Are Marshmallows Vegan? Here’s the Best Vegan Marshmallows
Did you know that the first marshmallows were made from plants instead of boiled animal bones? Discover how animal bones ended up in marshmallows and how you can find vegan marshmallow brands today.
The Plant-Based History of the Marshmallow
Marshmallows have been around for thousands of years and get their name from Althaea officinalis, a flowering plant also referred to as the “marsh mallow.” The root sap from the plant, which grows in wetlands and marshes and is indigenous to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, has historically been used to make both medicine and candy. Ancient Egyptians are believed to be among the first to have used the plant, sweetening and mixing the root sap with nuts. People have also used the plant to relieve coughs, help digestion, and treat skin irritations.
In the 19th century, candy makers in Europe whipped the root sap into a fluffy candy. However, they struggled to meet customer demand for the candy since they made the candy by hand. They made the repulsive decision to replace the plant root with gelatin made from animal bones.
Not All Marshmallows Are Vegan
Today, some marshmallows contain gelatin and some even contain eggs that are stolen from chickens, so they’re not vegan. Gelatin is made by boiling the bones, skin, and connective tissues of animals—usually cows or pigs—to extract collagen. That collagen is then processed into the thickening agent we know as gelatin. Some companies use egg whites to make marshmallow fluff, even if they don’t use gelatin.
The other ingredients often seen in marshmallows are vegan and include corn starch, sugar, and corn syrup.
How Vegan Marshmallows Are Made
Companies typically make vegan marshmallows with carrageenan instead of gelatin. Carrageenan—a vegan ingredient that comes from edible seaweeds—gives marshmallows their fluffy structure because it gels and thickens. Plant protein and tapioca starch are also often used with carrageenan to give the marshmallow its signature texture and structure. Sugar and/or syrups are used to sweeten vegan marshmallows.
Many vegan marshmallows are gluten-free, including those sold by Dandies, Trader Joe’s, Yummallo, and Freedom Mallows.
Vegan marshmallows are halal since they don’t contain gelatin.
Popular Vegan Marshmallow Brands
Vegan marshmallow brands are on the rise. From the popular Dandies vegan marshmallows to Trader Joe’s offering, there are more reasons than ever to make s’mores.
Vegan marshmallows can be found in many stores around the U.S. and Canada. National chains such as Walmart, Whole Foods, and Sprouts, as well as regional supermarket chains, sell vegan marshmallow brands such as Dandies.
This Chicago-based company, owned by vegans Ryan Howard and Dan Ziegler, developed its marshmallows in 2008 when Howard wanted to share the joys of marshmallows with his vegan son and realized that no suitable options were available. Luckily, he’s a food process engineer by trade, and the rest, as they say, is history. From full-sized mallows for roasting to minis for vegan hot chocolate and marshmallow fluff for fluffernutters, Dandies has you covered.
Trader Joe’s marshmallows are vegan! The company also offers vegan peppermint marshmallows during the holiday season.
Yummallo makes vegan marshmallows that are gluten-free and fat-free. Walmart sells them online and in some stores.
Freedom Confectionary offers the world’s only vegan, allergy-free, halal, and kosher confectionery range. What’s more, Freedom Mallows come in strawberry and vanilla in addition to the classic flavor. You should probably try all three just to be safe.
Whether you prefer classic vanilla, burnt caramel, or huckleberry flavor, Max Sweets vegan marshmallows are sugar-free and have the added bonus of prebiotic fiber in every bite. Healthy and delicious never toasted so good!
Other Vegan Marshmallow Products
Funky Mello, an Austin-based company once featured on Shark Tank, sells vegan marshmallow desserts including Cake Jars and marshmallow cream dips.
Smucker’s makes an accidentally vegan marshmallow topping you can put on ice cream or cookies—or, better yet, between two cookies. Now we know this isn’t exactly a marshmallow in the classic sense, but it’s widely available—and if you’re in a pinch and your local store doesn’t carry vegan marshmallows, it works in s’mores, too.
How You Can Use Vegan Marshmallows
Vegan marshmallows bake, roast, melt, and taste just like marshmallows made from boiled animal bones. You can roast vegan marshmallows over a fire or in a S’more, or you can bake them in desserts like crispy rice treats and cookies.
- Classic Vegan S’mores
- Rice Crisp Cereal Treats by Olives for Dinner
- Marshmallow Fluff by Chocolate Covered Katie
- S’mores Waffles by Keepin’ It Kind
- Vegan S’mores Cookies by Make It Dairy Free
- Vegan Easter Peeps by Fork & Beans
You can also make vegan S’mores in an air fryer!
Using vegan marshmallows instead of ones that contain gelatin is an easy way to help animals like cows. Do you know what else would help a lot of cows? If pizza giant Domino’s offered vegan cheese. Please take a few seconds to help us ask Domino’s to offer vegan cheese now:
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