There is something I need to come clean about: I have never tried a Peep® before. I know, I know—what in the world am I doing writing a blog about the very confectionery in question? Well, let me explain! My mouth has yet to cross paths with one of those sickly-sweet, fluffy marshmallow chicks because my sweet tooth did not emerge until long after my baby teeth came and went. Although I’m not entirely sure why I did not have a particular fondness for sweets and treats growing up, I can say for certain that my adult self has developed quite an impressive sweet tooth since then! With the Easter bunny hopping right around the corner, there seems to be no better time to uncloak my newfound passion for Peeps®.

Upon scanning the ingredient list of the store bought one, the reality that I will likely never indulge in the “real deal” quickly became apparent. Gelatin, the primary ingredient attributed to marshmallows holding their bouncy shape, is made from the processed collagen of animals, which simply is not suitable for my very-vegetarian self. However, Mother Nature has come in clutch with a plant-based gelatin alternative that opens up a whole new world of confectionary creativity: agar agar! This virtually flavorless, jelly-like substance is made by extracting polysaccharides from the cell walls of red algae. The resulting agar agar powder or flakes act similarly to gelatin, making it the perfect choice for making homemade vegan marshmallows.

If this recipe’s key ingredient being the cell walls of seaweed isn’t strange enough for you, the second key ingredient may raise your eyebrows a bit more. Aquafaba, the liquid remnants from a can of chickpeas, has a surprisingly versatile number of culinary applications—including marshmallows! I approach many “veganized” recipes with a healthy amount of skepticism—which I blame on a banana peel “pulled pork” recipe—so trust me when I say how shocked I was with how they tasted just like the marshmallows I remember! Whether you are a vegan or vegetarian seeking to rekindle a long-lost relationship with marshmallows, looking for a family-friendly activity for Easter Sunday, or simply want to satisfy your sweet tooth, this recipe has you in good, sticky hands.

Vegan Peeps® Marshmallows with Herbal Powders

Vegan Marshmallow Base

• 1/2 cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 Tbs. agar agar powder
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• Organic tapioca starch for dusting *See Pro Tips 

Herbal Powders - *See below for more inspiration!  

• Purple/Blue = 1 Tbs. butterfly pea flower extract powder
• Magenta = 1 Tbs. hibiscus powder
• Light green = 1 Tbs. matcha
• Lemon yellow = 1 Tbs. lemon peel powder or orange peel powder + 1/4 tsp. turmeric root powder

Supplies

• Stand-mixer
• Piping bags + tips

Directions

1. Dust the bottom of a large baking sheet with a good amount of tapioca starch and set aside.
2. Prepare 1 – 2 piping bags (depending on size) with large round tip(s). *See Pro-Tips
3. Add the aquafaba and cream of tartar to a stand-mixer and whip on high for 5 minutes until soft peaks form.
4. Add vanilla extract and herbal powder of choice. Whip for an additional 3 – 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
5. While aquafaba mixture is whipping, add agar agar powder and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmer on med-high heat for about a minute until very gelatinous.  
6. Turn heat to low and add sugar to saucepan. Whisk vigorously until fully dissolved (about 3 minutes). You will notice the mixture go from a thick jelly consistency to syrupy consistency.
7. Turn stand-mixer on low and remove saucepan from heat.
8. Immediately drizzle hot syrup mixture into whipped aquafaba. Use a rubber spatula to get every last drop from the saucepan!
9. Working quickly (the marshmallow will fully set within just a few minutes!), transfer mixture to prepared piping bag(s).
10. Pipe out desired shapes onto dusted baking sheet. I found the traditional chick shape to be tricky to replicate, but bunny or Easter egg shapes are much easier and kiddo-friendly! *See Pro Tips
11. Dust piped marshmallows with another good coating of tapioca starch and allow to set fully for about 15 minutes.
12. Store marshmallows in a parchment-lined food container dusted with extra tapioca starch to prevent sticking. Keep in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2 – 3 days.

Pro Tips

• If you don’t have tapioca starch, cornstarch, rice starch, or arrowroot powder would all work just as well.
• Placing the piping bag inside a large-mouth mason jar and rolling the top of the bag around the jar lip helped speed up the marshmallow transfer process greatly!
• Don’t feel like piping the marshmallows out? No worries! You can simply transfer the marshmallow mixture to a starch-dusted square or rectangular baking pan and cut into square shapes once fully set.
• Keep in mind that different herbal powders will affect the flavor of the marshmallows. You can use this to your advantage for fun flavors such as matcha, chocolate, rose, lavandin, etc. Since the marshmallow base does not mask flavors well, I would avoid more pungent herbal powders such as spinach powder or kale powder. No one likes leafy green flavored Peeps®—not even vegans!
  
  

Other Herbal Powder Inspiration

• Acai berry powder (purple)
• Beet root powder (pink)
• Barley grass powder (green)
• Cranberry powder (pink)
• Elderberry powder (purple)
• Japanese chlorella powder (blue/green) – Use only up to 1/2 Tbs.
• Lavandin flower powder (light purple)
  • Try mixing 1 Tbs. lavandin powder with 1 Tbs. butterfly pea flower extract powder for lavender-flavored purple Peeps®!
• Nettle leaf powder (green)
• Pink rose petal powder (light pink)
  • Try mixing 1 Tbs. rose petal powder with 2 tsp. beet root powder for rose-flavored pink Peeps®!
• Roasted cacao powder (chocolate)
  • I would recommend doubling the amount of called for herbal powder to bring the chocolate flavor forward.
• Spirulina powder (blue/green) – Use only up to 1/2 Tbs.
• Wheatgrass powder (green)

Looking for other fun sweet treats?

Check Out These Gourmet Caramel Apple Bites!

You may also be interested in:

• Golden Milk Energy Balls
• Paleo Ashwagandha Chocolate Bites
• Sprouted Dessert Hummus

*Peeps® is a registered trademark of Just Born, Inc. Mountain Rose Herbs is not affiliated
with Just Born, Inc. in any way.