The Best Vegan Marshmallows for S’mores, Krispie Bars and Snacks

The consistency of marshmallows comes from gelatin, making them one of the surprising foods you should never serve a vegan. But that doesn’t mean vegans have to give them up completely! You can make homemade vegan marshmallows, of course. You can also find plenty of vegan marshmallows at the grocery store, as brands and retailers are offering their own alternatives.

Generally, you can sub vegan marshmallows for traditional ones in any recipe, but there are a few things to know before you buy.

What Is a Vegan Marshmallow?

It’s a marshmallow that skips the gelatin altogether and uses another gelling agent to get that fluffy texture. Most brands use an ingredient called carrageenan, which is a compound extracted from seaweed.

Vegan marshmallows still have sugar and vanilla flavoring, ensuring you can make your favorite marshmallow desserts without having to sacrifice flavor.

If you’re baking with vegan marshmallows, note that you may need to incorporate extra time for melting. You can also use them in our best cereal bar recipes, but they will require a little bit more effort to melt. We recommend adding more time to your recipe, cutting the marshmallows into smaller pieces and being extra patient!

The Best Vegan Marshmallows to Buy

Put the Jet-Puffed marshmallows down and opt for a brand that doesn’t use gelatin. We have a few favorites below, but if you’re not sure how to tell whether your favorite brand is vegan, check out the ingredients list—the fewer ingredients the better, but make sure you don’t see gelatin or dairy products.

We’d like to recommend:

• Dandies: Our editorial team LOVES the flavor of Dandies vegan marshmallows. You can get a pack of Dandies vanilla marshmallows from Amazon for roughly $6, but that’s not even the best part. Dandies releases new flavors depending on the season, so you can get pumpkin and peppermint vegan marshmallows to satisfy your cravings.
• Trader Joe’s: The store’s brand of marshmallows is both gluten-free and vegan, making it a must-add to your grocery list. You can get jumbo, regular-size and even mini versions of these marshmallows, making them ideal for s’mores or baking.

Don’t forget the vegan chocolate bars for your s’mores!