Handmade vs Mass-Produced Marshmallows: What's the Real Difference?
After testing countless marshmallows, I reveal the real differences between artisan handmade marshmallows like Mallow and Marsh and mass-produced versions. From ingredients to texture, here's what actually matters.
The Moment I Realised Not All Marshmallows Are Equal
Last November, I was standing in my kitchen at 7am, cup of hot chocolate in hand, when I made a discovery that genuinely surprised me. I'd dropped one of those standard supermarket mini marshmallows into my drink, then added a Mallow and Marsh salted caramel square as a comparison. The cheap one bounced off the surface like a tiny rubber ball. The Mallow and Marsh one? It started melting into this gorgeous caramel swirl almost immediately.
That, right there, is the difference we're talking about.
I've spent the better part of the last three months testing marshmallows for this comparison. My colleagues have started giving me strange looks when I wander into the office at 9am tasting what can only be described as 'interesting flavour combinations'. But honestly, the gap between handmade and mass-produced marshmallows is wider than I expected—and it's not just about being a food snob.
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What Actually Goes Into Each Type of Marshmallow
The Basics: Sugar, Air, and Structure
At their core, all marshmallows contain the same fundamental ingredients: sugar, water, a gelling agent (usually gelatin), and air. That's it. The magic is in how these simple components come together.
But here's where it gets interesting. Mass-produced marshmallows—the ones you'll find bagged in bulk at most supermarkets—typically contain:
- High fructose corn syrup (or glucose syrup in the UK)
- Dried egg albumen (not fresh eggs)
- Artificial flavourings
- Various stabilisers and preservatives
- Cornstarch coating
Handmade marshmallows from artisan producers like Mallow and Marsh take a different approach entirely. Their ingredient list reads more like something you'd make at home:
- Cane sugar
- Fresh egg whites (not dried)
- Natural vanilla extract
- Real Belgian chocolate (for coated varieties)
- Fairtrade ingredients where possible
The difference might seem minor on paper. In practice? It's night and day.
The Gelatin Question
Here's something that surprised me during my research: the way gelatin is handled completely changes the final product.
In commercial factories, gelatin gets cooked directly with the sugar syrup. It's efficient. It's fast. It also degrades some of the gelatin's structure, which is why mass-produced marshmallows can taste a bit... plasticky.
Artisan producers do it differently. They add the gelatin after the syrup has been heated and cooled down, preserving its setting properties. It's an extra step that takes more time, but the result is that characteristic pillowy softness you'll never find in a bag of supermarket minis.
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How They're Actually Made: Factory vs Small Batch
The Extrusion Method (Mass Production)
If you've ever wondered how companies produce millions of identical marshmallows, the answer came in 1948. A bloke called Alex Doumak invented the extrusion process, and it changed everything.
Here's how it works: the marshmallow mixture gets pumped through long tubes, cut into uniform pieces, and cooled rapidly. What used to take hours of hand-whisking and setting now happens in about sixty minutes flat.
The result is those perfectly cylindrical marshmallows that all look identical. They're consistent, I'll give them that. But consistent doesn't mean good.
The Artisan Approach
Handmade marshmallows follow a completely different process. At Mallow and Marsh, for instance, they whisk their marshmallows in Yorkshire using what's essentially a scaled-up version of making them at home.
The process involves:
- Heating the sugar syrup to exactly the right temperature (usually around 115-120°C)
- Whipping egg whites separately until they form stiff peaks
- Combining the two slowly while continuing to whisk
- Adding flavourings at precisely the right moment
- Pouring into trays and letting them set naturally for hours
- Hand-cutting each piece
It's labour-intensive. It's slower. And yes, it costs more. But the texture is incomparable—like biting into a cloud, as one confectioner told me. (I've now stolen that phrase. It's mine.)
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The Taste Test: Can You Actually Tell the Difference?
Right, let's get to the bit you actually care about.
