I have been looking at my Great Grandmother’s recipe for Homemade Marshmallow Frosting for a while now and finally got around to making it. It turned out to be different than what I had imagined but was still delicious and beautiful. I imagined that the frosting would look like big fluffy clouds that I could pipe onto a cupcake. In my mind, this was going to be the fluffiest frosting which would make the most beautiful cupcakes ever. This frosting was less like a frosting and more like an icing. It was thin and would not hold any shape at all. That’s okay though because it still had that shiny white gleam that I was hoping it would and it was very tasty. It tasted just like marshmallow fluff!
Here is what the recipe card looked like.
This time Grandmother had a little more detail and direction then she usually does but I still could have used more. Like should I stir the sugar-water syrup while it’s boiling? Do I remove it from the heat once I add in the marshmallows? Also, was I supposed to wait for the marshmallows to melt before I added them to the egg whites? The first time I made this marshmallow frosting, I did not stir it and I left it on the heat while the marshmallows melted ( which I felt was safe to let the marshmallows to melt. Seemed only right.). The homemade marshmallow frosting didn’t turn out as I had hoped. It was grainy because sugar crystals had formed from not stirring the syrup and from keeping it on the heat (rookie mistake). I made it again, fixing my mistakes and the frosting turned out silky smooth and much better. This frosting hardens the longer it sits, so be patient and try not to take your sweet time while frosting.
I have to say one more time how much my kids loved this frosting. My middle child bit into the cupcakes and exclaimed loudly with big eyes and a mouth full of pink cupcake, ” I LOVE it!!” And I have to admit that I dipped my finger in more than a couple times and ate my fair share of cupcakes for the day.
These are perfect for Valentine’s Day coming up. I know I will be bringing some cupcakes frosted in this homemade marshmallow frosting to more than one of my children’s Valentine’s day class parties. You have to try it and let me know what you think.
Homemade Marshmallow Frosting Recipe
Beat the white of 1 egg until stiff peaks form and set aside.
Next, make a simple syrup by bringing some water and sugar to a boil. Stirring frequently, wait until the syrup gets to the soft-ball stage. The soft ball stage is a temperature of about 235° F. I used my candy thermometer. At this temperature, sugar syrup dropped into cold water will form a soft, flexible ball. If you remove the ball from water, it will flatten like a pancake after a few moments in your hand.
While waiting for the syrup to get to the right temperature, prepare the marshmallows by tearing them into small pieces so they will melt faster.
Recipe calls for 18 large marshmallows but I don’t see why you couldn’t also use mini marshmallows. Online it says that 1 regular marshmallow is equal to 13 mini marshmallows. That’s 234 mini marshmallows or a little less than 2 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows.
Once it reaches the soft-ball stage, remove syrup from heat source, add in marshmallows and wait a minute or two for the marshmallows to begin melting. DO NOT STIR.
Add mixture into the bowl with the beaten egg whites and beat rapidly until all marshmallows melt and you get the right consistency to spread.
If frosting gets too thick, then beat in a few drops of water. That’s it. Viola! Perfect marshmallow frosting. Now go make some and leave me a comment letting me know what you thought. To find out more about my Great Grandma’s recipe box go here and to see more recipes like this one go here. Enjoy!
Printable Recipe is below:
Great Grandmother’s Marshmallow Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 egg white- beaten until stiff peaks form
- 18 large marshmallows
Instructions
- Boil sugar and water while stirring frequently until syrup reaches 235 degrees or syrup forms a soft ball in ice water. Remove from heat.
- Break the marshmallows in pieces and to the hot syrup. DO NOT STIR. Let sit 1 -2 minutes. Pour slowly over the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating rapidly.
- Continue beating frosting until it reaches desired consistency to spread. If it gets too thick to spread beat in a few drops of water.
Notes
Nutrition
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About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Carolina says
Just made it for my son’s birthday cake and it looks and tastes beautiful.
Thanks for the extra tips.
After covering the whole cake, I added M&Ms and sprinkles.
It’s so glossy I wish I could share a photo!!
Happy-Money-Saver says
OOh that sounds perfect!
Sara Walkenbach says
Thank you so much for sharing your great grandmother’s recipe. I have tried several times to make my grandma’s 7 minute marshmallow icing. It was always gritty. Yours turned out perfect. I used it for cupcakes. You only needed a little in the middle, it spread to cover the cupcake. Perfect! And not gritty!
Happy-Money-Saver says
Oh, I love to hear this! Thanks for sharing!
Carmen Wolf says
Is 18 large marshmallows the regular size or the jumbo? I can’t find a “large” version. Only mini, regular, or jumbo. Thanks!
Caron says
Will this work to dip cake balls in?
Happy-Money-Saver says
It’s pretty thick so I am not sure.
Melissa says
Ruined my cake. Horrible recipe. It was like glue. I couldn’t even spread it I threw my cake in the garbage. I’d be embarrassed to even show anybody this.
Melanie says
I made this frosting for my daughter who loves marshmallows. I halved the recipe and also used mini marshmellows which worked fine. She definitely liked it! Thank you for sharing your grandmother’s recipe.
