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
I tried this today I used Great Lakes gelatin pure unflavored, kosher beef, collagen hydrolysate, cup xylosweet, vanilla and followed the directions. I even made sure water/xylotol was at the right temp and added to mixer without letting cool at all. I mixed on high for 15 min and added the salt and Vanilla on time. It did not thicken did I use the wrong gelatin? So disappointed want to make marshmallows l.
I made these yesterday and they turned out so yummy! My kids (well, all of us) love them! I think I ended up using 2 cups of Allulose for the sweetener and a tablespoon of vanilla. (I don’t want to chance using xylitol since I have a little crumb-snatching dog who waits by the kitchen for anything to hit the floor.) They taste just like “real” marshmallows! They cut okay with a greased knife, but don’t appear to be as firm as in the photos you posted. I let them sit out all night, but even at the end of the day today they were still quite sticky. Is it just a matter of leaving them out longer, or did I maybe do something wrong (like too much sweetener or liquid) to make them more sticky than they should be?
hello I feel really silly asking but I am not sure about the measurements for the sweetner. what does 2/3-2 mean if I use xylitol or another sweetner. thanks for your help and have a blessed day. Jean
Made the marshmallows this week – amazing! But, I wanted to try to cover them in chocolate for a candy-like treat. I made my sugar free chocolate (baker’s chocolate & coconut oil w/ a bit of sweetner to taste), but when I try to dip my marshmallows, the chocolate either won’t stick or melts the marshmallow. Any suggestions?
Maybe try freezing a few, then dip them or pour the chocolate over them, and see if that works. I’d like to know what you find that works because that’s a good idea that I might like to try later on. =)
Oh my goodness. These are fantastic. Thank you
I just made these and they are awesome. How do you store these? They seemed pretty sticky (I used allulose) and they are fine on the counter but long term storage???I can’t see putting them in a bag or they will stick together. I did sprinkle them with powdered Swerve and am hoping that will help.
Hi, thanks for the great blog. I tried these for the first time, using powedered Erythritol (couldn’t get hold of the others recommended). I followed the steps exactly, but after 35 minutes in a powerful stand-mixer, it was still just swishing liquid. I added a small amount of rose water instead of vanilla. Any idea what I did wrong?
Ok I did it!!! Ahmazing ! yummy
I’ve tried this recipe using xylitol twice and it definitely does not look like the photo.
I’d like to ask what does 2/3-2 Cups mean? I used 1 cup xylitol for the recipe as stated in the brackets. “2/3-2 cups xylitol or allulose (we use 1 cup for xylitol & 1 1/3 cup for allulose)*”
If I were to add the 2, it should read ‘OF’ not for. Wondering what is the ‘2/3-2 cup’ represents and what amount do I use of xytitol? I wish I could send you a photo. It looks nice in a cup of cocoa but I couldn’t get it thick or fluffy enough for cutting squares.
I’d love to know what this means also……
Hi Galadriel, I know this answer is late but I am pretty sure it means two thirds to two cups, hence, 2/3 – 2 cups.
My first marshmallows ever – awesome! I used a mix of half xylitol and half Confectioners Swerve plus one dropper full of vanilla stevia drops to sweeten. They did seem to start setting a little quicker than expected using speed 10 on my KitchenAid stand mixer but not knowing what I was doing I pushed on to the full 15 minutes. They still spread in my pan nicely just a little rough on the top which was fine with me. I could already cut them in an hour, had a cocoa hot and waiting so what was I to do?? The rest waited until morning for cutting. They really weren’t sticky at all but I went ahead and powdered them with the confectioners Swerve. Delicious and they melted into my cocoa just like the ‘real’ thing! PS I looked at several recipes which were all similar and went with Gnom Gnom because she had the best instructions and tips which as a marshmallow newbie was important to me. Thanks so much!
hi i used xylitol but i found that the 15 min was too long. it was set and did roll out of the bowl.
ill try it again just before it starts setting too quickly, pour it out.
These are delicious! I don’t know if I used a bit too much water, but are these generally more moist than traditional packaged marshmallows? I’m keeping them in a dry spot with paper towels lining the container. They are getting a little drier, but it’s been 5 days. I was hoping to be able to slowly dehydrate them but I don’t think it will work.
Do you ever bake with monk fruit? I find it has less of an after taste than other sweeteners. Do you think your marshmallow recipe would work with monk fruit?
