These vegan marshmallows will amaze you! Easy to make, light and fluffy, sweet and delicious, this is the best way to make homemade vegan marshmallows by far! Toast them over a campfire, put them in your hot chocolate or simply eat them for a sweet treat!
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I've attempted many different vegan marshmallow recipes over the years, and they have all completely failed until I started making them this way!
This recipe emerged out of a marshmallow topping I created for my vegan s'mores pie. I had been making a lot of vegan whipped cream with aquafaba, and thought that I would make it firmer with some agar agar (vegan gelatin) for a marshmallow-like topping! After a little trial and error, it worked perfectly as a pie topping. However, it needed a few more adjustments to make it into vegan marshmallows.
To make a true vegan marshmallow, I adapted the recipe to make it firmer and dry the marshmallows out slightly, so they would have the right texture. Finally, I perfected the vegan marshmallow recipe that actually works!
❤️ This recipe is
- sweet fluffy and delicious!
- free of all major allergens including gluten, soy, and dairy!
- relatively easy to make.
- a vegan marshmallow recipe that actually works!
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Aquafaba - this is just a fancy word that means the liquid from a can of chickpeas or another white bean.
- Cream of Tartar - this is an acid that comes in a powder. You can find it in the spice aisle at any local supermarket.
- Vanilla Extract - clear vanilla will give you a whiter marshmallow, but regular brown vanilla works great too.
- Sugar - and vegan granulated sugar will work. Whiter sugar will give you whiter marshmallows.
- Water - to make a solution of agar agar, sugar, and water that will firm up your aquafaba.
- Agar Agar - this is a vegan gelatin that is derived from seaweed. It can be a little tricky to find and expensive at a natural foods store, but I order mine from Amazon or get it at my local Asian market for the best deal. Use the powdered version, not the flakes!
- Powdered Sugar - for dusting the marshmallows.
Note about agar agar - I use agar agar in many of my vegan cheese recipes as well. Some people, especially those in Europe, report that they need more than the recipe calls for to get the same jelling effect. If you find your marshmallows are not firm enough, it may be the brand of agar agar you are using. (Also, be sure to use powder and not flakes!)
🔪 Helpful tools
- Mixer - you can use a hand mixer, but a stand mixer is a lot easier.
- Saucepan - to cook the water, agar agar, and sugar solution.
- Rubber Spatula - for scraping out the agar agar syrup.
- Baking Dish - an 8" x 8" baking dish is the perfect size to use as a mold for your marshmallow.
- Cookie Sheet - for spreading out the marshmallow and letting them dry out a little.
🥄 Instructions
- Dust the bottom of an 8"x 8" pan with powdered sugar and set aside.
- Put the aquafaba in a mixing bowl with the cream of tartar and mix on high for 6 minutes until very fluffy.
- Add some vanilla extract and whip for 3 more minutes until it is white again and it forms very stiff peaks.
- In a small saucepan, combine water and agar agar and bring to a boil.
- Boil the water and agar agar for 3 minutes stirring frequently.
- Add sugar and boil for another 3 minutes stirring constantly over medium-low heat. (Be careful not to cook it too hot or you will burn or caramelize the sugar).
- Turn off the heat and add the hot sugar mixture into the beaten aquafaba.
- Add this mixture slowly while beating aquafaba with a mixer set to low. This will turn the fluffy white mixture a little shiny.
- Quickly pour it into the pan that has been dusted with powdered sugar.
- Dust the top of the marshmallows with powdered sugar and let sit and cool for at least an hour.
- Cut into 1" squares and dust all sides with powdered sugar.
- Turn your oven to 150° F. Once it reaches that temperature, turn it off and set your cubed marshmallows in the warm oven for about an hour to dry out a little.
👩🏻🍳 Pro tips
- Whip the aquafaba for a full 9 minutes before adding the agar agar syrup.
- Stir the agar agar mixtures constantly over medium-low heat, just hot enough to keep it slowly bubbling.
- Make sure to cook the agar agar for a total of 6 minutes to make sure it's completely dissolved and melted.
- Be sure to get all of the agar agar syrup into the aquafaba! Use a rubber spatula to scrape out the bottom of the saucepan to get it all.
- Immediately pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan while it's still hot. (Once it cools, it will set and become firm in whatever position it's in).
- Wait a full hour before cutting into squares.
- Make sure to turn your oven off before putting the marshmallows into it. You don't want to melt them, just dry them out a little.
🌟 Flavor variations
- Peppermint Marshmallows - replace the vanilla extract with 1 tsp. peppermint extract or 1 drop of peppermint oil.
- Strawberry Marshmallows - chop up dehydrated strawberries in a blender or food processor until they form a powder. Add 2 tbsp of the powder to the aquafaba towards the end of beating. Mix another tbsp in with the powdered sugar for dusting the marshmallows.
- Chocolate Marshmallows - add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the aquafaba towards the end of beating. Mix another tbsp. of cocoa powder into the powdered sugar used for dusting the marshmallows.
🥡 Storage
Place them in an airtight container in the fridge and they will keep for about 5 days.
Want to turn your vegan marshmallow into vegan peeps? Check out my homemade vegan marshmallow peeps recipe!
✨ More recipes using aquafaba
- Vegan Whipped Cream
- Aquafaba Icecream
- Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse
- Vegan Whipped Cream Frosting
- Vegan Egg Wash Substitute
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
An easy way to make homemade vegan marshmallows from aquafaba.
- 1/2 cup aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon agar agar powder (not flakes)
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for dusting
-
Dust the bottom of an 8"x 8" pan with powdered sugar and set aside.
-
Put the aquafaba in a mixing bowl with the cream of tartar and mix on high for 6 minutes until very fluffy.
-
Add some vanilla extract and whip for 3 more minutes until it is white again and it forms very stiff peaks. (You need to whip the aquafaba for a total of at least 9 minutes.)
-
In a small saucepan, combine water and agar agar and bring to a boil.
-
Boil the water and agar agar for 3 minutes stirring frequently.
-
Add sugar and boil for another 3 minutes stirring constantly over medium-low heat. (Be careful not to cook it too hot or you will burn or caramelize the sugar.)
-
Turn off the heat and add the hot sugar mixture into the beaten aquafaba.
-
Add this mixture slowly while beating aquafaba with a mixer set to low for about 30 seconds. This will turn the fluffy white mixture a little shiny.
-
Quickly pour it into the pan that has been dusted with powdered sugar.
-
Dust the top of the marshmallows with powdered sugar and let sit and cool for at least an hour.
-
Cut into 1" squares and dust all sides with powdered sugar.
-
Turn your oven to 150°F (66°C). Once it reaches that temperature, turn it off and set your cubed marshmallows in the warm oven for about an hour to dry out a little.
Recipe Video
- Whip the aquafaba for a full 9 minutes before adding the agar agar syrup.
- Stir the agar agar mixture constantly over medium-low heat, just hot enough to keep it slowly bubbling.
- Make sure to cook the agar agar for a total of 6 minutes to make sure it's completely dissolved and melted.
- Be sure to add all of the agar agar syrup to the aquafaba! Use a rubber spatula to scrape out the bottom of the saucepan to get it all.
- Immediately pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan while it's still hot. (Once it cools, it will set and become firm in whatever position it's in).
- Wait a full hour before cutting into squares.
- Make sure to turn your oven off before putting the marshmallows into it. You don't want to melt them, just dry them out a little.
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