This homemade fondant recipe is super easy to make with only 5 ingredients! It’s a great alternative to store bought fondant and is great for decorating cakes, cupcakes, or cookies.
Did you know you can make your own fondant? Yep, you sure can! All you need to make your fondant is 1 bag of mini marshmallows (I use jet puffed), a 2 pound bag of confectioners sugar, water, vanilla and Crisco. You’ll just need to make sure you stir and knead well to make sure everything comes together.
What is fondant?
Fondant is an icing that dries hard and is used to decorate cakes.
Is homemade fondant better than store bought fondant?
I think homemade marshmallow fondant taste better than store bought fondant, but that is my opinion. You can add more vanilla for your taste or you can even try almond or lemon favoring.
How long does homemade fondant last?
If stored properly, homemade fondant can last for a few months.
How do you store homemade fondant?
After making your fondant, coat it with a thin layer of shortening, wrap it in plastic wrap, and keep it in an airtight container. You should always keep fondant covered when it’s not in use to keep it from drying out. Homemade and store bought fondant will both dry out super fast if not kept covered.
How long does it take fondant to dry?
When making fondant figurines for cakes, you want them to dry hard so they will stay in place. After making the figurines, it will take several hours to several days for your fondant to dry depending on the size of your figurine. I usually let all of my figurines at least dry overnight.
How to store fondant decorations.
Dried fondant decorations can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or they can be left out on the counter. You just want to make sure they’re in a place where they won’t accidentally get broken. If you want to keep your fondant decorations soft, immediately store them in an airtight container or re-sealable bag after cutting them out or molding them.
Visit this post for my edible glue recipe and learn how to attachΒ fondant decorations to your cake.
Can I refrigerate or freeze fondant?
Fondant should never be refrigerated or frozen. This could cause condensation on the fondant and you’d end up with a big sticky mess.
Why is my homemade fondant sticky?
You may have added too much water. Add small amounts of powdered sugar until it is no longer sticky.
Why is my homemade fondant cracking?
If your fondant is cracking it’s because it’s too dry. Add small amounts of shortening to your fondant until it is no longer dry and forming cracks.
How to color fondant.
I have a whole post on how to color fondant. Check it out here!
How to Make Homemade Marshmallow Fondant.
Step 1
First, dump the entire bag of marshmallow into a bowl.
Step 2
Add 1/4 cup of water.
Step 3
Now you want to start microwaving the marshmallows and water for 30 seconds at a time until the marshmallows are completely melted. Be sure to stir well after each 30 seconds. It will go from this,
to this.
Step 4
Add the 2 pound bag of confectioners sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla into the bowl of melted marshmallows.
Step 5
This is where you get your arm workout in. You’ll need to start stirring, and stirring, and stirring.
*Note- If you need just one color fondant, the best time to add the color is now. If you need several colors you’ll have to wait to add the color when the fondant has come together.
Step 6
When you’ve stirred all you can stir, it’s time to get your hands into it. Β Make sure you apply a very generous amount of Crisco to your hands, so you won’t end up with a sticky mess.
Step 7
After rubbing your hands all over (trust me all over) with shortening, start kneading the fondant. When it starts to come together I usually half it and knead it in halves. This makes it easier to knead.
It will start to come together and look like this…
Can I use homemade fondant immediately?
You should let the fondant sit for at least a couple of hours before using. This will firm it up a little more and makes it easier to work with. Also, if you have colored your fondant, letting it sit out will deepen the color.
After you’ve let it sit out for a while it’s time work your magic!
There you go, easy, delicious, homemade fondant! Let me know if you have any questions!
Nicole
Homemade Marshmallow Fondant
Ingredients
- 1 lb mini marshmallows
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 lb confectioners sugar (1 large bag)
- 1 tbsp shortening for greasing hands
Instructions
- Mix marshmallows and water together in a microwave safe bowl.
- Melt in microwave for 30 second intervals until marshmallows are completely melted. Be sure to stir after each 30 seconds.
- Mix in confectioners sugar with a spoon until it begins to form a ball.
- Cover hands with shortening and begin kneading the fondant on a flat surface covered with powdered sugar until the fondant becomes smooth and stretchy.
- Cover with plastic wrap immediately and store in an airtight container.
Video
When do you add the vanilla and how much?
Hi Daphne! Sorry, I completely forgot to tell you that! Add it when you add the confectioners sugar.
In the written direction you say add 1/2 cup water, but in the recipe it calls for 1/4 cup water.
Thank you for catching that! I fixed it. It should be a 1/4 of a cup. You can add a little more if you find it’s not enough.
Oh my this is so Easy! I totally cheated and used the kneading hook on my Kitchen Aid. I divided the recipe in half so I could make two different colors. And it doesn’t taste horrible! So glad you shared!!