Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting — A five-minute decadent frosting recipe made with just five ingredients! Rich, sweet, smooth, perfect for piping or just spreading on your favorite cake, cupcakes, brownies, and more! So EASY yet so good!
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Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting Recipe
This marshmallow buttercream frosting is rich, sweet, smooth, and soft. It’s essential in my three-layer Smores Cake and is used between the layers, around the the cake, and helps the marshmallows I pile on top to adhere better.
It is a perfect piping frosting because it’s neither so dense you can’t spread it, nor so thin that it refuses to stay where you put it.
It’s wonderful on top of cupcakes, brownies, or just smear it between a couple of graham crackers when you’re craving a midnight snack.
Best of all, it’s a cinch to make and literally is a five-minute recipe made with just five ingredients — the best kind!
Ingredients In Marshmallow Buttercream
For this five-ingredient marshmallow fluff frosting, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Butter: This is the base and structure of this buttercream frosting.
- Powdered sugar: This not only sweetens this frosting but it aids in the structure of it.
- Marshmallow Fluff or Marshmallow Creme: This is what will give the buttercream its marshmallow flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Classic marshmallow flavor is made with vanilla so adding it to this buttercream will help enhance the flavor that the marshmallow fluff brings.
- Salt: As with everything else, salt brings out all of the flavors present and gives balance to prevent an overly sweet taste.
How to Make Marshmallow Frosting
Making frosting with marshmallow cream is a cinch! Follow these basic instructions:
- Combine all the ingredients and beat for about 5 minutes.
- Then, put it in your piping bag fitted with a coupler and something like a round 1A piping tip and go to town.
- Alternatively, you can simply spread it on whatever cake you’re making if you’re wanting to keep things super simple.
Ways to Use Marshmallow Frosting
Apart from using it in my Smores Cake, it would be be perfect on a basic yet divine Chocolate Cake, in between the layers of my three-layer Triple Chocolate Cake, or to give almost a Twinkie-esque vibe to my Yellow Cake.
Even more desserts to pair with this homemade marshmallow buttercream frosting include:
- Fudgy Frosted Brownies
- White Chocolate Blondies
- Frosted Double Chocolate Cookies
- White Cake
- Cookies and Cream Cake
Storage Instructions
Frosting may be stored airtight in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Can Marshmallow Frosting Be Frozen?
Yes, I imagine so. I think it’d deflate somewhat once frozen, so you may need to re-whip the frosting for a minute or two prior to serving it.
Tips For the Best Marshmallow Frosting
The marshmallow fluff icing will come together long before the 4 minutes I call to beat the frosting in the recipe. However, I advise you to continue mixing because it allows the confectioners’ sugar to melt into the butter.
Additionally, it allows air to be whipped into the frosting which gives it a better consistency due to enhanced volume, making it more ideal for piping or frosting.
While a stand mixer is not essential for making buttercream frosting, if you have one, now is the time to put it to use. If not, use a hand mixer noting you may need to beat the frosting a bit longer.
Marshmallow Buttercream FAQs
No, you must make this recipe using marshmallow fluff or marshmallow creme. Using regular marshmallows that have been melted will result in stiff, gloopy frosting.
If you have a homemade marshmallow fluff recipe that’s tried and true, you’re welcome to use it here. However, I don’t have time to make every single ingredient from scratch all the time, so I don’t mind taking shortcuts now and again!
Yes, the frosting will last up to 1 month in the fridge, so feel free to make a batch of it in advance of a party or get together. 
I’ve only made this recipe as written, so I can’t speak to the best method for making a flavored marshmallow frosting. You’d need to play around with the ingredient ratios somewhat if making, say, chocolate marshmallow frosting using cocoa powder.
I’ve only made this recipe using real powdered sugar, but I think a sugar-free powdered sugar alternative would not work well here at all.
Possibly, but I’ve only tested the recipe as written so I can’t say for sure.
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Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 7 cups confectioners' sugar*
- 4 sticks, 2 cups unsalted butter, room temp
- 3 cups Marshmallow Fluff or Marshmallow Creme
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with either the paddle or whisk attachment (or a handheld electric mixer**) add all the ingredients, begin mixing on low speed until the confectioners' sugar starts to combine.
- After about 1 minute of mixing, turn speed up to medium for 30 seconds and mix before turning it up to
high. - Allow the buttercream to mix on high speed for another 4 minutes.***
- After it's done whipping up, use to frost cake, cupcakes, brownies, etc. by either piping it, dolloping it on, or spreading it. Frosting may be stored airtight in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Marshmallow Desserts:
ALL OF MY MARSHMALLOW RECIPES!
Homemade Marshmallows – Easier than you think to make and the results are so WORTH IT! Chewy, sticky, bouncy, soft yet firm, and they blow store bought marshmallows away! Learn how to make marshmallows at home with my straightforward and simple recipe!
S’mores Cake – A three layer showstopping cake that everyone will ADORE! Moist and tender layers of chocolate cake along with crunchy graham cracker crusts, sweet marshmallow buttercream frosting, toasted marshmallows, and chocolate bars for a true s’mores experience!
Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Skillet Cookie — Bigger is better when it comes to cookies. Especially when they’re loaded with melted chocolate and gooey marshmallows!
Fluffernutter Cookies – Soft, supremely CHEWY cookies that are loaded with marshmallows, peanut butter chips, and crispy rice cereal!!
