Easy homemade marzipan/almond paste. So easy, so quick, so versatile, so addictively delicious! And now you can make it anytime, anywhere.
Your life is forever changed.
I grew up on marzipan. It’s everywhere in Germany. Just a few hours north of where I grew up in Stuttgart is the historic town of Lübeck, world famous for its marzipan. It’s also a beautiful, scenic port town.
The Holstentor is Lübeck’s most famous feature, a Brick Gothic construction from Medieval times. It has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1987.
Images courtesy creative commons, Giam and SteFou
Lübeck is also the home of Niederegger Marzipan, probably the most famous marzipan in the world. If I were to weigh how much of that marzipan I ate during my 23 years in Europe it would probably come close to 893 pounds. Niederegger has been around since 1806 producing the highest quality marzipan, including a class that is made from 100% almonds (no sugar), and it uses only the finest almonds from around the Mediterranean.
A Brief History Lesson (very brief)
Though marzipan has long been associated with Germany and Italy in particular, its roots are in the Orient. As far back as 850, a Persian doctor by the name of Rhazes praised the curative properties of almond and sugar paste. (See, now why can’t our doctors today be equally so inspired?) When the Crusaders returned to Europe from the Orient they brought this delicacy back with them. Initially only enjoyed by kings and the very wealthy, by the 19th century when sugar was being extracted from sugar beets, making it cheaper, marzipan became widely accessible. It has been a prized and popular treat ever since.
(history lesson over. see, I told you it was brief)
At the Niederegger Marzipan factory in Lübeck you can see a life-sized display of statues made from marzipan. It’s stunning! I can’t remember, but I would imagine its roped off to keep visitors, and their teeth, from getting too close.
Aside from being dipped in chocolate, wrapped and sold, marzipan is also often shaped into various figures, including fruits and vegetables that look real-life. If you’re crafty, marzipan is a fun medium to work with.
And of course marzipan is incorporated into deliciously decadent cakes and baked goods.
Here are just a couple of baked goods on our site featuring marzipan and if you type “marzipan” into the search box at the top right of the screen you’ll find several more.
Traditional German Bethmännchen (Marzipan Cookies) (click on the links for the recipes)
So yes, marzipan is a wonderful, wonderful thing. But it’s also an expensive thing. When you buy almond paste it usually comes in very small quantities with a pretty hefty price tag for what you get. That’s why I’m sharing this recipe with you. So that you can make it at a tiny fraction of the cost and have it on hand whenever you need it. And it’s SO quick and easy to make!
Marzipan vs. Almond Paste – What’s the Difference?
In part it comes down to where you live. In Europe it’s widely referred to as marzipan whereas here in North American the term almond paste is more common. But there’s also a difference in the ratio of almonds to sugar as well as consistency. Almond paste is softer and is used in baked goods. Marzipan is firmer and is used in making candies/chocolates or as fondant for cakes. Marzipan also uses rose water. To adjust this recipe according to what you’re using it for, follow this recipe as instructed for almond paste (I still include the rose water because it tastes amazing), or add an extra 1/4 cup or more of ground almonds until you reach a firmer consistency (one that you can roll out with a rolling pin without it sticking).
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Let’s get started!
You can either blanch and grind your own almonds or buy almond meal/flour, which is quicker and more convenient and will yield a more consistent product. The almond meal needs to be completely dried and grinding your own will produce an almond meal that is “wet” because it still has a lot of oil in it. Many large grocery stores carry almond meal. I use and like Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Meal/Flour. Be sure to get almond meal that’s made from blanched almonds (skins removed). If you can’t find it locally, you can also conveniently purchase almond meal online (this particular one is “super finely” ground which is recommended for marzipan.
Add the almond meal to a food processor. I like to use my little Cuisinart food processor for jobs like this. Over 10 years old and still going strong!
Add the powdered sugar to the almond meal and pulse to combine and break up any lumps.
*Diabetics or those looking for a sugar-free marzipan / almond paste option, you can use Swerve Confectioner Sweetener.
Almond paste uses almond extract only. Marzipan also uses rose water for a positively delightful flavor.
There are varying degrees of quality when you buy rose water. Some are inexpensive, some are very expensive (and some of those aren’t even necessarily better). A brand that I’m happy with is Cortas and it is very reasonably priced with good reviews. You can purchase it online here. A bottle of it will last you forever.
Whichever brand you buy, make absolutely sure it is food grade rose water.
You also want to use good quality almond extract. You can find it in many grocery stores or purchase almond extract online here.
Add the rose water and almond extract and pulse to combine.
Add the egg white. Egg white is the traditional moistener. If that worries you, keep in mind that eggs are pasteurized. If you’re still concerned about that, read the “Note” in the recipe box.
Process the ingredients until it comes together in a firm mass.
If it’s too wet, add more powdered sugar and ground almonds. Keep in mind though that it will become firmer after it’s been refrigerated.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it a few times just to make sure all the ingredients are fully combined.
Form the dough into a log, ball or disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
The marzipan will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks (provided you used very fresh egg white).
Warm the marzipan to room temperature before using.
Making your own marzipan or almond paste couldn't possibly be any easier - or tastier!
- 1 1/2 cups very finely ground blanched almond flour/meal or blanch, grind and dry your own almonds - I recommend the bought almond meal to ensure it's finely ground and sufficiently dry
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Sugar-free and diabetic alternative: use 1 1/2 cups Swerve Confectioner Sweetener
- 2 teaspoons quality pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon quality food grade rose water
- 1 egg white vegan: use egg substitute or 2 tablespoons corn syrup (see Note)
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Place the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up. Add the almond extract and rose water and pulse to combine. Add the egg white and process until a thick dough is formed. If the mass is still too wet and sticky, add more powdered sugar and ground almonds. Keep in mind that it will become firmer after it's been refrigerated.
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Turn the almond marzipan out onto a work surface and knead it a few times. Form it into a log, wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
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Will keep for at least a month in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. Bring to room temperature before using in any recipe.
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Makes about 12 ounces of marzipan or almond paste
* Egg white is what is traditionally used. If you're concerned about raw egg you can use pasteurized egg whites in the carton instead. If you absolutely must (though I don't recommend it), you can use a couple of tablespoons of corn syrup instead.
* Marzipan vs. Almond Paste - the difference: Almond paste is softer and is used in baked goods. Marzipan is firmer and is used in making candies/chocolates or as fondant for cakes. Marzipan also uses rose water. To adjust this recipe according to what you're using it for, follow this recipe as instructed for almond paste (I still include the rose water because it tastes amazing), or add an extra 1/4 cup or more of ground almonds/almond meal until you reach a firmer consistency (one that you can roll out with a rolling pin without it sticking).
I am not a big fan of rose water, so I think I will try coconut water instead and see how that turns out. Thanks for the trip down memory lane and the recipe..
I would just leave the rose and coconut water out. Coconut water isn’t concentrated and won’t add much in the way of flavor. You’ll love this marzipan with just the almond extract alone!
I actually saw a recipe from England that recommended orange/lemon juice and not rosewater. These days… pretty much anything works – one doesn’t need to conform as long as the end result is satisfactory. Thanks for all the imput, though.
PS I always measure on metric digital scales for all my baking needs.
That’s true, Barby, all that matters is that it’s to your taste. But for my readers looking for traditional marzipan like the kind they’re accustomed to in Germany and parts of Italy, rosewater and almonds are the standard flavors.
Hi, My Mom and I lived in Lubeck then moved to Florida. I only enjoy the Niederegger brand. My mom tried every Christmas to make some but it never tasted like the real thing. Other brands are too sweet, to dry, etc. I love the distinct aftertaste of Niederegger. If your receipt includes that distinctive after-taste, I will be in heaven. I wonder if Stivia could be used. Please tell me it is…
Hi Johann, I agree, Niederegger is the best. Yes, you can use powdered stevia but it has a strong after-taste and not one that I personally like. If it doesn’t bother you though, then you can definitely use it. I prefer Swerve Confectioner’s Sugar. It’s also a natural sugar-free alternative, can be used cup for cup as a direct substitute and doesn’t have that odd lingering taste that stevia has.
I made this yesterday and it is marvelous! Honestly, I can’t say thank you enough for this. It is so easy to make and tastes as good as any bought marzipan I’ve had. Thank you!
I’m thrilled to hear that, Tanya, thanks so much for your feedback!
I heard you could do this with a vitamix too. does that really work?
Hi Joseph, I haven’t tried it with my Vitamix but it should work. Pulse it until it comes together in a mass.
I tried it with my Vitamin using Bob’s ultra-fine almond meal and following the recipe above. Didn’t work very well. I never could get the almond meal off the bottom. If you do it in Vitamin, I would mix the sugar and almond meal before putting all ingredients in the blender.
I think I’d roast the almonds until they are barely pale brown before grinding. Will that work? I’m thinking that would bring the almond flavor forward even more. Thanks
That’s not how marzipan is traditionally made, but it’s certainly worth a try. Roasting the nuts will bring out the flavor, yes. My fear though is that through roasting much of the natural oils will evaporate and affect the consistency of the end result, though I haven’t tried it. If you give it a try let us know how it went!
Can you dip this in chocolate?Any ideas what kind of chocolate or how to do that?
Thanks!!
Absolutely, Kaity! A really easy chocolate to work with is chocolate bark coating and you’ll find it in any grocery store. Melt it in the microwave, dip the marzipan, set it on wax paper, and it dries/hardens very quickly. Have fun and enjoy!
Hi Kaity, the fastest, easiest and maybe cheapest way to accomplish that is to go to the Aldi store (yep, another Teutonic outfit in the USA, lol) and buy the 85% dark Chocolate. Put as many of the little individually wrapped tablets into a bowl, microwave gently until it is melted then coat or dip anything you want in or with it. I use it on German “Rodonkuchen” for a delicious coating all around the outside, or also for morsels in chocolate chip cookies and other cakes.
Good luck!
Mona
I wish all the cookbook writers, bloggers etc. would start to include weights of the ingredients. Culinary people should introduce readers to the use of scales for accurate ingredient measurements. Every chef knows how to weigh ingredients but when writing recipes always seem to us volume measurements.
Weighing ingredients definitely yields the most consistent results. Most cooking and even baking recipes though allow for some tolerance and “give” and so using cups and teaspoons, etc work just fine for the purpose. Some recipes though, like gluten-free baking, are pretty merciless and require exact measurements or the end result will be impacted. For those kinds of recipes many people, including myself, will take the extra time to weigh the ingredients for accuracy.
Hear, hear, to weighing ingredients. I would like to meet that person who is not able to use a weighing scale.
I won’t argue that, Christel! The metric system is a much more accurate way of cooking and it’s what I grew up with in Germany.
Can I used food coloring in the marzipan?
