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Our Best Marshmallow Frosting is a sweet and creamy marshmallow buttercream frosting that tastes just like the inside of a Hostess Ding Dong.

Closeup on three chocolate cupcakes topped with The Best Marshmallow Frosting sitting next to a glass bowl filled with Mini Marshmallows.

We are going to start off with a warning … this is a VERY sweet frosting.  If you like your icing on the lighter side you might want to try our Whipped Cream Frosting, which you can find here. But if you are looking for a gooey, marshmallowy, delicious homemade frosting recipe you have come to the right place.  This really is The Best Marshmallow Frosting you’ve ever tasted.  Great for cakes, cookies, and brownies and also a fun surprise-inside filing for cupcakes!  The combination of this Marshmallow Frosting with chocolate cupcakes is the absolute best.  But don’t take our word for it, try it and see.

How to Make

Collage image showing how to mix the Marshmallow Fluff and the Butter.

Step 1: Add the butter, marshmallow fluff, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. The Marshmallow Creme should be room temperature and the butter should be “slightly softened” which means it is still cold but has been out of the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
Step 2: Mix the marshmallow creme, butter, and vanilla together on medium speed until thoroughly combined (about 2 minutes.)  You want to fully cream the ingredients together so their flavors meld together.
Step 3: Use a spatula to scrape the mixture down from the sides of the bowl before moving on to the next step.  

Collage image showing how to mix the powdered sugar with the butter and marshmallow creame.

Step 4: Add the Powdered Sugar into the mixing bowl.
Step 5: Two Sisters Tip – cover the mixer with a towel during this part of the mixing process to keep the powdered sugar from flying out of the mixer.
Step 6: Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the marshmallow fluff/butter and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds so the frosting gets light and fluffy.

Closeup on a glass bowl filled with a batch of The Best Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting and a white spatula.

Step 7: This is the fun part of the frosting-making process where you get to taste your frosting. You are tasting to determine taste (does it need more vanilla?) and consistency (is it too thin or too thick?)  (Two Sisters note about marshmallow frosting.  It is a thin frosting.  It will never be a frosting that is pipeable or will crust up like buttercream. That being said, as you can see in our pictures, you can do a swirl.) The first thing you should do before using the frosting is put it in the refrigerator for an hour or so, that will help the butter and marshmallow creme firm up.  Another thing to try if the frosting is too thin is to add EITHER 1/2 cup of powdered sugar or 1 tablespoon of corn starch. Mix again and see if the consistency is better.

How to Serve

Decorating bag filled with Marshmellow Frosting sitting on a white table next to a batch of unfrosted chocolate cupcakes.

How much frosting will you need?  That always depends on how thick or thin you apply the frosting or how much decorating you do but here are a couple of guidelines. Our recipe should make enough Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting to cover a 9″ x 13″ sheet cake or a two-layer 8″ cake.  If you are making cupcakes, you should be able to frost 24 cupcakes if you apply the frosting with a knife.  If you swirl on the frosting with a pastry bag you should be able to frost 15-18 cupcakes depending on the size of the swirl.

Expert Tips and FAQs

What kind of Marshmallow Creme should I use?

We use Kraft Jet-Puff Marshmallow Creme but you can use any brand you prefer including Marshmallow Fluff.

What should I do if my frosting is too sweet?

This Marshmallow Icing recipe is a sweet frosting. One thing you can do if it seems too sweet for your palette is to add a pinch of salt to the frosting. But please note that a little salt goes a long way. We cannot stress enough that a pinch (10-15 granules of regular table salt) is all you usually need. Even 1/4 a teaspoon of salt would probably ruin the frosting. Add a tiny bit of salt at the end, mix again and see if that has cut down on the sweetness level.

Does the frosting need to be refrigerated?

No, the frosting does not need to be refrigerated. For example, brownies frosted with this Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting Recipe would be fine left out on the counter for 2-3 days if the pan was tightly covered with aluminum foil. That said, we usually refrigerate our frosted desserts to keep the baked good from going stale even if the frosting would be fine. We think frosting tastes best at room temperature so we will then remove the item from the refrigerator a couple of hours before we will serve them.

How do I store any leftover frosting?

Frosting stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator should be good for up to a week. If you carefully wrap the frosting in order to avoid freezer burn, the frosting should be fine in the freezer for 3-4 mon

What should I do if my frosting turned out too thick?

Add a teaspoon of milk and mix again. Continue to add the milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is the consistency that you like it

What should I do if my frosting turned out too thin?

Temperature plays a big part in the consistency of frosting. A thin frosting could mean that the butter has gotten overworked and is too melted. The first thing to do is refrigerate the frosting for an hour and then check to see if the frosting has set back up again. If not, the next step is to add more powdered sugar or cornstarch. Start with either 1/2 cup of Powdered Sugar or 1 tablespoon of Cornstarch. Mix again and see if the consistency is better.

Closeup on two chocolate cupcakes topped with a large swirl of The Best Marshmallow Frosting sitting next to a glass bowl filled with mini marshmallows.

Other Homemade Frosting Recipes You Will Love

The Best Marshmallow Buttercream FrostingPrint

The Best Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

Yield 2 1/2 cups
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

The Best Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting is a sweet and creamy marshmallow buttercream frosting that tastes just like the inside of a Hostess Ding Dong.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Butter (Slightly Softened Salted Sweet Cream Butter)
  • 1 container Marshmallow Creme (7 oz. size) or Marshmallow Fluff
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 3 cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  1. Add the butter, marshmallow creme, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. The Marshmallow Creme should be room temperature and the butter should be “slightly softened” which means it is still cold but has been out of the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
  2. Mix the marshmallow creme, butter, and vanilla together on medium speed until thoroughly combined (about 2 minutes.)  You want to fully cream the ingredients together so their flavors meld together.
  3. Use a spatula to scrape the mixture down from the sides of the bowl before moving on to the next step.
  4. Add the Powdered Sugar into the mixing bowl.
  5. Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the marshmallow creme/butter and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds so the frosting gets light and fluffy.
  6. This is the fun part of the frosting-making process where you get to taste your frosting. You are tasting to determine taste (does it need more vanilla?) and consistency (is it too thin or too thick?)  (Two Sisters note about marshmallow frosting.  It is a thin frosting.  It will never be a frosting that is pipeable or will crust up like buttercream. That being said, as you can see in our pictures, you can do a swirl.) The first thing you should do before using the frosting is put it in the refrigerator for an hour or so, that will help the butter and marshmallow creme firm up.  Another thing to try if the frosting is too thin is to add EITHER 1/2 cup of powdered sugar or 1 tablespoon of corn starch. Mix again and see if the consistency is better.

Notes

How much frosting will you need?
That always depends on how thick or thin you apply the frosting or how much decorating you do but here are a couple of guidelines. Our recipe should make enough Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting to cover a 9″ x 13″ sheet cake or a two-layer 8″ cake.  If you are making cupcakes, you should be able to frost 24 cupcakes if you apply the frosting with a knife.  If you swirl on the frosting with a pastry bag you should be able to frost 15-18 cupcakes depending on the size of the swirl.

Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

© Two Sisters Crafting
Cuisine: American / Category: Frosting