The marshmallow started out as a medicine, not a sweet — ancient Egyptians mixed root sap with honey and reserved it for nobility, centuries before anyone toasted one on a stick.
Where marshmallows come from
The marshmallow takes its name directly from the marshmallow plant, Althaea officinalis, a mallow that grows in marshy ground. Around 2000 BC, ancient Egyptians extracted sap from its root and mixed it with honey and nuts to create an early sweet, reserved for gods and nobility. French confectioners revived the idea in the 19th century, whipping the root sap with egg whites and sugar into a light confection called pâte de guimauve — the direct ancestor of the modern marshmallow, though by the early 20th century gelatine had replaced the actual marshmallow root extract in most recipes.
How they're made today
Modern marshmallow production is a foam-and-mould process rather than anything resembling the original plant extract.
- Whipping — sugar syrup, gelatine and air are whipped together into a stable foam
- Flavouring — vanilla or other flavourings are added at this stage
- Setting — the foam is deposited into trays moulded from cornstarch, a technique called the starch mogul system, patented by Alex Doumak in 1948
- Finishing — set marshmallows are dusted to remove excess starch and cut or shaped for packaging
The 1948 mogul system is what took marshmallows from a hand-rolled treat to a mass-produced one, and the basic method is still used at scale today.
US vs UK styles, and Fluff
American marshmallows are generally larger, softer and built around toasting and baking — they're the standard size for s'mores, first written up in a Girl Scout guide in 1927, and for Rice Krispie treats. UK marshmallows are typically smaller and firmer, more often eaten straight from the bag or used to top hot chocolate than toasted over a fire. Marshmallow Fluff, a spreadable marshmallow creme rather than a solid sweet, was invented in Massachusetts in 1917 by Archibald Query and mass-produced from 1920 by Durkee-Mower; it's a New England staple in fluffernutter sandwiches but remains uncommon on UK shelves.
Frequently asked questions
Where do marshmallows get their name from?
Marshmallows are named after the marshmallow plant, Althaea officinalis, whose root sap was used by the ancient Egyptians to make an early sweet reserved for nobility.
How are modern marshmallows made?
Modern marshmallows are made by whipping sugar syrup, gelatine and air into a foam, which is then set using the starch mogul system, a mould-and-cornstarch process patented in 1948 that made mass production possible.
What's the difference between US and UK marshmallows, and marshmallow Fluff?
US marshmallows tend to be larger and softer, built for toasting and baking into things like s'mores, while UK marshmallows are typically smaller and firmer; Fluff is a spreadable marshmallow creme, invented in the US in 1917, that is rarely found in the UK.