How to dehydrate marshmallows – dry marshmallows for “Lucky Charms” type cereal, hot chocolate, and more!

We live in Africa, and sometimes my kids remember Lucky Charms from the states. Some shops here do have them . . . for $15 per box ! Needless to say, we don’t purchase those due to the cost 🙂 But I can make my own dehydrated marshmallows at home. We add them to some cheerios, and I have some happy kids excited for their special breakfast. They’re perfectly crispy and melt in your mouth without any chew. They are SO good.

And is there anything better than a big mug of creamy hot chocolate with marshmallows on top? Dehydrating marshmallows ensures that you always have marshmallows on hand for that, since they’ll last for a long time in your pantry. We love The BEST Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix recipe because it is so creamy and rich, and easy to make too! Another favorite hot chocolate recipe of ours is Pistachio Hot Chocolate – yummmm.

Dehydrated marshmallows also make a super fun ice cream topper 🙂 Add them as a topping at your summer ice cream party, or for an easy treat at home, sprinkle them on vanilla ice cream and top with graham cracker crumbs and chocolate syrup for a fun and easy S’mores Sundae. Yum. (Speaking of s’mores – these Mini S’mores Pies are one of the best little desserts on the planet. No joke.)

Need a teacher or aunt/uncle or friend gift idea?

We have the cutest little DIY Hot Cocoa Gift Kit that you could include dehydrated marshmallows with! Our completely FREE printable makes this gift easy to look adorable and first class!

WHAT KIND OF MARSHMALLOWS DO I USE FOR DRIED MARSHMALLOWS?

large ones, cut into smaller pieces
mini marshmallows
seasonal flavored marshmallows ( these are so fun! peppermint flavor in hot chocolate anyone? )

HOW DO I DEHYDRATE MARSHMALLOWS?

it is so easy!
using a dehydrator is best, but you also can use your oven if you don’t have one. If you are looking for a dehydrator, this Chefman Food Dehydrator is such a good one at a good price. With all the talk of food shortages, it is always nice to know that you have some dried food prepped and stored in the pantry.

Sale

Chefman Food Dehydrator Machine, Touch Screen Electric Multi-Tier Preserver, Meat or Beef Jerky Maker, Fruit Leather, Vegetable Dryer w/ 6 Slide Out Drying Rack Trays & Transparent Door, Black

another option for dehydrating is the Instant Pot Duo Crisp. The Duo Crisp is a pressure cooker, slow cooker, air fryer, roaster, steamer, baker, broiler, dehydrator, and sauté all in one! It really is an amazing appliance.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer Combo with Stainless Steel Pot, Pressure Cook, Slow Cook, Air Fry, Roast, Steam, Sauté, Bake, Broil and Keep Warm

DEHYDRATING MARSHMALLOWS IN A DEHYDRATOR STEP BY STEP

First, if you are using large marshmallows, cut them into smaller pieces. The smaller they are, the better they will dry. I love to use my kitchen scissors for this, but a knife will work too. You will want to occasionally dust your blade with powdered sugar in order to avoid sticking. If you are using mini marshmallows, no prep is needed!
Put your marshmallows in a single layer on the dehydrating racks. They can be close, but should not be touching. If you have a dehydrator with a lot of racks, that will certainly enable you to dehydrate a large batch of marshmallows at once.
Set your dehydrator to 150 degrees F, and dehydrate the marshmallows for around 8-10 hours. Timing can be pretty broad for dehydrating marshmallows . . . . depending on the humidity in your house and your weather.
When your marshmallows are done and cooled, you will be able to crush them in your hand and the marshmallow will turn into powder. If your marshmallows are not to this point yet, you need to turn them on for another hour or two, then check again. It’s ok if they’re on the dehydrator for “too long.” It won’t hurt them!

DEHYDRATING MARSHMALLOWS IN AN OVEN

I would definitely recommend the dehydrator instructions for best results, but if you have to, you can turn your oven to the lowest setting, prop the door open, and put your marshmallows on a single layer on cookie sheets until dry. This may take from 2-6 hours doing it this way, check them every 1/2 hour.

DEHYDRATING MARSHMALLOWS IN A DUO CRISP INSTANT POT

For this method, lay your marshmallows in a single layer, and use the dehydrator setting on 150 F for 8 hours.

HOW DO I STORE DEHYDRATED MARSHMALLOWS?

use ziplock bags
or airtight containers
or put in ziplock bags, and THEN in an airtight container, if you want them to last as long as possible!

We love these ziplock bags from Amazon! They are such a great price buying them in bulk this way. They are great quality.

Amazon Basics Gallon Food Storage Bags, 120 Count

Our favorite airtight containers are these sets. They keep our pantry organized, and I love how they keep my foods fresh and protected from humidity.