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
Hi. Just stumbled across your website (brand new to Keto) and am excited to try your recipes. My Question is: Can I use Swerve or monkfruit as a sugar substitute The last time I tried Zylitol, my digestive system had a party! I see that there are calmer brands now, but I bought the Swerve and Monkfruit before finding your site.
Thank you in advance! (And thank you for your work!!)
Swerve is Erythritol. If you get the powdered kind, or blend what you have up in a Ninja or something, it will not crystallize like the author had happen. For monk fruit it will depend what type you have. The most common way it comes is as a mixture of monk fruit and erythritol that can be used as a 1:1 replacement for sugar. It is my absolute favourite thing to use in everything. The combination of the two is pretty close to sugar when used in recipes.
Hi Alleria! That’s actually not the case in these guys, its not about the erythritol being powdered or not… but about the chemical reaction and its molecular structure 😉 xo!
Oh, and aye Xylitol is pretty well known to cause GI upset. All of the sugar alcohols can, your body does not digest them and some tummies are more sensitive. Erythritol is the least likely of all the sugar alcohols to do so.
Also be sure that your xylitol is not corn derived (like NOW), as that one is pretty much guaranteed to cause GI distress (and a lot of it!)
These are amazing. Thank you for such a great and super easy recipe. Holy crap they are good! 2/3 cup XyloSweet is plenty sweet. Perfect actually
I saw Maria Emmerich says that vegetable glycerin can substitute for Allulose. Would that be the same case in this marshmallow recipe? Thanks!
Tbh I haven’t tried with marshmallows so cannot guarantee
O-M-G I think I just died and went to marshmallow heaven. Btw, I never even cared for marshmallow ever before 🤷🏻♀️😳 I made these yesterday with xylitol.
Yes, I think they were ready a little earlier (at about 10 min), I pushed to 12 and they did set lightning fast. I left them to dry all night on a radiator. And they are tonight pretty amazing. The rough bits that set too fast are the perfect excuse to try them a million times as I’m cutting them to put them away 😋 Paola, you’re a keto kitchen wiz! Thanks for another awesome recipe 😘
I tried the recipe but used gelatin sheets. I don’t think I used enough. I mixed for half an hour and it never thickened up.
Looking forward to trying these out! Curious why the calorie count does not list any protein? My grass-fed gelatin says 11g of protein per Tbsp. This recipe uses 3 Tbsp.
So no xylitol in my home for it’s deadly to dogs is there a different sweetener that works just as good
It’s explained in the post Lisa… allulose! 😉
LOL Thank you helps if I read it thoroughly
Use allulose… in my book it’s so much better than xylitol. I also have animals so I wouldn’t use it anyway. I use the Hoosier Hill brand. It’s wheat derived and I have zero tummy issues with it.. plus it is SO good with no after taste at all.
Can this marshmallow be used to make fudge?
I did this and it worked pretty well
I love these marshmallows. They always come out perfect. I’ve even used them in keto rocky road ice cream. 😋
I’d really like to try to make a flavored version (chocolate marshmallows maybe?) and I’m wondering if the best way would be to add some cocoa powder to the water/sweetener mix? Maybe at the end of the 2 minute boil? Or do you think adding it to the bloomed gelatin mixture would be better?
Paola, I scoured this recipe and several of the comments trying to figure out if I should blitz my xylitol into a powder. It doesn’t say it anywhere that I can see but I remember you told me in answer to another question that you usually do that with the whole container of xylitol when you get it. I’m just not sure if that needs to be done automatically when using xylitol or only when specified.
I just ordered some that comes already powdered so is that OK to use in all of your recipes and does it change the measurement the recipe calls for if it’s from granular to powdered? I know for regular sugar it does so I’m wondering about this…
thank you so much!
Can I use with Splenda
Great recipient, we took this on with just a whisk and mixing bowl and got great fluffy marshmallows, but sore arms. I’m interested to see if anyone has had any results with less than 2/3 cups of xylitol?
Can food processor work for the stand mixer? Chronic health issues will keep me from standing a long time for mixer?
Great recipe. Due to MS I look for shortcuts in mixing. Wanted to confirm I can use a food processor instead of handmixer.
Unfortunately no Pat, as you need to whip the mix. I have neuropathy too so I get you, I like a stand mixer (I got mine second hand). Hope this helps!
Hello, I do not have a stand mixer so I used a hand mixer. It was fluffing up great but dies after 7 minutes from being overheated. Will all hand mixers shut off is used for too long? I was so bummed!!! Thank you!
I set the timer for 15 min and my hand mixer went the distance. Maybe you need a new hand mixer? Did you finish by whisking by hand? Talk about earning your dessert! ❤️
Love the recipe, used xylitol and it worked perfectly. The only issue – I counted the macros using xylitol and the carb count came out a little high (subtracting half of the carbs for sweetener) so I was eating them pretty sparingly, even though I cut them into 1”x1” squares (about 2carbs per 1”sq) and I didn’t even get through half before they went bad (I put them on parchment and they started absorbing the color and flavor of the parchment, then eventually started melting
Do you think I could make a smaller batch or will that not be enough liquid for the stand mixer? I also plan to try with allulose as the carb count would be lower
Marie, I ended up storing mine in a tupperware container in the fridge. They seemed to last a while that way.
You do not subtract half the carbs for the sweetener, you are able to subtract all of them because human bodies do not digest sugar alcohols. The only place carbs should be coming from is the gelatin.
Actually it depends on the sugar alcohol. For xylitol, your body absorbs about half of it. For allulose, about 1/10th
This is not correct info FYI and allulose isn’t a sugar alcohol (and its zero GI like erythritol) xo!