Yes, absolutely!
Do you bake this after you make it or is it an unbaked recipe?
No, there is no baking involved.
I am going to make it now..xmas is around the corner need to practice making candy’s, chocolate etc. out of almond paste.
That’s a great idea, Tessa, you’ll be a pro by the time Christmas rolls around! 🙂
Just a note; All eggs are not pasteurized in the USA. Egg products ARE pasteurized. If you are buying shelled eggs in a carton, it must say it on the carton “Pasteurized. ” The FDA states “FDA requires all cartons of shell eggs that have not been treated to destroy Salmonella to carry the following safe handling statement:
Safe Handling Instructions
To prevent illness from bacteria: keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly. Eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella — by in-shell pasteurization, for example — are not required to carry safe handling instructions.”
Most eggs in cartons are not pasteurized and thus have the instructions above on the carton.
Thanks for recipe!
Thanks for the info. The fact is, salmonella from eggs is so exceedingly rare. Most of us grew up eating raw cookie dough and products with raw egg yolks that weren’t pasteurized and salmonella has become even more rare since then. We do tend to be overly germ-phobic here in the U.S. but yes, for anyone concerned about the rare possibility of salmonella, go with pasteurized eggs. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture “in-shell pasteurized eggs may be used safely without cooking.”
For years my mother used to lightly whip up one egg with sugar each morning for us children. We used to love drinking it before breakfast. I still consume raw eggs in stake tatar and other foods and have never been ill from it.
Christel, yes, it’s exceedingly rare.
Steak tartar is raw gound beef…there is risk for coli…I wouldn’t trust eating that…today’s standards are NOT better than years go…with the horrid conditions of the beef implement farms..you dont know what goes on…
Haha, I wondered about the comment “raw egg white, keep in mind that they are pasteurized.” Silly to think your eggs come pasteurized. 🙂 Anyway, I have chickens and eat mine raw all the time.
Hi Sally, we get our free range eggs from a tiny local chicken farmer, unpasteurized of course, and are getting ready to raise our own, too 🙂
The CDC states 19,000 hospitalizations due to salmonella each year, with 360 actual deaths. They estimate as many as 1,000,000 cases that aren’t as severe and are thought of as a “stomach bug” or flu.
It’s exceedingly irresponsible to be telling people that salmonella is exceedingly rare.
Rather than equivocating in replies, you should edit your post to (at least) remove your entirely wrong comments regarding that.
Hi John, I didn’t say that salmonella is exceedingly rare, I said that salmonella from eggs is exceedingly rare – and it is.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m on a slow-carb diet, and I was wondering about the sugar free option you said Niederegger makes. Would this recipe still work if I left out the sugar?
Hi Zagnes, I haven’t tried making a sugar-free version so I’m honestly not sure how it would turn out. There are several sugar substitutes you could try in place of the sugar that come in powder form. Some of them say you can substitute them 1:1. Again, I haven’t tried it before, but that would be a good place to start. If you do end up using one of those sugar substitutes in place of the regular sugar, please let us know how it turned out!
xylitol is a great suger sub and you can grind it up in a coffee grinder to make fake powered suger
Thanks for the tip, Cherubi!
Be very careful with xylitol if you have pets, it is extremely toxic to both cats and dogs.
I decided to create chocolates out of these so I got an empty tray of ice cubes, filled it halfway with dark chocolate, placed some marzipan in it and filled up the rest of the space with chocolate! Hope this helps anyone wanting to make chocolate pieces!
Thanks for the great tip, Patrick!
Hi Good morning! We live in the Phils. Thank you very much for the recipe, i didn’t know that it is so easy to make homemade Almond Paste. We used to buy almond paste from Stockholm and bring to the Phils. but since i tried your almond paste recipe there is no need to buy from Sweden i can make it! yehey (y) . BTW, i dont use egg white to be in a safe side but only if i use the almond paste as a cake fondant like Princess Cake but for cookies yes, i used egg white. Once again, thank you so much. Best regards, from the Phils.
Hi, Tessa, and greetings to the Phils! I’m so happy you can conveniently make it yourself now! Same here, I don’t buy it anymore. I looooove marzipan and it would be so expensive if I had to buy it every time I used it for baking and making candies. It’s only a fraction of the cost to make it yourself and only takes about 5 minutes. I just made two batches of it yesterday – they’re sitting in my fridge waiting to be transformed into some German Christmas goodies this week 🙂 Thanks so much for your feedback, Tessa!
Hi Kimberly.
I made your recipe today as written and it came out so wonderful. I used almond meal sold at Costco. It’s finely milled.
I make most of my ingredients from scratch as much as possible.
If the recipe is in volume then it is converted into grams. I weigh all my ingredients every time. The results are 99% more accurate.
Will be making your Almond Horns tomorrow. I got rid of my old Almond horn recipe and replacing it with yours.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Wonderful, Monina, thank you!
Hi Kimberly.
Just made the Almond horns. Perfection.
Easy to roll. Easy directions, but the result is oh so fabulous. I am a professional chef/baker by trade, retired. I have tried so many
Recipes for almond horns and have been disappointed. But you nailed it big time!!!
Now I will add the marzipan and almond horn recipe in my pink binder which contains all my greatest hits. Thanks to you.
I will explore and make your other recipes and let you know how they turn out. I am almost sure I won’t be disappointed.
Keep up the good work. You’re an angel. 😇
Thank you very much.
Fantastic, Monina! I’m truly flattered, thanks so much 🙂
Good Morning Kimberly,
Lots for request for your Almond horns.
I am wondering how you keep, store your Marzipan since it has eggs.
How long in the refrigerator and how long in the freezer.
I have only used commercial Marzipan before.
Thank you.
Monina
Hi Monina, I keep my marzipan in the fridge. It will last as long as the original eggs would have lasted, so generally up to a month. It will keep even longer in the freezer. Here is the recipe for the marzipan horns: http://www.daringgourmet.com/mandelhoernchen-chocolate-dipped-marzipan-almond-horns/
Hi, Kimberly,
I used orange flower water, as I didn’t have rose water on hand. It was great, although I want to order some rose water to get the more authentic taste. My 14 year old son was crazy for it! We’re making another batch tomorrow. Thanks for the wonderful post, and the most yummy recipe.
Fantastic, Sarah, I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! Yes, you’ll love it even more with the rose water, it has such a nice, distinctive flavor. Thanks so very much for your feedback and have a wonderful weekend!
That sounds tasty! I’ll do half orange half rose 😀
Thank you for simplifying how to make the versatile almond paste or as I say / grew up with marzipan! Dark plum or fruit cakes ( real wedding cakes) always had a marzipan cover and the Royal icing! BTW rose water is easily available in East Indian shops I buy mine from there!
I have just finished a large batch of dark fruit cakes ! Loads of rum / brandy soaked fruits (soaked the mixed dry fruit over a month ago) tomorrow will start making the marzipan. FYI buy your almond meal from Costco
Merry Christmas to all and happy baking thanks Kimberly.
Thank you, Mrs. Parker! Your dark fruit cakes sound wonderful. A very Merry Christmas to you, too!
Your post reminded me to check out my fruits soaking in rum. I’ve had that going for almost 2 years!
Hi Kim i looked up many recipes to make a good marzipan mix to make small marzipan fruits. I believe I have the perfect one with your recipe. I am going to try it out and wanted to know if you think I should use powdered sugar or the confectioner sugar that I can pick at the grocery shop. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.Sheri
Hi, Sheri! Yes, just the regular powdered/confectioner sugar you find at any grocery store. I just made a couple more batches of this two days ago for some baked goods I’ll be making this weekend. For the marzipan fruits you’ll need a very stiff marzipan, so keep adding more almonds and powdered sugar until you reach the consistency you need. You’re going to love this marzipan!
Thank you for this recipe and the entire post! I will try it this weekend. Any idea what I could use to turn it pink – I would prefer to use something healthy, not artificial colors. My 3 yr old son wants a pink elephant cake for his birthday, so I will use the marzipan to cover the cake. I have cranberry syrup, and I was going to use cranberries in the cake. Any ideas/suggestions on how to do it so I do not ruin the marzipan? Thank you!
Hi Ruxy! There are a few natural alternatives to red food coloring (eg, red beet or pomegranate juice) bu the challenge there is that the marzipan needs to be fairly dry and stiff to work with as a fondant and adding any additional liquid to it could be problematic. There is red beet powder, which I haven’t tried before so I don’t know how well it would work in the marzipan. I try to avoid artificial food coloring like the plague as well, but on the bright side you’d only need very little to get a pink hue. Whatever you decide to do, the cake sounds wonderful and I hope your son has a terrific birthday!
If you bake the almond paste long enough to ensure the egg whites are cooked, will that ruin the marzipan. I am not concerned about salmonella but raw eggs do not sit very well with my stomach and I would prefer not to use corn syrup.
Thanks for the recipe!
That’s correct, you cannot bake the marzipan. Baking it IN something, like cookies and cakes, is obviously fine, but not if you’re planning on working with the marzipan afterwards (like using it as a fondant or making candies out of it).
I am making my first Christmas Cake in china and cannot get corn syrup and am nervous of using egg whites are there any other alternatives?
Hi Dorothy, no other suitable alternative I’m afraid. You could however try making your own corn syrup (also called glucose syrup). If you google “homemade corn syrup” you’ll find some recipes. Happy baking and Merry Christmas!
Hi Kimberly. I made some last night. Followed your recipe exactly. It tasted fantastic! This morning however not so much. All I could really taste was the almond extract. Did I do something wrong? Can I make it with less almond extract? Or none at all? Thank you.
Really, Steve? I find the flavor only improves with time. Of course flavor quality varies from brand to brand. You should simply be tasting the flavor of almonds and rosewater. If you’re experiencing an unpleasant aftertaste I’d recommend switching brands (either almond extract, rosewater or both). But yes, if you prefer a less pronounced almond flavor overall, you can absolutely use less extract.
You mention blanching and grinding your own almonds. Have you done this? How do you do it?
Hi Kathleen! Yes, I’ve blanched and ground almonds many times for baking and cooking. I have not done it specifically for marzipan. The ground almonds need to be very dry for marzipan or you’ll end up with a pasty mess. I just haven’t had the patience to spread the ground almonds out and let them thoroughly dry for a couple of days before using them, so I just use already ground for the marzipan. If you’d like to blanch and grind your own it’s simple: Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil and add the almonds. Keep them in the water for 1 minute, no longer. Drain and rinse them. When you squeeze the almonds they’ll slip right out of their skins. Let the almonds drain in a colander then spread them out on paper towels and let them dry thoroughly, a couple of days. Then grind them. If they’re still a little moist, you’ll need to spread the ground almonds out on a tray and let them dry some more. Then simply use them per recipe instructions.
