How to Make Easy & Festive Marshmallow Topiary Holiday Centerpieces

Find the easy steps to make Marshmallow Topiaries. A budget-friendly craft project, these topiary trees are festive as well as fun to create as a centerpiece for your holiday table or to display with gingerbread houses.  

Happy Monday!

I’m sharing a fun and affordable craft project that anyone can do

to make your holiday table merry and bright and

put you in the Christmas spirit!

I’ve seen these marshmallow topiary trees on Pinterest

and most recently in the Holly Jolly Collection by Southern Living at Dilliard’s. . .

The large size marshmallow topiary is $109 and the smaller one is $99.

I thought they were adorable, especially on the red pedestals, but knew

I could make some for a fraction of the price for table centerpiece.

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These marshmallow topiaries are super fun and easy to create,

customizing to your taste and the size you need!

You need just a few supplies:

Marshmallows, toothpicks and a styrofoam cone.

Optional: hot glue gun, Christmas floral picks or candy

Customize these marshmallow topiary trees to whatever size

you desire using the cone size of your choice.

I made a total of three topiaries, using a 3.8 inch x 11.9 inch cone

and (2) 3.7 inch x 8.9 inch cones.

I found my styrofoam cones at Michaels.

Each cone took (2) 10 oz. bags of large marshmallows,

with the largest cone taking about 2 1/2 bags.

I used 2/3 of a bag of mini marshmallows between the 3 cones,

along with a box of toothpicks.

Note: I used my grocery store brand of marshmallows that were as puffy and fresh

as the name brand marshmallows and only $1 a bag.

I had three assorted small pedestals that I’ve picked up over the years at HomeGoods.

They were inexpensive, ($10 or less) that I use as risers for tablescapes

or for serving sweet treats for Tea on Tuesdays.

I placed my cones on my pedestals while I worked to ensure bottom row of marshmallows

would sit flat and the topiaries would sit level.

I started at the bottom and worked my way up the cone.

You don’t have to use pedestals; a plate as a base would work too.

Here are some helpful tips I learned along the way:

Place your toothpick in your styrofoam cone, then add your marshmallows.

The marshmallows are too ‘squishy’ to add the picks to them and then try to attach them to the cones.

The toothpick should be in the foam far enough so that it doesn’t

stick out of the opposite end of your marshmallow;

snap off some of the length if it’s too long.

I snapped the toothpicks in half for the marshmallows at the bottom of the cones,

and used 3/4 to a whole toothpick towards the top of the cones,

placing them in at an upwards angle so they were less likely to fall off.

Note: The marshmallows are not sticky and easy to work with unless you cut them.

For the mini marshmallows, I stacked them in sets of two on a whole toothpick,

so the mini marshmallows would be visible, tucking them in between the larger marshmallows

for contrast and to add some dimension.

Place your marshmallows as close together as possible

as they will shrink a little as they dry.

You can go back and fill in any gaps with mini marshmallows,

faux berries, greenery or the candy of your choice.

For the larger topiary tree in the above photo,

I placed all the marshmallows in the same position and direction. . .

On the smaller two cones, I placed the marshmallows in a more random arrangement

which I think looks more interesting.

Arrange your marshmallows how they look good to you; there’s no right or wrong way.

If you don’t like how one looks as you go, pull it out and reposition it,

shifting the toothpick or rearranging the marshmallow.

Once the cones were covered, I add some peppermints, fresh boxwood sprigs and candy picks.

I found the candy picks at Hobby Lobby; all the Christmas floral picks are 50% off.

I used a glue gun to attach the peppermints.

The boxwood sprigs were snipped from the shrubs and just tucked in among the marshmallows.

They will look good for 10 days to 2 weeks and they can be replaced easily with fresh ones that way.

I cut down the candy picks and stuck them into the tops of the styrofoam cones.

I removed the marshmallows on the top of the cones to position the picks and then reattached

the marshmallows fitting them snuggly around the picks to hide any gaps.

This is a very forgiving, fun and easy craft project!

 The cones each took about an hour to assemble with the marshmallows and then another 30 minutes

to glue the peppermints, add the candy picks at the top and sprigs of boxwood. . .

enjoy your favorite Christmas movies while you work!

You can customize your marshmallow topiary trees using faux berries and leaves,

Christmas picks or the candy of your choice.

I think gumdrops would be adorable mixed in with the marshmallows!

Smaller topiary trees would be festive displayed with gingerbread houses in your kitchen

or as a centerpiece for a Christmas cookie exchange party.

These marshmallow topiaries will keep for years, stored in a climate controlled setting,

 (not a hot attic where they could melt).

I’ll remove the greenery before storing them and cover them with a plastic bag

and place them in a plastic bin to reuse next year.

See them at Marshmallow World Christmas Tablescape with Snowmen, HERE.

Happy Crafting!

🎄 🍬 🎄

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