What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘marshmallow’? Is it s’mores? Hot chocolate? Rice Krispy Treats? Perhaps the hotly debated marshmallow peeps? No matter what images you conjure, it’s likely that ancient Egypt isn’t one of them. But it should be! Ancient Egyptians were the first to enjoy a gooey treat now called marshmallow as early as 2000 BC. The treat was considered very special and it was reserved for gods and royalty. Marshmallow was made from the mallow plant that grows wild in marshes. The term marshmallow was derived both from the native home of the plant and the plant name. The Egyptians squeezed sap from the mallow plant and mixed it with nuts and honey...sounds pretty good to us!
The recipe might be ancient but the popularity of marshmallows lives on. Americans buy 90 million pounds of marshmallows each year, which’s about the same weight as 1,286 gray whales. Check out our list of the top 20 ways (yes, 20!) you can use marshmallows in your next recipe below!
- Add them as a topping on your next sweet potato casserole
- Coat them in melted chocolate and sea salt
- Layer together a s’mores parfait
- Mix up a classic with peanut butter Rice Krispie treats
- Get festive with chocolate marshmallow peppermint bark
- Whip up some decadent rocky road fudge
- Create a hot chocolate bar for your next crowd
- Use as a soothing (and tasty) throat lozenge
- Layer in decadent fruit and mini marshmallows for Ambrosia salad
- Craft a boozy hot chocolate martini topped with marshmallows, of course
- Blend up a Rice Krispie treat milkshake
- Satisfy your cravings with sweet & salty popcorn balls
- Decorate your next cake with marshmallow fluff frosting
- Stop ice cream cone drips by placing marshmallows inside the bottom of the cone
- Stay (sort of) healthy with marshmallow fruit dip
- Bake a sweet potato and marshmallow swirl cheesecake
- Stay kid-friendly with marshmallow pops (dip them in frosting, chocolate, sprinkles, nuts...go wild!)
- Melt marshmallows on the top of cupcakes for a frosting replacement
- Sprinkle them over pancakes or waffles for a delicious topping variation
- Create a new summer classic with grilled pineapple s’mores