Thanks. That sounds doable!
Thanks a lot for the tip!
Do you bake the blanched almonds or use them raw? I just bought them and the girl who works in the shop told me they are raw
Hi Andrea! You’ll want to use them raw.
This is just amazing Kimberly and I love your intro before the recipe. Do you have a recipe for Almond Horns? There was a bakery where I grew up that made the most amazing chocolate dipped almond horns. Sadly when I returned recently I found the bakery had closed. I’d love to give it a shot myself using the wonderfully easy recipe you have here for marzipan/almond paste.
Thanks so much, Gary, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe! I absolutely love it and make it regularly. It’s been AGES since I’ve had chocolate dipped almond horns and I had almost forgotten about them! Thank you so much for reminding me – you’ve got me very eager to make them now 🙂 I don’t know how soon I’ll be able to make and post the recipe on my blog. In the meantime though, a quick Google search will turn up plenty of recipes. But I’ll definitely be featuring them on my blog – hopefully sooner than later because I’m really craving them! 🙂
Surprisingly I made Almond Horns directly with your recipe here Kimberly! They came out almost exactly as I remember from the bakery, growing up. I can’t tell you how exciting that is to me especially since that bakery has since closed and I haven’t found Almond Horns the same as they made them. I basically separated the marzipan into 4 portions after following your recipe exactly and then made a horn from each portion, pressed in some crushed sliced almonds, baked for 15 minutes at 375 degrees, let cool and then dipped the ends in chocolate. It was so amazing biting into the cookie and immediately going back to my childhood. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Fantastic, Gary! I’m absolutely thrilled they turned out so well and that your wish for recreating a favorite dessert came true 🙂 Thanks so much for the feedback!
I have never liked marzipan, but saw a recipe on tv last night for plum tart tartin that I had to make, which needed marzipan. There was none in my supermarket, so I was forced to make my own (your recipe was the first that came up when I Google’d in the supermarket). FANTASTIC! It was so easy, and I now like marzipan. I’ll never bother to buy it again 🙂 I didn’t use rosewater as there wasn’t any in the shop, but it was nice just as a stiff almond paste.
You’ve made my day, Rebecca Rose! 🙂 I am so thrilled to hear this and really appreciate your taking the time to leave feedback. Thank you! Best, Kimberly
I would like to try grinding my own almonds but I’m unsure of the amount. If I want to make 2 cups almond meal approx. how much or how many oz/lbs of almonds would I need?
Hi Melba! I’m not really sure because I haven’t ground my own almonds for this particular recipe. I’m sure that by Googling it you’ll be able to find a conversion chart though.
I tried the recipe and I use it to fill my chocolate pralines, I made pistachio marzipan using the same techniques and sandwiched the gianduja ganache with the marzipans, out of this world. Thanks for the easy recipe
Those sound out-of-this-world delicious, zahira! Thanks for your feedback!
Hi,Great recipes.The marzipan was amazing, but I still do not understand which recipe is for the paste.Thank you
Hi Violeta, I’m glad you enjoyed the marzipan! The difference is simply the consistency – use less almonds to achieve a softer almond paste.
Thank you very much!
I really want to make this, but for some reason I can’t see the amounts of the ingredients anywhere. Am I blind?
Hi Orly, just scroll down to the very bottom of the post, past the step-by-step pictures, and you’ll see the recipe box. Happy marzipan-making!
How can I paint the final product and make it shiny ? I would like to make some figures to my niece first comunion but would like to have them crispy shiny¡
Hi Laura, try googling “glazing marzipan desserts” and you’ll see two videos at the top on how to make marzipan figures and paint/glaze them. Let us know how they turn out!
Just wanted to say that this was a quick and fun recipe! I used a mixture of slivered almonds and almond meal. My only complaint was the faint flavor of corn starch. Added extra almond extract and that went right away. I used my almond paste to spread on crescent dough, sprinkled some slivered almonds and then rolled them up. Amazing with my morning coffee. Thanks!!
That sounds like my kind of breakfast, Dawn! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed this marzipan, Dawn, and appreciate the feedback. By cornstarch I’m assuming you mean the powdered sugar? I’ve never noticed the flavor of cornstarch in this marzipan because of the strong almond flavor, but I have noticed when making cake frosting that the flavor of powdered sugar varies across brands.
Thank you for the great recipe! I halved the recipe and made it by hanDo as I was lazy to take out the food processor and to wash it later. The marzipan smells and tastes wonderful!
Fantastic, Eileen, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I don’t know. but instead of egg whites or corn syrup, I’d use some natural (raw) honey. I am not afraid of eggs at all, but still I don’t want any egg in my marzipan..Duck eggs are more prone to Salmonella, as ducks love water…but even those duck eggs found in stores are quite safe (I often eat them- sunny face, soft yolk/hard whites and had no problem).
I have a recipe of a cake that uses a lot of marzipan and I once made it myself as I didn’t have time to go to a special store to buy it. I grounded some almonds into a paste, and mixed it with acacia honey. I had no idea what are the ingredients in store bought marzipan. Ada at that time google was not so popular…It may not have been the original marzipan but the taste was amazing.
I’ll try to find rose water (though I don’t like roses as food).
I really loved your story!
Fille danke!
Thanks, Sabrina! The flavor of the honey will definitely taste wonderful in the marzipan, I just worry that it will alter the texture – that it won’t bind as well and be too sticky. That said, if all you’re doing is adding the marzipan to a cake or baked good and don’t need it to be able to form into a shape or design, then no problem.
can you replace the powdered sugar with honey or other sweetners without affecting the consistency? if yes, what are the proper quantities? thank you very much!
Hi Ada, unfortunately not. Using honey will completely alter the texture – ie, it will be extremely sticky/runny and basically just a heaping mess. As far as other sweeteners go, like powdered sweeteners, I haven’t tried them so I’m not really sure how they would affect the texture. If you experiment with them let us know how it goes!
Ada/Kimberly – I tried this recipe, replacing the icing sugar with 2/3rds Splenda and 1/3 icing sugar, and it turned out quite acceptable. However when I later tried 100% Splenda, it wasn’t sweet enough and left a bitter aftertaste. (This is quite typical of baking with Splenda – it’s at its best when supplementing sugar but not replacing it.) I haven’t yet tried a honey/Splenda combination.
I really appreciate the feedback on your experiment, gtoal, thank you!
hi, what cookies could be made from this marzipan?
Hi Inessa, here are two really popular German marzipan cookies: Mandelhörnchen and Bethmännchen. Another really popular marzipan treat are these cocoa-dusted marzipan balls that require next to no prep work.
Hi Kimberly, well my larder was not as well-suppplied as I had thought before attempting this. The lovely blanched and slivered almonds that I bought were TOASTED! Obviously the result of a cute guy distraction whilst shopping at Trader Joe’s!!! And I had barely 1 teaspoon of almond extract. Looked like more. Anyway, I charged ahead with what I had on hand and it came out pretty decent. But not at all perfect. I will make sure and get all of the correct supplies this week (FOCUS, Maris, focus) and try again.
I mean I ate about 2 ounces of the stuff, so it’s not a disaster, but I KNOW what great marzipan tastes like and this is not it.
And a word to all trying to substitute this for that, etc. I know there are those out there that need to watch suger and all, but there are some times when things just can’t be substituted. This is one of them. Try it the correct way and just don’t eat ALL of it. Moderation!
I am trying to recreate some cookies that I adore which are baked by Ingrid’s in Oklahoma City, Moist crescents of almond chewiness. I think the Berthmann cookies may be it, specially since Ingrid’s IS German! Which I would not have concluded and “put two and two together” without your great interlude at the beginning of this and the cookie recipe. THANKS I’ll report back.
Hi Maris! Darn, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out this time. Yes, next time go into TJ’s blind-folded and just tell the to guide you to the correct ingredients 😉 I hope the next batch turns out successfully! Okay, I think I know what you’re referring to by those crescents baked by Ingrid (my mom’s name incidentally – she’s German of course) and the Bethmännchen are not it. Bethmännchen are small round cookies and are very firm in texture. The crescents are much softer and chewier. Sometimes one end of the crescent is dipped in chocolate. Google “marzipanhörnchen” and click on images to see what they look like. Is that what you’re referring to?
I really enjoyed reading this post! My family lived in Kaiserslautern for over 5 years, and my sister currently lives there (military). I’m smitten with Germany. My sister is obsessed with marzipan, so I’ll have to tell her about this town so she can visit and indulge. I love marzipan myself and never thought to make it from scratch. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Steph! I’m always happy to meet people who likewise know and love Germany. Yes, you absolutely must try making this – it’s so easy and you’re going to LOVE it!
Yum, delicious!
How interesting about marzipan and the differences between almond paste. This is a keeper of a recipe to have on hand – pinning this on lists to try and that delicious looking Cherry Marzipan Streusel Cake. 😉
We’re going to Germany this fall so really enjoyed your marzipan lesson!
That’s exciting, Carol, have a wonderful time!
What a practical, DIY solution to expensive almond paste!
Great lesson. I grew up eating my Grandma’s Marzipan but did not know the history. Thanks for sharing how to make this at home and bringing up good childhood memories!
WOW, I learned so much by this post! Great info and while I never considered making my own marzipan before, I’m definitely going to save this for the future.
Marzipan/almond paste is my weakness! I could eat the entire tube myself! We had to learn how to make it in chef’s school, but I haven’t made it at home for years! It’s a dangerous thing for me to keep in the house.
Gorgeous Germany shots. I live in Germany for a short while, and these photos bring me BACK! Also, homemade marzipan… who knew it was so simple!?
After reading all of the above comments, I’d like to suggest to those who are wary of raw egg whites in the recipe that they be replaced by aquafaba — the liquid from cooked beans. (If cooked at home, use no salt.) Three tablespoons aquafaba equals one egg white. “Vegan Meringue – Hits and Misses!” on facebook for tips.
Hi Margo, I’ve never heard of it and will need to look into it. Thanks for the tip!
hi..how can i color the almond paste like if i wanted to be blue for my daughter birthday she wanted cinderella princess cake..thank u
Just add a few drops of food coloring at the end when you’re kneading it into a mass and that will do the trick. If you add too much and it becomes too sticky, just add a little more powdered sugar and ground almonds.
Hello, I wanted to use this wonderful recipe that you have posted as icing on my daughter’s birthday cake. I was wondering if there are any specific cake types that go well with the flavors of marzipan. I did see Marzipan being typically used as icing for fruit cakes but I wanted something different. Your input is much appreciated.
Thanks!
Hi Sharmila! One of the great things about marzipan is its versatility. It’s regularly used with chocolate, vanilla and white cakes and is also marvelous with apricot-based flavors. Really though, it will work with many more flavors. Happy baking and hope it’s a success!
