These tahini marshmallows are uniquely flavorful and addictive. Soft, fluffy marshmallows with tahini is the flavor combination you never knew you missed! The tahini adds a delicious fudginess. These are going to make your s’mores even more irresistible!
Easy to make, nutty, fudgy, sweet Tahini Marshmallows!

If you’re new to making marshmallows, I got you covered! I shared an all-you-need-to-know post on all the basics of making marshmallows a few years ago. In it, I detailed how to get PERFECT results every time, and I even showed how to substitute corn syrup. You can check out that post right here!
Since that post, I’ve shared several recipes for other marshmallow flavors too. But these tahini flavored marshmallows… these babies are something else altogether! Tahini adds a lovely nuttiness and fudginess that make these marshmallows an absolute treat!
Ingredients needed to make Tahini Marshmallows
You can follow this recipe for my basic marshmallow base. However, I swapped out corn syrup for some honey in these tahini marshmallows. Honey pairs really well with tahini, and I wanted the flavor of tahini to shine through.
White sugar
Important ingredient for marshmallows. However, if you’re looking to make sugar free marshmallows, the best option is to follow a sugar free marshmallow recipe for best results.
Honey
Instead of corn syrup, I use honey here. Honey will prevent the re-crystallization of sugar in the sugar syrup (to an extent). This prevents the sugar from seizing in the syrup.
Gelatin
Another key ingredient for making marshmallows. Gelatin is responsible for creating that light, fluffy texture in marshmallows. It’s also responsible for setting the marshmallow.
I use powdered gelatin because it’s the most widely available. If you’d like to use gelatin leaves, the conversion can be a bit hit or miss. Usually 1 packet of gelatin is equal to 4 – 5 gold gelatin sheets.
If you’re looking to make vegan marshmallows, do not substitute agar agar for gelatin. Please follow a vegan marshmallow recipe instead to make the base.

Tahini
This is the guest star that swoops in to steal the show here. Tahini is a paste made with ground sesame seeds. It has a delightfully savory and nutty flavor and is widely used in Mediterranean cuisine.
Make sure the tahini is fresh and hasn’t gone rancid. You’re not going to like the results otherwise! You will need about 1/2 cup of tahini for this recipe. You can also use smooth peanut butter if you prefer.

Salt and vanilla
Both these ingredients enhance the flavor of marshmallows. Salt balances out the sweetness, and adds a little savory note to make the tahini flavor stand out even more. The vanilla also helps balance out the sweetness.
Confectioner’s sugar, and cornstarch (aka cornflour, outside the US)
A mixture of confectioner’s sugar and cornstarch is used to keep the marshmallows from sticking to each other, and also to keep the marshmallow from being exposed to air while it “cures” or sets. I call this mixture marshmallow dust.
The ratio is forgiving. Add more confectioner’s sugar for more sweetness, or more cornstarch for less sweetness.
Tips and tricks for best results
Let’s start with some crucial tips to help you get this recipe right. These are important, so read them carefully.
Make sure your bowls, saucepans and whisk attachments are free of any fat. This will interfere with how much volume your marshmallow mix can eventually produce.
In contrast, all the rubber spatulas and offset spatulas that you’re using to scrape out and spread the marshmallow mix should have a thin layer of coconut oil or butter. This keeps the marshmallow mix from sticking to them too much.
When making the sugar syrup, do not agitate the syrup too much. This can cause the sugar syrup to seize and make it unusable. Instead, gently swirl the pan to mix and redistribute the syrup in the pan.
Make sure any sugar crystals on the sides of the saucepan are re-melted into the syrup. You can either brush the sides of the pan with cold water, or simmer the syrup with the lid on for a few minutes.
Use a candy thermometer to check the syrup temperature for accurate results.
Make sure the marshmallow mix is still warm when you’re done whisking it. This is because you have to fold tahini into the marshmallow, and a warm marshmallow mix is easier to manage. A cooled marshmallow mix is stiffer and stickier.
Make sure the sharp knife that you use to cut the marshmallows is clean after each cut. Wipe it down with a damp cloth and then rub the blade very lightly with some coconut oil/butter. This keeps the knife from sticking to the marshmallow base, and will give you nice, clean cuts.
Making Tahini Marshmallows
Making the marshmallow base is easy. Let’s quickly go through the steps.
Blooming the gelatin
Mix the water and gelatin in the mixing bowl. The gelatin granules will absorb the water, which is referred to as “blooming the gelatin”. This will ensure the gelatin dissolves better and distributes within the mixture well. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.

