Simply Natural Nessa (Migrated)

How to Make Herbal Marshmallows with Marshmallow Root

homemade herbal marshmallows recipe

Homemade marshmallows aren’t sickeningly sweet like store-bought marshmallows and have a better texture and flavour, too. While they are still fluffy and squishy like the sugar-filled ones, these herbal marshmallows contain real marshmallow root, which is a beneficial herb full of medicinal properties. Adding raw honey to this recipe makes the marshmallows more palatable, and they go perfectly in hot chocolate and s’mores!

Marshmallows weren’t traditionally made to enjoy as a tasty snack, but to be used as medicine to help soothe coughing, a sore throat, or to treat digestive problems such as ulcers and gastritis. The first marshmallows were prepared by boiling pieces of marshmallow root pulp with honey until the mixture had thickened. Then, once thick, the mixture was strained, cooled, then eaten to help remedy common ailments.

Today, most marshmallows are made with gelatin, water, corn syrup, sugar and artificial colourings, as replacing the marshmallow root with gelatin made them easier and cheaper to produce, and it allowed manufacturers to create marshmallows in a variety of shapes and sizes.

In the recipe below that I’ll be sharing with you, gelatin is still used to create the fluffy, squishy texture of the marshmallows, but we’ll also be adding the medicinal marshmallow root plant back in to put the marshmallow back in marshmallows.

homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe

What is Marshmallow Root?

The marshmallow plant (Althaea officinalis) is a flowering herb that can grow to about just over one metre in height. The flowers are small and white, slightly pink or blueish in colour. The roots are a yellowish white outside and white on the inside.

Marshmallow root can be used in teas, tinctures, salves, balms, syrups and powders, and has a cooling and moistening effect on the body. 

Marshmallow root is known for its anti-inflammatory effects, helping to soothe ailments such as a sore throat, and is also well-known to support digestion, helping with heartburn, acid reflux, and diarrhoea.

This medicinal herb is particularly useful for ailments that affect the respiratory system, the kidneys, bladder, mucous membranes, gastrointestinal tract, and skin.

Marshmallow is a demulcent herb, which means that it forms a protective coating over the mucous membranes of the throat and digestive tract, which helps in soothing inflammation and irritation, and may even help to reduce pain. Marshmallow root is also a prebiotic, meaning it acts as a food source for the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe

How to Use Homemade Marshmallows

Homemade marshmallows are a wonderful herbal confection you can enjoy in all of the same ways as store-bought marshmallows.

They can be roasted over a fire, used to make s’mores, added to hot drinks like coffee, matcha, or hot chocolate, or eaten as a snack on their own. I love adding them to hot beverages as the marshmallows dissolve into the drink, creating a delicious creamy foam on top of the beverage.

Before we get started in learning how to make these homemade herbal marshmallows, if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!

homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe

Homemade Herbal Marshmallows

This homemade marshmallow recipe uses real marshmallow root and raw honey. These marshmallows are fluffy, squishy, all-natural, and are a perfect addition to hot beverages or s’mores!

You can make many different variations with this basic marshmallow recipe by adding other herbal ingredients to change up the taste and colour of these confectionary treats. I love to add matcha powder or blue butterfly pea powder to change up the colour of the marshmallows. Adding reishi mushroom or cardamom powder can also provide additional health benefits to these squishy treats. But feel free to experiment with different variations of ingredients to mix up the colours and flavours of your homemade marshmallows!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup warm filtered water
  • 1/2 cup grass-fed gelatin powder
  • 1 tbsp marshmallow root powder
  • 1 tsp colostrum (optional)
  • 1 cup raw honey

To make:

  1. Combine the one cup of warm water with the tablespoon of marshmallow root powder in a small bowl and set it aside for 5 minutes (or as long as overnight in the fridge).
  2. Stir the mixture well then strain out the pulp. Make sure that the liquid makes enough for one whole cup.
  3. In a stand alone mixer bowl, pour in the half a cup of gelatin powder and one cup of the prepared marshmallow root tea. Whisk the mixture slightly with a hand whisk to incorporate, then, if using, add the one teaspoon of colostrum powder into the bowl with the gelatin mixture and whisk again to combine. Set the bowl aside and allow the mixture to sit and bloom for 10 minutes, or until the gelatin has softened.
  4. In a medium-size saucepan, add the one cup of raw honey and slowly bring the honey to a boil while stirring. If you have a kitchen thermometer (and I strongly recommend it), you want it to reach at least 115°C (240°F). If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, keep boiling the mixture for 8 minutes or so, stirring constantly.
  5. Turn on the stand mixer with the gelatin mixture inside the bowl and set it to medium speed. Whisk the mix while slowly pouring the honey mixture into the mixing bowl.
  6. When the honey mix is added, set the mixer to high speed and whisk for another 10-15 minutes or until the mixture develops into a stiff cream, similar to the consistency of marshmallow cream. Soft peaks should form. Cover the bowl to help avoid the mixture splashing out. Just make sure to check back every few minutes or so to see when the mixture starts to turn light and fluffy.
  7. Once fluffy, transfer the marshmallow mix into a greased pan or a pan lined with parchment paper (leaving some parchment on the sides to be able to pull up). Place the pan in the refrigerator to set for one to two hours before cutting them into the desired shapes and sizes.
  8. Store these marshmallows in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe
homemade herbal marshmallows recipe

Herbal Marshmallows Recipe Tutorial

As always, none of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to diagnose, cure, or treat any condition. This is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.

Have you made homemade marshmallows before? How were they? Share in the comments below.

Lots of love,

Vanessa

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