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From campfires to cocoa, breakfast cereals to ooey-gooey sweet treats, marshmallows are the definition of nostalgia. But since when did growing up mean people can’t indulge in s’more of this childhood favorite? Enter the gourmet marshmallow.

“Newstalgia”, the reintroduction or reimagining of classic products for today’s consumers, has been one of the hottest food and beverage trends in recent years. Few foods have taken this trend and run with it quite like specialty marshmallows have.

Far from what you might remember, with boozy infusions and elevated international profiles like chai, ube, or Mexican hot chocolate, these flavored marshmallows manage to satisfy the palettes of both the inner child and the tax-paying adult.

But where is this evolution heading, and what can it mean for developers looking to scale these hand-crafted treats and offer the best gourmet marshmallows on a larger scale?

gourmet-marshmallow — Picture from Baked Bree

The Evolution of Marshmallows

Believe it or not, marshmallows were seen as luxurious treats fit for royalty from their ancient beginnings.

In fact, when the first marshmallows were created in ancient Egypt around 2000 BC, the sweet confection was reserved for the pharaohs and the gods.

Their version mixed honey with the sap of the wild mallow plant found in the marshlands (hence the name).

Still, something resembling the marshmallow we know and love today didn’t take shape for nearly another 4000 years when, in the 1800s, French candy makers started to whip the marshmallow sap with sugar and egg whites. At the same time, doctors used a similar recipe to make a hard meringue-like medicinal candy used to heal wounds, soothe sore throats, and suppress coughs.

Fast-forward to 1927, the Girl Scout Handbook introduced the world to ‘Some Mores’, and by the midway point of the century, new extrusion processes standardized marshmallows into the product that consumers have been enjoying for generations.

More than half a century later, artisanal marshmallows are transforming this everyday treat into a premium confection

What Defines Gourmet Marshmallows?

In 2023, the North American marshmallow market reached over USD 362 billion and is projected to reach an impressive USD 644.72 billion by 2032.

Gourmet marshmallows have an opportunity to play a major role in expanding this category. This starts by recognizing and recreating what defines and separates specialty marshmallows from the rest.

“I think, in the EU market at least, gourmet marshmallows are used as a vehicle to explore a variety of interesting tastes and textures,” says Susan O’Shaughnessy, Sr. Scientist – EMEA/APAC Applications at Edlong.

“You’re not often going to find one consistent color, flavor, or texture in these handmade marshmallows. For example, a lemon marshmallow may have a lemon curd running through it, or a coconut one might have a toasted coconut coating and coconut flavor throughout.”

She adds that these artisanal marshmallows are characterized by their bouncy, pillowy-soft, and goey texture that helps them stand out when compared to the small cylindrical confections consumers are used to.

According to Peter Kern, Junior Flavorist at Edlong, achieving a “premium” texture may come down not only to the choice of ingredients but also the processing and scale of production. “So think of it with traditional marshmallows, they contain gelatin, which is a protein. This protein functions in marshmallows, much like gluten does in bread. Meaning it’s going to add structure, help it stretch nicely, and greatly assist in aeration. Then there is the heating process, which provides even more of those bubbles, giving these handmade marshmallows that perfect bouncy texture. However, this can create challenges when you’re looking to scale.”

He explains that more processed and mass-produced marshmallows often require stabilizers and binding agents like eggs in order for them to maintain their texture, and even that can turn the experience of specialty marshmallows into something still nostalgic, just less luxurious.

However, Kern doesn’t think that this means an elevated marshmallow isn’t attainable outside the artisanal shops; instead, it’s about striking a balance between texture and taste and leaning into the science of what already makes marshmallows so special.

Sweet Brown Flavor in Gourmet Marshmallows

“Regardless of whether you obsess over perfectly browning your marshmallows like me, or your the type the goes for the fully-charred variety, which I usually end-up with, there is a deeply embedded biological reasons why toasted marshmallows taste so good,” says Kern.

He continues, “We’re hard-wired to love the taste of cooked foods, not to mention sugar. On top of this the large molecules, called melanoidins, created from the caramelization and Maillard reactions from the sugar and proteins create a richer more indulgent mouthfeel that can mimic the perception of fattiness. It really is the ultimate hack of the brain’s reward system.”

As discussed in detail in a recent article, this browning is a significant reason sweet brown profiles are so loved and the ideal way to turn marshmallows gourmet.

“When it comes to indulgent dessert profiles, there are so many different flavors of marshmallows you can try,” says O’Shaughnessy.

“Of course, you have classic profiles like cheesecake that work well and are easy to elevate with things like lemon or basil, but brown profiles like mocha, tiramisu, and caramels just pair so well. You can also experiment with marshmallow flavors like miso, vanilla rum, and marshmallows filled with chocolates. It might sound cliche, but the possibilities are endless.”

Leaning into culinary creativity, Edlong created a flight of specialty marshmallows utilizing their sweet brown flavors for delicious profiles, including:

Praline Crunch:

• Natural Dark Chocolate Flavor #614 @ 0.5%

• Coating: Natural Praline-Type Flavor #1412596 @ 0.9%

Toasted Coconut Rum:

• Natural Vanilla Rum-Type Flavor #1412628 @ 0.5%

• Natural Roasted Coconut Flavor #1412884 @ 0.5%

• Coating: Natural Dark Chocolate Flavor #614 @ 0.5%

Campfire S’mores:

• Natural Vanilla Whiskey-Type Flavor #1412896 @ 0.5%

• Coating: Natural Dark Chocolate Flavor #614 @ 0.5%; 10% dilution of Birch Tar Oil @ 0.01%

O’Shaughnessy believes these authentic, sweet brown flavors and others are an excellent option for developers looking to scale or add premium profiles to their flavored marshmallows.

“When making gourmet flavored marshmallows, there are a lot of ways that flavors can help achieve your aim, but two that really stand out. First, sometimes you don’t have the facilities or productive capacity to add an original ingredient, like let’s say caramel. Flavors allow you to overcome these hurdles and incorporate or layer these profiles. The second is to help boost or enhance the flavor of an ingredient. For example, you are making an inclusion, but the flavor doesn’t pop; however, increasing the ingredients might be too costly or negatively affect the stability or texture of the product. Flavors allow you to top note the existing profiles for an even more gourmet experience.”