Marshmallow fluff has tempted both kids and adults for decades, and for good reason; it’s a super sweet and creamy delight perfect for adding to s’mores or other desserts if you don’t want the hassle of melting one or more marshmallows yourself. But is marshmallow fluff gluten-free, and can folks with gluten sensitivity enjoy this sweet treat?
Marshmallow Fluff is considered gluten-free. Marshmallow Fluff contains very few ingredients, none of which are commonly derived from gluten. However, some marshmallow fluff brands may contain one or more gluten-based ingredients. Therefore, you should always check the ingredients list. The best gluten-free and healthier alternative to Marshmallow Fluff is Walden Farms Calorie Free Marshmallow Dip.
Not sure which brands of marshmallow fluff are gluten-free? Or do you not know what ingredients to look for? Let us answer both of those questions for you in detail below.
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How to Tell if Marshmallow Fluff is Gluten-Free
In the past, many marshmallow makers and marshmallow fluff manufacturers used wheat starch as one of their base ingredients. However, recent trends to better accommodate folks with gluten sensitivities have led the majority of manufacturers to replace the wheat starch with cornstarch.
Wheat starch is and was, without a doubt, the most problematic ingredient for folks with gluten sensitivities. Additionally, most marshmallow fluff manufacturers have also adopted the trend of marking their gluten-free products clearly using special labels on the front or back.
That said, it’s never a bad idea to check the back of a given marshmallow fluff brand to investigate the ingredients yourself. The majority of marshmallow fluff brands don’t have very many ingredients: they essentially just include sweeteners and one or more emulsifying agents. Emulsifiers grant the marshmallow fluff its unique, creamy texture.
Typical Ingredients in Marshmallow Fluff
In fact, most marshmallow fluff brands will barely deviate from this core list of ingredients:
- Egg white
- Corn syrup
- Sugar syrup
- Corn starch
- Vanilla flavor
That’s it. Given such a small ingredient list, there’s not a lot of room to add wheat or other gluten-based ingredients. That said, some brands do have wheat-based or gluten-based ingredients. You should specifically watch out for the following elements to make sure you don’t eat something with gluten by accident.
- Wheat protein or starch
- Triticum spelta, a type of wheat
- Malt
- Secale cereal
- Wheat flour
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Triticum vulgare
- Hordeum vulgare
Ambiguous Ingredients
Things get even more complicated if you find ambiguously sourced ingredients. For many of these, you’ll need to call the manufacturer personally and verify that ingredients aren’t derived from gluten or wheat. These potentially problematic ingredients include:
- Natural flavorings or color
- Vegetable protein
- Artificial flavor
- Modified food starch
- Hydrolyzed protein
- Dextran and maltodextrin
Generally, these ingredients don’t contain any wheat or gluten. But they may be derived from gluten depending on their manufacturing process.
Lastly, cross-contamination is always a concern with the majority of marshmallow fluff brands. Very few brands concern themselves with guaranteeing no gluten because their marshmallow fluff is made in shared factory environments.
Because of this, some marshmallow fluff can contain a few stray particles of gluten or wheat depending on what is made in the same location.
Marshmallow Fluff Ingredients
As noted, most – but not all – brands of marshmallow fluff are gluten-free. Fortunately, finding gluten-free brands of marshmallow fluff is usually fairly simple. Let’s break down two of the most well-known brands (and two fluff jars from the same brand) individually. That way, you’ll know for certain that their ingredients don’t include any hidden gluten derivatives.
Durkee Mower Marshmallow Fluff
Durkee Mower is the international name for American Fluffmakers – you can find marshmallow fluff from this company under both names depending on your grocery store and whether they offer international items. Regardless, each jar of marshmallow fluff has the same core ingredients so there’s no need to worry about accidentally ingesting gluten when switching from one to the other.
Its ingredients are:
- Egg whites
- Corn syrup
- Vanilla
- Sugar
Nutrition Facts:
- 40 cal per serving
- 5 mg sodium
- 10 g carbohydrate or 4% DV
- 6 g sugar for 12% DV
American Fluffmakers Strawberry Marshmallow Fluffs
Alternatively, you could try this strawberry-flavored marshmallow fluff from the same company. It’s predictably almost identical in terms of ingredient compositions, but let’s break down what’s inside just to be sure it’s gluten-free.
Its ingredients are:
- Corn syrup
- Sugar
- Egg whites
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Red 40
Nutrition Facts:
- 40 cal per serving
- 10 g carbohydrate or 4% DV
- 6 g sugar or 12% DV
Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Crème
Also tasty and great for desserts or for super-sweet sandwiches is Kraft’s marshmallow crème, which is essentially the same thing as marshmallow fluff. That said, note that this doesn’t have a gluten-free label, so cross-contamination is certainly a possibility.
