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. immediate) future!
Paleo & Keto Marshmallows ☁️
Extra Light ‘N Fluffy ⚡💨
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! But ahem… these keto version, while different, is actually terrific!
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. Fact is, if you use a good quality gelatin (think grass-fed etc), you can even think of these guys as pure collagen bites.
And if you’re in the practice of subtracting sugar alcohols from total carbs, you’ll find these are actually 0g net carbs (gasp!).
The Deets
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. chemistry) and you’ve got some seriously fluffy keto marshmallows at your fingertips.
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. Or simply pour some melted on top- think a wagon wheels situation!
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. You won’t believe me until you try it, but this is out-of-this-world good.
Do you have this combo anywhere else? In Mexico they’re a very popular candy called Bubulubu (crazy name right?!). And this keto version easily makes my top 10 favorite desserts of the site, they’re honestly aaah-mazing.
The Gelatin
Going grass-fed and organic (like Vital Proteins) is a good idea in my book health-wise. As you’ll actually be getting quite a bit of great quality collagen, making the marshmallow treats actually nutritious.
But in all honesty, any type that gels should work (think staple Knox packets).
The recipe requires 3 tablespoons, which equals 3 standard packets.
The Sweetener 
You’ve got a couple options here, and know that the recipe was thoroughly tested with xylitol, allulose and erythritol. And these are the findings!
1. 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!). They also taste terrific and there are no problems with crystallization.
Note: I’ve been testing different brands of xylitol and have noticed Health Garden and XyloSweet are two solid ones (particularly if you tend to get occasional tummy pangs with the NOW brand).
2. 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 yup, allulose does have browning properties but the marshmallows still don’t brown/toast much at all.
3. 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. So you end up chewing through minty crystals, which is def not worth it at all in my book.
If using xylitol, make sure to be careful if you have a pup (or kitty!) around the house, as it’s highly toxic to the little guys! 
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. You can even get away with 2/3 cup + some vanilla stevia drops (added at the end with the vanilla extract) for an even healthier version.
A Couple (Very Simple!) Rules
The great thing about these low carb marshmallows as opposed to the traditional ones, is that they’re actually much simpler to make.
- Prep! 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.
- 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. So if you’re using your hand mixer, note that you can also half the recipe so it doesn’t take as long to whip.
- 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. No biggie, just blotch them!
- 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. Just let them hang out at room temperature.
Sugar Free, Paleo & Keto Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons gelatin preferably grass-fed
- 2/3 cup water
- 2/3-2 cups xylitol or allulose (we use 1 cup for xylitol & 1 1/3 cup for allulose)*
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Serving suggestions
- dark chocolate such as Lily's
- keto graham crackers
- raspberry chia jam
Instructions
- 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. We did do a light dust of powdered sweetener as they were sticking to the counter while shooting (think summer heat)- so just store the in a cool, dry place for a couple weeks and in the freezer after.
Notes
Nutrition
Could liquid Allulose be used instead of making the simple syrup? If so, does the liquid Allulose need to be heated, or do I use it at room temperature?
Thanks in advance for any guidance.
Renecha I’m assuming it’ll work (though I’ve never tried) and yes, it def needs to be heated as that’s the element that gives you all the fluffiness when mixed with the gelatin 🙂
The first time I made marshmallows I used liquid allulose because I was using a different recipe. They turned out good. Definitely did heat up the allulose. I like this recipe because it started with sweeteners I usually have in the house. I used the xylitol because I was trying to use it up. I thought the marshmallows tasted very good. In fact it was hard to stop tasting them!
Will this work with fish gelatin? Or agar? I cannot use beef gelatin. Thank you!
How do they compare texturewise with store bought ones? I made once gummies and they turned out garbage…
Exactly the same (seriously), unless you try and toast them then they melt. Xo!
Love this recipe! I make a lot of marshmallows, and I can tell you, these are just as good as regular marshmallows. Thanks for an amazingly easy and delicious and guilt free recipe.
Can this be made with Stevia?
Sadly no Shawn!
Can these be roasted over a fire? I miss being able to join in on the fun of roasting marshmallows over the fire in the summer with the family.
Sadly no Pamela, that’s only a property that actual sugar has… which is why I pointed out in the email that I’m working on maple syrup marshmallows for you guys. They’ll be paleo, not keto… but might still work for those doing ‘low carb’ or just as a good alternative to the store-bought ones that have corn syrup etc. xo!