Making the sugar syrup
For best results, you will need a candy thermometer. But if you don’t have one, no worries! You can check the stages of the sugar syrup with the use of cold water in a little bowl or saucer. Here is how I check the sugar stages without a thermometer.
Place the sugar, water, honey, and salt in a saucepan. Mix gently to make sure the sugar is saturated with the water. Heat over medium high heat to dissolve the sugar. I like to gently swirl the pot to agitate the mixture a little, so that the sugar melts faster.

When the sugar is mostly melted, you may notice undissolved sugar crystals along the sides of the pot. If these sugar crystals are re-introduced to the syrup later on, the sugar syrup will seize (and this is no good, you’ll have to throw it out then).
However, you can safely melt the sugar crystals back into the mixture in two ways.
- Using a pastry brush dipped in cold water, brush the sides to dissolve the sugar back into the syrup.
- Close the saucepan with the lid and let the mixture simmer/gently boil for about 1 – 2 minutes. The condensation will wash down the sugar crystals back into the syrup.
After this, keep cooking the sugar syrup until it reaches about 242 F (firm ball stage; 240 – 245 F). Make sure to swirl the pot gently from time to time to distribute the heat and cook the syrup evenly (while avoiding hot spots).
You can read more about the firm ball stage (and how to test it without a thermometer) in this post.
As soon as the syrup in the pot reaches the right temperature, remove from heat and let it rest for a few seconds.

Making the marshmallow base
While the syrup rests, make sure your mixer has the mixing bowl and the large whisk attachment attached to it.
Start the mixer at about speed 2 or 3. This will start breaking up the bloomed gelatin. Start to pour the sugar syrup in a steady stream, along the side of the bowl (in less than a minute).
After introducing the hot syrup to the gelatin, you will notice the gelatin is dissolved. Now you can slowly increase the speed of your stand mixer to the highest speed.
As the mixture is whisked vigorously, you will notice the volume of the mixture increasing as well. This is exactly what you want.

Keep mixing the marshmallow mix until the volume has at least doubled, or almost 3 times the initial volume. The mixing bowl would be warm to the touch at this point.
The length of time you should be whisking the marshmallow mix can range from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on various factors. Look for visual and tactile cues, such as the marshmallow mix growing in volume, the mixture starting to gather within the whisk, and the mixing bowl being warm.

Adding tahini and other flavors
Add the vanilla when the whisking is almost done, and let it mix in during the final 1 – 2 minutes. This ensures the vanilla is evenly spread through the marshmallow mix.
There are TWO ways to add tahini.
- Take a small portion of the marshmallow mixture and mix it with the tahini in a bowl. Add this back into the rest of the marshmallow mixture, and quickly fold it in to mix it as a swirl.
- Spread the marshmallow mix in the prepared pan, and quickly drizzle the tahini in a stream. Quickly swirl the tahini with a skewer or knife.
Both of these methods are acceptable, but you do have to work quickly. The marshmallow mix will start to thicken even more and be harder to manage as it cools down. This is why I recommend working with the marshmallow mix while it’s still warm.
Also remember that adding a considerable amount of anything will deflate the marshmallow mix, so you need to work quickly.
I prefer the first method. With this method the tahini is less likely to sink into the marshmallows, and overall there will be less volume loss this way. However the second method is relatively easier.

