These beef gelatin marshmallows are soft, bouncy, and taste like pure vanilla — and they’re made with just four ingredients: beef gelatin, sugar, water, and vanilla. No corn syrup, no pork, no stabilizers.
If you’re here because you need halal marshmallows, you’re in the right place. Most supermarket marshmallows are set with pork gelatin, and even “beef” versions usually aren’t certified. Making them at home with a halal-certified beef gelatin powder is the simplest way to know exactly what’s in them.
Quick answer: are marshmallows halal? Most store-bought marshmallows are not halal. Brands like Jet-Puffed and US-made Campfire use pork gelatin. Marshmallows are only halal when the gelatin is halal-certified beef or fish gelatin (or they’re gelatin-free) — look for a halal logo on the bag. This homemade beef gelatin marshmallow recipe is halal when you use a halal-certified beef gelatin powder.
Homemade Beef Gelatin Marshmallows Recipe
Soft, fluffy homemade marshmallows made with beef gelatin and no corn syrup. Ready in 30 minutes, halal-friendly, and miles better than store-bought.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons grass-fed beef gelatin powder (halal certified if needed, such as NOW Foods or Hearthy Foods)
- 1 cup cold water, divided into two half cups
- 1 and a half cups granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar and cornstarch for dusting (equal parts, about a quarter cup each)
Instructions
- Step 1: Bloom the Gelatin. Pour half a cup of cold water into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of beef gelatin powder evenly over the surface of the water. Do not stir. Let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb and swell.
- Step 2: Cook the Sugar Syrup. While the gelatin is blooming, combine the remaining half cup of water and the 1.5 cups of sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir once, then place over medium-high heat without stirring again. Cook until a candy thermometer reads 240°F (115°C), which takes roughly 8 to 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Combine and Whip. Set your stand mixer to low speed and slowly pour the hot syrup in a thin, steady stream down the side of the bowl into the bloomed gelatin. Once fully added, increase the speed to high and whip for 10 to 12 minutes until thick, white, and holding stiff peaks. Add the vanilla extract during the final minute of mixing.
- Step 4: Transfer to the Pan. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter and dust with an even layer of the powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture. Using a greased spatula, quickly transfer the marshmallow fluff to the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more sugar/cornstarch mixture.
- Step 5: Set and Cut. Leave uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours (overnight is preferred). Turn out onto a dusted cutting board, cut into squares using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, and immediately toss each piece in the extra dusting mixture to prevent sticking.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Yield 1 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 167Total Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gSodium 92mgCarbohydrates 4gSugar 4gProtein 36g
Nutritional values are approximate estimates calculated per serving based on standard ingredient data. Actual values may vary based on specific brands used.
Why Make Marshmallows With Beef Gelatin?
- It’s pork-free. Most unflavored supermarket gelatin — including Knox — is pork-derived. Beef gelatin swaps in 1:1 with no change to the method.
- It can be halal. With a halal-certified beef gelatin powder, the whole recipe is halal. Beef gelatin on its own isn’t automatically halal (more on that below).
- No corn syrup. Store-bought marshmallows are mostly corn syrup, dextrose, and modified cornstarch. This version uses plain sugar (or honey or maple syrup).
- Better texture. Homemade beef gelatin marshmallows are softer and more pillowy than the bagged kind, and they toast beautifully.
New to the ingredient? Our guide to what beef gelatin is covers how it’s made, and beef gelatin benefits explains the glycine and proline it adds.
Ingredients for Beef Gelatin Marshmallows
- 3 tablespoons (about 30 g) beef gelatin powder — unflavored; halal-certified if you need halal marshmallows (see brands below)
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold water, divided into two ½ cups
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or alcohol-free vanilla / vanilla powder for strict halal)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar + ¼ cup cornstarch, mixed, for dusting
Refined-sugar-free option: replace the sugar with 1 cup of honey or pure maple syrup. The marshmallows come out slightly softer with a deeper flavor. Method stays the same.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Stand mixer with a whisk attachment (a hand mixer works but takes patience — a hand whisk won’t)
- Medium saucepan
- Candy thermometer
- 9×13 inch pan
- Greased spatula and a sharp knife or kitchen scissors
How to Make Beef Gelatin Marshmallows (Step by Step)
Step 1: Bloom the beef gelatin
Pour ½ cup cold water into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of beef gelatin evenly over the surface — don’t stir. Let it sit 10 minutes until it swells into a firm, spongy mass. Cold water only; warm water starts dissolving the gelatin before it hydrates and weakens the set.
