Dehydrated Marshmallows (Using an Oven or Food Dehydrator)

If you’re looking for the easiest way to step up your DIY hot chocolate mix or homemade cereal, these super simple Dehydrated Marshmallows are the way to go! Made with just a single ingredient, less than 5 minutes of prep, and either an oven or countertop food dehydrator, these sweet and crisp dehydrated mini marshmallows are a snap to make.

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 

When I was a kid, I distinctly remember fishing through a box of Lucky Charms to get my sugar-greedy hands on all the bright colors of freeze-dried marshmallows. I know I’m not alone here, right? 

Those tiny, crunchy, and colorful mallow bits of unbridled sweetness in our favorite cereals were basically the definition of childhood joy. The lucky charms marshmallows with their artificial color were worth every minute of scolding I received for putting my hands on every piece of cereal in the box. If you feel the same, this recipe is for you.

As an adult, eating the miniature marshmallows and leaving the boring parts behind won’t get me in trouble, per se, but there’s a much better way — making my own dehydrated cereal marshmallows. This “recipe” for the dehydrating process for making crunchy marshmallows is:

• Quick & Easy. You just need 5 minutes of prep before continuing on through the drying process.
• Made With Just 1 Ingredient. I’d bet you can guess what it is. Plain marshmallows!
• Budget-Friendly. If you’ve ever googled “where to buy dehydrated marshmallows” you know they’re not exactly cheap. Regular marshmallows on the other hand? I can grab a bag for under $2, which means I can scratch my childish itch for a lot less money. Then add to your mug of Hot Chocolate Coffee or Spicy orange hot chocolate!

🍴Ingredients

Whether you’re making these dehydrated marshmallows for hot chocolate during the holiday season, cereal, or a great snack, you’re in for a treat. Not only do you need just one ingredient, but you can also make them with just one piece of equipment. Here is what you’ll need:

• Mini Marshmallows - The smaller the marshmallow, the easier it will be to dry out. If you only have jumbo marshmallows, simply snip the bigger marshmallows into smaller bits using a pair of lightly oiled kitchen shears. You can use homemade marshmallows, or a bag of mini marshmallows here!
• Food Dehydrator with dehydrating racks ~OR~ Sheet Pan & Oven - Having a food dehydrator on hand is awesome for making things like these crispy marshmallows or dried citrus rounds, but they’re also pretty bulky. If you don’t have one on hand, you can easily use your trusty oven at a very low setting and a parchment-lined sheet pan instead for best results.

📖 Step by Step Instructions

Dehydrating marshmallows is a simple task. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Prep. Set dehydrator or oven to 150F. If you’re using the oven, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Step 4: Enjoy! You’re welcome to eat them by the handful, add them to your favorite breakfast bowls, or add them to a homemade hot chocolate mix. You can also store the dried marshmallows in an air-tight container or mason jars until you are ready to enjoy them!

⏲️ Substitutions & Variations

I love making these dehydrated marshmallows for hot drinks and hot chocolate mixes I gift to friends around the holidays. While plain vanilla mini marshmallows are easy to find everywhere, they’re not your only option. Here are a few more variations to consider as a great addition:

• Dehydrated Flavored Marshmallows - You might have access to gourmet marshmallows that you made or from your favorite sweets shop, or you might have a bag of seasonal marshmallows like the peppermint ones Trader Joe’s releases this time of year. Either way, feel free to use any flavor of these puffy treats to turn into blissfully crisp sugary bites.
• Larger Dried Marshmallow Discs - While itty bitty dried marshmallows are the norm, who says that’s the only size possible? Break out the large marshmallows! Use lightly oiled scissors to snip your larger marshmallows into 3-4 discs apiece for larger hot cocoa accoutrements.
• Dehydrated Marshmallow Bits - If you can’t find mini marshmallows, cut larger ones into bits instead.
• Dehydrated Vegan Marshmallows - Many commercially available types of marshmallows are made with gelatin, which means they aren’t suitable for vegans. Make sure to check your labels for a plant-based treat. I’ve had luck finding them at Trader Joe’s, Aldi, and Whole Foods.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Use a silica packet. As an avid baker, I have a weird habit of stashing any silica packets I find from buying new shoes or purses. If you have one nearby, toss it into your storage jar for these dried mini marshmallows — it’ll keep them nice and crisp for weeks at a time. If you have a vacuum sealer, this is a great alternative to keep your dehydrated dry marshmallows as delicious treats in a ziplock bag.
• Make your own cereal. It might sound crazy, but I had a blast making these mini pancakes, and mini cookies would make for a DIY cookie crisp. Add some of these crispy marshmallow bits and you have yourself a bowl of goodness that your younger self never even fathomed was possible. 
• Make DIY Hot Cocoa Mix Jars for inexpensive holiday gifts. Add some homemade dehydrated marshmallows to make sure your friends get the full, delicious effect in their steaming mug of hot chocolate.

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