Back in June 2017, XO Marshmallow just opened its first storefront, and the store is bringing the nostalgia of sipping hot cocoa with marshmallows and roasting s’mores by the campfire to the twenty-first century with a modern twist. Instantly intrigued, I visited the café to taste this some of the best dessert in Chicago. Prepare yourselves, marshmallow fiends.
What to Know About XO Marshmallow
In 2015, marshmallow connoisseur Kat Connor started to make delicious, gourmet marshmallows and teamed up with lifestyle blogger Lindzi Shanks. Shanks, the entrepreneur behind The Trendy Sparrow, and Connor created an online store in March 2016. Following the online store, the first ever marshmallow café opened in Chicago.
Connor and Shanks use completely gluten-free ingredients to create innovative flavors—from classic vanilla bean to boozy bourbon—and each S’mallow is handmade in-store to ensure freshness. The Chicago café features more than 15 flavors including exclusive flavors of the month like Butterbeer.
This variety of marshmallow flavors prove insane, but XO Marshmallow does so much more than just ‘mallows. I had the chance to work with Connor and Shanks to taste and assemble some items from the rest of the menu. Safe to say that I’m hooked on this tastiest, trendiest dessert in Chicago.
#SpoonTip: Try a Mars’halo, a donut-shaped marshmallow, in your next coffee or hot chocolate.
First Up: The Classic S’more.
Toasted and drizzled with a chocolate sauce, this vanilla-flavored marshmallow is squished between two graham crackers. This gooey creation oozes nostalgia and richness, however, the true MVP of this s’more was the homemade, gluten-free graham cracker. I seriously think I could’ve indulged in boxes and boxes of these guys. Who would’ve thought that some of the best dessert in Chicago is a campfire classic?
My s’more suggestion? Try the salted caramel s’more or the donut s’more for a creative and contemporary twist on this beloved campfire treat.
Next Up: The Cookie S’more.
There’s really not much that can go wrong here. Connor assembled this cookie sandwich with two giant chocolate chip cookies (they also offer snickerdoodle), a chocolate drizzle and an appropriately-massive layer of toasted marshmallow fluff. Don’t be afraid to get a little fluff on your hands for this one because it’s worth it.
Last, But Not Least: Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate
There are a lot of tasty hot chocolates in Chicago, but this one tops any that I’ve ever had. The cocoa is as homemade as the marshmallows, and it did not disappoint. Not to mention, XO Marshmallow is currently working on a new hot chocolate bar with multiple new, cozy flavors that are perfect for ringing in the holiday season. These new flavors will include peppermint, lavender white chocolate, salted caramel and maybe even a s’mores-inspired hot cocoa.
After tasting several mouthwatering, addicting treats from XO Marshmallow, I headed home with a content stomach and a serious ‘mallow mustache. Undoubtedly, XO Marshmallow is going to become a Chicago native staple with its creative treats and rich hot chocolate. This café offers some of the best dessert in Chicago. Bonus: It’s a seriously Instagram-worthy place.