Curing the tahini marshmallows
This is the hard part, because you gotta wait to enjoy the fruits of your labor! 🙂
I prefer to cure my marshmallows in a 8 x 8 inch square baking pan. This gives me marshmallows that are about 3/4 – 1 inch thick. If you want shorter marshmallows, then you can use a 9 x 9 inch square pan, or a 9 x 13 inch pan (these will be very short marshmallows).
Prepare the pan by lightly coating the inside with butter or coconut oil, OR completely line the pan with parchment paper. You absolutely need to prepare the pan WHILE the marshmallow mixture is being whisked. This is so that the pan is ready as soon as the marshmallow mix is done.

Scrape the marshmallow mix into the prepped pan and spread it as smoothly as possible with an offset spatula. Generously dust the surface with the “marshmallow dust” (confectioner’s sugar + cornstarch).
Now you gotta wait. At least for 6 – 8 hours until the marshmallows are cured (i.e. set). I prefer to make the marshmallows at night, so I can let them cure overnight.

Cutting the marshmallows
The following day, I turn the marshmallow slab out onto a dusted cutting board.
Use a VERY LIGHTLY oiled (coconut oil or butter) sharp knife to cut the marshmallows into strips, and then into small squares. I prefer 1 x 1 inch pieces (this will result in anywhere from 50 to 64 pieces), or you can cut larger pieces for s’mores.

Make sure you follow the tips and tricks section to make sure you get nice, clean cuts.
Lightly dust the marshmallows with the marshmallow dust mix to prevent them from sticking to each other. You can brush off any excess dust, and then drizzle the marshmallows with some dark chocolate! You can even dip them in meted dark chocolate. If you prefer semi sweet or milk chocolate, you can use that instead too.

How to store the marshmallows
These tahini marshmallows will keep for a few weeks in an air-tight container. Remember these do have tahini paste in them, and the tahini can go bad.
Unfortunately, these cannot be stored in the fridge.

How to enjoy these tahini marshmallows
Use your hand to stuff your face with as many marshmallows as you can, that’s how.
These are,
- Sweet
- Salty
- Savory
- Nutty
- Fluffy
- With a little fudginess.
In other words, they are unlike any other marshmallow you’ve had, guaranteed!

But these are also excellent to make s’mores, like I’ve done here with digestive biscuits! But you can use your favorite chocolate bars / chocolate chips or even ganache, along with graham crackers instead.

These tahini marshmallows also go wonderfully well with hot chocolate!
These tahini marshmallows are a real treat for all marshmallow aficionados! If you’re looking to up your marshmallow game, you have got to try these!

