jar marshmallow crème

Marshmallow crème is a smooth, spreadable confection composed primarily of whipped egg whites or gelatin, corn syrup, powdered sugar, and cornstarch. Created through intensive aeration and stabilization, this ingredient originated in early 20th-century America as a convenient alternative to homemade marshmallow. The result is a dense, uniform paste with a pale white color and distinctly sweet flavor, lacking the cellular structure of whole marshmallows. Modern commercial formulations often include vanillin for vanilla flavoring and may utilize modified food starch or cornstarch as texturizing agents to maintain spreadability at room temperature.

Marshmallow crème functions primarily as a sandwich filling—most notably in the American "fluffernutter" (peanut butter and marshmallow crème on bread). It serves as a topping for hot chocolate, a filling for cakes and pastries, and a component in icings and frostings that require lift and airiness without the density of buttercream. The ingredient is also whipped into salads (particularly fruit salads), incorporated into Rice Krispies treats as a binder, and used in fudge and candy-making to add texture and sweetness. Its high sugar content and neutral flavor profile allow it to complement both classic American desserts and modernist applications.