Whether it’s to top your decadently made hot chocolate, to make an epic braai-side s’more or for some Rice Krispie treats, marshmallows just make everything better! Even just as a great standalone snack, sweet, pillowy marshmallows are an absolute pantry essential.
But as consumers, we’re often spoilt for choice when it comes to marshmallow options available at supermarkets, and with so many different brands to choose from, what makes us go for a certain brand over another?
Is it the packaging that catches your eye or is it purely based on cost, because how much does the flavour and texture actually vary when the base ingredients are mostly just a clever amalgamation of sugar, gelatine and some sort of flavouring? Or do you always just buy the packet you remember so fondly from your childhood?
ALSO READ: The ultimate pairing for your marshie – discover the perfect cup of hot chocolate
After gathering five different brands, we set out to see which marshmallows are the best all-rounders for consumers to buy. We also looked to answer the age-old question of does the flavour actually differ between the pink and white variety, even when the packaging says so?
Having conducted the taste test, we can report that the flavour and texture varies quite a lot between the brands, especially when putting five different brands up against each other and blindly comparing them. However, there were only very slight flavour variations evident between some of the white and pink marshmallows.
Results
Pick n Pay Pink & White Marshmallows: 7.5/10
Tasters loved that the sample had a good sweetness with a “mild and delicate flavour” to it, making it the winning marshmallow on the day and Food24’s best all-round marshmallow to buy. It would be perfectly suited to all your snacking and marshie baking needs without overpowering any of the other flavours already at play.
Tasters were also in awe of this marshmallow’s texture, noting that it was “squishy” and had a good “pillowiness” to it, which resulted in further favourable scoring.
Comments tasters left: “Pretty good. Nice size; reminded me of kids’ parties,” and “A good squishy marshie! Favourite one out of the lot,” and “Good pillowiness and not too sweet.”
Only half of the tasters could taste a difference between the white and pink marshmallows and while some could not differentiate what the actual flavour difference was, most tasters picked up on floral notes. Tasters noted: “Pink has more of a rosewater flavour,” and “Pink had an overload of a perfumed floral flavour; white was a little more subtle.”
Cost: R21.99 for 150g
Beacon Pink & White Marshmallows: 6.1/10
Coming in second place, this sample divided the tasters somewhat. Some felt the sample was puffy, pillowy and light, while others found it to be slightly dense and chewy. Overall, however, most of the tasters enjoyed the sample’s flavour. One taster even guessed the sample was Beacon!
These marshmallows were dubbed the baker’s pick, as they’d be perfectly suited to any and all your baking mallow needs.
Comments taster left: “I love the taste – it tastes like ice cream,” and “This was familiar and tasted how marshmallows should taste. I liked this a lot. Could it be Beacon?”
Only one-third of tasters could pick up on a flavour difference between the white and pink marshmallows in this sample. Most could not differentiate what the flavour difference was, though one taster felt that the pink one “tastes like rose”, while another picked up on “candyfloss”.
Cost: R20.99 for 150g
Woolworths Pink & White Marshmallows: 5.3/10
Although most tasters felt that this sample had a “standard marshmallow flavour and texture” to it, it was the texture that most tasters found fault with, noting: “Dry looking but enjoyed this sample. More of a savouriness to them, but nice.”
Only one taster picked up a flavour difference between the white and pink varieties, noting: “I didn’t like this one. Too dense and the white one doesn’t really taste like anything while the pink one tastes overly of rose.”
One taster was particularly happy with this sample and left dreaming of s’mores. “Pretty good! Perfect size for roasting and tasted good too!”
Cost: R24.99 for 150g
SPAR Pink & White Marshmallows: 4.6/10
Most tasters found this sample to be dense and chewy, which unfortunately affected the scores negatively. Tasters could not pick up any flavour variations between the pink and white varieties.
Comments tasters left: “A bit on the sweet side and a tad too chewy for a marshmallow. Flavour was enjoyable,” and “It’s okay… I mean you can’t really go wrong with a marshmallow, but it could have more flavour and be fluffier. Doesn’t really measure up to the rest.”
Cost: R20.99 for 150g
Manhattan Pink & White Marshmallows : 4.5/10
Tasters were very happy with this sample when it comes to the texture, but most found it to be overly fragrant, which affected the overall score.
We dubbed this marshie the “fragrant puff” because if you like a full-bodied flavour, this is definitely the marshmallow for you!
More than half of the tasting group picked up on differences in flavour between the pink and white marshmallows. Some comments tasters noted on the flavour variations: “The pink tastes like strawberry while the white is more indistinguishable,” and “Pink tasted like strawberries and white had a more custard vanilla flavour to it,” and “The pink one has a ‘softer’ flavour… I’m not sure what it is though. The white one has no flavour.”
Other comments tasters left: “Very perfumed and fragrant. Can’t tell if there is a HUGE flavour difference between the colours. Good sample but too fragrant for my tastes. It’s like soap in my mouth,” and “Was a great texture and size, but the perfumed flavour was overpowering.”
Cost: R18.99 for 150g
Prices correct at time of publishing
Click here to see more Food24 Taste Tests!
The rules of Food24 Taste Tests:
– All tasters tasted and scored all samples. Each individual taster’s preference impacts the score they give.
– The samples were tested without packaging and were not easily identifiable.
– The samples were not labelled and were tasted in random order.
– This article is not sponsored in any way, and Food24 was not paid to come to any particular result.
Our taste tests are always unbiased and intended for your information. You may, however, have come to this article through various paid-for advertising.