So you’ve been stranded indoors by a rainy day, or don’t have access to a wood fire, and you promised your guests (or yourself!) a marshmallow roasting experience.
To stick to the spirit of camping, maybe you think you want to try to roast marshmallows right over your gas oven. Well, there’s good news – you can roast those marshmallows the same way that you would over a fire.
As long as you have good ventilation, it’s safe to roast marshmallows over gas burners because the gas does not produce enough chemicals or fumes to be harmful, and marshmallows aren’t composed of greases/combustible ingredients that would be dangerous if dropped into flames.
You shouldn’t let anything rain on your s’mores parade – gather up your favorite ingredients and get ready to pile on the fun with these tips.
Can You Roast Marshmallows on a Gas Stove?
As mentioned above, it’s safe and likely more convenient to roast marshmallows over a gas stove burner. And just as with food cooked on the stove, or on a propane grill, you won’t taste the smell of the gas once your food is finished – you’ll just taste a normal marshmallow.
Now, here’s a quick rundown of roasting a marshmallow over a gas burner.
What You’ll Need
You’ll need basically the same ingredients for indoor roasting as you would with outdoor roasting. A few basics you’ll want to have ready will include:
- A range hood (run the fan for ventilation)
- A low flame
- A bowl of water (in case you have trouble blowing out a burning marshmallow)
- A plate
Once all of that is set, it’s time to grab these preferred items:
A Metal Skewer – A wooden or plastic skewer is obviously at risk of burning or melting. Metal skewers are pretty affordable, durable, and easy to clean. They should also be long enough that your hands won’t be too close to the flames.
Jumbo Marshmallows – Small marshmallows are best suited to hot chocolate and casseroles. When roasting over a flame, they won’t do you any favors. When on the hunt for jumbo marshmallows, look for flavors like chocolate or vanilla, or try something new by using chick or bunny-shaped marshmallows for your treat.
Then you’ll roast your marshmallows the way you would over any flame. Get a low flame started on your burner, stick a marshmallow onto the end of your skewer, and roast over the flame until you reach the desired color and melted consistency.
If the marshmallow melts too much and drips, it’ll be important to turn off the burner and let it cool before cleaning. You don’t want to burn the marshmallow further and create a stove scab or a fire hazard.
This will just take a few minutes, so you’ll be done before you know it, and you’ll definitely be tempted to try this again. Next time, you’ll have to try something special.
If you’re curious about fresh recipes you can try with roasted marshmallows, look no further. These delicious recipes might make you swear off of s’mores for quite some time.
Fun Recipes to Try
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with s’mores. But trying something new can mean the difference between having a cheese pizza and a Margherita pizza. So, have a look at these sugary delights, and give them a try. Your taste buds will thank you.
Campfire Cones: Like an ice cream cone minus the brain freeze, this must-have treat is a chocolatey, melty mouthful of marshmallow and whatever sweets you’d like. Most importantly, it’s easy to make:
- Pick an empty cake, waffle, or sugar ice cream cone.
- Separate your chosen sweets (chocolate, chopped fruit, etc.) into two or three piles.
- Place a marshmallow first, then layer with your sweets, and repeat until you’ve almost filled the cone.
- Afterward, wrap the cone in tin foil and use tongs to roast the cone over the burner for 5-10 minutes.
Desserts + Childhood Nostalgia: A twist on traditional s’mores, cookie s’mores are sure to delight any guest and leave them craving for more. One suggestion from 11 Creative Ways to Eat Toasted Marshmallows includes snickerdoodle s’mores. If you’ve never had a cookie s’more, just imagine your favorite cookies with a melted marshmallow and chocolate smothered between.
You can also drop a dollop of melty marshmallow into a fruity trifle, mix it into ice cream, or crazily enough, make shot “glasses” out of lightly roasted marshmallows.
Easy Toppings: If you want a no-fuss recipe, it doesn’t get easier than this. But there’s no need to harsh your ‘mallow if you want a tasty snack – take your pick of these special toppings to spice up your treat.
- Chocolate fondue
- Strawberries, raspberries, bananas, etc.
- Caramel
- Sprinkles
- Cocoa powder, edible gold/silver dust
- Pretzel bits
- Hazelnut spread
Just add a pinch of creativity to whatever marshmallow sweets you like. Be it handheld or a dish, and elevating the humble marshmallow is sure to get several compliments from guests, family, and your taste buds.
Now, in some cases, you may need to pause before getting the marshmallow-toasting party started. Maybe you have that health-conscious friend, or maybe you are that friend, and the question of gas stove safety is still bugging you.
In that case, there’s likely a reason you’re concerned: you may have an idea of harmful fumes that could trigger asthma, irritate your lungs, or, worse, release dangerous chemicals that could harm you in the long-term.
Let’s address these issues and see why it’s safe to roast marshmallows and vegetables over gas burners, and what conditions make it safe.
Concerns for Gas Stove Fumes
It’s important to note that there are regulations with appliance companies and consumer groups to ensure that gas stoves are safe. In fact, newer models have safety procedures in place (i.e., shutting off the gas line if the flame isn’t lighting) to ensure that cooks aren’t overexposed to harmful fumes.
However, the gas line does need to be shut off for a reason. Gas stoves produce more chemicals than electronic stoves, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ultrafine particles. Proper ventilation, typically with a range hood, is absolutely necessary if you want to lessen your exposure to these chemicals.
When it comes to matters of the health, there are always competing schools of thought about how much exposure is harmful, but when it comes to gas stoves, a good rule of thumb is: Be sure to use sufficient ventilation and, in the case that you or an associate have a pre-existing health condition, use the gas stove at your discretion.
If you don’t have a range hood, then you’ll need some other form of ventilation. Open any nearby windows and turn on ceiling fans. For peace of mind, it’s a small, short routine to remember while roasting marshmallows or any other items over your gas burner.
Brett Singer, Ph.D., is one of many scientists who reported on the chemicals released during the cooking process, and stated in Use Your Range Hood for a Healthier Home, Advises Indoor Air Quality Researcher:
“The goal of our work on kitchen ventilation is to help people cook all they want – with gas or electric – without exposing themselves to harmful air pollutants… We try to provide the science to inform builders, retrofit contractors, and the general public.”
If you really want to get into the hard facts, you can read up on standards for gas stoves recorded by the International Organization for Standardization. It never hurts to be informed, and you’ll find that it’s safe to roast your marshmallows with your gas burner.
However, if you’re not convinced, you can also lookup recipes for baking/broiling marshmallows. You’ll find that there are many just like you who’d like oven directions, and perhaps don’t think it’s worth it to deal with the extra fumes for a small bite to eat.
Whatever you decide to do, it’ll be easy to indulge your sweet tooth. And remember, roasting marshmallows is usually calming and fun, so make sure you still enjoy it with these yummy possibilities.