Homemade Fondant Marshmallow Playdough Recipe

Yes, you read it right! The marshmallow playdough recipe is so easy. It uses a few ingredients, giving the play dough a soft, squishy, and stretchy texture you will love. 

Homemade Marshmallow playdough is a fun and creative way to keep young children entertained and engaged. Making playdough together is a great fun and learning activity for parents and children. Kids can use cookie cutters, rolling pins, measuring tools, and other kitchen utensils to make shapes and figures. 

Alternatively, this marshmallow playdough can be used as a cake fondant to decorate cupcakes or cookies for themed parties or activities with the kids. The possibilities for this play dough are endless!

In addition to being fun, homemade marshmallow playdough is also relatively safe. All ingredients are non-toxic, so there’s no need to worry about children putting the playdough in their mouths. 

The play dough can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, so you can make a large batch and have it ready for future play dates.

I have tried out two different recipes for making marshmallow playdough. One is a traditional playdough recipe, while the other is a recipe for fondant, which can be used to make playdough and decorate cupcakes.

Here are the pictures of the marshmallow fondant I used to decorate cupcakes for my son’s first birthday with the BABY TV theme. You can also make themed cupcakes for your children and let them come up with their imaginations.

In this post, I will share both of my tested recipes, and you can make whichever interests you the most. The primary difference in both of my recipes is one has corn starch while the other recipe has powdered sugar.

RECIPE # 1 EDIBLE FONDANT MARSHMALLOW PLAYDOUGH

This homemade marshmallow playdough, or fondant, is easy to make and tastes great. The marshmallows also add a sweet aroma to the play dough, making it an even more enjoyable activity for children. It uses easy ingredients you probably already have at home. And it wows your kids to make playdough out of something that they already love.

Here is how to make fondant marshmallow play dough at home:

INGREDIENTS

• Marshmallows – 16 ounces (8 cups)
• Icing Sugar – 2 lb (3 ½ Cup)
• Water – 2 – 6 Tablespoons of water
• Crisco Shortening – 1/2 Cup
• Gel Food Coloring – Optional (I like Wilton gel food colors)

Let’s get started

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take a large microwave-safe bowl, and add the marshmallows and water together. Start by heating them for 30 seconds and stirring until they entirely melt. (usually, it takes about 2 ½ minutes)
2. Once it’s melted completely, add ¾ cup of the powdered sugar to the mixture.
3. Grease your hands with shortening and start kneading the mixture like a dough. Add the rest of the sugar as necessary, and re-grease your hands when the dough is sticky.
4. The fondant play dough is ready when it forms a smooth, elastic ball that stretches without tearing.
5. You can divide the dough and add gel food coloring at this stage.
6. To store the fondant play dough, coat it with shortening and put it in a cling wrap or zip lock bag, removing as much air as possible.
7. This homemade play dough can be kept in the refrigerator for weeks.
8. If you use it for cakes or cupcake decorations, it is best to let the dough sit overnight, wrapped in plastic wrap, for the best results.

NOTE: 

If you see tiny bits of sugar particles, add some drops of water and knead it.

This homemade fondant play dough-making is messy initially, but you will love the results.

RECIPE # 2 MARSHMALLOW PLAYDOUGH

Homemade marshmallow playdough is an easy, safe, and creative way to keep children entertained. With just a few ingredients, you can create a soft, squishy, and delicious playdough that will surely be a hit with kids of all ages.

My kids always get excited and love to see the marshmallows expand and get almost double in size when kept in the microwave. So gather your ingredients, turn on the microwave, and get ready to have some fun!

INGREDIENTS

• Marshmallows – 10-ounce bag (about 6 Cups)
• Cornstarch – 2 ½ Cups (keep 1 cup extra if needed)
• Oil – ⅓ Cup (vegetable, coconut); keep ¼ cup extra for kneading
• Water – 3 Tablespoons
• Gel Food Coloring – Optional

Let’s get started

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take a large microwave-safe bowl and combine everything except food color (marshmallows, oil, cornstarch, and water)
2. Heat it for 30 seconds, stirring between intervals until the marshmallows are melted (1 -2 minutes).
3. Take it out and let the mixture get cool slightly.
4. Dust some cornstarch on your work surface, and knead the dough until the consistency becomes smooth.
5. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch until it reaches your desired consistency.
6. Now divide the dough into separate parts for different food colors.
7. Add food coloring to each divided play dough and mix it thoroughly with lightly oiled hands.
8. You can store the play dough in an airtight container or a zip lock for 1 week in the refrigerator.

NOTE: 

• you can take the colored marshmallows if you don’t want to add color separately. 
• This recipe uses cornstarch, which is not safe to eat raw, so if you make an edible one, use recipe #1 with powdered sugar.
• Remove the bowl carefully from the microwave – the bowl is very hot.
• If the dough is sticky, you can add more powdered sugar or cornstarch
• If it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of warm water until the texture is perfect.
• It is best to cover the table with parchment paper to avoid mess. If the dough starts to stick, add more sugar.

Playdough is a versatile, open-ended toy that encourages children to use their creativity and imagination. It is a great way to spend time and learn together. 

Have fun making and enjoying the marshmallow playdough!