Marshmallows have always been one of the Vegan Holy Grails. Stupid gelatin is in a lot of the good things we grew up with, including marshmallows. Thankfully there are a couple Vegan companies out there that have figured out a way to make amazing marshmallows without using gelatin. Sweet & Sara, which most of you know well, is the answer to gourmet marshmallows. And then there's Dandies made by Chicago Vegan Foods. I've always felt Dandies was the answer to old school Kraft Jet Puffed Marshmallows, which I loved as a kid. The Star Trek V Kraft Marshmallow Dispenser is laser etched into my brain and I wish I had one for this blog post. It was fun to see how many puffy marshmallows you could fit in your mouth at one time.
Texture-wise, Dandies are really close to non-vegan marshmallows, puffy and soft. They even have that powdery coated outside skin, which I love, and the taste is pure vanilla mashmallowy goodness! The best part is how versatile they are. From rice krispie treats, to hot cocoa and smores to just eating them one by one while you write a blog post, you're gonna' love them. And I've never done it, but I've heard they are fabulous charred over a campfire. If you haven't had the pleasure of eating a dandies, do me a favor and try one soon!