Step 2: Cook the sugar syrup to 240°F
Combine the remaining ½ cup water and 1½ cups sugar in a saucepan. Stir once, then heat over medium-high without stirring. Cook to 240°F (115°C), the soft-ball stage — about 8–10 minutes.
No thermometer? Drop a little syrup into cold water. If it forms a soft ball that flattens when you lift it out, it’s ready.
Step 3: Pour and whip for 10–12 minutes
With the mixer on low, pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl onto the bloomed gelatin (pouring down the side stops splatter). Once it’s all in, turn the mixer to high and whip 10–12 minutes until the mixture is thick, bright white, glossy, and roughly tripled. Add the vanilla in the last minute.
Step 4: Spread in the pan
Grease the 9×13 pan with butter (or a neutral oil) and dust it heavily with the powdered sugar–cornstarch mix. Scrape the marshmallow fluff in with a greased spatula, smooth the top, and dust the surface.
Step 5: Set, then cut
Leave the pan uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours — overnight is best. Turn the slab onto a dusted board, cut into squares with a greased knife or scissors, and toss every cut side in the dusting mix.ure immediately after cutting to prevent sticking.
Tips for Perfect Beef Gelatin Marshmallows
- Don’t go past 245°F. Hotter syrup makes firm, chewy marshmallows instead of soft ones.
- Pour slowly. A steady 20–30 second stream keeps the texture even.
- Whip the full time. Under-whipped marshmallows are flat and dense.
- Don’t reduce the gelatin. 3 tablespoons is what lets the slab cut cleanly.
- Coat generously. The dusting mix is the only thing that stops them sticking.
Flavor Variations
Mini marshmallows: spread into two pans for a thinner slab and cut into ½-inch cubes — perfect for cocoa.
Honey marshmallows: 1 cup honey instead of sugar; slightly denser, caramel-like.
Maple marshmallows: 1 cup pure maple syrup; light and fragrant.
Chocolate: whisk 3 tablespoons cocoa into the dusting mix and 2 tablespoons into the fluff in the last minute.
Peppermint: swap the vanilla for ½ teaspoon peppermint extract.
Are Marshmallows Halal?
Usually not. Marshmallows get their bounce from gelatin, and in most countries that gelatin is pork. Marshmallows are halal only when:
- the gelatin is halal-certified beef or fish gelatin, or the marshmallows are gelatin-free (agar, pectin, carrageenan), and
- the rest of the product — flavorings, colors, processing — is also halal.
The easy test: look for a recognized halal logo on the bag. “Beef gelatin” alone isn’t enough, because it doesn’t tell you how the cow was slaughtered.
Which marshmallows are halal? (Brand guide)
| Marshmallow / product | Gelatin source | Halal? |
|---|---|---|
| Jet-Puffed (Kraft Heinz) | Pork | ❌ No |
| Campfire (sold in the US) | Pork | ❌ No |
| Campfire Beef Gelatin Recipe (export version) | Halal-certified beef (HTO) | ✅ Yes |
| Ziyad Halal Marshmallows | Halal-certified beef | ✅ Yes |
| Freedom Mallows (UK) | No gelatin (plant-based) | ✅ Halal certified |
| Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats bars | Beef or pork (not specified) | ❌ Not certified |
| Homemade (this recipe) | Your choice of beef gelatin | ✅ Yes, with halal-certified gelatin |
Do Jet-Puffed marshmallows have pork gelatin?
Yes. Kraft has stated that the gelatin in Jet-Puffed marshmallows is pork-based, so they are not halal (or kosher).
Are Campfire marshmallows halal?
The ones sold in US stores are not — they use pork gelatin. Campfire makes a separate beef gelatin version for export markets (mainly the Middle East) that is halal certified by Halal Transactions of Omaha.
Do Rice Krispies Treats have pork or beef gelatin?
Kellogg’s says the bars may contain either beef or pork gelatin and doesn’t specify which, so they aren’t considered halal. Homemade rice crispy treats made with these marshmallows are.
What are halal marshmallows made of?
The same things as regular marshmallows — sugar (or corn syrup), water, flavoring, and a gelling agent — except the gelling agent is halal-certified beef gelatin, fish gelatin, or a plant-based alternative.
Do halal marshmallows melt and toast?
Yes. Beef gelatin marshmallows melt into cocoa and toast over a fire just like pork gelatin ones. Plant-based (agar) marshmallows are the exception — they tend to hold their shape more when heated.