Its ingredients are:
- Water
- Corn syrup
- Dried egg whites
- Sugar
- Artificial and natural flavors
- Cream of tartar
- Xanthan gum
Nutrition Facts:
- 45 cal per serving
- 10 mg sodium
- 11 g carbohydrate or 4% DV
- 8 g sugar or 17% DV
Healthy Gluten-Free Alternatives to Marshmallow Fluff
Although classic marshmallow fluff is always a treat, sometimes you want something similar to marshmallow fluff that isn’t exactly the same. Fortunately, there are lots of marshmallow fluff-adjacent sweet treats that are also gluten-free. Let’s take a look at some of these gluten-free alternatives to marshmallow fluff in more detail.
Walden Farms Calorie Free Marshmallow Dip
A super tasty and calorie-free dessert, this marshmallow dip is made with pure and natural vanilla. Not only is a good for folks with gluten sensitivities, but it can also work if you want to avoid excess sugar in your diet.
Its ingredients are:
- Water
- Cellulose gel
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Sugarcane fiber
- Cellulose gum
- Titanium dioxide
- Corn fiber
- Modified gum acacia
- Gellan gum
- Guar gum
- Lactic acid
- Salt
- Xanthan gum
- Sodium benzoate
- Potassium sorbate
- Sucralose
- Carob gum
- Carrageenan
Nutrition Facts:
- 0 cal per serving
- 55 mg sodium or 2% DV
- 2 g carbohydrate or 1% DV
- 1 g fiber or 4% DV
Toonie Moonie Organic Vanilla Marshmallow Crème
Maybe you’d rather have an organic, healthy marshmallow crème option that doubles as the perfect frosting to top a cake (or just to sneak a bite of when your sweet tooth is really bugging you). Toonie Moonie’s Organic Vanilla-flavored crème is of the light from start to finish and it’s perfect for folks with gluten sensitivity since it’s made from healthy ingredients and is certified organic. It’s also a great choice since it isn’t quite as sugar heavy as other marshmallow fluff options.
Its ingredients are:
- Organic tapioca syrup
- Organic cane sugar
- Natural spring water
- Organic vanilla extract
- Organic dried egg whites
Nutrition Facts:
- 35 cal per serving
- 30 mg sodium or 1% DV
- 9 g carbohydrate or 3% DV
- 9 g sugar
Suzanne’s Ricemallow Creme
You can alternatively go with this marshmallow flavored creme product, which is made from rice rather than other traditional ingredients. This unique dessert topper has no added salt, no artificial sweeteners, and no GMOs, making it great for folks with gluten sensitivities who also want to avoid putting other problematic ingredients into their bodies.
Its ingredients are:
- Brown rice syrup
- Soy protein
- Natural flavors
- Natural gums
Nutrition Facts:
- 40 cal per serving
- 15 mg sodium or 1% DV
- 9 g carbohydrate or 3% DV
- 7 g sugar or 14% DV
Final Thoughts
In the end, the vast majority of marshmallow fluff products are gluten-free, and you shouldn’t worry too much about experiencing a negative reaction if you are sensitive to go. Still, it’s always a good idea to double-check the ingredients as you go, especially when it comes to artificial or ambiguously sourced ingredients like natural and artificial flavors and colorings.
Related Questions
Where can you find most marshmallow fluff?
Marshmallow fluff is usually enjoyed in the northeastern United States, though you can find it in grocery stores across the nation.
Can you make your own marshmallow fluff?
In a way. You can try to melt your own marshmallows in a bowl and create your own marshmallow cream in that manner. However, it likely won’t taste exactly the same as the marshmallow fluff you may be used to. It also likely won’t have the same consistency since it lacks dedicated emulsifiers.
Can you use marshmallows instead of marshmallow fluff?
Yes, though depends on the recipe in question. Marshmallows don’t have eggs or egg whites where is most marshmallow fluff does. Regular marshmallows also have cornstarch, so you’re resulting recipe might have a different texture.
Is marshmallow fluff vegan friendly?
Unlike cotton candy, not usually. As noted above, most marshmallow fluff has eggs or egg whites that act as emulsifiers.
Are marshmallows gluten-free?
As with marshmallow fluff, it depends on whether the manufacturer uses wheat starch. Many American marshmallow manufacturers now use cornstarch instead of wheat starch, so you should be safe with a random bag of marshmallows. But double check the back of the package and look for wheat starch before purchasing just to be safe.