If you love Italian gelato, you have to try this marshmallow gelato recipe loaded with s'mores bites. It's the perfect combination of marshmallow, graham cracker, and chocolate.
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After going to culinary school in Italy, I fell in love with making gelato. I've made so many different flavors (including coffee, stracciatella, and dark chocolate) that it's hard to pick my favorite!
This s'mores flavored gelato was inspired by a local ice cream shop, Clementine's Creamy. They have a phenomenal s'mores ice cream that helped to influence the s'mores bites included in this recipe.
I'll walk you through all of the steps needed to make authentic Italian gelato at home including the ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and some helpful tips.
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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- The special ingredients you'll need to make authentic Italian gelato at home.
- How to make a s'mores mix-in.
- A step by step guide to cooking the gelato base.
Grab a (free) copy of some of the best Italian gelato recipes, plus my best tips for making gelato at home.
Ingredients You Need
There are some specialty ingredients you'll need to make s'mores marshmallow gelato. But don't worry, everything can be found on Amazon (I've linked them below in the recipe card).
- Dextrose: This is a type of sugar that helps to reduce both the perceived sweetness and the freezing point of the gelato.
- Guar gum and locust bean gum: These are both types of stabilizers, and they're used to thicken the gelato. These are imperative if you're making gelato at home since an at-home ice cream machine will whip too much air into the gelato without the addition of these stabilizers.
- 2% milk: The milk helps with the texture and taste of the gelato. Since milk has a high water content, it's also the reason the gelato base can freeze.
- Marshmallow fluff: This ingredient adds the perfect marshmallow flavor to the gelato. Don't use regular marshmallows in place of this ingredient (the sugar content won't be properly balanced).
- Granulated sugar: This is the second type of sugar used in gelato. The ratio of sugar helps to determine how quickly the gelato will melt as well as lowers the freezing temperature of the gelato base.
- Skim (nonfat) milk powder: The powdered milk is important to help thicken the gelato and provide the correct texture.
- Heavy cream: You may see this ingredient labeled as heavy whipping cream at the grocery store. The cream provides a great taste and mouthfeel.
Check out the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and specific measurements.
How To Make This Recipe
Let me walk you through the process of making this delicious s'mores inspired gelato.
S'mores Mix-ins
Starting off, we'll prep the s'mores mix-ins that will be combined with the marshmallow gelato.
1. Add the graham crackers and brown sugar to a food processor. Pulse until a coarse crumb has formed. Stream in melted butter while the food processor is running at low speed. Continue to blend until the butter is well combined and a sand-like texture has formed.
2. Place the graham cracker crumb in an ungreased loaf pan. Press the crust evenly onto the bottom of the pan using your hands. Then, go over the crust using the bottom of a small dry measuring cup to firmly and evenly pat the crust in place. Freeze for 15 - 20 minutes, until it's firm.
3. Place Hershey’s chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Heat chocolate in the microwave at 50 percent power (medium) for 30 - 45 seconds. Stir the chocolate and repeat as needed until the chocolate is fully melted. Top the frozen graham crackers with chocolate and smooth out the top. Freeze again until the chocolate has set.
4. Finally, top with marshmallow fluff and caramelize with a kitchen torch. Freeze until firm then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Marshmallow Gelato
Before you begin making the gelato, fill a large bowl to use as an ice bath. Also, place a storage container in the freezer to chill.
1. Whisk dextrose, guar gum, and locust bean gum in a small mixing bowl.
2. Cook the milk and marshmallow fluff in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, until it reaches 105°F (40°C) on an instant read thermometer.
3. Once it reaches temperature, whisk in granulated sugar and nonfat milk powder.
4. Once dissolved, whisk in the dextrose mixture.
5. Continue cooking the gelato base over medium heat, stirring often to ensure it doesn’t burn until it reaches 195°F (90°C) on an instant read thermometer.
6. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in heavy cream.
7. Strain the gelato base, then allow it to cool until it has stopped steaming. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the gelato (to prevent a skin from forming on top) then cover with plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This cools the gelato base and helps to enhance the flavor.
8. Finally, remove the gelato base from the refrigerator, and whisk to reincorporate. Pour the gelato base into an ice cream maker, and process for about 20 - 25 minutes or according to the manufacturer's directions. The gelato will be on the soft side.
