The Best Peanut Butter Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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This peanut butter marshmallow frosting is ultra fluffy, creamy, and packed with rich peanut butter flavor. If you love peanut butter and marshmallow, this frosting is about to become your new favorite. It’s perfect for topping cupcakes, cakes, or even cookies and goes amazing with these Snickers Cupcakes!

Why You’ll Love This Buttercream

Have you ever wished your peanut butter frosting was fluffier? More pipeable? Had that perfect sweet-and-salty balance? This recipe solves all those common frosting challenges. Here’s why this will become your go-to peanut butter buttercream:

Extra fluffy texture thanks to the marshmallow cream
Perfect pipeable consistency that holds its shape
Not too sweet like traditional buttercream
Natural peanut butter adds authentic flavor
Versatile enough for any dessert
No grainy texture issues
Stays fluffy for days

Looking for more delicious filling recipes? You gotta try my Mascarpone Cream Filling, Authentic Cannoli Filling or Cookies and Cream Filling next. Or, if you’d like a healthier alternative, check out my Healthy Vegan Cake Frosting – Cashew Based and Refined Sugar Free or the strawberry version. Both are creamy, stable enough for piping, and absolutely delicious! And if you want a high-protein option, check out my Protein Cream Cheese Yogurt Frosting – it’s a reader fav!

Here’s What You’ll Need to Make My Extra Fluffy Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Buttercream Ingredients

Salted butter, room temperature (adds perfect balance)
Marshmallow cream (the secret to that cloud-like texture). Try using my Easy Homemade Marshmallow Fluff.
Natural peanut butter (for authentic flavor)
Powdered sugar (for structure)
Coconut cream (creates perfect piping consistency)
Pure vanilla extract (enhances all flavors)

Equipment Needed

Stand Mixer, or hand mixer. I personally love my Kitchenaid stand mixer but any stand or hand mixer will do.
Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Rubber spatula
Piping bags (if decorating)
Storage container

Step-by-Step Instructions

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gluten_free_snickers_cupcakes_process_steps_mix_dry_ingredients

Start with room temperature butter and beat until creamy, about 2 minutes. The butter should be soft enough that you can easily leave an indent with your finger.
Add marshmallow cream, powdered sugar, natural peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
Finally, add coconut cream and beat for an additional 3-5 minutes until light and airy.

Trish’s Tips for Perfect Buttercream

As a professional cake decorator and baker for over 10 years, these are my best tips for achieving the best buttercream.

Temperature matters! All ingredients should be at room temperature
Don’t skip the final mixing time – it creates that fluffy texture
Use natural peanut butter for best flavor and texture (avoid ones with added oils)
If your buttercream is too thick, add coconut cream 1 teaspoon at a time
If your buttercream is too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time
Beat on medium speed to avoid incorporating too much air

Common Troubleshooting

Why Is My Buttercream Grainy?

Powdered sugar wasn’t added gradually
Sugar wasn’t beaten long enough between additions
Using cold ingredients

Why Isn’t It Fluffy?

Ingredients weren’t at room temperature
Not enough beating time
Wrong speed on mixer (too high or too low)

Why Is It Separating?

Ingredients at different temperatures
Natural peanut butter was too oily
Over-beating after adding all ingredients

Storage Instructions

Room Temperature:

Up to 2 days in airtight container
Best for immediate piping and decorating

Refrigerator:

Up to 1 week in airtight container
Bring to room temperature before using
Re-whip for 1-2 minutes to restore texture

Freezer:

Up to 3 months in freezer-safe container
Thaw overnight in refrigerator
Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using

Ways to Use This Buttercream

This versatile frosting works beautifully on:

My delicious Gluten Free Snickers Cupcakes (Healthier Version!) Pictured here.
Chocolate cupcakes
My Favorite Vanilla Cake Recipe
Between cookie sandwiches
Graham cracker bars
Brownie toppings. Try it in place of Nutella in my Best Fudgy Nutella Brownies (with Nutella Buttercream)
Fill macarons
Top chocolate sheet cakes

More Frosting Recipes You’ll Love:

Flavor Variations

Add melted chocolate for chocolate peanut butter buttercream
Mix in crushed cookies for cookies & cream version
Swap peanut butter for almond butter
Add cinnamon for warm spice notes
Mix in caramel for salted caramel peanut butter buttercream

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use crunchy peanut butter?

While possible, smooth peanut butter creates the best texture for piping and spreading. I like to use natural, peanut butter.

Why use salted butter?

The salt balances the sweetness and enhances the peanut butter flavor. If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes! Use dairy-free butter sticks (not spread) and check that your marshmallow cream is dairy-free.

How much does this recipe make?

Enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes or a 9-inch layer cake.

This Peanut Butter Marshmallow Buttercream is the perfect example of how a few simple ingredients can create something extraordinary. Whether you’re frosting cupcakes, layer cakes, or just looking for the perfect peanut butter frosting recipe, this one won’t disappoint. The marshmallow cream addition creates an uniquely fluffy texture that sets it apart from traditional buttercream, while the natural peanut butter provides that authentic, rich flavor we all love.

Remember: the key to success is room temperature ingredients and patience during the beating process. Follow these steps, and you’ll have a professional-quality frosting that will make any dessert extra special!

Dietary Considerations

Gluten-Free: This buttercream is naturally gluten-free, but always check individual ingredient labels
Vegetarian: Suitable for vegetarian diets
Nut Allergies: Contains peanuts; see substitution section for nut-free alternatives
Dairy: Contains dairy through butter; see substitution section for dairy-free options
Keto/Low-Carb: Not suitable for keto diets due to sugar content
Vegan: Not suitable for vegan diets unless specifically modified with plant-based alternatives

Portion Guide

This recipe yields approximately:

3 cups of buttercream
Enough to frost 24 cupcakes (using 2 tablespoons per cupcake)
Sufficient for a 9-inch two-layer cake
Can frost up to 36 cookies for sandwich cookies
Makes about 48 serving-size portions (2 tablespoons each)

I’d love to hear how your baking turned out!

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