Elaines Radu says
HI;
Great recipe and it may just be what I am looking for. I made a recipe for Dark Christmas Fruit Cake from a cookbook entitled “OUT OF OLD NOVA SCOTIA KITCHENS”. The recipe yielded five cakes in total;
(3 X loaf pan size and 2 X 8-inch springform pans)…Who knew??? But I was delighted with my find. Soon these must be decorated before gifting to favourite people who deserve gifts at Christmas but have everything. A home-made Christmas cake is just the ticket and they all love Christmas fruit cake. Each cake weighs approximately 2.5 lbs. One cake weighs in at 3.0 lbs. I followed the recipe to the letter exactly
because I am interested in the survival of pioneer women, to North America from Britain, Scotland, Ireland and European countries. My ancestors emigrated to Canada from Eastern Europe and settled in Western Canada. Homesteaders all of them…. I have such admiration for these hardy, strong homemakers.
It is a wonderful cookbook with an interesting history of the food (or recipe)s of the area from which each old recipe arrived in Canada with its originator. When women emigrated with their families from the British Isles and other Europian nations, they carried with them satchels full of recipes and cooking utensils, including cast iron pans and kettles. (I’ll bet they would have carried their stoves if allowed)
My question pertains to your G.GM’s recipe for marshmallow cake frosting… I do not like marzipan or fondant, and I do not like working with these. Since the cakes are all Christmas Fruit Cake, would your Great Grandmother’s Marshmallow Frosting stand up; would I have to make the icing more stable?
Thanks for your time….and for sharing your loving gift which will endure for your children. It is your fond memories of Great Grandmother, and most appreciated by all who benefit by your generosity.
Elise says
I love marshmallow …turned out wonderful and was fun to make Thanks for sharing.
Cherise says
Well I tried this with the mini marshmallows and it was an ultimate fail, popped them into the hot syrup, left for 1 min, went to pour and mallows had solidified my syrup instead d’oh
Loree Byers says
Thank you, Karrie for sharing your grandma’s secret squirrel recipe. Looks like my mom’s handwriting. I Made this for my granddaughter’s birthday cupcakes. Ooey gooey rainy day fun! Messed up the kitchen and the cupcakes are GONE 2 hours later.
missy manning says
An you use marshmallow fluff in a jar? Just asking because that’s what I have on hand?
Kim Staggs says
I love this! But, mine is rather thin so covered it and put it in the fridge to stiffen… we will see. Idk where I messed up. I’m used to working with the sugar because of the Christmas candy I make every year.. I think it was the egg whites. I beat them for quite awhile maybe they weren’t stiff enough. I will see what I have in the morning and report back.
Ursula says
Hello!
Thanks for shering that recipe… that excactly what im looking for but im wondering if i can put some colorant.. maybe red cuz i just only have pink marshmallows and its not quite a christmas color isnt it hahah so when should i can put the drops of the color please
👌🏻🥰🌷
Karrie says
You can add it at the end!
Jen says
Sounds so yummy, love marshmallows!
Does the frosting set up? I’m looking for a marshmallow frosting to frost cookies with but would like to stack them.
Jennifer says
Just made this recipe! Awesome!! Thank you for posting!
Angela Zullo says
Wow this recipe was absolutely amazing! Tasted just like fluff only in the form of icing! Best frosting recipe ever!
Susan says
I just made this Marshmallow Frosting and it was super easy and delicious ever! Thank you for the awesome recipe. Can’t wait to make more them.
Rick Jackson says
OMG!!! ? Your grandmother’s handwriting looks exactly like my late grandmother’s!!! She wrote her recipes and things on cards just like those as well!!!
It’s so weird. It honestly looks the same!!! NOT the recipe or anything like that. Just the handwriting. It just brought back so many memories.
I’ll definitely be trying this recipe.
Greetings from South Africa. ☺️
Wendy says
I have made a recipe similar to this which was handed down to me. It looks exactly like this but I use 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Boil . Let cool. Beat 1 egg white till stiff peaks form. Slowly add in the sugar water and a tsp of vanilla with an electric beater. Keep beating on high until thickened. I don’t add marshmallows. I keep this refrigerated on the cakes. It holds up better.
Karrie says
Ooooo, that one sounds great too!
Kerri says
Will this keep? If I make it in the morning and want to bag it and put it on cupcakes at work will that work? I’ve never make frosting before. I have 70 mini chocolate beet cupcakes I baked tonight. Need them for kids potluck tomorrow….have to work all day then meet them with the cupcakes for dinner. What was I thinking?! TIA
Karrie says
Hmmm…wish I could tell you, but I’ve only made this twice and used it right up.
DJ says
Your recipe differs from your Grandmother’s is quite a big way. Hers – 1¼ cup of sugar and 1/2 a cup of water.
Yours says – 1¼ cup water and 1 cup sugar
Is this just a typo or an alternative you came up with that works better. Please advise, as I am looking forward to making this recipe. Thanks.
Happy.MoneySaver says
Just a typo–I fixed it! 🙂 You will love it!