I am planning to make this recipe very soon. Has anybody tried covering it with toasted coconut?
I’m thinking of using this recipe to top a “sweet potato” casserole for Thanksgiving! When heated, do the marshmallows “liquify” a bit and melt well? Thank you!
Curious about this too! Planning to use it for sweet potato casserole!
Will these work using Stevia granules and/or liquid?
I don’t have or use any of the suggested sweeteners.
Can I use stevia crystals and or stevia liquid as I don’t have the other sweetness?
I’ll definitely try this but I’m looking for a recipe to use the farmers market pastured egg WHITES I have too many of because I put the yolk in my bulletproof cocoa every morning. Any ideas?
Have you seen our bread recipes Odile (like the sandwich bread, cinnamon rolls and burger buns)? They use more egg whites. Otherwise the granola and candied pecans are great options too 😉 xo!
Wow! So good. I did xylitol with a few drops of stevia glycerite and sucralose. I had no idea marshmallows were so easy. Thank you.
Lol right?! So happy you enjoyed and thanks for reporting back in detail 😉 xo!
I love eating these by themselves as a sweet snack. Any thoughts on adding flavors to the marshmallows themselves? Wondering about adding cacao powder or a fruit extract.
Hi, I used a vegetable gelatin and it didn’t work at all. It’s been sitting for 4 hours and it is as gooey as it was when I poured it in the pan. 🙁
Super excited to see this recipe- you just might have saved Christmas! Every Christmas I make marshmallows for when the granddaughters come over for cookie baking day. One of their jobs is to dust the marshmallows. The girls are not low carb–but grandma is and I usually end up getting kicked out of ketosis (and thrown into a binge) over homemade marshmallows–but now I will be able to make a stash just for me. Ordering allulose right now.
You did it again! Had a big family gathering and these marshmallows were THE hit of the weekend. Used 2/3 cup xylitol, and about 10 drops regular stevia. Soooo good. You are a genius! (I also poured melted lilly’s Chocolate on some.Aso the bomb! Love your amazing recipes!! They make me look good! 🙂 and people start thinking maybe they too can do Keto!
Will this work with Monkfruit?
Did you ever get an answer or try with the monkfruit? I also have Monkfruit for sweetener.
Did you try them with the monkfruit? That’s what I have on hand right now.
I make homemade marshmallows every year for holidays and excited to try this recipe. Will be adding mint extract instead of vanilla.
I made these with about half xylitol and half granulated Splenda since that’s all I had on hand, and they are amazing! Too sweet for me (probably because of the Splenda) but other people thought they were just right so that’s just a personal thing.
I did find they started to set along the side of the mixing bowl maybe halfway through the fifteen minutes. I’m not sure what I got wrong, but since I was making the moon pies anyway and just needed a thin layer, it worked out okay.
Paola, did any of your test batches set way too quickly? Thanks!
Hi Anne! It was probably the Splenda that changed the setting time (in all honesty I’ve never baked with it… and don’t really plan to) big kiss girl!
I got some allulose and made more this morning and they came out perfect! I don’t usually use splenda either, but I was at my parents house and really wanted to make your moon pies!
So I’m pretty sure you’re right, and the splenda made something go wobbly. Thanks for responding!
I would love to know whether Splenda would work – xylitol gives me painful and smelly digestive issues.
Will these marshmallows work in making rice crispy treats?
I wish! Unfortunately only sugar has those candy properties #tear
Do these roast over a campfire well?
Would these work to make rice krispy treats?
Hi! Do you know if agar would work instead? Thank you
Honestly I’ve never tried! Maybe check with vegan blogs? xo!
Agar agar did not work for me—turned into an gooey mess and wasted ingredients #tear
🙁 Thanks for reporting back though!
Paola, these are AMAZING! I followed your directions exactly. Got everything ready ahead of time, didn’t stir water and xylitol (just shook the pan), heated to 250*, worked quickly when it was heated, added salt at 8 min and vanilla at 12, then poured quickly when 15 minutes was done. Perfection! They taste like…well…marshmallows. You’re directions were amazing! You are my keto dessert hero. 😀 We’re going to an outdoor party on Saturday and didn’t want my no-sugar, low-carb kiddos to miss out on the s’mores. Making your graham cracker recipe in a few minutes. Will use Lily’s for the chocolate. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Hoping to try your keto pasta someday soon.
Can you use Sukrin icing sugar for dusting?
Love your bread.