Well I couldn’t find another sugar substitute around here I already have swerve. They had Madhava coconut sugar which to my horror was brown. And I’m sure not the proper sweetener. They have more at Target than any grocery store here. Honestly I’d love to use instacart but i know all my substitutes will be substituted because of lack of info out there. We all know this way of eating isn’t common yet. Getting there.. but a lot of misinformation. My friend said he was on it.. i asked what are you eating? Oh i take a keto pill he says.
Anyways anyone ever use coconut sugar? Or is it good for anything?
Thanks – Em
You know Emily, coconut sugar isn’t really ‘keto’ as it is bound to spike your blood sugar. It might be unrefined (that’s why its brown, it has all the goodies that get taken out when making sugar white), but it’s still a sugar. Having said that, I do keep maple syrup, molasses and coconut sugar in my kitchen as I’ll consume them once in a while (when I’m doing more low carb/paleo than keto… or just testing recipes for you guys).
If you have coconut sugar to use up, I would suggest using it for my chocolate chip cookies (skip the molasses, as the coconut sugar already has it). They seriously come out *divine* with it! xo!
This was incredible!! I added a tiny bit of cake batter extract in addition to the vanilla and these taste EXACTLY like the real thing!! I AM SO HAPPY!! Thank you for this!!
Just to let you know that this is really the best marshmallow recipe on the internet, and I looooove marshmallows. They are actually better than the “real” ones!
Also, while I was searching for your recipe on line, I found another person (keto for real life people) that has virtually the same recipe. She did change one to two details, but literally copied several paragraphs of your instructions word for word. Didn’t even bother to change the same tips. Since your recipe originated 2 years earlier, I can assume yours was first. I’m sorry people plagiarize keto recipes so often. And, I have lost all respect for the other site. Since she did change a sweetener and added xanthan gum (which is totally not needed by the way) she could have given you credit for your recipe.
At any rate…thanks for creating for the rest of us. I find the gelatin in this recipe keeps my bones from aching as much. The gelatin is really good for you! I just leave these out on the counter and pop one in when I pass by. I do make mine smaller by pouring them in a 9×13 parchment lined dish. Turns out wonderful every time!!! Thank you🥰
I just bought allulose just for this recipe! I love marshmallows!
An you clarify how much I would use on the recipe? I’m a little confused by the 2/3-2 cups. Does that mea anywhere from 2/3-2 cups or 2 cups along with another 2/3 cups? Please help? I need marshmallows
I have made these before and they did beautifully! I made them for a chef show and I used a blow torch to brown them. Thank you for an excellent recipe. Question…I would like to use these to make a copycat of coco Krispy treats. Usually you melt the marshmallows…Could I just stop at the point where you put into the pan and add my peanut butter and Krispies at that point? Or would it be better to let dry on sheet pan and melt later??? Well…I am about to find out.
What a fabulous recipe – thank you! I made it with Allulose and it was perfect. I froze several marshmallows then cut them through the middle, spread a little LC peanut butter then put them back together, sandwich style, and refroze them. Then I dipped the frozen PB sandwiches in a sugar free chocolate mixture thinned with coconut oil and sprinkled with a few grains of coarse salt. To die for!!!
This will definitely go in the regular rotation.
Awesome to hear Robin! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
Thank you for this great recipe! Any idea if these can be melted to make Rice Krispy treats?
They don’t re-melt unfortunately, but you can use the ‘marshmallow batter’ to fold into things (search for the Krispy treats recipe I made with Magic Spoon to get deets!) xo!
These are amazing! I totally put them over the fire for a few seconds and they get warm and I make s’mores with the keto graham recipe! I am so happy!
Paola, thanks for this great recipe! My daughter has had major GI surgery and has to limit sugar. We made a batch of these for her to enjoy around the campfire (no problem that they don’t toast) and in hot cocoa. She had the idea to color them a very pale pink and they are gorgeous. I froze half of the batch and pop them out as needed.
I’m so happy to hear your daughter got to enjoy these Terra! Comments like yours make all the hard work worth while 🙂
These are wonderful. I Love them on top of hot unsweetened almond milk (chocolate or vanilla).
Can these be made in different flavors? Any recommendations for how to do that? Like would trying to make peppermint ones with organic peppermint extract ruin the structure?