Maybe there was too much humidity, or maybe I didn’t whip them long enough. I followed directions exactly using allulose. They were good anyway, but they weren’t real dense. They were wiggly jiggly, very sticky, and seemed to get wetter with the passing hours.
I LOVE these marshmallows! My first batch turned out perfect. (& most people rave that their picky kids like them–I’m raving that my picky elderly father loves them!)
My 2nd batch looked the same on top, but the gelatin had somehow seeped to the bottom & I ended up w/ abt a 1/8 inch of gelatin as the bottom layer. The good news is they taste exactly the same & still work perfectly in hot chocolate (or just to eat alone)! But they’re not pretty once they’re cut.
I did a third batch last nite, & the same thing happened w/ the layer of gelatin on the bottom. I’m using the grass-fed pricey stuff. And the first time it was perfect. Any ideas what I could be doing wrong?
Thank you!!!!
Hi there! I’m making this recipe tomorrow and putting the marshmallows in a gift box with your graham crackers, raspberry spread and Lily’s dark chocolate.
I need the marshmallows to last in the gift box for a few hours. Do you recommend I wrap them in tissue paper or use more of a plastic type wrap? Just wanted to look nice when it’s opened. I know it will taste great!
Could you make it more clear in the directions that it’s our choice of 2/3 to 2 cups of xylitol and not a total of 2 and 2/3 cups for those of us out here who are dummies? Thanks.
I should add that they’re awesome even with my mess up!
will these melt want to use on top of yams?
Your recipe for the Marshmallows looks great but I have a question. Is there a plant based gelatin alternative? I am gluten sensitive and am one of the 10 to 15% of those patients that is extremely sensitive to all things mammal. I have so many allergies that I am living on a very limited diet. I appreciate all the people that post their knowledge on blogs. You have no idea how much you help people like me survive.
I’m not sure Kathryn! Maybe something like agar? I would search popular vegan blogs such as Minimalist Baker, I’m sure they’ve come up with some good stuff 😉
Can these be used in place of marshmallow cream if you don’t whisk it till it’s quite so stiff and don’t dry them out? I haven’t made the marshmallows yet so I’m not familiar with just how stiff they get and how fast they set up. Thanks!!!
Marshmallow fluff is another beast… I say so because whether you want it or not the gelatin will solidify (just chemistry!). I’m working on a fluff though 😉
Can you pipe this so they set up into balls to be used for cookie filling? I’m thinking Christmas cookies here 🙂 or will they just spread our?
I’ve been wondering the same thing… but I think they set up too fast to be able to do that (my guess is it would set as you’re trying to transfer them to the piping bag…)
How do these hold up in keto hot chocolate?
I’m wondering this too! So thankful to have found this recipe–they sound incredible–we really have to cut sugar out of my son’s diet and it’s so hard (since he’s only 6 and Christmas is coming up)! Would love to have these to melt into some homemade sugar-free hot chocolate!
I’m actually doing some testing with hot chocolate this week and I’ll be sure to report back!
They are the BOMB in hot chocolate!!! They melt more smoothly & creamier than any other marshmallow EVER!!!
Can I just tell you how brilliant you are (and how good these are)?! Every recipe you post is pure gold. Thank you for offering people having to modify their diets, amazing alternatives that actually taste delicious. Once I make one of your recipes, I quickly delete the others I’ve tried/saved because yours is always the best. So, thank you again for what you do. It may just be food (don’t be fooled, food is a much bigger deal to me than I make it sound), but it’s so special (and so are you), that it’s worth typing this out and sending to you.
Has anyone tried these in rice crispy treats? I want to make low-sugar rice crispy treats with protein powder added for my picky-eater son to eat as breakfast bars. Keto isn’t the reason I’m here—just looking for a way to make something he likes more balanced and not sugary.
Just about to make them! What do you dust them with. You say not Sukrin icing sugaror monk fruit and so what can you use ? Actually could you use adulting icing because it’s not actually in the mixture.
Love your bread!!!
I don’t have the sweetener listed above. Will stevia/ pyure work?
Most likely not because it’s erythritol based 🙁
If I wanted to make more of a marshmellow fluff that was spreadable (not actual solidified marshmellows), would I just need to mix for less time?
Any suggestions on how I should do this?
I’m working on it (in my experience this one solidifies always) xo!
I was wondering if I could use Splenda as the sweetener for this recipe? I didn’t see if you experimented with it or not. I keep huge bags of Splenda in my house, none of the other 0 calories sweeteners though.
Please let me know what you think.
Don’t- aside from being horrible for your health (no judgment, just the truth) it doesn’t work well for baking 🙁
Check the ingredients. powdered Splenda contains 95% dextrose (D-glucose) and maltodextrin (by volume), both of which have been shown to have negative effects on a Keto lifestyle. Liquid Splenda (sucralose) is fine since it has none of those additives but is not suitable for this type recipe.
YAY! Hurricane Florence survivor here! Just made these and winds are blowing hard right now a few more hours it will be over…lol
I got bored and remembered I wanted to try this recipe. SOOOOO glad I did it! I was able to have marshmallow cream about 2/3rd of the way through. I only used 3/4 c of Xylitol and it is sweet enough. Knox gelatin worked just fine. Tastes like real marshmallows…YUM! It is humid and rainy out in NC, but it still hardened nicely and is in an off oven to dry out.
Seriously thank you I was on the verge of breaking Keto because I had been stressed out, but this is co comforting I’m going to put the leftover stuff in some bpt…lol
Thank you!
Kay so happy to hear you’re well and safe!! And that the marshmallows helped, even if just a little bit 😉 big hugs and kisses!!
Have you developed one for chocolate or any other flavor? I was afraid to add cocoa powder as it may have changed the consistency of your recipe.
Not yet! xo