This recipe will not only rock your world but will rock your kids’ worlds and all those to whom you choose to bless with a DIY delicioso gift! This Paleo Hot Chocolate with homemade marshmallows is made from healthy, real food ingredients. I'm taking it one step further by making this all into a gift using my instructions.

Paleo Hot Chocolate Mix

This homemade hot chocolate mix is so easy and only uses three ingredients. You can make it cup-by-cup by mixing the ingredients in the bottom of a mug and then pouring in the hot milk and vanilla extract. Or you batch mix the dry ingredients to have it ready to go when you need it.

How to Make Paleo Hot Chocolate Into the Perfect Gift

To make this into an awesome gift, batch mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl by how many you're gifting to. I typically do at least 4 servings per gift. For four servings, after you've batch mixed the ingredients, measure out 1 1/2 cups of dry ingredients into food-safe bags or jars. Decorate with ribbon, add a small bag of homemade marshmallows and a small card with instructions that says something to the effect of "Mix 6 tbsp of mix together with ½ tsp vanilla extract. Heat 3/4 cup milk of choice until just steaming. Stir a couple of tablespoons of heated milk to create a paste then gradually add remaining milk and stir until combined. Top with as many marshmallows as you like. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!"

Why Make Homemade Marshmallows?

While you can certainly buy marshmallows, making them is better for many reasons.

• You're actually creating and giving foods that are beneficial to our bodies

• Ingredients are superior to any you can buy, even healthier brands

• Giving homemade marshmallows with your hot chocolate mix will definitely impress recipients

• They are much easier to make than many baked goods

Are Marshmallows Healthy?

Now you are wondering how our bodies need marshmallows. Well here's the scoop...gelatin is a major ingredient and our bodies need and LOVE it. Gelatin is a form of collagen. We know it mostly for how it makes jiggly food (and drinks in some cases!) but the truth is collagen, in all of its forms, provides many health benefits. Grass-fed beef gelatin may help ease digestion, strengthen joints and bones, and improve the health of hair, skin, and nails.  The benefits of gelatin are great, and primarily helps the body digest food you might not be used to eating. Gelatin is slower to digest, moves through the GI tract further and coats the small intestine. This is beneficial in gut healing diets like GAPS, AIP, or SCD. (See the full article for references to back this up.)

I took the marshmallow recipe directly from Katie at Wellness Mama so I’m going to just give you the link rather than reprinting (and if you don’t already follow her…you should just sign up now…great info!!) but I wanted to show you the steps in photos since it’s sort of like candy making and seeing it come together will definitely help you. She offers several other variations including making the probiotic marshmallows by add a few capsules of your favorite probiotics. The small change I made was rolling the finished marshmallows in tapioca flour to keep them from sticking together. 

Step by Step Instructions

It seems like a lot of steps. Most of them are the method for cutting marshmallows. One time making these and it will come naturally.

Step One:

Combine ½ cup water with 4 tbsp gelatin in a large bowl; if using a stand mixer combine it in there. (I admittedly forgot to photo this actual first step.)

Step Two:

Combine 1 cup honey with another ½ cup water in a medium saucepan.

Step Three:

Let it come to a boil and boil continually for 8 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer this works much better since there is no guess work. You will be looking for 240 degrees.

Step Four:

With your mixer running on low (or with a hand mixer in your non-dominant hand), slowly drizzle the honey mixture into the gelatin. (Photo is bad, but you can at least see the stream of honey going in…) When all of it has been added, increase speed to medium until the mixture is the consistency of thick cream.

Step Five:

Increase speed to high and beat for about 15 minutes or until gentle peaks form. It will be the consistency of thick meringue. Add the vanilla (that’s the brown liquid in photo.) and beat again for a couple of seconds until incorporated.

Step Six:

Spread into a parchment lined pan and smooth-ish (it will still be slightly puffy and not completely smooth on top) with a spatula. Let sit at room temperature for at least 4 hours before proceeding. Don’t get antsy and try to go on without waiting at least 4 hours…I did the first time with bad results!

Step Seven:

After they have sat for at least 4 hours, using the parchment paper, transfer to a cutting board to shape into marshmallows.

Step Eight:

Cut off ½” of all four sides and save to make mini marshmallows.

Step Nine:

Cut remaining slab into 1” strips and then cut the ½” edges into mini marshmallows. Set the minis aside until you get to Step Ten.

Step Ten:

Cut strips into 1” squares (mine were more like rectangles)

Step Eleven:

(Optional but keeps them a little more separate)

Roll in Tapioca Starch (or toasted coconut or cocoa powder or cinnamon…many options!) Store at room temperature for at least a week (unless you use probiotics then the time is much shorter.)