I’m sharing my favorite recipe for Marshmallow Frosting today! It’s simple to make, not too sweet, and made completely from scratch. Recipe includes a how-to video!
The Best Homemade Marshmallow Fluff
If you’ve ever been disappointed with marshmallow frosting that wouldn’t fully set up or was just way too sweet, then you need to try my recipe. I’ve cracked the code on how to get the perfect light and fluffy texture, glossy white color, and delicate vanilla marshmallow flavor. And best of all–it’s easy to make, too!
Not only is my marshmallow frosting recipe simple to make, but it’s not overly sweet. In fact, it uses surprisingly less sugar than many of my other frostings, such as my classic buttercream frosting.
Why You’ll Love This Marshmallow Frosting:
- Unlike many other recipes out there, this one does not require pre-made marshmallow fluff or pre-made marshmallows–we’re making this completely from scratch!
- It’s versatile! This frosting can also be used almost anywhere in place of marshmallow fluff. I recommend you try it on chocolate cupcakes.
- This is a butter-free recipe, so it’s a great option if you are out of butter or can’t use butter.
- It has a perfectly balanced sweetness, which is often a big complaint with frostings.
- The technique is different, but I include lots of tips, notes, and a video to make it easy! The technique is similar to my meringue cookies and Swiss meringue buttercream, and if you’ve tackled my homemade marshmallows recipe you can certainly handle this one!
What You Need
Here are the three key ingredients in today’s marshmallow frosting recipe:
- Corn syrup. Corn syrup is NOT the same as high fructose corn syrup, which is an ingredient I (and many of you) generally try to avoid. I use corn syrup because it helps keep the sugars in the frosting from recrystallizing and helps the fluff last longer, hold its shape better longer, and last better when refrigerated.
- Egg whites. I don’t recommend using store-bought egg whites (often sold in a carton). People have reported mixed success with these, they will not always whip to stiff peaks (and often say so on the carton), which could make for a frosting that’s too soft/droopy.
- Cream of tartar. This is important for stabilizing the frosting and keeping it firm. While some people have reported successfully making meringue without it, I recommend using it (it can usually be found in the spice section of your grocery store) for best results.
SAM’S TIP: For those of you who prefer to bake without corn syrup at all, you can just use the filling for my oatmeal cream pies as a marshmallow frosting.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Marshmallow Frosting
- Fill a medium saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring it to a simmer.
- Make sure your bowl is completely clean and does not touch the bottom of your pot when resting on top.
- Combine all ingredients except vanilla in your bowl, place it on your prepared saucepan, and begin whisking constantly.
- Test to make sure the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is ready by rubbing a drop between your fingers and checking the temperature.
- Transfer your bowl to your stand mixer and beat the mixture with a whisk attachment until thick, and fluffy stiff peaks form.
- Stir in your vanilla until incorporated and use as desired!
SAM’S TIP: This frosting is great to serve as-is, but it’s even better lightly toasted! I bought an inexpensive culinary torch a few years ago (I’ll link to it in the recipe card) and it’s been so worth it for toasting things like meringue and this frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your frosting is not reaching stiff peaks, it’s possible that there was grease in your bowl or whisk, some egg yolk got in with the white, or water got in the bowl. Unfortunately you will have to start over if this happens. However, you may just need to whip it longer!
If consuming within two days, the frosting should be fine to sit at room temperature. Any longer than that, and you’ll need to refrigerate!
Any part of the frosting that is exposed to air will become firm, much like the exterior of a store-bought marshmallow. However, the interior, everything beneath the outside layer, will remain soft and sticky!
Stay tuned for a recipe that uses this homemade marshmallow fluff very soon…
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Marshmallow Frosting
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) light corn syrup
- 4 (130 g) large egg whites room temperature preferred, see notes for recipes that can make use of your leftover egg yolks!
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Recommended Equipment
- Medium-sized saucepan or double boiler
Instructions
- Before you begin: prepare a double boiler. I like to use my stainless steel KitchenAid mixing bowl (since I like to do all the mixing with my stand mixer) and a medium-sized saucepan that is large enough to suspend the bowl without it touching the bottom of the pan. Make sure that the bowl that you will be adding your egg whites to is completely clean, dry, and grease-free.
- In the bowl that you are using for your double boiler (I use my stand mixer bowl), combine sugar, corn syrup, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt and whisk until well-combined.¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ⅔ cup (160 ml) light corn syrup, 4 (130 g) large egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- Bring 1-2” of water to a simmer over medium-low heat in the bottom of your double boiler (Note: I use a medium-sized saucepan. Make sure that when the bowl of your double boiler is added to the pot it does not touch the water).
- Place the bowl with egg whites over simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and temperature of mixture reaches at least 160F (70C). Note: if you rub a small amount of the syrup between your fingers, it should feel smooth and not at all gritty. Be careful though, the syrup is hot!
- Remove bowl from heat and fit it onto your stand mixer (fitted with a whisk attachment). Slowly increase mixer speed to high and beat on high speed for about 5-10 minutes, until you have thick, billowy, glossy stiff peaks.
- Stir in vanilla extract until completely combined.1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Use marshmallow frosting immediately or cover tightly and store at room temperature until ready to use (you may need to re-whip the frosting before using if it sits longer than several hours). If desired, toast frosting using a culinary torch after piping and before serving.