Apologies if this double posts… but I just made this,SO EASY!! I do not have rose water but it still came out great and very fast in the food processor =)
I forgot to mention if anyone would like metric measurements, I got approximately 150g for almond meal, 164g powdered sugar and 8 mL almond extract.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Joanna, thank you! And thank you for including the metric info.
I am using your recipe for a dark fruit for a dessert table, a heritage recipe of both our families.. How far ahead can I cover the fruit cake with this marzipan. How do you store it once it is covered.. right now the fruit cake is covered in Jamaican rum!
How do you smooth it out on the cake? I have seen some bakers use a jelly first on the cake?
Hi, I’m afraid I’m not an expert in that area as I have very limited experience using marzipan as a fondant for cakes and would hesitate to make any recommendations. Your cake sounds wonderful though as does the dessert table!
This recipe came out really well. I used Orange Blossom Water in place of the Rose Water, though. Similar enough, but I just think it works better.
Hi Tommy, orange blossom water is a completely different flavor (mostly used in Middle Eastern cuisine) and it won’t result in traditional tasting marzipan, but all that matters is that you’re happy with the results and it sounds like you are – awesome! Thanks so much for the feedback!
HI Kimberly,
so very happy to find your blog and wonderful recipes. Do you have a recipe for Mandelhörnchen that you could share with us?
I am trying not waste all the almond pulp from making almond milk and have just made my first batch of almond flour by just dehydrating the pulp.
Thank you in advance,
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia, thanks so much for the compliment! I haven’t yet published a recipe for Mandelhörnchen but yes, I need to because they are favorites of mine! I’ll make a note to make sure I get to it. Best, Kimberly
Than you for sharing, had a mincemeat loaf that called for 4 ounces of marzipan that I wanted to try. I even had the rose water in my pantry, glad I did, fabulous, makes all the difference. I will never buy it ever again. Nice blog and photos, love the history lesson that preceded the recipe.
Wonderful, Sv, I’m so glad you enjoyed it and really appreciate the feedback! Yes, the rose water is absolutely essential to achieving the right flavor. And I agree, I never ever buy marzipan anymore – it’s just so super easy to make and tastes incredible!
Hoping to make this for a last-minute gift and won’t have time to get to the groery store. I have pre-made almond paste in the pantry–could you please tell me how much i would need for this recipe?
Hi Christine! I’m confused – this recipe is for making almond paste and you say you already have pre-made almond paste. Were you referring to a different recipe?
Hello,
Thanks for this recipe. Just in the process of making this for my son’s birthday, who lives several states away. I was going to mail it to him, but then realized it won’t be refrigerated for the the two days in transit (thinking about the egg whites). Have you ever mailed the marzipan to anyone? I’ve always had raw eggs in my breakfast smoothies without any problem and will continue to do so, but wondered if the marzipan will be safe enough to eat after two days outside the fridge. I “gut” feeling is that it will be okay.
Hi Heidi, I’ve never let the marzipan sit out for more than a couple hours and wouldn’t want to recommend anything that could potentially harm you or your loved ones sick. In much of Western Europe people don’t refrigerate eggs to begin with (and I agree that they’re safe to eat raw), but once they’re cracked open and added to something I don’t know how long they remain safe to eat without refrigeration.
I just now remembered that I use egg whites in my traditional English Christmas fruit cake, for both the almond paste layer and the white outside layer fondant icing. I make two cakes in November, one for Christmas and the other to save for my husband’s birthday in April. They both sit outside the fridge wrapped in foil until ready to be eaten. I’ve been doing this for years, and no one has ever gotten sick. It could be that the sugar in the mixture changes the chemical composition and preserves it. Thanks so much for your reply.
That’s a good point, I’ve heard that sugar does change the chemical structure of the eggs, in effect “cooking” them to some extent. Sugar is also a natural preservative and inhibits the growth of bacteria. It doesn’t kill bacteria that is already present, so how the eggs are handled up to the point of adding them to the other ingredients is important. If you add rum to your fruit cakes the alcohol may also be another factor that helps keep the raw eggs safe for consumption.
Hi Kimberly,
I am trying to make a Captain America shield out of marzipan and looking for natural coloring options (red and blue). Can I use any natural foods (strawberry/blue berry puree) to color marzipan discs? Also, would it be ok to leave egg out of the recipe (because of allergy concerns)? Can the fruit purees act as moisteners instead of eggs? Is there any other substitute that I can use (I may not be able to use egg whites sold in stores either)?
Many thanks in advance,
Archana
Hi Archana! My worry in adding additional ingredients to the marzipan for the sake of coloring it is that it will affect its texture and consistency which will make it difficult to work with as a fondant or forming into shapes. You would need a color source that’s super concentrated so you only have to add a few drops (like a few drops of beet juice for red or turmeric for yellow, that kind of thing). The egg is important for holding the mixture together but you can substitute 2 tablespoons of corn syrup.
Thank you for an easy to follow marzipan recipe.I’m sure this has to cost much less than the ready made almond paste. Now I’ll be able to make Italian Rainbow cookies more often!!!
Fantastic, Karen! I never buy marzipan or almond paste anymore. This is indeed much cheaper and it tastes much better!
I realized that I’ve made your recipe at least a half dozen times and never thanked you. It is the BEST. So simple, so delicious. I’ve used this recipe to make almond paste for pastries and as marzipan for making into candies and shapes for cakes. Thank you so much for a terrific recipe and terrific post!
Thank you, Cori, and thanks so much for returning to leave feedback, I really appreciate that! 🙂
I have been looking for an authentic recipe for marzipan and have tried different ones. Then I came across your web page and just made some marzipan according to your recipe. I have never had better marzipan! The stores can keep theirs, I’m making my own! Thank you so much for posting this! Lots of marzipan for Christmas…
Wunderbar, Silke! I’m so happy to hear that and really appreciate your feedback, thank you. I only ever make my own anymore – cheaper and better!
Why all the history? I only need advice and how to make it.
Rosemary, thank goodness our school systems don’t ask that question! If you’re not interested in the history simply utilize the scrollbar and head down to the recipe.
Great recipe, even without the rose water, which I could not find at the local store. (I’ll try Whole Foods or on line). It might be worth mentioning that the marzipan gets much better after a few days. IMO, one week is ideal to get the full depth of taste, and as you say, it keeps for much longer if refrigerated.
Thanks, Dan! It definitely does get better after a few days. I hope you’re able to get the rose water for your next batch, it makes a huge difference in the flavor.
What are some possible substitutes for the rose water in this recipe?
I’m afraid there are no substitutes. Rose water has a very unique flavor that is an important element in marzipan.
It would be good to post how much this recipe would cover. I have 4 8×8 fruit cakes to cover.
Hi Marilyn, I haven’t used this to cover an 8×8 cake so I’m not sure. I would think that any cake recipe calling for a marzipan fondant would indicate how many ounces you need though. My guess is that one batch of this marzipan would be enough to cover an 8×8 inch cake.
I made a triple batch and it covered two 8″ round fruitcakes (3″ deep), rolled about 1/4″ thick. I had enough trimmings/scraps left over to make a few holly sprigs for the tops of the cakes, plus to have a few sample bites. Purely for quality control purposes, obviously…
I agree that you could probably stretch a single batch to cover an 8×8 fruitcake, especially if it’s less than 3″ deep, but you may need to roll your marzipan a little less than 1/4″ thick. I’d suggest making a batch per cake plus one extra batch – this is the most delicious marzipan I have ever tasted, and you definitely won’t regret having some “left over” for other purposes.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Sam, this will be very useful for anyone else using this for fondant. I’ll be your fruitcakes taste superb!
Thank you so much for the marzipan recipe, my favourite Christmas treat. I was wondering if you have a recipe for coating them in chocolate. Love your website Dorothea
Hi Dorothea, I love marzipan too, it’s one of my favorite things. Coating them is super easy, you would simply mould the marzipan into whatever shapes you want, place them on a wire rack so the chocolate drips down, and pour melted chocolate over them (either microwave or use a double boiler to melt the chocolate). I do have a recipe coming up soon for a classic marzipan treat available in grocery stores in Germany during the Christmas season: Marzipankartoffeln. Super easy and so good!
Thank you so much .Mutti always made Marzipankartoffeln Dorothea
Baked your brown butter shortbread and loved them. Mutti used to make these layered cookies with raspberry jam between two cookies. She iced them and put a cherry on top. I don’t even know their name but would love the recipe. It was a German cookie recipe. Thanks Kimberly Dorothea
Hi Dorothea, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed them! I’m not really sure what those other cookies could be. They sound like a variation of Linzerkekse and may have been her own twist? They sound really good!
Ich bin Deutschlehrer im Bundesstaat New York und möchte Dominosteine machen für meine Schüler für unser Weihnachtsfest am kommenden Montag. Drücken Sie mir bitte die Daumen, dass dieses Rezept auch für einen Nicht-Bäcker wie ich klappt.
Meine Daumen sind fur dich gedrückt, Steve! 🙂 I LOVE Dominosteine and meant to post my recipe for them this year but time just slipped away from me. I’m sure yours will be absolutely lecker, let us know how it goes!
Thanks for this from down under.
When a search of local supermarket shelves failed to turn up any marzipan loaves, I thought to myself “how hard can it be” and turned to the intertubes and found this recipe.
It’s a doddle and the results are stunning.
I used a Nutribullet with the milling attachment to grind the blanched almonds and blend in the icing sugar. I then had to hand mix all the other ingredients as my S-i-L broke the food processor the other day but it all came together beautifully.
That’s fantastic, Chris, I’m really happy you found my blog and that you enjoyed this recipe – thanks for the feedback!
I’ve seen that there is golden marzipan and white marzipan. I need a recipe for white as it will be the outer surface of a battenburgh cake. This sounds delicious but will the color be considered white? If not how could I achieve it?
Hi Kristin, this is white marzipan and will be perfect for your Battenberg cake. Happy baking!
Hi Kimberly, greetings from singapore.
I’ve been using your marzipan recipe to bake my stollen for three years now.
People tell me that the marzipan is the prize in the stollen.
Your marzipan is simply divine.
I’ve made 6 loaves already and am off to bake more to give away.
Thanks so much.
Btw I wanted to put five stars on the rating but it ignores my action,
So I’m going out put it in my comment… FIVE STARS!!!!
Thank you so very much, Sandra, and greetings to Singapore! Marzipanstollen is my absolute favorite kind of Stollen. I’ll bet yours are terrific and those are some lucky recipients! The star ratings – I know, there’s unfortunately some weird glitch that won’t let people click it via mobile, only on desktop computers, but I appreciate your trying. Hopefully we’ll be able to get it figured out. Thanks again and Merry Christmas! -Kimberly
I used this recipe in hopes to have the mazipan I grew up on from Germany. And the rose water ruined the flavor will not use again. Very disappointed!
