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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!
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.
Mix in Powdered Sugar: Grease your hands with shortening and use your hands to mix in powdered sugar with the melted marshmallow mixture.
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.
4. Add color (if desired) and Roll Out: Roll it out thinly (about ⅛ inch thick) for covering cakes or creating decorations.
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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Marshmallow Fondant
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
- 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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*I originally shared this recipe December 2013. Updated April 2020 and July 2022.
I tried it and it came out perfect. So much more easy to make than regular fondant. My family usually hate fondant but love this. Thanks so much !!!
How many cakes can you cover with one batch of fondant
This recipe makes about 3 pounds of fondant. Here is a good resource for your question: https://www.wilton.com/cms-fondant-amounts-to-cover-cakes.html
Hey Lauren, what type of food colouring did you use? Liquid or powder… Thanks in advance 🤗☺️💕
I used the coloring gels.
Fondant isn’t meant to be ate it’s more about presentation!
How long is the shelf life? And any tips on storage? Room temp? Refrigerator?
See my tips above in the post.
I followed this recipe and my fondant was amazing. I made a cake for my daughters second birthday and made farm animals for the cake. looked amazing. people at my party were amazed at how clean and professional it looked.
Any on have any tips on making this easier to knead ,with out hurting hands from R.A, putting pressure on ur hands with arth. is very difficult , any suggestions from any one , i buy every gadget i can find , for making my life a little easier in the kitchen or any where else in the house , cause I love to cook . any suggestions on any thing would be appreciated . thanks in advance . ouch
Helene, I haven’t tested this so please take it with a grain of salt, but perhaps using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment would work. I would grease the bowl and the dough hook with a little shortening and knead it in the mixer bowl. It might still require some hand kneading at the end, but hopefully the mixer could do the hardest part for you.
I use my stand mixer every time. Works perfectly.
I DO use the stand mixer with a dough hook. Works awesome – and YES definitely grease the boal and hook with shortening before you start. I then add a little powdered sugar dusting to bowl and marshmallows to start. Add the rest of powdered sugar by 1/2 Cup at a time. Be careful to mix well between additions and not over do the sugar.
Made it this morning. It worked well and molded well. I was very pleased with this as it was my first attempt at any sort of fondant. My 8 yr old had been snatching decorative pieces from the top of the cake all day and said it was melting in her mouth. When we finally actually got to the cake it really did melt in your mouth. It was, it seemed, true to the recipe – EIGHT TIMES sweeter than a marshmallow! 🙂 I could hardly stand to eat it. It was like cotton candy in a more solid form. But it was a huge hit with the kids. Thanks for this recipe and the directions. Knowing to use oil to help it not stick was a lifesaver.
Thanks a big help,need to making little neemos for a Dory cake
All the recipes I find say to microwave the marshmallows. I do not have a microwave, what would be the best way to melt on stove?
I think you could follow step one in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Water plus marshmallow, in a small saucepan over med. heat.
YOU CAN USE THE SAME THING ON THE STOVE BUT WOULD RECOMEND TO USE A DOUBLE BOILER TO AVOID SCORTCHING OF MARSHMELLOW.