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Marshmallow fondant only takes 3 ingredients, and it’s about as low-effort as fondant gets. No specialty supplies, no complicated techniques, and no reason to spend a chunk of money on something you can make in a few minutes at home.
This is the kind of recipe you pull out when you need fondant without turning it into a project. It’s soft, easy to work with, and flexible enough to fix as you go.
Here’s Why This Marshmallow Fondant Recipe Works
Three ingredients, no nonsense: You only need miniature marshmallows, water, and powdered sugar to make marshmallow fondant at home.
Microwave method: No stovetop, no extra fuss. Just melt the marshmallows in short bursts, stir, and start mixing.
Easy to fix as you go: Too sticky? Add more powdered sugar. Too stiff? Knead in a teaspoon of water. It’s a flexible recipe, which is handy because fondant can be a little high-maintenance.
Good for decorating: This fondant is smooth, stretchy, and easy to roll for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and simple decorations.
Recipe Tips
Add sugar gradually: Start with 1 to 2 cups of powdered sugar, then add more a cup at a time so the fondant does not get too dry too quickly.
Grease everything: Coat your hands and work surface with vegetable shortening before kneading. This keeps the marshmallow mixture from sticking to absolutely everything in sight.
Watch the texture: The fondant is ready when it feels like modeling dough and stretches without breaking. You want it soft, smooth, and easy to work with.
Let it rest overnight: You can use it right away, but it is usually easier to work with after it rests overnight. Once it sits, knead it until smooth and pliable before rolling.
Use fresh marshmallows: Old marshmallows don’t melt as smoothly and can make the fondant lumpy or stiff. If the bag has been open for a while, grab a fresh one.
Sift the powdered sugar (if it’s clumpy): If your powdered sugar has lumps, sift it first. It makes kneading a lot easier and keeps the fondant smooth.
Warm it up if it gets stiff: If the fondant firms up too much while you’re working, microwave it for 5 to 10 seconds to soften it, then knead it again.
Use cornstarch or powdered sugar for rolling: Lightly dust your surface with cornstarch or powdered sugar when rolling it out to prevent sticking without drying it out too much.
Add color after mixing: Knead in gel food coloring after the fondant is made. Liquid coloring can make it too sticky and throw off the texture.
Keep it tightly wrapped: Fondant dries out fast. Keep any unused portion wrapped in plastic and stored in a sealed bag while you work.
If you love the sweetness of marshmallows, check out my homemade marshmallow cream.
Homemade Marshmallow Fondant
This marshmallow fondant keeps cake decorating simple, affordable, and very doable at home. With a bowl of melted marshmallows, a pile of powdered sugar, and a little kneading, you get a smooth homemade fondant that rolls out neatly and holds its shape.
You can see this fondant in action on my rose pistachio cake.
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Homemade Marshmallow Fondant
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Ingredients
- 2 (10 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- vegetable shortening, to grease the counter and hands
Instructions
- Place the marshmallows and water in a microwave proof bowl. Microwave on high for 2 to 2 ½ minutes until melted. To ensure even cooking, stop the microwave every 30 to 45 seconds and stir them.
- Stir 1 to 2 cups of the powdered sugar into the melted marshmallows. Once that is incorporated, continue to stir in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
- Once the mixture gets too difficult to stir, grease your work surface and your hands with vegetable shortening and dump the marshmallow mixture out onto the work surface.
- Knead more of the powdered sugar into the marshmallow mixture, you may not need to use all of the sugar. Work in enough sugar until the mixture feels like children’s modeling dough. Keep your hands well greased with the vegetable shortening to prevent the fondant from sticking to them.
- You will know it is done when it is smooth and pliable and stretches without breaking. If you add too much powdered sugar it will become stiff and crack, if that happens just add a teaspoon at a time of water to it and knead it in. If it is too sticky, add more powdered sugar.
- Shape the fondant into a ball and coat it with vegetable shortening then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a sealable bag. Store the fondant at room temperature and always keep it tightly sealed.
- You can use the fondant right after mixing it but it will be easier to work with if you let it sit overnight. After it sits, it will firm up and you will need to knead it to make it pliable and soft again.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This is awesome! I never knew that it was this easy to make marshmallow fondant. I am pinning this to try!
thanks Marie, not only easy but fun to work with, I hope you give it a try
Perfect timing, I have cupcake day at work next week and I’m trying this for sure – thanks
Have fun with it Cristie 🙂
This is amazing. I hate the taste of store bought fondant
thanks Kristen, this is so much better 🙂
I saw these in my Facebook feed yesterday, they are just adorable!
thanks Jane
Wow. This really does look easy and I shall give it a try. Those cupcakes are so beautifully decorated too.
Thanks Dannii, it’s fun to work with
Only 3 ingredients?? Well, that’s awesome. I have never tried anything like that with marshmallows before. Thanks for the recipe!
your welcome.. yep only three ingredients … two if you don’t count the water 🙂
I’m so intrigued! never made fondant before! need to try this with vegan marshmallows!
Wow I never thought of using vegan marshmallows.. please let us know how it turns out if you try it
I love this. I had no idea you could make fondant at home so easily. It looks like so much fun and I will be tackling this in the future.
it really is fun Ginny, it is like playing with children’s modeling dough
Wow I like this idea!! Marshmallow fondant looks like the perfect solution, and let me tell you, your pics are stunning, love your style 🙂
thank you Linda, we really appreciate the love 🙂
What a great idea, the cakes look amazing and the fondant icing looks simple enough to make.
thanks Nayna, it really is easy to make and quite fun to work with