This homemade meringue tastes like marshmallow creme! It comes together quickly and easily with 4 basic ingredients. Made without all the preservatives and high fructose corn syrup of the store-bought version, this extra creamy and sweet topping/frosting will quickly become your new favorite.
One reader, Kathy, commented: “Heavenly! I’ll never go back to plain old whipped meringue. I made your recipe for creamy Lemon Pie and topped it with this and oh my goodness. It was incredible! ★★★★★“
Have you ever had a fluffernutter sandwich? Eaten marshmallows straight out of the bag? Roast campfire s’mores just to eat the gooey toasted marshmallow? Enjoyed marshmallow fluff right out of the jar? If any of these describe you, continue on.
PS: A fluffernutter sandwich is peanut butter and marshmallow creme on bread. Don’t knock it ’til you try it, trust me.
This is Meringue, But Tastes Like Homemade Fluff
Today we’re making homemade fluff aka marshmallow creme. I’ve actually taught you how to make it several times before:
- No Bake S’mores Cake
- Brownie Baked Alaska
- S’mores Chocolate Mousse
- Chocolate Mousse Pie
- S’mores Brownie Cupcakes
- Ultimate Birthday Cupcakes
- Chai Pumpkin Meringue Pie
It’s basically Swiss Meringue Buttercream, just without the butter. But don’t let the word “meringue” frighten you. This is an astonishingly simple mixture that you can use as a frosting, filling, or topping on MANY different confections. You only need 4 ingredients, a stovetop, and a mixer. It’s similar to traditional “7 minute frosting”, but doesn’t contain corn syrup or water.
What Does Marshmallow Creme Taste Like?
Marshmallow creme is everything we love about marshmallows, but in semi-liquified form. It’s extra creamy, soft, and sweet and pairs wonderfully with a variety of flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, banana, pumpkin, spice, lemon, etc. When toasted, it tastes like a marshmallow roasted over a campfire!
Unlike store-bought marshmallow fluff, this makes an excellent frosting because it can be piped. (Store-bought isn’t stable enough.) It doesn’t hold any intricate shapes, but pipes beautifully with a large round tip like Ateco 808, pictured above on chocolate cupcakes and below on S’mores Brownie Cupcakes.
Just 4 Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make homemade marshmallow creme. Though the written recipe is below, I want to walk through these ingredients so you understand the importance of each.
- Egg Whites: Egg whites and sugar form the structure. For best success, I recommend using fresh eggs instead of carton egg whites. (Using an egg separator is really handy!) Here are all my recipes using leftover egg yolks. Success tip: Eggs separate much easier when they’re cold.
- Granulated Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar, not confectioners’ sugar.
- Cream of Tartar: If you’ve made our French macarons, you’ll remember that cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites and helps the mixture hold its stiff peaks. It does the same job here—certainly an imperative ingredient. Sometimes lemon juice can be used as a substitute, but I don’t recommend it here. For best results, you need cream of tartar.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract adds wonderful flavor.
How to Make Homemade Marshmallow Creme & Video Tutorial
While it certainly looks fancy, homemade marshmallow creme couldn’t be easier to make. This is a simple 4 ingredient mixture cooked on the stovetop, then beaten into stiff peaks.
Begin by whisking the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar together in a double boiler or heat-proof bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thinned out. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, then use your mixer and whip on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form. Whipping is where the magic happens. It’s fun to watch the mixture transform from a thin liquid to voluminous fluff—literally a big puffy cloud.
You can toast homemade fluff using a kitchen torch (affiliate link—this is the torch I own and love) like I do in my no-bake s’mores cake, bourbon sweet potato pie, brownie baked Alaska, s’mores brownie cupcakes, and s’mores chocolate mousse.
Uses for Homemade Marshmallow Fluff
- Topping for banana cream pie or pumpkin pie
- As a filling for crepes
- Frosted on chocolate cupcakes or peanut butter cupcakes
- Piped & toasted on coconut cake or red velvet cake
- Swirled on pumpkin cupcakes or lemon cupcakes
- Between two graham crackers
- Spread & toasted on homemade brownies
- As the filling for oatmeal creme pies
- In s’mores cookie bars
- As the filling for cream-filled chocolate cupcakes
- As a completely homemade option for topping pumpkin cupcakes with marshmallow frosting
- Wherever you would use marshmallow fluff!
It’s excellent as a filling for cupcakes, but I find it squishes easily between layers of cake. I don’t recommend using it as a filling for cake, but you could certainly use it to frost the outside of a cake.
Print
Homemade Marshmallow Creme (Frosting)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made without all the preservatives and high fructose corn syrup of the store-bought version, this extra creamy and sweet homemade marshmallow creme will quickly become your new favorite. So many uses!
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with two inches of simmering water. Do not let it touch the water. (You can use a double boiler if you have one.)
- Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out, about 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and appear frothy on top. To test that it’s ready, you can use your finger or an instant read thermometer. Lightly and quickly dip your finger (it’s very hot, be careful) and rub the mixture between your thumb and finger. You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules. If using a thermometer, the temperature should read 160°F (71°C).
- Remove from heat. (No need to let it cool down before continuing.) Add the vanilla extract, then using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Meringue can be spread or swirled onto cakes, cupcakes, and other confections. It holds simple piped shapes like a swirl, as shown on the cupcakes above. Serve immediately OR torch it with a kitchen torch for a delicious toasted marshmallow topping. (Do not place in the oven under the broiler—it will melt.)
- Cover and store leftovers for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Baked goods topped with this marshmallow meringue can be left at room temperature for up to 6-8 hours. After that, it’s best to refrigerate or else the topping will begin to wilt. For best taste, texture, and appearance, I do not recommend freezing this.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Double Boiler | Whisk | Instant Read Thermometer | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Kitchen Torch
- Smaller or larger batch: Recipe may easily be halved, 1.5x, or doubled. Less volume will cook quicker on the stove and beat into stiff peaks quicker. More volume will take a little longer in both steps.
- Eggs: For best success, I recommend using fresh eggs instead of carton egg whites. Here are all my recipes using leftover egg yolks. Success tip: Eggs separate much easier when they’re cold.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi my granddaughter will not eat butter can I layer this onto a cake and sides thank you or is there another recipe without butter.
Hi Nano, we find it squishes easily between layers of cake. We don’t recommend using it as a filling for cake, but you could certainly use it to frost the outside of a cake.
Two tries and I couldn’t get it to reach stiff peaks! I was extra careful about water/yolk/oil and spent a long time whipping…. I’m in a humid climate, could that be the problem?
Hi Sara! Absolutely. Humid weather can make whipping egg whites very difficult.
This is such a great recipe! My hubby was super impressed, and is now making a fluffernutter sandwich!
Great recipe! Came out better than I thought. I did have to whip it a lot more than the recipe said but it came out great. Also, is there a way that I can turn it into actual marshmallows?
Hi Megi, glad you enjoyed this recipe! It doesn’t set up like marshmallows do, so it would be better to use a recipe specifically for making marshmallows. If you have a copy, Sally’s recipe for homemade marshmallows is published in Sally’s Candy Addiction.
I’m reading that it will not hold up well between layers of cake but as stated can be a filling between oatmeal cookies.
Does the cream similarly squish out? Does it need to be refrigerated if kept in a heat sealed package? Will they be stiffer if refrigerated?
Hi Sally,
I am wondering what this would be like if toasted and then chilled? I am thinking of using it as a top layer for a smores type pie I’m creating. When I used regular toasted marshmallow it went like chewy like taffy. Do you think the same would happen ?
Hi Angelina, your pie should stay well with this topping in the fridge for 1-2 days after originally serving. Let us know how you like it!
Hi Sally, would this tolerate sliced fruit on top – imagine a strawberry shortcake cake but with this instead of the cream?
Thanks
Linda
Hi Linda, that should be just fine. Enjoy!
Have you tried this with a no carb sugar substitute? I have many recipes that use fluff but since my husband became diabetic he can’t have them anymore.
Hi Lynne, We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. Thank you!
Is the final product stiff enough or have enough substance to hold up against the top half of a standard cake or will it collapse under the weight?
Hi James, we find it squishes easily between layers of cake. We don’t recommend using it as a filling for cake, but you could certainly use it to frost the outside of a cake.
I made this last week, it was perfect. But by morning it was very grainy? Any ideas why?
Hi Noddy, This can happen by day two if the sugar wasn’t completely dissolved in step 2 of the recipe directions. If you have a thermometer and you wish to try it again, heat until the temperature reads 160°F (71°C).
Will the 4-cup yield be enough to cover just the outside of a 2 layer, 9-inch cake?
Hi Erin, Yes it should be. Enjoy!
Can this or other recipes for homemade marshmallow fluff be used to make fudge that calls for marshmallow creme such as Kraft? Thanks!
Hi Chuck, yes! You can use this wherever you would use marshmallow fluff.
Hello, I followed the recipe exact, and I’ve whipped it for close to 10 minutes but it’s just not holding up like it should! Suggestions?
Hi Jess! Keep on whipping it. If you cooked the egg whites/sugar/cream of tartar long enough, the mixture will reach stiff peaks eventually. Is it particularly humid where you live?
hi, can this be toasted in the oven? thank you!
Hi Jowee, we don’t recommend placing this in the oven — it will melt. Best to use a kitchen torch to brown / toast this frosting.
I was wondering if you know about how many cupcakes this would cover instead of a cake?