That’s too bad you didn’t like it. Rose water is an integral flavor in Marzipan. I’ve been snacking on some German marzipan the past few days that my family in Germany sent me this Christmas and it’s pretty darn similar to this homemade version. I don’t know which rose water you used, but the flavor and quality varies greatly from brand to brand.
Help!!! Is there a way a person can soften up the already made marzipan fruit? once inside the very hard crust, the interior of the fruit is soft enough to eat but the problem seems to be the very dry outside.
Hi Hedy, that’s a tough one. I don’t believe there is a fix to that, but maybe some others with experience specific to this dilemma can chime in.
I use to make marzipan myself and I use a ratio of 2:1 of almonds and sugar. The more almonds are in marzipan the better the taste is. there is no need to use egg white to make marzipan.
I put all ingredients in a bowel and heat everything up to 180 and let it cool down after 20 minutes. Be carefull there because overheating the ingredients will create a bitter taste.
Constant stirring is needed there. The heating process will cause the oil of the almonds to be set free and together with the rest of the almonds and the sguar it will create the typical structure for marzipan. This kind of marzipan is based on the original recipe of Niedegger of Luebeck, Germany. It is less sweet and the almond taste is overwhelming.
Your recipe is good if you want to create a nice decoration of cakes but it really is more almond paste than real marzipan where no egg white is used
Hi Thomas, thank you for your insights. Yes, in order to roll out the marzipan for filling pastries or shape it into anything other than a big clump of mass, the egg white is necessary. The egg white has a neutral flavor, doesn’t interfere with the marzipan flavor, and makes the marzipan more versatile. The inclusion of egg white doesn’t make this marzipan less real at all nor is the inclusion or absence of egg white the distinguishing factor between marzipan and almond paste, rather that distinction is primarily one of consistency. Absolutely, if you prefer your marzipan less sweet you can add more almonds instead of sugar as mentioned in my post.
Delighted with all the above! However, I have not noticed any mention of unrefined/raw sugar. Most of us are consuming far too much ‘vitamin & mineral- empty’ (‘poison’ to some) white sugar.
Has anybody experimented with marzipan using less-refined variants? Dark sorts would probably overpower the almond taste and delicate(?) rose flavour. Demerara could be milder. I recently discovered it is classed as ‘raw’. Some use of it in marzipan will be healthier and possibly even more satisfying than 100 per cent [over-refined] everyday “sugar”.
Ricardi, when it comes to recommending things like raw sugar, organic this or non-gmo that, I purposefully leave those decisions to my readers. Those who lean organic are going to buy those ingredients organic, those who prefer to use organic cane sugar are going to use that instead regular beet sugar, etc. I simply provide the ingredients and leave it up to my readers to use whatever variation of them they prefer. For me personally, we do use organic cane sugar but that’s more for the flavor than anything else. I don’t turn to any kinds of sweets as a source for our family’s nutrition, I focus on other whole foods. No form of sugar, whether it’s raw sugar or raw honey (which our family also chooses to use), is “good” for you and any nutrients in the “better” choices can be found in other, far healthier food sources. And the fact is, the minerals and nutrients found in the “healthier” forms of sugar are so minuscule in quantity that you’d have to eat such a ridiculous amount of them to derive any benefit at all, which obviously defeats the very purpose of eating healthy.
Hi Kimberly,
I made your recipe for marzipan and your Christmas cookie recipe this weekend during the blizzard.This was my first attempt and I must say so delicious!The marzipan was as good as the marzipan in Stollen that we get every Xmas from an authentic German restaurant that makes them.I will be making this again very soon.Thank you very much for sharing your fabulous recipes.
Thank you, Mary Lee, I’m so happy to hear that! Now that you’ve mastered the marzipan, next Christmas you may decide to make those Stollen yourself! 🙂
I love your blog. The information section is amazing! Loved hearing about Germany and the origins of marzipan. Can’t wait to make the almond paste. I blanched my almonds tonight and I am letting them dry overnight.
Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you so much, Marisnne! 🙂 I’m excited you’re trying this – let us know what you think!
thank you so much for your recipe. I am a chef, and now making more cakes, and funny I have had rose water in my pantry, never using it, and now I will have good use for it!. I appreciate your generosity, and need to ask: can I cover a wedding cake with this instead of fondant? I know its more expensive but if they ask for it, I would like to use this recipe. And also, what type of sugar flowers can I decorate with? I was thinking royal frosting flowers, and royal icing (very hard, and very sweet) would work, or else forming flowers out of the marzipan itself and using the royal frosting for glue? I was not sure if I could apply Buttercream flowers over a marzipan covered cake. Thank you! Danke!
Hi Gina! Sadly, this is where my knowledge runs thin as I’m a far cry from a cake decorating expert. To answer your first question though, yes, marzipan can absolutely be used instead of regular fondant for wedding cakes and it’s fairly commonly done, particularly in Europe. There are several YouTube videos about it, including videos on making marzipan flowers and fruits for the decorations. But yes, I would think royal frosting flowers would work great as well and it’s easier to work with for fine detail than marzipan. Good luck and I’ll bet your cake is going to be marvelous!
Thank you. I just bought rose water from your widget. I can’t wait to try it.
Awesome, Gwendolyn, I’m excited for you to make it! Let us know what you think!
Hi Kimberly. I’ve been asked to make a marzipan-covered wedding cake by my lovely future daughter-in-law and I’m using your recipe (for which I’m enormously grateful!). Unfortunately, I only have a standard blender and a Kitchenaid stand mixer. Which would you recommend? I need to make about 10 lbs of the stuff!!
Hi! It depends on the strength of you blender – a VitaMix for example could handle it well. I think the Kitchenaid with the paddle attachment would also work. I’d try one batch on the Kitchenaid first and see how it goes.
Thanks, Kimberly. I did try it on the Kitchenaid, and it works marvellously with the paddle. When it starts to stick together, I turn it out and just give it a quick knead through. Have lots more to make! Thanks so much for sharing this. Oh, and did I mention I grew up in Germany? 🙂
Perfect! I’m so glad it turned out and appreciate the feedback. You did not mention you grew up in Germany, that’s awesome! 🙂
Hello.
I have an important question.
First of all, I love this recipe and it tastes great. I made it several times.
Now, about the question.
I used pasturized egg white. I want to paint and make marzipan fruits for a party. How long can they stay out of the refrigerator on display before being eaten since they have the egg white ? Thank you so much!!
Hi Alexandra, thank you! I’d keep the fruits/cake refrigerated until you’re ready to display it but in my opinion it’s safe to display them at room temp for several hours. Apparently egg whites have natural antibacterial properties and in the olden days people used to store eggs at room temp for days. While I wouldn’t want to risk recommending that, I do think you’re fine for a few hours.
Superb !!! Can’t wait to try it
Let us know what you think, Lavinia!
I just made this. Although I’ve heard of marzipan before, I’ve never seen it, let alone made it. – I also make almond flour for the first time! – I found I had to add an extra scant 1/4 cup each of almond meal and powdered sugar. I hope it wasn’t too much – it’s just that it was so sticky. I am so excited to make some tiny vegetables that I will use for decorations on a garden themed cake!
I did not have rose water so I just skipped that part. I saw in a youtube video that bourbon could be used in place of the rose water. I would love to try that next time! Thank you for the recipe. It makes a very managable amount.
That’s awesome that you were able to make and eat it for the first time, Erin! And yes, just like regular bread dough, some minor adjustments like adding a little extra flour are perfectly normal and expected. As I mentioned in the post, the consistency will depend on what you’re using it for. A stickier paste is what you’ll use in baked goods and you’ll want a firmer non-sticky consistency is you’re forming it into shapes or using it as a fondant. Bourbon is neither traditional nor is it used in Germany or Italy where marzipan is the most prolific (bourbon tastes completely different than rose water), but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it or adjust the flavoring to meet a specific need or preference.
This is fantastic! I’ve seen marzipan “fruits” before but I had no idea as to what they actually were. I use to make little clay foods but I bet I could use this marzipan and make little edible creations for my cakes and cupcakes! Thank you!!
Yes, Angie, marzipan is absolutely perfect for making all kinds of deliciously edible creations!
I thoroughly enjoyed both your blog and each response you very generously gave to everyone who posted. I’m so impressed by your kindness, thoughtfulness and wit. I’ve not made the recipe as of yet, but when I do, I’ll post. I hope you’ll still be here-! Thank you
Thanks, Blue, that’s very kind of you and I appreciate that. Happy cooking and I look forward to “seeing” you around and hearing what you think of the recipes you try! Best, Kimberly
Thank you for this amazing easy recipe!!
I missed out on adding rose water, next time will definitely get it. I thought it was too mushy at first so added a little bit more almond flour and worked out great!! Yum!!! Can easily eat it on its own or dipped in chocolate.
Awesome, Sangitha, I’m happy to hear that, thank you!
Hi thank you for the recipe i will definitely try it but is it possible to bake in case i made some flowers and serve it instead of other candies
Hi Gemma, marzipan isn’t baked unless it’s baked IN something, like in pastries, or as part of a cookie. It doesn’t hold shape on its when it’s baked. To serve as candies you would simply shape them however you want (you can also dip them in chocolate) and then serve – no baking.
Guten Tag Kimberly ,I just found your blog site today, lucky me. Thank you for posting the beautiful pictures of Luebeck. I used to briefly live in Bad Segeberg. I am now homesick! Thanks a lot, lol.
A week ago I found a recipe on line, it is identical to yours. . I used Almond meal (not blanched) from Trader Joe’s. I could not tell the difference really!
Since I only roll my Marzipan in cinnamon, (looks like tiny potatoes ), I scaled back on the amount of almond extract ( 1 t ) and only used 3/4 cup of SWERVE ) It is still quite sweet!
Now have a Question. My mother (now gone) used to send me an assortment of Niederegger Goodies. for Christmas, among them were some with added alcohol. Was it Kirschwasser or maybe Rum ? That was to die for and I would like to duplicate it.
Your help would be so appreciated.Thank you in advance.
We can be homesick together 🙂 No, there’s no difference in flavor whether you use blanched or non-blanched, it’s just a color thing. And I know exactly the marzipan potatoes you’re referring to – I published my recipe for them this past December: Marzipankartoffeln. The alcohol: Both are used. I’ve had both rum-flavored and Kirschwasser-flavored marzipan, though rum is probably more common. I’d start with rum and see if that’s the flavor you remember – if not, then try the Kirschwasser.
