A wintertime ritual for sweetness, structure, and ancestral nourishment

There is something ancient about marshmallows. Long before they were neon and bagged, they were a form of medicine. The original marshmallow root was used to soothe tissues, calm irritation, and bring softness where there was dryness or strain.

In winter, when the days shorten, the air dries, and the nervous system feels the weight of the year, we crave foods that are both comforting and structurally nourishing. This is where collagen shines. It feeds connective tissue, supports gut and skin, and quite literally gives us something to hold us together.

These wintertime collagen marshmallows are not just a treat — they’re a ritual. A way to fold sweetness, herbs, and intention into the dark of the year. Whipped with honey, warming spices, and one of your favorite simples, they bridge pleasure and purpose beautifully.

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❄️ Wintertime Hearth Collagen Marshmallows

Ingredients

Base

• ¾ cup filtered water, divided
• 3 tbsp grass‑fed gelatin
• 1 cup raw or local honey (or maple syrup for deeper, darker notes)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Pinch mineral salt
• 2 tbsp grass‑fed collagen peptides

Warming winter spices (1/4 tsp each or your select few)

• cinnamon
• ginger
• clove
• cardamom
• nutmeg
• allspice
• (Hint: pumpkin spice has most of these)

Choose your Simple (1–2 droppers):

• Milky Oats — (MY FAV) nervous system nourishment, deep winter comfort
• Schisandra — adaptogenic resilience and metabolic support
• Chamomile — calming digestion and nervous system ease
• Astragalus — immune strength and steady winter vitality

Directions

1. Bloom the gelatin
   Pour ½ cup cold water into a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over the surface. Let bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Make the syrup
   In a small saucepan, combine remaining ¼ cup water, honey, and salt. Heat gently (especially, if using honey, to retain its vital nutrients) until it reaches soft‑ball stage (about 240°F) or thick, slow bubbles.
3. Whip the base
   Turn mixer to low and slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the bloomed gelatin. Increase speed to high and whip 10–12 minutes until fluffy, glossy, and cloud‑like.
4. Add nourishment + magic
   In the final minute of whipping, add collagen, vanilla, spices, and your chosen simple extract. I chose milky oats because it's my favorite right now.
5. Set the marshmallows
   Pour into a parchment‑lined dish. Smooth the top with a wet spatula.
6. Rest + cut
   Let set at room temperature for 4–6 hours (or overnight). Dust the top, slice into cubes, and option to toss lightly in arrowroot so they don’t stick. I didn't do this– I just dusted the top with cinnamon and stacked them in a tupperware in the fridge.

How to Use Them

• Float one in raw milk hot cocoa before bed or cacao in the morning for nervous system support.
• Drop one into morning coffee with cinnamon for a gentle metabolic lift.
• Add to bone broth hot chocolate (yes, it’s a thing — and it’s incredible).
• Gift them wrapped in parchment and twine as a handmade winter offering.

Why Add a Simple?

Simples bring intelligence to indulgence. Each single‑plant extract carries its own rhythm and affinity — nervous system, liver, heart, blood, spirit. Adding a simple transforms this recipe from a sweet treat into a functional seasonal kin, supporting the body through darkness, cold, and transition.

This is ancestral wellness: not restriction, not excess — but ritualized nourishment.

Ready to Begin?

If this post resonated, you may enjoy:

• Flicker Fire Cider — for when seasonal shifts leave you feeling low energy or off rhythm
• Talisman Elderberry Syrup — brewed to support your immunity ritual through the season
• Dewdrop — gentle support for dry lungs and breath comfort

👉 Explore the Full Apothecary

Bonus Recipe!

🌿 A Nod to the Original Marshmallow

Before marshmallows were fluffy cubes in a bag, they were made from the marshmallow plant (Althaea officinalis). Its roots are rich in mucilage — a soothing, slippery substance traditionally used to calm irritated tissues of the throat, lungs, and digestive tract.

Historically, marshmallow root was simmered, strained, sweetened with honey, and whipped into a soft confection used as medicine first, treat second. It was especially beloved in winter, when cold air, woodsmoke, dry indoor heat, and lingering coughs asked for moistening, protective remedies.

Rather than a dessert, this was an early form of respiratory demulcent, coating inflamed tissues, easing dryness, and supporting gentle expectoration.

❄️ Winter Throat & Lung Marshmallow Whip

A traditional-inspired remedy for dry coughs, scratchy throats, and winter-worn lungs

This version is intentionally soft, spoonable, and soothing — not meant to cube or toast. Think of it as an herbal honey whip you take by the spoonful, stir into warm tea, or let melt slowly in the mouth.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp cut marshmallow root
• 2 cups water
• ½–¾ cup raw honey (to taste)
• Pinch cinnamon or ginger (optional)
• 1 dropper Chamomile, Milky Oats, or Astragalus Simple

Directions

1. Simmer marshmallow root gently in water for 20–30 minutes until the liquid becomes thick and slippery.
2. Strain thoroughly, pressing the roots to extract all mucilage.
3. While still warm (not hot), whisk in honey until fully dissolved.
4. Allow to cool slightly, then whip vigorously by hand or mixer until lightened and aerated.
5. Stir in your chosen simple extract.

How to Use as a Winter Remedy

• Take 1–2 spoonfuls as needed for dry, irritated throats.
• Stir into warm (not boiling) herbal tea for cough and lung support.
• Let a spoonful melt slowly in the mouth before bed to soothe nighttime cough.
• Pair with bone broth, warm milk, or herbal throat sprays for layered respiratory care.

This remedy shines for dry, non-productive coughs, post-viral throat irritation, and wintertime dryness from indoor heat.

Why It Works

• Marshmallow root coats and protects irritated mucous membranes.
• Honey adds antimicrobial action and tissue-soothing sweetness.
• Chamomile calms inflammation and eases spasms.
• Milky Oats supports nervous system tone during illness.
• Astragalus gently strengthens immune resilience during recovery.

Both versions have their place. One offers structure and protein. The other offers moisture and respiratory relief.

Ancestral wellness isn’t about choosing one path — it’s about remembering where things began.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This recipe is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Always follow recommended dosing on your extracts.