Hi Jessie, it depends on how high you pipe the meringue, but you should be able to cover about 2 dozen cupcakes.
this frosting was so easy!! and soooo tasty! this will be a forever frosting at our house
I’m going to make a baked s’mores bar can this recipe stand being baked in the oven?
Hi Christine! Yes, this marshmallow creme should be ok in a recipe like our S’more Cookie Bars. Enjoy!
Cannot wait to try this
Hi,
I made this at the weekend to top our hot chocolate however I couldn’t get it to pipe, have you any advice? Thanks
Hi Aideen! Was the marshmallow creme too soft to pipe? This is very soft frosting, but it sounds like your batch could have benefitted from a couple extra minutes of beating. Did it reach stiff peaks?
This recipe is ingenious! The Swiss and Italian meringues are complicated and it’s hard to make multiple batches. Sometimes I just don’t want buttercream frosting so I was searching for an alternative and found this! I decorated our Easter treats with it (tripled the recipe). Turned out great! Has a beautiful glossy shine and batches kept well uncovered as I worked over a long period of time decorating.
Hi! Would this work to bind popcorn balls?
Hi Joe, it doesn’t really solidify (more like a loose frosting) so it wouldn’t be ideal for that. You’d want a homemade candy syrup for popcorn balls.
Hello Sally!
I’m a HUGE fan of your recipes 😀 you are certainly someone I can trust!
I have a quick question, do you think this work in a homemade fondant recipe?
The fondant recipe is
16 oz mini marshmallows
32 oz powdered sugar
4 tablespoons water
1 tsp. Butter
If you think it’s worth a shot I was thinking of experimenting a little and seeing if this would work.
Thank you and once again I’m just such a fan of your recipes
Hi Rebecca, we don’t have any experience with making fondant so can’t say for sure. Would love to hear how it turns out!
Hi can I skip the cream of tartar or replace it with something else?
Hi Gypsy, Unfortunately cream of tartar is an imperative ingredient. Lemon juice can work as a substitution in some recipes, but it doesn’t work as well here.
Hi! I always wonder, if I have small eggs will I have to add more? Is it possible to know the weight that was used? Id like to ask the same thing for your 6inch chocolate cake as well!
Hi Kimberly! A large whole egg weighs about 57g (or 50g out of the shell) and a large egg white weighs about 30g. Hope this helps!
Hi! Made this and turned out great, awesome recipe! , just wondering would it be posible to use it in smores squares? I mean between two layers of cookie dough, and then bake…? We don’t have marshmellow creme here…in Perú… Thanks a lot!
Hi Vanessa! This marshmallow creme should be ok in a recipe like our S’more Cookie Bars. Enjoy!
Hi Sally,
Love your recipes! I was wondering once I pipe it on the cupcakes and toast it…if I have left overs, can I store in the fridge and can it stay out at room temperature for 5-6hrs?
Hi Haseena! Cover and store leftover cupcakes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Hi Sally,
I’m Australian (huge fan!) and my son wants an iconic 1980’s Australian Women’s Weekly magazine ‘Duck cake’ for his birthday (if you seen the show Bluey in the US you might know what this is!). Duck cake is a simple butter sponge cake that is cut and shaped as a duck with a ‘fluffy’ marshmallow frosting however the eggs are not cooked in the 1980’s recipe which I am not a fan of! What I love about your marshmallow frosting recipe is the fact you cook the eggs first as the first step with your Swiss M cream. Just wanted to say thanks so much for sharing, and hope this can be a tip for other mums wanting to make a duck cake for their kids and want a marshmallow frosting with cooked eggs not raw 🙂
Question: I am looking for a recipe to use in homemade marshmallow donuts. Do you think this would work?
Hi Maryann, this would be excellent filling for a marshmallow creme filled donut. Let us know what you try!
Good to know! Thank you for your help
Hi Sally,
I am making cupcakes and using this as my frosting, we are having some today and some tomorrow, do I complete everything including the torching today and keep it in the fridge or do I pipe and torch it tomorrow?
Thank you
Hi Belinda, for best taste and texture, I recommend piping and torching tomorrow before serving.
Hi Sally
Planning to use this as a piped topping on top of chocolate cupcakes.
If I torch it – how long will the frosting last outside the fridge?
Thanks so much – you’re awesome!!!!!
Hi Ralph, Baked goods topped with this marshmallow meringue can be left at room temperature for up to 6-8 hours. After that, it’s best to refrigerate or else the topping will begin to wilt. Hope this helps!
Hi there, whats the expiration date? ( if you use a sterilised jar )
Hi Yuri, we don’t recommend storing this frosting. Leftovers will keep for a couple days in the refrigerator.
I wonder if I can use frozen eggs (of course thawed before using). I have loads left after making a flan last week.
Hi Ally, we don’t see why not!