I just prepared my marzipan according to this recipe. I didn’t have rose water on hand, so I used orange blossom water, reducing from 1 tsp to 3/4. My plan is to sculpt into do-dads for on a cake my partner is making. I kept adding almond flour as a kneaded it until the ball was almost dry to the touch. I sense that’s about right for sculpting. If need be, I can always add more flour after it’s at room temperature and I’m working it again. I have a few questions, if I may.
1) I’m assuming since there is no gluten in this paste, that there’s no such thing as over-working it. Could you confirm?
2) With the egg whites, I’m guessing that as I finish my sculptures, they will dry to some degree. What is the consistency for the dried product and how long does it take?
3) What kind of sag can I expect while I sculpt? How well does wet marzipan hold its shape? Should I have little bits of basswood or silicon to hold up edges while they dry?
4) I want more distinct features on the end product, so I’m going to mix colors and paint them on after, rather thank kneading color into the product. Is there a best method for this?
5) If I wanted a gloss or at least semi-gloss finish on a piece, I am guessing I can use a tiny brush to coat it in egg white after it’s dry and then I can let *that* dry. Is there a better method?
Any other tips for sculpting would be tremendous. This is a fantastic article and I really appreciate your work.
Hi Frank, I’m not an expert on marzipan candy-making but I’ll do my best to answer your questions:
1) Correct, there is no gluten and you can work it as much as you like.
2) Most recommend that once you’ve shaped the marzipan to let it dry uncovered at room temp for a day or two. It will develop a dry consistency on the outside that will become firmer over time while still maintaining a chewy texture inside. Store the candies in airtight containers (not in the fridge).
3) There won’t be any sagging. Marzipan is very dense, holds it shape extremely well.
4) It’s important to keep the paint brush relatively dry, so keep paper on hand for blotting after rinsing the brush out between colors. Also, the less diluted the dye is with water, the less “blotchy” wet the paint job will be if you’re going for finer detail. If you’re doing multiple layers of paint colors and details, let the first coat dry a little before adding the next.
5) I wouldn’t use egg white for the gloss. Here’s a YouTube video I just found on glazing marzipan candies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mK5LWU_mTE
Also, if you type in “marzipan fruits” for example in YouTube you’ll find a lot of helpful “how to” videos for sculpting: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=marzipan+fruits
Have fun and let us know how it goes!
Help! I added flour instead of confectioner sugar by mistake (even after I had to make a trip to the store because I was out of sugar!!!). I caught the mistake before I added the extract or egg. So now I have a batch of equal part grounds almonds and flour… I don’t want to throw it out. Any ideas what to do with this mixture???
Hi Robin, that sounds like something I would do as well 😉 If it were me I’d probably use it for a cake. Google cakes using almond flour and you’ll find lots of options that use both almond flour and regular flour and then you’ll just add however much more of each that the cake recipe calls for.
Hi I was wondering if you have a recipe for a Prncess Cake?
Hi Cindy, I don’t but it’s a wonderful cake!
Hi Kimberly,
tried your recipie a few weeks ago and gave a few chcolate topped marzipan candies to a German friend Dieter ( a trained chef)….he was very complimentary. So I am working on another batch today. My question is…since I dont have any rose water, could I use a few drops of Cointreau instead, or would the orange flavour over-power the subtle taste of marzipan? Thanks- David
Hi David, I’m glad it met with Dieter’s approval 🙂 The rose water flavor goes hand in hand with the almond flavor. I wouldn’t say that the orange would overpower the almond flavor, it would just alter the flavor. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It may be a nice twist on a classic.
Great recipe! I didn’t have any almond extract or rose water, and I didn’t feel like going to a store. Yet, I was so wanting to try it anyway. I took a risk and used regular water and vanilla extract instead. I melted some chocolate and covered the top and chilled. It turned out to be so delicious anyway! Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed them, thank you! If you have a chance to make it with almond extract and rose water I highly recommend it – you’ll be much more impressed!
I absolutely love marzipan. I found a recipe for Danish tree logs and wanted to make this for a cooking group dinner dessert. My only hesitation was wondering what the cost of the marzipan would be since we have a really large cooking club called “Cooking With Wild Abandon” and there’s usually 40 to 60 members at each event. Next month’s theme is cooking around the world and everyone is picking a different country. I am so happy to have found your blog and this recipe. I thank you so very much and I am so excited and can’t wait to make it. I’m going to have to make a “trial batch” just so I can enjoy them between now and next month’s dinner. I will think of you gratefully every time I make marzipan forever.
That’s awesome, Judy, I’m glad you found us, too! Yes, this will save you a ton of money – marzipan for 60 people would be a lot! You’ll love how easy this recipe is, too. Let us know how it goes and I hope you’ll visit often! Best, Kimberly
Hi Kimberley,
If I rolled this recipe out into a fine sheet and baked the sheet, do you know how long it would last unrefrigerated?
Lucy
Hi Lucia, cakes and cookies all have raw egg in them, are baked and then left at room temperature for a few days, so I’d say it’s no different if you were to bake marzipan and leave it out.
Thanks Kimberley for your recipe. Have tried the almond paste in Blanket Letter and they taste delicious. Also not bad with bought GF pastry to serve to friends that cannot tolerate gluten. Would you know if honey can be substituted for sugar in the Almond Paste recipe? Have been asked if this can be done, but not sure if the ratio will change.
Hi Patti, thanks for the feedback and tip. The challenge with honey is that it’s a liquid and I fear the end result would be a heaping mess that’s super sticky, goopey and impossible to work with or shape. I suppose if you’re simply using it as a filling in something, like inside of a pastry, and it doesn’t need to be shaped at all, then honey might work. But yes, you’d need to use a ratio of far more almonds to honey in order to compensate for the added liquid. If you give it a try let us know how it goes.
Hello. Thank you for your recipe. I have seen some other recipes without egg white. I have never tried this recipe but tried another which is without egg. I was not at home for a while and Its taste did not change after two weeks.
I want to try this recipe too but is it sour after some days because of the egg white ? Any experience.
As I mention in the recipe, you can substitute corn syrup if you prefer. No, I have never had the experience of the marzipan tasting remotely sour, even after a couple of weeks.
Hi Kimberly, thank you for sharing this recipe! I made it to cover a cake the other day, and it was amazing because the marzipan wasn’t too sweet. I used corn syrup in place of egg whites because some of my guests could not consume raw eggs for health reasons. Earlier this year, I tried making the same cake with store-bought marzipan and it was really difficult to roll out, so I am so happy to have found your recipe because not only was it easier to work with, it tasted much better!
I’m happy to hear that, Mina! I agree, it is quite a bit easier to work with, tastes better AND is much cheaper, so a win-win all around. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I just made a batch and it is delicious!! I’m making a “decoration” for a bachelorette party 😉
So glad you like the marzipan, Romaida, thank you!
Hi Kimberly! I’m excited that I found your recipe and can’t wait to make it! When we lived in Germany, the Christmas markets would have stalls that sold many different flavors of marzipan. Would you happen to know how I can recreate those using your recipe? I especially loved the walnut and pistachio flavors 😋 Thanks so much for any advice!! Oh, also, we are living in Washington now and I also plan on making a fresh Christmas wreath using your tutorial. Thanks for sharing all that you know ❤️
Hi Nicole and welcome – I’m so glad you found my blog! Yes, this marzipan forms the base for any marzipan creation and you can add other flavors and ingredients to it. Congrats on having moved to Washington! 🙂 I look forward every year to making a beautiful wreath out of the fresh foliage here.
Hi there, just an FYI. I have tried three or four times to subscribe and unfortunately I never get the email that is supposed to come so I can confirm. So please maybe this can be fixed.
On another note I want to thank you so much for posting what seems to be the best Almond paste/ Marzipan recipe on the planet. I found everything. Even the Rose water. I will be making the paste that is called for in an old family Chocolate Almond brownie recipe. Can’t wait to try it. With much Aloha, Charisse from Hilo
Hi Charisse, thanks so much, I’m thrilled you enjoy it as much as we do! About the subscription issue, I checked with my newsletter provider and they said everything looks fine on their end – they suggested perhaps the emails went to your spam folder? In any case, I think I was able to manually confirm you, so hopefully you’re set now 🙂 Thanks again!
Haven’t tried to make yet but very excited about finding your simple recipe. Just wanted to let people know that food-grade rose water is available on Amazon.
Hi DN, I’m glad you found us too! Yes, that’s actually the product I link to in my post – the one available on Amazon.
Hi! I made this with my son last week and your recipe is delicious! We loved it! Two quick questions for you. 1) How long will marzipan last in the refrigerator since it has egg whites? 2) Do you know the shelf life of rose water once it is opened? Thanks so much for your help! Linda
Hi Linda, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! It will last in the fridge for a few weeks, depending on how fresh the eggs are. Really it will last as long as the eggs themselves would normally last. The rose water practically keeps forever, there’s nothing perishable in it.
Thanks so much for a simple recipe! Turned out perfect! I made my first Christmas Cake last year for my British son-in-law- ordered Marzipan dough on line because I was intimidated with idea of making a dough! I have never made dough in my lifetime. I looked at several recipes this year and ran across yours! First batch was a loser- used almonds that I grounded up but unfortunately I did not grind almonds fine enough and I could see little chips in dough. Threw out and went to store and bought almond flour/meal. Success after that! Here in North Carolina you find small packages of Marzipan- would probably take 3 packages to cover the cake! Homemade Marzipan is much less expensive! Found rose water at a Greek Market!
Yahooo, I’m so happy to hear that, Cindy! Yes, homemade marzipan is MUCH cheaper and SO easy. Let me guess, you’re never going to buy it again, are you? 🙂
I should have known there was a way to make marzipan at home! I’ve been craving the stuff since I moved away from my favorite bakery, but the premade logs sold in grocery stores are waaaay too expensive. So glad I can make my own now!
Question: I’ve got some meringue powder I was using for royal icing, do you think I could use that instead of egg whites? I’m guessing I’d have to add a bit of liquid if I did, so it doesn’t turn out too crumbly. Like most other people asking about egg white substitutions, I’m worried about leaving it out for long periods of time. The meringue powder would negate that, as I’ve had royal icing flowers stay good for weeks. Thoughts?
Hi Kim! That’s a great question about the meringue powder. I haven’t tried it before so I’m not sure about the results, but in any case yes, you would have to add some liquid. Remember if you store the marzipan in the fridge it will keep as long as the original eggs will keep, which is potentially a few weeks.
Just tried the meringue powder from Wilton instead of an egg white. It called for 2 tsp of powder and 2 Tbsp of water. The dough was sticky! Very moist, I might actually need to add in a bit more almond flour and powdered sugar if I want it rollable. But otherwise, this is a darn tasty recipe. It’s happily lacking the “fake” taste I’ve encountered in other marzipans before. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Now I need to go order me some rose water…
Storage will never be an issue. I’ll have eaten all of it before it can go bad!
