), dextrose (a highly processed form of sugar), beet sugar (bio-engineered), plus tetrasodium pyrophosphate, artificial dye, and artificial flavors. On the other hand, this homemade version is pretty darn clean. (But if you'd like to attempt a sugar free version, I encourage you to try this recipe from Wholesom Yum.)

From Scratch, Healthier Marshmallows

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2 tablespoons gelatin (I use Great Lakes brand)

1 cup cold water, divided

2 cups granulated cane sugar (non-cane sugar is made from bio-engineered beets)

about 1/2 cup powdered cane sugar (see note**) or arrowroot powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Olive oil (or other neutral-tasting oil) 

NOTE: ** Store bought powdered sugar usually contains bio-engineered cornstarch. To avoid this, you can make your own powdered sugar simply by running granulated cane sugar through a food processor until it reaches the correct consistency.

1. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking dish with the oil. Add some powdered sugar or arrowroot powder to the dish and, tilting the pan around, cover the bottom and sides evenly. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, pour 1/2 cup cold water over the gelatin. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of water into a medium saucepan and add the granulated sugar. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

4. Add the gelatin mixture to the saucepan. DO NOT STIR. Turn up the heat. When the temperature of the liquid reaches 240 degree F., remove the pan from the heat. (Hint: It will reach temperature quickly.)

Adding the gelatin to the sugar water.

5. Carefully pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. (A hand mixer works too, but a stand mixer makes the job easier.)

6. Add the salt and vanilla to the mixture, then beat with the whisk attachment on LOW for 2 minutes.

Beating on low.

7. Now increase the speed of the mixer to HIGH and beat until the mixture is soft, doubled in volume, and resembles soft whipping cream, about 10-15 minutes. (If you've ever bought "marshmallow fluff" in a jar, that's what you have right now!)

When done, the marshmallow fluff will look like this.

8. Using a spatula lightly greased with the oil, pour the marshmallow fluff into the prepared pan. Allow the mixture to cool completely, uncovered, for at least 3 hours.

Let the marshmallow fluff sit for several hours.

9. Spread a small amount of powdered sugar or arrowroot powder over the top of a cutting board. Turn the pan upside down and tap the marshmallow block out of the pan. (If necessary, run a knife all along the edges of the pan, to help loosen the block.)

10. Use a knife to cut out marshmallow squares of the desired size. Or, if you prefer, use a cookie cutter to make shaped marshmallows. (You may need to lightly oil cookie cutters.) After cutting, toss the marshmallows in powdered sugar or arrowroot powder so that all sides are coated. (This helps keep the marshmallows from sticking to each other.)

Cut the marshmallows whatever size you desire.

Storing Homemade Marshmallows

Store your DIY marshmallows in a glass jar with an airtight lid. You may also use a Ziplock style bag. DO NOT REFRIGERATE. Instead, store on the counter out of direct sunlight, or in a pantry. (A cool pantry is best; heat may make the marshmallows stick together.)

If there are more marshmallows than you'll use within a few weeks, you may either freeze or dehydrate the extras.  

To freeze, I recommend cutting off a section of the marshmallow block and then freezing that section whole. (Wrap it in plastic wrap and then pop it into a freezer bag.) You can cut it into smaller pieces after thawing.

To dehydrate, cut the marshmallows small (like the mini marshmallows you buy in the store; this makes the drying time much shorter). Lay the marshmallows in a single layer on your dehydrator trays, ideally not touching. dehydrate at 150 degrees F., or a bit lower. They are done when they are 100% crunchy and shatter when you crush them in your hands. (Be sure to allow your test marshmallows to come to room temperature before testing them! Otherwise, they will remain soft.) Store in a glass jar with an airtight lid in a dry, dark location.

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