With just four ingredients, this EASY Marshmallow Fondant recipe is inexpensive, easy to make, and can be used for any creative cake decorating project! Plus, it tastes great!

Want a cake recipe to decorate with fondant? Keep it simple with a homemade Yellow or Chocolate cake or make it fancy and fill your cake with Chocolate Mousse!

A round cake covered in a sheet of homemade Marshmallow Fondant.

What I love about this recipe:

  • Inexpensive: Store-bought fondant can be pretty expensive but this fondant recipe only costs about $2 for per batch (about 3lbs of fondant)!
  • Fast: Only takes about 10 minutes to make homemade fondant!
  • Texture: This fondant is perfectly smooth, pliable, and can be made any color you’d like! It is perfect for cake decorating!

How to make Marshmallow Fondant:

Microwave: Place marshmallows and water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave.

Two images showing marshmallows in a bowl, and then the marshmallows melted.

Mix in Powdered Sugar: Grease your hands with shortening and use your hands to mix in powdered sugar with the melted marshmallow mixture.

A bowl of marshmallow fondant with powdered sugar on top.

Knead: Grease your hands and your counter-top generously with shortening. Turn marshmallow mixture onto counter and start kneading it like you would dough. Add more powdered sugar as needed and re-grease your hands and the counter-top as needed until the dough is smooth and soft.

Two images showing Marshmallow Fondant being kneaded, and then in a ball.

4. Add color (if desired) and Roll Out: Roll it out thinly (about ⅛ inch thick) for covering cakes or creating decorations.

A round cake covered in homemade marshmallow fondant and topped with a pink flower.

How much Fondant do I need to cover my cake? 

This recipe makes about 3 pounds (48 oz) of fondant. Here is a conversion chart to help you determine how much fondant you need to cover your cake.

Coloring and Storing Instructions:

To Color: Add a little icing color to your desired amount of fondant. Knead the fondant with your hands until it absorbs all of the color (I recommend wearing plastic gloves). Add more color as needed to reach the desired hue.

To Store: Coat homemade marshmallow fondant with a thin layer of shortening then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a resealable bag with all the air squeezed out. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Recipe Variations:

  • Stovetop instead of microwave:  Add water and marshmallows to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well until melted. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar.
  • Substitute large marshmallow:  To substitute large marshmallows, use a 16 oz. bag of large marshmallows.  Follow directions exactly, using a little more water and/or powdered sugar in step 6 to find the right consistency for a smooth dough.
  • To use a stand mixer:  If you don’t want to knead the dough with your hands, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook.  First grease the bowl and the hook with shortening.  Then dust the bowl gently with powdered sugar.  Add marshmallows and slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar (about ½ cup at a time), mixing between each addition.

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Recipe

Marshmallow Fondant placed loosely on top of a round cake.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 5 minutes
Total 20 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 16 ounce package mini marshmallows (8 ½ cups)
  • 2-5 Tablespoons water
  • 8 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable shortening

Instructions
 

  • Place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a large microwave-safe bowl. 
  • Microwave for 30 seconds on high; stir until mixed well. Continue microwaving in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth.
  • Place about 5 cups of the powdered sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mixture and gently fold it into the marshmallows.
  • Grease your hands and your counter generously with shortening. Turn marshmallow mixture onto counter and start kneading it like you would dough. 
  • Add more confectioners' sugar as needed and re-grease your hands and the counter as needed.
  • If the marshmallow fondant is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water (about ½ tablespoon at a time) kneading it until fondant forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing.

Notes

Yield: This recipe makes about 3 pounds (48 oz) of fondant. Here is a conversion chart to help you determine how much fondant you need to cover your cake.
Coloring Instructions: Add a little icing color to your desired amount of fondant. Knead the fondant with your hands until it absorbs all of the color (I recommend wearing plastic gloves). Add more color as needed to reach the desired hue.
Storage Instructions: Coat fondant with a thin layer of shortening, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a resealable bag with all the air squeezed out. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Variations:
  • Stovetop instead of microwave:  Add water and marshmallows to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well until melted. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar.
  • Substitute large marshmallow:  To substitute large marshmallows, use a 16 oz. bag of large marshmallows.  Follow directions exactly, using a little more water and/or powdered sugar in step 6 to find the right consistency for a smooth dough.
  • To use a stand mixer:  If you don’t want to knead the dough with your hands, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook.  Be sure to FIRST grease the bowl and the hook with shortening.  Then dust the bowl gently with powdered sugar.  Add marshmallows and slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar (about ½ cup at a time), mixing between each addition.

Nutrition

Calories: 2890kcalCarbohydrates: 663gProtein: 4gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 5gSodium: 193mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 600gCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

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*I originally shared this recipe December 2013. Updated April 2020 and July 2022.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. 5 stars
    I’ve used this recipe many times and always had great results!

    I’m needing to make a brown/chocolate fondant for an upcoming birthday cake and wondering if anyone has ever tried adding cocoa powder to the mix??

  2. Is there any way to dry it out other than adding more sugar? I’ve added all the powdered sugar I have in the house and it’s still too sticky to mold.

  3. I was going to try to use this fondant. I’m going to make unicorn cupcakes and I need to make the ears and the horns. I was going to try with this fondant how far ahead of time can I make the horns and the ears? How should I store them? Does the stuff get hard?

  4. This was so easy! I didn’t want to spend the money for store-bought fondant because I only needed a very small amount. I was able to trim your recipe down to a 1/4, and it was perfect! Thank you!

  5. I used this recipe to make fondant for the very first time. It is use friendly! I made animal faces as cupcake toppers for a baby shower and they turned out great. Thank you for this recipe!

  6. 5 stars
    I’m a novice bakery – this recipe was incredibly easy to follow, tasted great and very easy to work with. I wish I could show you the picture of the cake I was able to make with this recipe. You made our GF kiddo’s birthday cake so special – I give you all the credit – thank you so much!!!

  7. I have been asked to make fondant icing to cover a fruit cake. Can this fondant be applied directly to the cake or does it need a layer to help it stick? (I’ve read apricot jelly or a layer of buttercream) thanks for your help!

  8. If i make decorations with this recipe, how long will they stay pliable?

    Thank you! not usually a fondant girl…..

  9. Hi I’m in Ireland just wondering is the shortening the same here as it is in America and could I use vegetable oil instead. Thank you

    1. I’m sure it may be called something different there–or lard would work. a quick internet search should help. Oil wont work.

    2. I think it is called “cooking fat” or “vegetable based fat”. You need it to have some body to it, so I think butter would work better than vegetable oil if you can’t find it. The cooking lard also may work as long as it isn’t savory like a beef tallow or something.

  10. I’m wanting to add plastic figurines to the top of my cake, but do you know how best to attach them? I appreciate the fondant only having 4 ingredients because we are a GF/DF/SF/Dye + egg free household, and it’s nice to be able to make a simple recipe. I’m not sure how to get the figures to stay in place on top of the fondant.

    1. I’d use a dollop of buttercream if you have it. It’s a pain to make some if not – but if you’re doing any piping, maybe you have some?

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