Awesome, Kim! Yes, it’s a simple fix, just add more almond flour and sugar until it’s the consistency you need. So glad you enjoyed this, thanks so much for the feedback!
Thanks for all the facts and hints. Growing up in Central Africa I remember my mother making it with egg yolks which is also what our 1968 English cookery book shows. Other than color what difference do you think?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Bob, it can be made with either. In Germany it’s traditionally made with egg white for a light neutral color that can be used for a variety of purposes. But you can use the yolk in addition or instead to give it an orange/yellow color if you prefer.
Thank you. Now all I have to do is decide how to compare 1/2 lb of grains almonds with 2 egg yolks to 1 1/2 cups and 1 egg white. Life is never simple.
Thanks again!
I blanched and ground my own raw almonds, used high quality almond extract, the exact rosewater above (wonderful) did the exact measurements even used a little processor just like yours. egg white but while it tastes and smells fantastic is gritty, not smooth and way too soft. I added more sugar but it still isn’t firm. Is it supposed to be gritty? could I use a hand held blender to smooth it out?
Hi April! No, it shouldn’t be really gritty. It sounds like the almonds weren’t ground finely enough – that’s my guess. No, you can’t really smooth it out at this point. The marzipan may soften up a bit in a couple of days from the moisture content. And if you’re using the marzipan to add to baked goods like cakes and cookies you probably won’t really notice the grittiness at that point anyway.
Thanks Kimberly. I should have put more sugar in it and will next time. This was for the top of a fruit cake. Thank you for posting the recipe.
To Kim, I made the paste and followed the recipe on the meringue powder can to make an “egg-white”. It was delish! Now we have “safe” leftovers for snacking after I made my almond horn cookies with the paste. Yummy
Ah perfect, Kalinda, thanks so much for letting us know how it went!
I assume by powdered sugar you mean icing sugar as we call it in Canada? I believe it’s also called that in Britain. The light type of sugar normally used in what Americans call cake frosting.
Hi Linda, yes, that is correct.
When I was a little girl my German-born grandmother would make marzipan fruits. The were fun AND yummy! I haven’t had them in a long time so I thought that it might be time to make my own little marzipan fruits. My question is, can it be flavored? For instance, if I make a lemon out of marzipan, can I make it lemon flavored? (Or orange, peppermint etc.) If so, how would I do that? Thanks!
(I don’t remember my grandmother flavoring them, but wanted to know if it was something that could be done.)
Hi Donna, the marzipan can definitely be flavored, the only potential issue will be adding too much liquid so it no longer holds shape and becomes difficult to work with. The good news with extracts though is that very little extract is needed. There’s also the option – at least for lemon and orange – for adding very finely minced lemon and orange zest to the marzipan. That will avoid the addition of liquid. When adding extract just start with the tiniest bit of it and knead the marzipan to see if it’s holding up, then you can determine if you can add a little bit more until it’s flavored the way you want. If you end up adding too much and the marzipan becomes soggy, try putting it back in the food processor and add some more nuts and powdered sugar to stiffen it up. Let us know how it goes! Best, Kimberly
Hi Kimberly, I wish to make your almond paste but have no idea how many batches I would have to do in order to cover 12lbs. of Xmas Cake.
Hi Gail, I have no idea either. Fortunately it’s very quick to make a batch of this so what I’d recommend is start by making a double batch and see how far that goes. Then you’ll have an idea of how much more you’ll need to make.
Instead of using powdered sugar which contains a little corn starch to keep it from clumping, would plain sugar be a good alternate.
Hi Carl, I think it would depend on what you’re using it for. The cornstarch in the powdered sugar also helps to keep the moisture down in the marzipan so it sticks together and can be molded and formed. Regular sugar may also make it a bit gritty. If you’re using it to make candies or as a cake fondant I recommend sticking with the powdered sugar. If you’re simply using it “in” something, like as a filling in baked goods, then regular sugar may be fine.
The recipe looks great and your comments are helpful. The only ingredient that I am concerned with is the rose water. I realize that it’s traditional, but my experiences with rose water (even when used by a professional and respected chocolatier) were bad- tasted like soap. I am willing to try a SMALL batch with rose water, but I am leery.
I realize that the flavor will be different, but the comments mentioning citrus zests and cinnamon as possible alternatives caught my attention. If I am correct, as long as it is either an extract, or preferably a dry spice that goes with almond, those could be used without drastically changing the texture? I was considering a tiny amount of ground nutmeg or a different flavor extract. My plans are to use the marzipan for the centers of chocolates for about 20 friends and thought that a little variation in flavor and shape might be a nice surprise.
Hi Amanda, yes, I would recommend giving rose water a try with a small batch before you rule it out. If you’re already familiar with what marzipan/almond paste tastes like, it will taste like the product you’re familiar with. On its own I don’t like the taste of rose water either but blended in with the marzipan it adds a really nice flavor element. If you decide you still can’t stand the taste of rose water in the marzipan but want a traditional-tasting marzipan, I would recommend omitting the rose water and just using the almond extract, it will still have a great flavor. And yes that’s correct, you can use any ground spice and small amounts of extract without compromising the texture.
Kimberly, your recipe is a life saver! I want to make Heiligenschein this Christmas. I learned to make them in Stuttgart from a kind, German woman who used to teach Americans how to make German Christmas cookies at the USO on Panzer Kaserne (I am now in Texas). Went to Central Market thinking they would have the marzipan (I need 600 g) that I had always found in Germany, but of course, they did not. So happy I now have this recipe. On to baking!
Fantastic, Susan, I’m so glad you found us too! I’m very familiar with Panzer (I’m from Stuttgart). Happy baking and Merry Christmas!
Hi, I made this marzipan for my batten burg cake to give to my Mom for Christmas in 2 weeks. I was worried because I couldn’t find marzipan in my small town and this turned out perfectly! I was wondering if I should freeze it now and cover my cake my cake later or would I be able to finish my cake and freeze the finished cake with the marzipan. Do you know if the marzipan’s integrity be the same?
Hi Sharon, I hesitate to advise you on that point since I haven’t tried freezing a marzipan fondant on a cake. I’m not sure how well the marzipan fondant will hold up after thawing. Perhaps some of our readers can offer some input based on personal experience.
Kimberly my Christmas Angel. :O)(For solving my what to use dilemma).
Thanks so much for answering all my questions.
I was going a little nuts looking up recipes for fruit cake and then the topping.
Confusing when some say Almond and some say Marzipan for this and that and oh my word, the confusing recipes. I even bought store bought Marzipan as a back up in case I couldn’t find a workable recipe.
Your explanation is straight to the point and totally understandable.
I’ll do a dry run of your Marzipan recipe tomorrow.
Thanks again. Will post my results when done.
You’re very welcome! 🙂 Yes, please keep us posted how it turns out!
Hi Kimberly, thanks for your web page on marzipan. I’ve been making it for decades now as per my German parents. Your opening description of the history of marzipan and Luebeck brought back a memory. I was in Germany in 1968, staying with my grandmother and aunt. My aunt’s birthday was looming. She really liked smoked eel. She also loved marzipan. We went to the Niederegger store in Luebeck and lo and behold, we found some marzipan in the shape of an eel. Naturally that is what she got.
On another note, I really appreciate the fact that almond flour is something that can be bought in stores now. I was never able to get the almonds as finely ground as I wanted. I called it “rustic marzipan”. I now make various flavours, adding food colour to match the flavour, pink with rose water for example and then dip them in tempered chocolate. Love this time of year and thanks for your contribution.
Frohe Weinachten.
Thank you for sharing that wonderful story, Angela! Smoked eel is really popular at the German Volksfest and Weihnachtsmarkt (my Opa loved it, too) so that’s really neat that Niederegger carried those eel-shaped marzipan candies. The perfect gift indeed for eel and marzipan lovers! I agree, I’m equally glad it’s so easy to find almond flour now, I think that’s largely do to the gluten-free movement and alternative baking. Frohe Weihnachten!
Just in case this applies to you, I apologize for being a possible bearer of bad news regarding Cuisinart food processors from all the way back to the 90s. Included a link.
In other news, the marzipan that I made (minus rose water, because I didn’t have any on hand) was amazing. I ended up using almond meal and pasteurized egg from the carton as that was what I could find, and had to add more almond meal and more powdered sugar and then added cocoa powder to the mix to make it stiffer and less sticky. It definitely firms up some after refrigeration, but I still added the extra meal and sugar as it was my first time trying it. I now need to make more because I already used the whole stash in making chocolates using candy molds (a little chocolate and then a ball of marzipan followed by more chocolate) and snacking. Oh beware this stuff is ADDICTING! Danke.
Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing that info. Fortunately neither of my Cuisinart food processors are part of the recall. I’m also glad to see that Cuisinart is being very responsive to this in promptly mailing out replacement blades. Their food processors are awesome. I’m so glad you enjoyed the marzipan, thank you! It’s totally addicting. I made two double batches last week and just ordered 5 more pounds of almond meal 😉 So more marzipan-making coming!
Hi Kimberly, this is a beautiful story and thank you for the recipe. I am hoping to make this tonight and was wondering if this 12oz recipe will be enough to fully cover a regular sized round fruit cake (20-23cm)? Apologies if this question has been asked and addressed already:)
Hi Ayoni, thank you! I’m really not sure whether or not that will fully cover the cake. I’d start with one batch, roll it out and eyeball it. If you need more you can easily whip up another batch in 5 minutes and then knead it together with the first batch. Please let us know how much marzipan you determine is needed for that size of cake, it will be helpful information to anyone else with that question.
Hi Kimberly,
Thank you for the Marzipan recipe. There is no mention in this recipe to use bitter almond extract or bitter almond flour. I am used to marzipan with a hint of bitter almond taste. My question is how many teaspoons or grams of bitter almond flour can we add to this recipe?. Also I like to make a high quality Marzipan with higher almond flour percentage, can you please advise me on how to adjust the recipe? Thank you so much .
Hi Emily! No, it’s not generally used for the base marzipan recipe. It is used however in a lot of recipes that incorporate marzipan. For example, there are several popular German marzipan-based cookies that call for bitter almond extract to be added to the cookie dough. If you’d like to add some to the marzipan itself, you can use either extract or flour, though I’ve never used bitter almond flour, only extract. As with any extract, I’d start with a very small amount, knead it into the marzipan and taste it to determine if you want more. Bitter almond flour will contribute a much milder flavor than will the extract. Simply substitute some of the regular flour for the bitter almond flour – how much will again come down to personal taste.
What is the substitute for corn syrup ?
Madhu, egg white is the best option hands down.
Just wondered why under “Notes” you say corn syrup is not recommended for this recipe?
Hi Carol, it doesn’t yield quite the same texture as egg white though it’s an “okay” substitute if you prefer not to use egg white.