Transfer churned gelato into a chilled storage container while adding in the frozen s’mores pieces. Place gelato into the freezer to "cure" or harden up for a few hours.
Expert Tips
- If you have extra s'mores bites, you can save them and use them as additional topping once you serve the gelato.
- Always allow the gelato base to fully cool before churning it. If you try churning the gelato while it's still hot, it won't properly freeze.
- If your machine requires you to pre-freeze the bowl, don't forget to freeze it 24 hours before churning.
- For a more authentic Italian gelato experience, use a gelato spatula, then swipe the gelato, and smash it down on the side of the container to remove the air before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Store gelato in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. It's best to keep the gelato in a freezer that's not often opened and closed. Every time the temperature of the gelato increases and then refreezes, there's more of a chance for the gelato to become icy/grainy. If you notice the gelato is icy or grainy, it has gone past its prime.
Yes, you can make the gelato base ahead of time, and store the mixture tightly covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 24 - 48 hours ahead of churning.
I use this Whynter machine and love the results it gives me. The Lello machine is pricier but also delivers amazing gelato.
More Gelato Recipes
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S'mores Marshmallow Gelato
Equipment
- loaf pan
Ingredients
S'mores Topping
- 5 graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 4.6 ounces (3 large bars) Hershey’s chocolate
- 1 cup Marshmallow fluff
Marshmallow Gelato
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dextrose
- ¼ teaspoon guar gum
- ⅛ teaspoon locust bean gum
- 1 ¾ cups 2% milk
- 2 cups marshmallow fluff
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup skim milk powder
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
Instructions
For S'mores Topping
- Add graham crackers and brown sugar to a food processor. Pulse until a coarse crumb has formed. Stream in melted butter while the food processor is running at low speed. Blend until the butter is well combined and a sand-like texture has formed.
- Place the graham cracker crumb in an ungreased loaf pan (9 x 5 inches or 23 x 13 cm). Press the crust evenly onto the bottom of the pan using your hands. Then, go over the crust using the bottom of a small dry measuring cup to firmly and evenly pat the crust in place. Freeze for 15 - 20 minutes, until firm.
- Place Hershey’s chocolate in a heat safe bowl. Heat chocolate in the microwave on 50 percent power (medium) for 30 - 45 seconds. Stir chocolate and repeat as needed until the chocolate is fully melted. Top the frozen graham crackers with chocolate and smooth the top. Freeze for 15 - 20 minutes, until firm.
- Top with marshmallow fluff and caramelize with a kitchen torch. Freeze for 15 - 20 minutes, until firm.
- Cut into bite sized pieces then set aside for later in the freezer.
For Marshmallow Gelato
- Fill a large bowl with ice to use later as an ice bath. Place an empty bowl on top of the ice. Set aside. Place a storage container in the freezer to chill.
- Whisk dextrose, guar gum, and locust bean gum in a small mixing bowl.
- Cook milk and marshmallow fluff in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, until it reaches 105°F (40°C) on an instant read thermometer. Once it reaches temperature, whisk in granulated sugar and skim milk powder. Once dissolved, whisk in dextrose mixture.
- Continue cooking the gelato base over medium heat, stirring often to ensure it doesn’t burn, until it reaches 195°F (90°C) on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in heavy cream.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over the empty bowl on top of the ice bath. Strain gelato base.
- Chill gelato base until it has stopped steaming. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the gelato (to prevent a skin from forming on top) then cover with plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Remove the gelato base from the refrigerator, and whisk to reincorporate. Pour the gelato base into an ice cream maker, and process for about 20 - 25 minutes or according to the manufacturer's directions. The gelato will be on the soft side.
- Transfer churned gelato into chilled storage container while adding in the frozen s’mores pieces. Place gelato into the freezer to "cure" or harden up for a few hours. To serve, swipe the frozen gelato with a flat paddle. Smash the gelato on the side of the storage container to push out some of the air. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Store gelato in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Holly
I'm obsessed with this flavor! Honestly one of my favorite gelato recipes that I've ever made!
Jessica Mode
Hey Holly! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! It's one of my favs too! 🙂