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Tahini Marshmallows
Ingredients:
Tahini marshmallows
- 2 cups white sugar
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup water for the sugar syrup
- ½ cup water for the gelatin
- 3 packets Knox gelatin
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup tahini paste
- Coconut oil for the utensils and/or baking pan
Marshmallow dust
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions:
Tahini marshmallows
Preparing the gelatin
- Place the ½ cup of water in the mixer bowl. Add the gelatin and mix to moisten the gelatin. Set aside to let the gelatin bloom while the sugar syrup is cooking (at least 10 minutes). Then place the bowl in your mixer, with the whisk attachment.
Prepping the baking pans (for the marshmallows)
- Prepare the pan and utensils that you will be using to cure the marshmallows. Rub an 8 x 8 inch pan with coconut oil, shortening or butter (you can line the pan with parchment paper instead if you prefer). Brush all the utensils (spoons and spatulas) with the same fat as well. Set aside.
Making the marshmallow base
- Place the sugar, honey, salt, and water in a pot. Stir until the sugar is moistened and mixed with the water.
- Heat over medium high heat until the sugar melts and the syrup comes to a boil. Gently swirl the pan to evenly distribute the heat.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and lower the heat to medium. Let the syrup simmer with the lid on for 2 minutes. Do not lift the lid at this point.
- After 2 minutes, remove the lid and check to make sure there are no sugar crystals on the sides of the saucepan. If there are crystals, then cover the saucepan for a further minute to allow the condensation to wash down the sugar crystals into the syrup.
- Clip the sugar thermometer to the side of the saucepan, and set the temperature between 242 – 245°F.
- Let the sugar syrup cook until it reaches this temperature. Make sure to gently swirl the pot while the syrup is cooking so that the heat cooks the syrup evenly.
- When the sugar syrup reaches the right stage, remove it from the heat and let the bubbles subside for a few seconds.
- While the mixer is running on medium to low speed, pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin, along the wall of the bowl (this is to prevent the gelatin from being scorched by the hot sugar syrup). Once the syrup is added, increase the speed gradually to high.
- Whisk on high for 4 – 6 minutes until the marshmallow base is at least doubled in size and is white, fluffy, and smooth.
- Add the vanilla and mix for a further few minutes on high speed, allowing the vanilla to spread through the mix. Check the temperature of the marshmallow mix by touching the mixer bowl from the outside to feel if it's warm.
- Make sure the marshmallow mixture is still warm when you add the tahini.
Mixing the tahini
- Place the tahini in a medium sized bowl. The following steps need to be done quickly.
- Take approximately ¾ – 1 cup of the marshmallow mixture and add this to the bowl with the tahini. Make sure to do these steps quickly.
- Mix the tahini and the marshmallow mixture well.
- Re-introduce the tahini mix to the rest of the marshmallow base, and quickly fold it through.
Curing the marshmallows
- Scrape the tahini swirled marshmallow mix into the prepared baking pan and spread it as evenly as possible with an offset spatula.
- Using a tea strainer or duster, dust the surface of the marshmallow with the marshmallow dust. Make sure the surface is completely covered with a generous coating.
- Allow the marshmallows to sit at room temperature for at least 6 – 8 hours, so that they cure and set properly. I prefer to do this overnight.
Cutting the marshmallows
- Generously sprinkle your work surface / cutting board with marshmallow dust.
- Turn the marshmallow slab out onto your work surface. It should release from the pan fairly cleanly.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the marshmallows, making sure to clean, dry and apply a little fat/oil on the knife, in between cuts.
- For small marshmallows (1 x 1 inch), cut the marshmallows into 7 or 8 strips. Then cut each strip into 7 or 8 pieces.
- Lightly coat each piece with a light dusting of the marshmallow dust and keep them in a dry, airtight container for up to 1 month.
- Optional – Melt some dark chocolate. Dust the excess sugar off of the marshmallows and drizzle them with the melted dark chocolate.
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Marie says
I’ve made your regular vanilla marshmallows and the peppermint ones, and now these. And I have to say these are probably my favorite! 🙂 Such an interesting flavor. Your marshmallow recipes are honestly the best on the internet. Thanks Dini!
Annie says
What about fruit purées? Would you add at the end like tahini?
Dini says
Hi Annie
Fruit puree cannot be added like Tahini. Fruit puree has a very high water content that is going to soften the marshmallow or even make it dissolve/ sticky.
Tahini is mostly fat, and very thick so it deflates the marshmallow but won’t interfere with setting.
I recommend adding freeze dried fruit powder, as it won’t impact the texture of the marshmallow.
Hope that helps
Kristen says
I love the basic recipe! Thank you so much. I’ve swapped the vanilla out for mint and strawberry and they have been fabulous. I’m thinking of trying baileys Irish cream flavour. Do you have any advice on using a creamy alcohol?
Dini says
Hi Kristen
Using cream based flavors can be tricky with marshmallows. The reason is because of the fat content in the cream. Any alcohol that contains fat/cream will deflate the marshmallows as it’s being mixed in.
It will work the same way as with this tahini marshmallow recipe (since tahini is a fatty addition), you will need to carefully mix it through.
A liquid, will require more mixing than a paste like tahini, so there can be more deflation. The more you add, the more the mix will deflate as well. But if you add less, the flavor won’t be as prominent.
What I DO RECOMMEND, is adding Irish whiskey instead. Baileys is made with Irish whiskey + cream +chocolate + coffee and vanilla, so you can add about 3 -4 tbsp of the irish whiskey without deflating the mix too much and still get a fairly boozy flavor. Add a touch of chocolate extract and coffee extract, and it should taste similar to baileys.
I hope that helps!
Lola Osinkolu says
Looks super delicious!