Can You Roast Marshmallows On A Propane Fire Pit? (2023)

We think you would agree that the best thing about spending time around a fire pit is the ability to quickly and easily roast and cook food over the flames with minimal cleaning.

Whether you prefer your food just about cooked or totally charred, you can achieve this quickly by cooking food over a fire pit.

The most popular food to enjoy around a fire are marshmallows. When combined with graham crackers and Hershey bars they make delicious s’mores that are hard to resist.

S’mores are a staple around the fire pit, and as more people use fire pits, we start to wonder if you can roast marshmallows over a fire pit because of concerns about damage to the fire pit and our health.

In our article today, we’re going to clear up any confusion!

So Can You Roast Marshmallows On A Propane Fire Pit?

Yes, marshmallows can be roasted over a propane fire pit.

Propane is a common cooking fuel mainly used in barbecue grills. Food is cooked via direct exposure to flames and heated grill media, mainly lava rock, or via vented mental inserts while not having a negative effect on the taste.

The same can also be said for fire pits. You can achieve optimal results by cleaning your fire pit media and burner pans regularly of dirt, food particles, and any debris that may affect the taste of your marshmallows.

Gas fire pits are generally not built for cooking, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get the job done.

However, propane fire pits don’t contain features like food dip pans or cooking surfaces that are easy to clean, so when you roast food over a fire pit you must take extra care.

Having the proper cooking tools and cleanup can make using your propane fire pit to cook an enjoyable, and simple way to whip up a quick snack while spending time in your backyard.

Roasting Marshmallows On A Propane Fire Pit: Step By Step

Before we get into specifics, let’s first define what a perfectly roasted marshmallow is. A beautifully roasted marshmallow should have golden brown sides, and a bottom and top that hasn’t had a lot of contact with the fire.

The golden brown ‘skin’ should be dry and rather brittle, and can be removed easily and eaten on its own or you can leave the skin on the marshmallow.

The inside of the marshmallow should be soft and fluffy, and none of the marshmallow should be burned.

There is more to roasting a marshmallow than just placing a marshmallow on a stick and shoving it into a big flame. You need to be patient.

Once you’ve put a marshmallow on a roasting metal stick, look for somewhere in the propane fire that has a smaller flame.

When you’ve found the ideal area in the propane pit to roast your marshmallow, carefully put your marshmallow just over the flame’s tip without making direct contact with the flame.

When holding your marshmallow over the flame, carefully and regularly turn it to prevent one side from being over-roasted. Keep a close eye on the color of the marshmallow.

You can place the marshmallow into the flame sometimes, but this should only be for a couple of seconds - no more than three or four seconds. You should still rotate the marshmallow.

Once the marshmallow is looking beautifully golden brown, take the marshmallow out of the fire pit and blow on the marshmallow gently to help it cool down.

Once the marshmallow has cooled down sufficiently, take it off your roasting stick and eat it, or place it in your s’more!

Can Roasting Marshmallows Damage Your Fire Pit?

Put simply, no, roasting marshmallows will not cause direct damage to your fire pit.

Most of the food that drops onto heat emitting surfaces will burn away. But regularly cleaning your fire pit is recommended to keep it clean and prevent food buildup, which can clog the burner ports and have a negative impact on how the fire pit performs.

Plus, residue of leftover food on your fire pit can attract unwanted visitors like rodents and insects that can get themselves stuck into spots in the fire pit that will affect its performance and lead to it malfunctioning.

Mice and rats are also likely to gnaw on electrical wiring and gas lines like the ones in a propane fire pit. When you’re not using your fire pit, make sure to keep it covered and clean.

Is Eating Roasted Marshmallows Bad For You?

The propane or natural gas used in gas fire pits is identical to those used on barbecue grills, so there isn’t a specific gas that’s used just for fire pits. Both have a safe, reliable history in the world of cooking.

Cooking over a propane fire pit is totally safe as long as the media (the fiberglass or lava rock) and burner clean of debris, dirt, and food droppings to ensure the flame is clean and free of smoke.

While eating burnt marshmallows cooked over charcoal, gas, and wood isn’t bad for you now and then (and some might prefer the taste) you shouldn’t do this regularly, as any burnt food isn’t good for you when eaten constantly.

One note: If you are in the market for a new fire pit, consider a

Final Thoughts

Let’s return to our original question: can marshmallows be roasted on a propane fire pit? And the answer is, yes!

As well as it being safe, roasting marshmallows over a propane gas fire pit can be easier, as the flame from the gas fire pit is easier to control, less smokey, and not as hot as a campfire or wood-burning fire pit, which makes for ideal marshmallow roasting!

However, it’s important to remember to clean your fire pit and do regular maintenance to avoid a damaged fire pit, and unwanted, unpleasant flavors in your roasted marshmallows.

Doing this will make sure your propane fire pit is always ready to make delicious, golden brown marshmallows!