Notes
Recipes That Use Egg Yolks:
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Jo
Hi, I would like to stabilize this frosting. I usually use gelatin to stabilize whipped cream but I don’t know if that will work for this. Have you tried to stabilize it and if so, what worked for you?
I can’t wait to try this! All other recipes use marshmallow cream and I’d like to avoid that. 🙂
Thank you!
Sam
Hi Jo! Unfortunately I have not experimented with it so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. Let me know how it goes if you do try it. 🙂
Lynda D
Can I freeze these after putting them all together if I layer them with waxed paper and then wrap my Tupperware in plastic wrap? I’d like to make them for Christmas but won’t have time in the few days ahead of it.
Sam
Hi Lynda! Unfortunately I haven’t tried freezing this frosting. It could become rather soft and slide off the cupcakes when defrosting. 🙂
Lynda D
Thank you! I’ve made your peanut butter cookies for the Fluffernutters, and I think I’ll freeze them and wait until just a couple days before Christmas to make the frosting and fill them, rather than experimenting.
Leslie
I made a version of frosting without corn syrup and when I transported the cupcakes (which had been at room temp.) the marshmallow frosting slipped and slid off of the cupcakes, it disaster. Does this transport okay? I will torch it after piping on cupcakes. Should I refrigerate before transporting? Thank you.
Sam
Hi Leslie! Marshmallow frosting is going to be softer by nature and if it warms a bit too much it could slip off.
Alia Fallwell
This recipe was perfect! It came out great and was loved by everyone, even those that don’t like marshmallow. Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Alia! 🙂
Alia Fallwell
Super easy recipe to follow and it came out AMAZING!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Alia! 🙂
Elizabeth Latino
I really enjoyed this recipe for my Oatmeal Cream pies! but I found that after a day or so the filling turned to dust? I heatseal my cookies so they are air tight! any idea on why this happened?
Sam
Hi Elizabeth! I think heat sealing could have caused the frosting to get to warm and ruin the frosting. 🙁
Melody Saladiner
My son has severe dietary restrictions. Thanks to you and this recipe he was able to enjoy cake for the first time in his life! He’s 21! He would like me to make him another cake using this frosting, but make it chocolate. How would you go about that without ruining the texture? Thank you for all of your recipes! You are my go to for baking!
Sam
Hi Melody! I’m so glad everyone was able to enjoy it so much! While I haven’t tried making it chocolate, I would think some cocoa powder or melted chocolate stirred in after the vanilla could work. 🙂
Karen
Hi Sam !!
This recipe is great. I’m trying to make a version of Smores. I used Graham crackers, your frosting, half of a mini chocolate treat, another dab of your frosting, ending with Graham Cracker. They tasted great – but missing the burnt marshmallow crunch. Maybe if the frosting was torched a little, they would taste more like Smores? Do you have any ideas or improvements to my experiment. I’ve made many of your recipes and they are ALWAYS a hit. They are the bestest !! Thank you Karen
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Karen! Torching the frosting would definitely help. You could also try using our homemade marshmallows 😊
Emma
Hi Sam! I love this recipe and use it for s’mores cupcakes and hot cocoa cupcakes. So delicious. I am hoping to make some cupcakes ahead of time and freeze them frosted. How do you think this frosting would do in the freezer? Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Emma! We’re so happy you like the recipe! Unfortunately, we’re not sure the frosting would do well being frozen on cupcakes. It could potentially get really soft and slide off when defrosting 🙁
Krista
Loved this frosting!! So easy to make a delicious!! I did double it to frost a 3 layer cake and used it between layers. I had lots leftover so makes a generous portion. Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Krista! 🙂
Rene Grant
can I sub the corn syrup with maple syrup?
Sam
Hi Rene! I haven’t tried it, but I don’t think it will turn out. You could potentially use glucose syrup.
Trent H Hossler
Easy recipe, clean everything with lemon juice and it who’s up in about 3 minutes. put it on S’more cupcakes and it’s the perfect topper. I didn’t realize when toasted the edges of the piping tip will shrink a little but luckily I used a 1M and didn’t lose any ridges. Highly recommend!!
Your one of the 1st places I go when I want to make something different.
Sam
Thank you so much, Trent! I’m so glad you enjoy everything so much! 🙂
Sam
Can you frost cupcakes ahead of time and leave them to sit overnight? I just wanted to be sure as in the recipe card it says if it sits for several hours you may have to re-whip!
Sam
Hi Sam! If you pipe it onto a cupcake, it will be fine. The outer layer will crisp up a little bit so it holds shape. You may need to re-whip it if you store it to pipe later, but it will be fine on the cupcakes unless they are exposed to high heat and humidity. 🙂
Francine
Easy and very tasty.
Does this refrigerate well?
Sam
Hi Francine! I actually have a section in post on refrigerating the frosting. 🙂
Christina F.
Perfectly Fluffly! This is seriously the best frosting hack ever. So quick and simple and comes out perfect everytime. I can’t stress enough the importance for cleaning ALL bowls and spatulas. I wipe mine down with white vinegar and then dry well before using. It makes ALOT of frosting, i beautifully piped almost 2.5 dozen with big pillows. Cut it in half the next time and it was still perfect. Oh and not too sweet at all. Thank you for sharing this epic recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Christina! 🙂
Megan
Is it possible to get a smooth finish on the side of a cake with this frosting or would it be too sticky?
Sam
Hi Megan! I’m not sure it would be completely smooth. I would say probably about as smooth as you could do with a whipped cream. 🙂