Soft and Chewy S’mores Cookies — Loaded with chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers!! The best s’mores you’ll ever eat and no campfire required!!
Gooey Chocolate Chip and Marshmallow Cookie Pie — The whole pie tastes like the soft, GOOEY, underbaked centers of fresh chocolate chip marshmallow cookies!! Between the melted chocolate, marshmallows, and big time gooey factor, this pie is PERFECT!!
S’mores Bars — SO EASY, NO-BAKE, just FOUR ingredients, and ready in FIVE minutes!! It doesn’t get any better than that and no campfire required! A hit with kids and adults at parties, potlucks, and picnics!!
Thank you for the recipe! It’s really really sweet and thin. Don’t think I’ll be able to pipe this at all. I’m a sugar/sweets junky and it’s too much for me. Lol.
Is there a way to cut the sweetness after the fact?
Thank you
Yes you can cut the sweetness, so long as the butter hasn’t separated, just add more butter! This will not only help the sweetness but also the runnyness of buttercream.
Contrary to what would sound logical, adding powdered sugar (to potentially thicken a too-thin frosting) will only make buttercream more soft and runny as it becomes due to the powdered sugar melting.
Also, refrigeration can help immensely with regard to it being runny. Being summertime, the heat will cause the butter to soften and can be amplified by the heat from friction in beating it.
Chill for 10 minutes before adding more ingredients then whip longer. If that still isn’t sufficient, beat the butter in a separate bowl by itself for 10 minutes, it should be fluffy and creamy and white by this point. Whip into the other buttercream.
If that doesn’t fix it, I suggest starting over.
All this being said, this is a frosting made with marshmallows and sugar so it’s very sweet by nature!
Amazing! I substituted vegan butter for the butter and it has amazing flavor and still pipes beautifully! Thank you!
If I’m going to use this recipe for frosting a 2-layer cake, should I cut the recipe in half? Its my first time to make a layer cake, so I don’t really know how much frosting would be needed. Thank you!
No don’t cut it in half – if anything you may need more than you think because going around the two layers on the outside perimeter of the cake takes quite a bit.
Amazing! I substituted vegan butter for the butter and it has amazing flavor and still pipes beautifully! Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and that is amazing to hear that you subbed vegan butter and it still pipes beautifully!
Hi there, is the consistency or taste of the icing different based on whether we use marshmallow cream or fluff? I only have marshmallow fluff and I’m wondering if that’s the best option to go with, if I want a pipe-able consistency with a pure marshmallow flavour. Thanks in advance!
The consistency should be the same with either Fluff or Creme in my experience.
I love this recipe. I also cut it in half and added 8oz of cream cheese which made a marshmallow cream cheese buttercream! I got so many compliments. Thanks so much.
I love this recipe. I also cut it in half and added 8oz of cream cheese which made a marshmallow cream cheese buttercream! I got so many compliments. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that you love it and were able to transform it into a marshmallow cream cheese buttercream! I can imagine yes indeed you did get a lot of compliments!
Did you soften the cream cheese and add everything together and mix?
Yes it’s recommended that the cream cheese be at room temp. For most any baking recipe, this is the general rule unless specified otherwise.
great
Hi What is the size container for the marshmallow creme? The recipe says 3 cups which would be a 24 oz container if 1 cup is 8oz. You show a 13 oz container of the marshmallow creme. Would this recipe be able to be cut in half?
Follow the values listed in the recipe. In this situation, because of its weight, a 13 oz jar of marshmallow creme is about 3 cups. Use that.
Yes you can halve the recipe.
Hi! Thanks for the recipe.
I am planning to use marshmallow buttercream frosting on my friend’s wedding next month. We are in Middle East and I’m was thinking if the stability of this can stand the travel like maximum 1 hr? Coz the venue is in a hotel so it would be air-conditioned I’m just worried for traveling. What do u think?
Also I would be adding shortening for more stability.
Looking forward for your response ☺️
Thank you and God bless.
Hi! Thanks for the recipe.
I am planning to use marshmallow buttercream frosting on my friend’s wedding next month. We are in Middle East and I’m was thinking if the stability of this can stand the travel like maximum 1 hr? Coz the venue is in a hotel so it would be air-conditioned I’m just worried for traveling. What do u think?
Also I would be adding shortening for more stability.
Looking forward for your response ☺️
Thank you and God bless.
It’s really hard to predict all the various scenarios. I would make a small simple let cake and test out what you plan to do and see how it works. That is the only way you will have any realistic answer.
HEY PRAYING ALL IS WELL
THANK U FOR SHARING I NEED THE RECIPE PLEASE
U BE BLESS AND STAY SAFE
U HAVE A ABSOLUTELY AMAZING WEEK 👏
great
Must the marshmallows be melted before adding ?
Re-read the post and instructions, it is all very clear. For the frosting, you’re not melting anything.
HEY PRAYING ALL IS WELL
THANK U FOR SHARING I NEED THE RECIPE PLEASE
U BE BLESS AND STAY SAFE
U HAVE A ABSOLUTELY AMAZING WEEK 👏
I am looking to make ice cream cake/cupcakes and was wondering if you thought this frosting would work well instead of a whipped topping on top?
Yes I think it would work very well on cupcakes!
I cannot wait to make this!