Make your holidays even brighter with this super simple edible craft idea. Marshmallows snowmen are the most adorable hot cocoa mug topper. The smiles on everyone’s face when they see these treats are everything!

Marshmallow snowmen, one on top of a cup of hot cocoa.

These marshmallow snowmen are so easy to make and the kids will get such a kick out of them. What’s awesome is they can get in on the fun and make them themselves! It’s a fun DIY craft for the whole family, especially when they can resist not eating all the marshmallows. If you love DIYing, make sure to check out our homemade hot cocoa mix! It’s the perfect base for these cuties!

About these marshmallow toppers

  • Fun: We need to talk about how cute these fun little festive marshmallow snowmen look floating on top of a cup of hot cocoa! It’s one thing to throw some mini marshmallows in the hot chocolate, but why not make it a little more creative and have these guys relaxin’ on top, waiting for Anna and Elsa to arrive.
  • Versatile: They’re not just reserved for your classic hot cocoa, though! Enjoy them with your pumpkin spice hot chocolate, gingerbread hot chocolate, salted caramel hot chocolate, or your pumpkin spice latte! They’re so so cute! It’s a bonus treat to enjoy after the drink! These little edible toppers are a fun way to brighten up hot cocoa for a weekend movie night (Frozen, anyone?) but impressive enough to use as a finishing touch on your Christmas party beverages. They’re a super fun addition to a hot chocolate charcuterie board!
  • Make them your own: The materials used are pretty flexible so this idea is just a jumping-off point. They are pretty perfect but no two snowmen are identical. Be creative! Make snow girls or snow pets if you like.
Marshmallow snowman sitting in front of a cup of cocoa.

What you need

  • Large Marshmallows – You could even opt for jumbo marshmallows. You want them big enough to see all the detail, but small enough that they fit nicely in your drink.
  • Pretzels – The stick kind, not the knots. Make sure to look for thin ones, because they’ll be used for arms and legs.
  • Jelly Beans – You’ll want orange jelly beans, to be used as the “carrot” nose. Half of an orange M&M works well here too!
  • Chocolate Syrup & Black Food Gel – These two ingredients are combined to make the eyes and buttons. The chocolate syrup adds a sweet flavor and the black food gel gives them a deeper black color. You could also use an edible food marker if you have that on hand.
  • Toothpicks – You’ll be using the toothpicks to make the dots.
Overhead view of ingredients needed for recipe.

How to make them

Grab 2 large marshmallows and a pretzel stick. Insert a pretzel in the middle of the two so they are stacked on top of each other (this will be the body).

Grab another pretzel stick and place it on the top of the other two and place the 3rd marshmallow on top. Now you’ve got a stack of 3, which now includes the head.

Now insert pretzels on the side of the body for the arms and on the bottom for the legs. Cut jelly beans in half and then trim the sides to create a triangle. Apply to create the nose.

Finally, in a small dish, combine a tablespoon of chocolate syrup and a drop of black food gel. Dip into the syrup with a toothpick and then apply it to the snowman to create the eyes, a mouth, and buttons.

Completed marshmallow snowman on a white surface.

Now your snowman is now ready to float!

Almost too cute to eat, right?

Other options for the snowman’s nose

The jelly bean is great because once you trim it, it’s got a sticky middle that sticks nicely to the marshmallow. You could always use a bit of melting candy to help it stick. If you don’t have jelly beans, candy corn can also work. If you’re picking up black food gel, you could pick up some orange gel as well and use that instead of any candy. Half of an orange M&M works well, too.

How to make these marshmallow snowmen your own

  • Colorful snowmen: For kids who have a colorful imagination, use colored marshmallows!
  • Other options for eyes and buttons: Instead of chocolate syrup and gel, you can use mini chocolate chips or a black edible marker if you have one on hand.
  • Simplify it: For younger kids, skip the body of the snowman and have them decorate a face on the side of a jumbo marshmallow. Seeing it float inside the hot cocoa is just as fun!
Marshmallows attached to form cute snowmen. One is floating in hot cocoa.

Make Ahead Tips

These snowmen toppers are great to make ahead. Assemble as many as you’d like to make and keep them stored in an airtight container until you’re ready to use them. Keep in mind, if they are too warm, they will start to get sticky, so keeping them at room temperature or even slightly cooler may be a good idea.

It doesn’t take long for marshmallows to dry out when they’re left uncovered and exposed to air. To keep them nice and soft, you’ll want to keep them covered as much as possible. After you’ve assembled the snowmen, keep them in a covered container until your hot cocoa is ready to be served!

Marshmallow snowmen, one atop a cup of cocoa cupped between two hands.

Get the Recipe: Marshmallow Snowmen

Make your holidays even brighter with this super simple edible craft idea. Marshmallows snowmen are the most adorable hot cocoa mug topper. The smiles on everyone’s face when they see these treats are everything!
5 from 2 rating

Ingredients

  • 12 large marshmallows
  • 20 pretzel sticks (ultra thin)
  • 4 orange jelly beans
  • 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
  • black food gel

Instructions

  • Start with 3 large marshmallows and a pretzel stick, insert a pretzel in the middle of two (the body), add another pretzel stick and add the top (head) of the snowman to create the full body.
  • Next, add arms and legs by inserting pretzels on the sides of the body and the bottom for the legs.
  • In a small dish, combine chocolate syrup and a drop of black food gel. With a toothpick dip into the syrup and then apply the syrup to the snowman to create the eyes, mouth, and buttons.
  • Finally, cut jelly beans in half and then trim the sides to create a triangle. Apply to create the nose. Now your snowman is now ready to float! Repeat with to create remaining snowmen.

Notes

  • Store in airtight container until you are ready to use, up to 7 days.
  • Anything edible and orange can be used for the nose! Consider half of an orange M&M, an orange sprinkle, or orange icing.
  • You could even add a fun colorful scarf to the snowman if you wish using pull-and-peel licorice strings. 
Serving: 1g, Calories: 95kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 54mg, Potassium: 16mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 2mg, Iron: 1mg