Marshmallow Cold Foam Recipe (3 Ingredients, 2 Minutes)

Marshmallow cold foam is the fastest-growing foam flavor of the year — sweet, pillowy, and tasting like melted marshmallow fluff floating on your coffee. It is also one of Starbucks’ new holiday foams, and it is easy to see why: that soft, toasted-sugar sweetness turns an ordinary iced coffee into something that feels like a treat.

Three ingredients, two minutes, no cooking — the fluff does all the work. Just whisk it with cold cream and milk until it turns thick and glossy, then spoon it over your favorite iced drink.

Why Marshmallow Fluff Works

Marshmallow fluff is already stabilized whipped sugar: it gives body and sweetness in one spoon, so the foam holds for 20+ minutes instead of collapsing like plain sweet cream.

Ingredients

You only need three ingredients — and a pinch of salt if you like a little balance. The full amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make It

Add the cream, milk and marshmallow fluff to a tall cup, then froth for 60–90 seconds — a little longer than plain foam, because the fluff needs time to melt in. You are looking for soft, glossy peaks that hold their shape but still pour. Spoon the foam over your drink, or pour it slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats in a thick, pillowy layer.

Best Drinks for It

Cold brew is the classic — its smooth, low-acid base lets the marshmallow sweetness shine. For s’mores vibes, spoon it over an iced mocha and finish with a chocolate drizzle. It is also lovely on iced chai, and as a topper for hot chocolate.

Variations

Toasted marshmallow: torch the top of the foam, or broil a dollop of fluff until golden, for a campfire finish. S’mores foam: add 1 teaspoon cocoa and a graham cracker crumble on top. For a spiced version, compare it with the gingerbread cream cold foam — warm spices and molasses give it a very different, holiday character.

3 Ways to Froth It (Ranked)

The same marshmallow cream can come out very different depending on how you froth it, so pick the method that matches the time and the tools you have. These are ranked from best loft to still good.

1. Handheld frother, best loft: Hold the frother just under the surface and run it for 60 to 90 seconds, moving it slowly up and down. It pulls in the most air, so the foam is tall, light and spoonable, and it holds its shape on an iced latte for several minutes.

2. French press plunger: Pour the cream into a French press and pump the plunger up and down for about 30 seconds. It is surprisingly great for a double batch, because the mesh pushes the same air through the whole mix at once, and the foam comes out soft, even and glossy.

3. Sealed jar shake: Put the cream in a jar with a tight lid and shake hard for 2 minutes. The foam is slightly softer and less tall than the frother version, but it is still thick enough to spoon, and it is the best option when you have no frother or press.

For one drink, the frother wins. For two, use the French press, as it keeps the texture the same for both glasses without a second round of frothing. Whichever method you choose, keep the cream cold and froth it just before you serve. Warm cream and a long wait both make the foam fall flat.

Build the S’mores Latte

This is the full cafe build, and it looks as good as it tastes. It takes about 5 minutes, and every layer has a job.

1. Drizzle chocolate syrup around the inside rim of a tall glass, or stir a spoonful of cocoa into the milk.
2. Add cold milk and plenty of ice, then pour in a double shot of espresso.
3. Spoon over a thick layer of marshmallow cold foam, so it sits above the coffee.
4. Torch the top lightly with a kitchen torch until it is golden in spots, or put it under the grill for a few seconds, watching it the whole time.
5. Finish with a pinch of graham cracker crumble, and serve straight away, while the foam is still tall and the top is warm.

For a hot version, use steamed milk and hot espresso, then top it the same way. The torched foam goes soft and toasty, and the graham crumble gives you the crunch that makes it taste like a real s’more.

What It Costs: Home vs Starbucks

The foam itself is cheap. This recipe makes one large drink, using just 1/4 cup of cream, 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of fluff, so the foam costs well under $1.

Home: about $1.60 a drink, with the iced coffee and milk included.

Starbucks: about $5.75 for an equivalent cold foam coffee.

You save: about $4.15 a drink, and a lot more once you make it a few times a week.

FAQs

What if I have no marshmallow fluff? Melt 4 marshmallows in the warm milk first, then let the milk cool completely before frothing it with the cream.

Is it too sweet? Halve the fluff and add a pinch of salt — it balances the sweetness without taking away the marshmallow flavor.

Can I make it ahead? Yes — keep it in the fridge for up to 1 hour, then re-froth for 10 seconds before serving.

Can I make it dairy-free? Yes — use coconut cream in place of the heavy cream, and a vegan marshmallow fluff.

The foam is sweet. Can I cut it with plain cream? Yes. Layer half marshmallow foam over half plain sweet cream foam in the same glass. Start with the plain foam, then spoon the marshmallow foam on top, so you get the sweet, toasty flavour without the whole drink turning too sweet.

Can kids have it? Yes. Make it on hot chocolate or steamed milk instead of coffee, and skip the espresso and the torch if you like. They get the same sweet foam and graham crumble, with no coffee at all, and it is a lovely hot chocolate for a cosy evening.