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
Can this be used to make rice crispies? Is it possible to skip the setting step?
Just made them! They’re easy and fun to make, and in my opinion better than any store bought marshmallow. I wish I could add pics here, they also look great. Made them in a 9×9 pan and they’re VERY tall, I would cut them in half when using them. I’ll try making them in a larger pan next time to have them ready for use once I cut them in squares. So awesome, can’t ask for more – zero calories, zero carbs comfort.
Thank you for the recipe!
Would these melt down like traditional marshmallows with butter to use in a popcorn ball recipe?
Hi, made this and it came out great. I stored it in a container with a lid after 24 hours. When I opened it later, it was a bit wet. What went wrong? Will appreciate your help. My hubby is diabetic, so it is important to me. Thank you.
Hi, please help. Must I use Xylitol powder or Xylitol grain {like sugar}. It i for the sugar free marshmallows.
Hi, great job on this. Love the details in your process. Will this work in silicone molds? Thought it might be fun to try different shapes.
Thank you
Hi Karen, having made these I think you’d struggle to get the mixture into molds before the mixture sets! But if you’ve tried it in the meantime and it worked, please do let us know 😊
Which sweetener did you use and how much?
These marshmallows look amazing! I love that they’re sugar-free and fit perfectly into my keto diet. Can’t wait to try making them—thank you for sharing such a simple recipe!
Can these be made in a blender or food processor instead of a mixer or hand mixer? Thanks!
I made mine in a Ninja food processor/blender. It worked out great and didn’t kill my arms!
Which sweetener did you use and how much?
These marshmallows look amazing! I love that they’re sugar-free and fit into both Paleo and Keto diets. Can’t wait to try making them and perhaps adding some flavor variations! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I’m excited to try these! Can you tell me how many ounces of marshmallows this recipe makes?
I ask because I just made terrific keto “rice crispy” squares with a brand name keto marshmallow but it is kind of cost prohibitive and I would love to try the recipe with these.
2/3-2 cups xylitol or allulose (we use 1 cup for xylitol & 1 1/3 cup for allulose)* Please explain this. Thank you
I don’t understand “2/3-2 cups xylitol or allulose. (we use 1 cup for xylitol & 1 1/3 cup for allulose)” What does that mean? Do you use EITHER 1 cup xylitol OR 1 1/3 cup allulose? 2/3-2 cups isn’t even an amount that could be measured out. If it is supposed to be 2-2/3 cups, then do you mix a cup of xylitol with 1 1/2 cup of allulose? But that doesn’t make 2-2/3 cups. Help!!
I need an explanation too.
I thought this seemed strange amount. Want a recipe that uses 3 x12g sachets of gelatine
Does this need to be refrigerated? Noticed refrigerating unfortunately changes the texture/taste, at least while they are still cold, so hoping I can get away without. Thanks!
These turned out really well. I used xylitol because we can’t get alluose here. Mine fluffed up so much I used two pans, 9×12 and 9×8.
Did you use 2/3-2 of xylitol and can you tell me how much that was?
Incredible. Worked perfectly and it’s so delicious
Which sweetener did you use, and how much? How did you interpret what 2/3-2 meant?
I’m assuming these can’t be made with Lakanto Monk Fruit because it is cut with erythritol?
These are so good! I love that they’re sugar free and paleo.