Thank you Kimberly for the fast reply. Appreciated.
Going to make my first ever Fruit Cake for New Years and have been going crazy trying to find out what to put on top (Marzipan or Almond Paste). Still not sure.
Any thoughts anyone? Only a small 9 X 5″ cake by the by.
Hi Carol, marzipan is what’s typically used for fondant because it’s firmer and can be rolled out and handled. One batch of this marzipan should be sufficient for a 9X5″ cake.
Thanks, Kim. I slogged through at least 10 other recipes before concluding yours was the most likely (the Niederegger reference was key!) My family is from Dusseldorf and I grew up with marzipan (German pronunciation; I can’t abide the English). Happily, I can report that the quantity produced by your recipe is precisely the amount I can consume without undue queasiness during an evening of reading by the fireplace. Gemutliche! Frohe Weinachten und gluckliche Neue Jahr!
Hi Eric, I’m so glad you found us and enjoyed the marzipan – thank you! I don’t know how you managed to eat that entire batch by yourself in one sitting but I’m glad your tummy didn’t rebel 🙂 Two other marzipan treats you’d probably like that are very popular in Germany are the Marzipankartoffeln and Mandelhörnchen. By the way, I’m very familiar with Düsseldorf and spent a few months just northeast of it in Essen. Frohe Weihnachten! Best, Kimberly
Hi Kim,
I made the marzipan with egg white and it’s been in the fridge for a week. I’m not so worried about raw egg if used immediately, but I made one of the Christmas cakes to age, with apricot jam, marzipan and royal icing to seal. Will the eggs be all right for months?
Hi April, that’s one I’ll leave to your judgement. In Europe most people don’t even refrigerate their eggs (they don’t need to be). But as for months, I’m not sure about that.
My husband and I LOVE almonds but neither of us like the taste of almond extract. I’m intrigued by the rose water option but have you tried this recipe without the additional flavorings or with vanilla? I have a Vitamix 750 and I’ve been considering making a homemade almond paste. This recipe sounds like what we need.
Hi Murleen, it just wouldn’t have much flavor with only the ground almonds and sugar. It’s the rosewater and almond extract that give it it’s marzipan flavor. What you can do though is make a batch without any flavorings and taste it – then you can always knead some flavors into the dough if you decide to after the fact.
Hi Kimberly, That sounds like a plan. We make fresh almond butter, using roasted unsalted almonds and love the flavor. We also love raw almonds; but I understand about not getting that “authentic” marzipan flavor. That’s why I think that the rosewater option is intriguing. We’ll play with it! That’s half the fun of cooking anyway, right? Thanks for the feedback… it is very much appreciated. 🙂
Hello
Can I use honey instead of corn syrup for the vegan version ?
Hi Madhu, I haven’t tried it with honey but it theoretically should work. Let us know how it turns out it you try it.
Sure . 🙂
I almost left the page before I got to the recipe. Lots of nice info and pics, but I really wanted to EAT marzipan, not look at it!
But the agony and suffering borne of impatience will just make the experience of eating it that much better, Christine 🙂 I just ordered 5 more pounds of almond meal – I’m ready to eat a bunch, too! 🙂
Kimberly, really love this site! Checked out some of the other recipes too and the pictures are just fantastic. Looking forward to trying all sorts of German food I haven’t had in ages.
And now I have to wait for rosewater! Well, not really, I’ll try the marzipan without it, can’t wait for Amazon to deliver …
Thanks so much, Christine! 🙂
Hi, Kimberly. You cannot beat a German Condatori (sp), bakery. I used to buy a “cookie” there that I would love to replicate. Don’t know the name, but maybe you will recognize it. It was a cookie/cake cut in half with a lingonbberry type jam thinly spread in the center, then a very thin layer of what appeared to be whipped cream over the whole top and a layer of marzipan over the whole thing. That was in 1971. I have never forgotten that cookie. Additionally, I am half Norwegian and have been getting a kick out of one of our local supermarkets selling marzipan piggies at Christmas time. I was thinking of making some next year, but worry about whether they will keep. Hard to find liquid food coloring, though. The gel stuff is too full of junk and isn’t true to color. Keep up the good work.
Hi Sharon, no you sure can’t beat it! I know, food coloring in general – liquid and gel – is full of junk and I very rarely use it the stuff. But those piggies are so cute it would be worth it 🙂
Let me clarify: Was this a cake? With a bottom and top layer of cake with a jam and cream filling and a marzipan fondant over it – or was it something else?
Hi Kimberly. Can we freeze the mixture without the egg whites and then add the egg whites to the thawed mixture?
Hi Bina, I haven’t personally tried freezing marzipan (it never lasts that long around here 😉 but I’ve heard it freezes well. You don’t have to add the egg white later, you can freeze it as the finished product with the egg white.
Hello there! I have a bag of almond flour left over from some other cookie recipes… can I use it to make the marzipan?
Absolutely, Fred! Extra finely ground is generally recommended for marzipan as it produces a finer texture, but even if it isn’t it will work just fine.
Hi Kimberley, just finished making a batch of marzipan using Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal. I can’t believe how easy it was to make. I do not have a food processor large enough so I used my mini to pulse the almond meal to get the lumps out. Put everything in my KitchenAid and used the hook to incorporate the ingredients and it worked perfect. I will use it to make the Marzipan Kartoffeln just like I had when I was a child in Hamburg. I remember having them on my Bunten Teller at Christmas. I live in the U.S. for over 60 years now and it took me all this time to make them myself. Thanks for your help by using your recipe.
That’s wonderful, Christa, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your experience using the KitchenAid, that will be helpful to other readers who may not have a large food processor. In fact, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I got a large one myself. Marzipan Kartoffeln were always a favorite of mine in Germany as well. I’ve been in the U.S. for 12 years now and made them for the first time last year. I featured them on my blog here: http://www.daringgourmet.com/marzipankartoffeln-chocolate-dusted-marzipan-potatoes/. Thanks again for the feedback!
Hi Kimberly, thank you for your reply. I did use your marzipan potato recipe and made a batch yesterday. Had one for breakfast this morning. Oh, sooo good. I also like to comment on your pictures of Lübeck. I went to the Holstentor on a class trip when I was about 12 years old. I remember it looking just like that.
Christa
Wonderful, Christa! 🙂
The marzipan is very famous candy in syria and it it called ( lozina ) .since almond means in arabic ( loze).but i think the origion is perzian according to the word marzipan.anyways is it safe to pasterize egg at home.and thanks for your information
Thanks for sharing the information about lozina, Fofo. The debate about marzipan’s origins continues. Some say it may also have originated in China and then made its way to the Middle East.
Oh, my gosh, how long this comment stream is!! SO much fun to read. Good for you, Kimberly, to keep up answering questions. You are like everybody’s living cook book. Today is the day I will finally get round to preparing your Marzipan, and it will be gracing a small wedding cake for my sweet daughter-in-law. I bought fancy Rose Water at a Persian grocery store here in Vancouver, Canada. Thank you so much for this, and for your patience and generosity with all of us!
Wonderful, Vickie, I’m excited to hear how it turned out, let us know!
Can meringue powder or powdered egg whites with the liquid needed be used in place of raw egg white?
I haven’t tried it, Arlice, but if reconstituted powdered egg whites create the same kind of consistency as fresh egg whites then yes, it should work fine.
As a child, I remember making marzipan every Christmas with my mother. However, it took quite some time and our arms would be sore from stirring by hand with a wooden spoon (before the existence of food processors). It was so worth the work though when it was time to eat it. I will have to try your recipe in the food processor.
I have the same memories with making homemade Spätzle, Kim. My mom had us make it the old-fashioned way of beating the dough by hand with a wooden spoon. We used to all take turns stirring because our arms would get so tired after a few minutes! I’m a sentimentalist at heart but food processors and stand mixers sure make life easier!
I just made this. Like, made it 5 minutes ago. It is so good. My wife and I love marzipan, but it’s hard to find where we live unless it’s during the Christmas season. Even then, it’s mass produced and really dry.
I think it took me longer to grab all the things to measure and scrape with than it did actually making the marzipan! We don’t have a food processor, so I used a Kitchenaid stand mixer with a paddle. It turned out just fine.
The rosewater is interesting. I think most of the marzipan I find here in Oregon doesn’t have it included. I don’t mind it, but I think the next batch I make (probably tomorrow), will have half the amount, just to see if we like it better.
Thanks for sharing the recipe! It was so much easier than I thought it would be.
Fantastic, Stephanie, thanks so much!
I used to indulge in marzipan regularly when I lived in Germany and have missed it so much since leaving. I never DREAMED it would be this easy to make myself! You are a lifesaver, Kimberly, thank you so much for sharing this recipe and wonderful blog post!
I’m so glad, Candace, thank you! 🙂
Hi Kimberly I would like to ask if this marzipan will hold up if I used it to make figurine then dried them?
Hi Jonathan, hold up in the sense of not spoiling? If you’re going to dry them to keep long-term and eat them later (as opposed to using them for decoration only) I’d recommend using corn syrup instead of egg white. If you mean hold up in the sense of holding shape after drying, I would think yes, but I haven’t tried drying shapes before so I can’t say for sure.
Can you eat this without baking?
Absolutely! That’s how it’s most commonly eaten. I keep it refrigerated.
Love the recipe but I would like to know how you would use it to make fondant. I did not see a recipe for fondant on your website. Would you have/share one?
Thank you
Hi Maria, I do not have a recipe for fondant. Many of our readers have used this recipe to make fondant, perhaps someone can chime in.
Hi Kimberly!
Thanks for the lovely pictures of Luebbeck, and thanks for the recipe!
My question to you is: (actually, two questions, lol)
1) Can I shift the proportions of almond flour and sugar, say 60 % almond and 40 % sugar? I would like it less sweet and more almondy!
2) What vegan solution do you suggest to get rid of the egg whites? Any idea? Ground chia seeds??? just wondering…
Thanks again!
Mona
Hi Mona, yes you can increase the ratio of almonds. You may just need to adjust the quantity of the wet binding agent, which is easy to do – add a little more if it’s too dry, or add more almonds if it’s too wet. As much as I hate to recommend it, corn syrup is the standard substitute for egg whites. If it’s any consolation, it only calls for a tiny bit of it anyway.
Phenomenal! Making this was so easy and the flavor transported me back to my time in Germany and Austria. THANK YOU for sharing such a detailed, easy-to-follow and delicious recipe!!
YES!! I’m so happy to hear that, Natalie, thank you!
This was unbelievably easy and equally delicious. Tastes just like the marzipan I ate on a regular basis when I lived in Germany. I’ve made this twice already and will be making it again and again. Thank you.
I’m thrilled to hear that, Tim, thank you!