I ran an informal blind taste test with six colleagues. We compared:
- Standard supermarket mini marshmallows
- Mid-range branded marshmallows (you know the ones)
- Mallow and Marsh vanilla
- Mallow and Marsh salted caramel (coated in Belgian chocolate)
The verdict? Everyone—and I mean everyone—could identify the handmade ones. Even Dave from accounts, who once told me all coffee tastes the same, noticed the difference immediately.
What People Actually Said
'The cheap ones are just... sweet. Nothing else going on.'
'This one [Mallow and Marsh] actually tastes like something.'
'Why is this one so soft? The others feel like little foam pellets.'
That last comment stuck with me. Mass-produced marshmallows have a certain bounce to them—almost rubbery. It's that extruded texture. Handmade ones are softer, squishier, and melt differently on your tongue.
The Hot Chocolate Test
Here's where things get really interesting. I'm a big fan of using marshmallows in hot chocolate, so I had to test this properly.
Mass-produced mini marshmallows tend to sit on top of your drink. They slowly absorb liquid and eventually dissolve, but it takes ages. And when they do melt, they leave this slightly gummy residue.
The gourmet marshmallows? They start melting almost immediately. The Mallow and Marsh ones created this beautiful swirl—the Belgian chocolate coating mixing with the hot chocolate to create something genuinely special.
Call me old-fashioned, but I think that's worth the extra money.
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The Mallow and Marsh Story: Yorkshire Roots
Since we're comparing handmade to mass-produced, it's worth talking about who actually makes these things.
Mallow and Marsh was founded in 2013 by Harriot Pleydell-Bouverie with a simple mission: 'to put good marshmallow on the map.' She started making marshmallows in Yorkshire, and that's still where they're whisked and cut today.
The brand has grown significantly since then—you can now find them in Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose, and Boots—but they've maintained their small-batch approach. In 2023, they were acquired by Serious Sweets Company (the same folks behind Mighty Fine honeycomb), but the production methods haven't changed.
What I appreciate about their approach is the transparency. They use:
- Fairtrade Belgian chocolate for their coated range
- 100% natural ingredients
- No artificial colours or flavours
This isn't marketing fluff—you can actually taste the difference.
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Price Comparison: Is Handmade Worth It?
Let's address the elephant in the room. Handmade marshmallows cost more. Sometimes significantly more.
Here's a rough comparison as of January 2026:
| Product | Approximate Price | Price per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarket own-brand minis | £1.00 | ~£0.50 |
| Branded mass-produced | £1.50 | ~£0.75 |
| Mallow and Marsh bar | £2.00 | ~£4.00 |
| Mallow and Marsh sharing pouch | £3.50 | ~£3.50 |
So yes, you're paying roughly 5-8 times more for the good stuff. But here's my controversial take: I think it's worth it, but not for every use.
If you're making rice crispy squares for twenty kids at a birthday party? Buy the cheap ones. Seriously. Nobody will notice, and you'll save a fortune.
But if you're having a quiet evening in, making yourself a proper hot chocolate, or giving marshmallows as a gift? That's when the handmade ones justify their price. It's the difference between grabbing a meal deal and going to a nice restaurant. Both have their place.
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What I Didn't Love About Each Type
Look, I'm not here to pretend handmade marshmallows are perfect. They're not.
Handmade Marshmallow Downsides
- Shelf life is shorter. Without preservatives, they don't last as long. Mallow and Marsh recommends consuming within 3 months for optimal freshness.
- They're not as versatile for cooking. That soft texture that makes them lovely to eat? It means they can over-melt in baking.
- The price. I know I said it's worth it, but it does add up if you're a frequent marshmallow consumer.
- Availability. You can't always find artisan marshmallows in every shop.
Mass-Produced Marshmallow Downsides
- Taste is... muted. There's sweetness, but not much else.
- Texture can be rubbery. That bouncy quality isn't always pleasant.
- Artificial ingredients. Check the labels—you might not recognise everything.
- They don't melt as nicely. For hot drinks, this is a dealbreaker for me.
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The Vegan Marshmallow Situation
I should mention this because it comes up constantly: most marshmallows aren't vegan or vegetarian due to the gelatin.
