When you become vegan or vegetarian, you will need to become accustomed to not having certain foods. You need to be aware of marshmallows vegan and what is in them. You need to find out what foods you can no longer have. Which foods you need to look for alternatives for, including your favorite sweet treats.
There is nothing cozier than toasting marshmallows on a cold evening by the fire. Not only is it a romantic and fun activity, but it is also very delicious!
Marshmallows are tasty. You need to make sure that the ingredients are suitable for vegans to eat, but are they?
This article will explain whether or not marshmallows are vegan. That you can see if they are suitable for you to eat as a vegan or vegetarian.
Find out more below about what non-vegan ingredients you should be on the lookout for.
Are Marshmallows Vegan?
Unfortunately, marshmallows are not usually vegan-friendly.
One of the key ingredients in marshmallows to make them sticky and chewy is gelatin. It comes from animals, making it not suitable for vegans to consume.
Gelatin usually comes from pigs, which is why it may be written as ‘pork gelatin’ on the packaging.
If you are shopping for marshmallows, this is one of the key ingredients to look out for to see if you need to avoid this particular brand.
The packaging should also state on the front or back whether or not the marshmallows are suitable for vegans or vegetarians, but it is always safe to check the ingredients list to make sure.
As well as gelatin, some marshmallow brands contain egg whites, which are not vegan. This is not as common in marshmallows as gelatin, but it is commonly used in marshmallow fluff.
You can check the ingredients list on marshmallow fluff to see if they contain egg whites, and if they do, you should avoid them. They will be suitable for vegetarians, but not for vegans.
Do Vegan Marshmallows Exist?
Vegan marshmallows do exist and they can be found in general supermarkets, you just need to work hard at finding them!
They do not contain gelatin, which some people say can affect the chewy texture of the marshmallows, but the taste is still the same, which is great for marshmallow lovers!
The chewy texture of vegan marshmallows is achieved by the use of carrageenan, which comes from dried seaweed. Although the marshmallows contain seaweed, they do not taste salty at all!
They are still sweet and delicious, so do not be put off by the ingredients list! You can also buy vegan marshmallows in mini form for hot cocoa recipes!
Can You Make Vegan Marshmallows At Home?
If you are having a hard time finding vegan marshmallows in the supermarket, you can make them at home.
To make the marshmallows at home, you will need cream of tartar, agar agar powder, powdered sugar, water, sugar, vanilla extract, and aquafaba.
Aquafaba is the water that is found inside a can of chickpeas.
Line your baking tray with parchment paper and dust the surface with powdered sugar. This will stop the marshmallow from sticking to the paper when it is done.
In a large bowl, mix cream of tartar and aquafaba until the mixture becomes stiff. It should be fluffy and white when you are done.
Add vanilla extract and continue to stir before putting the bowl to the side for the next part of the process. Place a heatproof bowl over a heated pan and mix agar agar powder and water so that it simmers.
Keep mixing to prevent the ingredients from sticking. When the mixture becomes thick, add the sugar.
Keep stirring the mixture and make sure that the sugar does not burn. When the sugar dissolves completely, pour it into the bowl with the aquafaba and cream of tartar and stir until it thickens and is well combined.
Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray and sprinkle with more powdered sugar. Cover the marshmallow mixture with tin foil and chill it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours.
Once the mixture has sat for 3 hours, sprinkle it with more powdered sugar and transfer the mixture onto a plate.
Sprinkle a knife with powdered sugar to prevent it from sticking to the marshmallow and cut it into cubes. Serve the marshmallows straight away and enjoy!
Use Food Coloring!
Marshmallows are often served in pink and white, so turn your homemade vegan marshmallows pink by using food coloring.
You will only need a couple of drops of food coloring to turn the mixture the classic pale pink color that store-bought marshmallows are, but make sure that it is mixed well.
If you add too much food coloring, the color will be too dark and may look unappealing to eat. If you add too little, you will not be able to see the difference.
It is important to add a couple of drops at a time to control the color that your marshmallows will be.
How To Store Homemade Vegan Marshmallows
The best way to store homemade vegan marshmallows is to keep them covered in the fridge for a maximum of 5 days.
You should check the marshmallows before eating them to check that they haven’t gone bad, but they should keep them for up to 5 days. If you leave the marshmallows at room temperature, they will melt.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, most store-bought marshmallows are not vegan-friendly as they contain gelatin, so it is important to look for this in the ingredients list to see if the marshmallows are suitable for vegans to eat.
The packaging should state if the marshmallows are suitable, but checking the ingredients is recommended.
You can buy vegan marshmallows from the supermarket, but you can also make homemade vegan marshmallows!
There are options for vegans to still have their favorite sweet treats so they do not miss out, so you can either find store-bought marshmallows or make your own, it is up to you!
Hi, my name is Clara Howie and I have been a vegan since I was 22 years old. Now, ten years later, I’d like to think that I’ve learned a few things about this way of life!
I can’t lie, when I first began my vegan journey, the majority of my diet did consist of just vegetables and fruit with the occasional piece of tofu thrown in.
I got back on my feet, though, and I vowed to never make that same mistake again! I spent my free time learning about how to nourish my body properly without the use of meat and animal products. It actually turned out to be pretty easy!
Now I am healthier than ever and working alongside a nutritionist to ensure that I don’t slip up again.
That’s what this website is all about! Helping more people turn to the vegan lifestyle in a healthy and happy manner. I’ve got recipes, advice, tricks, tips, and more coming your way, so don’t miss it!