Is Gelatin Halal? Which Beef Gelatin Powder to Use
Gelatin is halal only if its source is halal. Pork gelatin is always haram. Beef gelatin is halal only when it comes from cattle slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines — which is why you need a halal certification on the package, not just the word “beef” or “bovine.” Fish gelatin is widely accepted as halal.
For the full ruling, the istihala debate, and halal vs. kosher, read our complete guide: Is Beef Gelatin Halal? ← point this at your merged halal page
Halal beef gelatin powder: which brands work for marshmallows?
| Brand | Halal status | Notes for this recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Hearthy Foods Beef Gelatin | Halal certified (also kosher) | Our top pick when halal matters |
| NOW Foods Beef Gelatin | Listed as halal — check for NOW’s crescent-moon “H” halal logo on your tub | Easy to find at Walmart and iHerb |
| Great Lakes Wellness Beef Gelatin | No longer halal certified (per the company); kosher | Works well, but not for halal |
| Knox Unflavored Gelatine | Not halal (pork-derived in the US) | Avoid for halal marshmallows |
Any unflavored beef gelatin powder works in the recipe itself. For price and performance comparisons, see our best beef gelatin powder guide.
Other ingredients: sugar, water, and cornstarch are halal. Corn syrup (if you use it) is plant-based and generally halal. Standard vanilla extract contains alcohol as a carrier — if you avoid it, use alcohol-free vanilla, vanilla powder, or a halal-certified extract.
How to Store Homemade Marshmallows
- Room temperature: airtight container, parchment between layers, up to 1 week. Don’t refrigerate — fridge moisture makes them sticky and rubbery.
- Freezer: freeze in a single layer for 2 hours, then bag. Keeps 3 months; thaws in about 20 minutes.
Ways to Use Beef Gelatin Marshmallows
- Hot cocoa: 2–3 per mug; they melt into a creamy foam.
- Halal s’mores: graham crackers + dark chocolate + a toasted marshmallow (check your chocolate and crackers for halal status too).
- Rice crispy treats: use about 10 oz (roughly 3 cups) of these marshmallows per 6 cups of cereal.
- Broiled: 30 seconds under the broiler for a crackly golden top.
Want to keep going with beef gelatin? Try our beef gelatin gummies or beef collagen jello.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make marshmallows with beef gelatin?
Yes. Beef gelatin works 1:1 in place of regular (pork) gelatin. Use 3 tablespoons (about 30 g) for a 9×13 pan, bloom it in cold water, and whip it with a 240°F sugar syrup.
Is beef gelatin halal?
Only if it’s halal certified. Beef gelatin is halal when the cattle were slaughtered according to Islamic law; without certification it’s considered doubtful (mashbooh). Brands like Hearthy Foods carry halal certification.
How much beef gelatin do I use for marshmallows?
3 tablespoons, about 30 g — roughly four 7-g envelopes. Don’t use less or the marshmallows won’t set firmly enough to cut.
How do you make halal marshmallows at home?
Follow this recipe with a halal-certified beef gelatin powder and alcohol-free vanilla. Everything else — sugar, water, cornstarch — is already halal.
Is kosher gelatin halal?
Not automatically. Kosher and halal slaughter rules differ, and some kosher gelatin is fish or pork-free beef that wasn’t halal-slaughtered. Some Muslims accept kosher beef gelatin when no halal option exists, but a halal certification is the safest choice.
Can I use honey instead of sugar?
Yes — 1 cup honey or pure maple syrup replaces the 1½ cups sugar. Expect a slightly softer, denser marshmallow.
Why didn’t my marshmallows fluff up?
Usually under-whipping (whip the full 10–12 minutes on high) or syrup that didn’t reach 240°F.
Why are my marshmallows sticky?
Not enough coating, or they were covered while still warm. Toss every cut side in the dusting mix and let them air-dry on a rack for an hour if needed.
Can I make these without a stand mixer?
A hand mixer works if you can hold it for 10+ minutes on high. A hand whisk won’t get there.
The Bottom Line
Beef gelatin marshmallows are the easiest way to get fluffy, pork-free marshmallows — and with a halal-certified beef gelatin powder, they’re fully halal. Bloom the gelatin, cook the syrup to 240°F, whip for 12 minutes, set overnight, and cut. Made them? Leave a star rating in the recipe card — it genuinely helps other readers find the recipe.
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