Mallow and Marsh uses beef gelatin, so they're not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. However, they are halal-certified, which matters to many UK shoppers.
If you're looking for vegan marshmallow options, brands like Dandies and Freedom Mallows use plant-based alternatives. They're worth trying, though I'll be honest—the texture is slightly different. Still far superior to mass-produced regular marshmallows, in my opinion.
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How to Spot Quality Marshmallows
After all this testing, here's my quick guide to identifying quality marshmallows without having to taste them first:
Good Signs
- Short ingredient list (under 10 ingredients)
- 'Made in the UK' with a specific location
- No artificial colours or flavours mentioned
- Soft when you gently squeeze the packet
- Individual wrapping or protective packaging
Warning Signs
- Dried egg albumen instead of fresh egg whites
- Multiple stabilisers and preservatives
- Very low price point (under £1 per 100g)
- Uniform, extruded shapes with no variation
- Chalky coating that rubs off easily
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My Final Verdict
After testing more marshmallows than I care to admit, here's where I've landed.
Mass-produced marshmallows have their place. They're cheap, consistent, and perfectly fine for kids' treats, camping s'mores, and recipes where the marshmallow isn't the star.
Handmade marshmallows are genuinely better. Not in a pretentious, 'I only eat artisan food' way—they're objectively superior in taste, texture, and ingredient quality. Brands like Mallow and Marsh are doing something special, and the price reflects that.
If you've never tried a premium marshmallow, I'd genuinely encourage you to pick up a Mallow and Marsh bar next time you're doing a shop. Drop it into a hot chocolate. Let it melt slowly. And then try going back to the regular ones.
You probably won't want to.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are marshmallows made of?
Standard marshmallows contain sugar, water, gelatin, and air—that's the basic formula. Mass-produced versions typically add corn syrup, dried egg albumen, artificial flavourings, and preservatives. Handmade marshmallows use simpler ingredients: cane sugar, fresh egg whites, natural flavourings, and real chocolate for coated varieties.
How are marshmallows made?
There are two main methods. Factory marshmallows use extrusion—pumping the mixture through tubes and cutting it into uniform shapes in about an hour. Artisan marshmallows are whisked in small batches, with egg whites whipped separately and sugar syrup added gradually. The mixture is then poured into trays and left to set naturally for several hours before being hand-cut.
Are marshmallows vegan?
Most traditional marshmallows are not vegan because they contain gelatin, which is derived from animal collagen. Mallow and Marsh uses beef gelatin, so they're not suitable for vegans. However, brands like Dandies and Freedom Mallows make vegan marshmallows using plant-based alternatives like tapioca starch or carrageenan.
How are marshmallows made in a factory?
Commercial marshmallow production uses the extrusion method invented by Alex Doumak in 1948. The ingredients are mixed together with gelatin cooked directly into the sugar syrup, then pumped through tubes, cut into uniform pieces, and cooled rapidly. This streamlined process produces marshmallows in about 60 minutes compared to the hours required for traditional methods.
Why do handmade marshmallows taste better?
Several factors contribute to the superior taste. Fresh egg whites create a lighter, fluffier texture than dried albumen. Natural flavourings provide genuine taste rather than artificial approximations. The gelatin is added after heating, preserving its setting properties. And without preservatives, you taste the actual ingredients rather than chemical additives.
How long do gourmet marshmallows last?
Handmade marshmallows typically have a shorter shelf life than mass-produced versions because they lack preservatives. Mallow and Marsh recommends consuming within 3 months of production for optimal freshness. Store them in a cool, dark place—refrigeration can extend their life but may slightly alter the texture.
Are Mallow and Marsh marshmallows halal?
Yes, Mallow and Marsh uses halal-certified beef gelatin in their marshmallows. This makes them suitable for those following halal dietary requirements, though they're not suitable for vegans or vegetarians due to the animal-derived gelatin.
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About the Author
Tom HartleyProduct Reviewer
Comparing supermarket products to find the best value.
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