If you’re looking for an authentic marzipan recipe that’s easy to make, is much cheaper than store-bought, and tastes absolutely phenomenal, you’ve come to the right place! This homemade marzipan is naturally gluten-free and can easily be made vegan.
Use this homemade marzipan to make our Cherry Marzipan Streusel Cake, Pineapple Cake, Marzipan Truffles, and traditional German Stollen!
Growing up in Germany, home to the world’s most famous marzipan, I was practically raised on this stuff. Well, not really, but I wouldn’t have protested had my parents tried :) Marzipan is incredibly delicious. But it’s also expensive to buy. The way around this? Make your own!  The good news is that marzipan and almond past are also super easy and quick to make and now you can make your own anytime, anywhere. Yes, your life is forever changed. Look no further, this is simply the BEST homemade marzipan recipe!
Marzipan can be found 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. We visited it frequently as a family and later as a young adult I once took on the challenge and biked 72 miles from Rendsburg to Lübeck in the middle of summer, a memory I’ll never forget! 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. Lübeck is also the home of the world’s most famous Niederegger Marzipan. 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.
What is Marzipan?
Marzipan is a sweet confectionery paste made from ground almonds and sugar. Its texture is smooth and pliable, making it easy to mold into various figures and shapes.
Though marzipan has long been associated with Germany and Italy in particular, its roots are actually 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.
Marzipan vs. Almond PasteÂ
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. However there is also a difference in consistency resulting from a different ratio of almonds to sugar.
Almond paste is softer, made with a higher ratio of almonds to sugar, and is used in baked goods either as a filling, such as for pastries and tarts, or is incorporated into the pastry or cake batter. Almond paste usually includes almond extract.
Marzipan is firmer, made with a higher ratio of sugar to almonds, so it can be shaped and molded and used for making candies/chocolates or as fondant for cakes. Â Marzipan traditionally includes rose water.
To adjust this recipe according to what you’re using it for, follow this recipe as instructed to make almond paste (I still include the rose water because it tastes amazing and it’s what I’m used to being from Germany where it’s commonly included), or if you’re making marzipan add an extra 1/4 cup or more of sugar until you reach a firmer consistency (one that you can roll out with a rolling pin without it sticking).
And for a delicious variation be sure to also check out our Pistachio Marzipan!
How to Use Marzipan and Almond Paste
Marzipan and almond paste are versatile ingredients that can be used in a variety delicious ways. Here are few ideas:
- Candy Making: Marzipan can be shaped into bite-sized pieces and coated with chocolate to create chocolates or truffles (try our Marzipan Truffles and Marzipankartoffeln). Or you can make the famous confection from Salzburg, Austria, Mozartkugeln. It is also commonly shaped into various figures like real-life looking fruits and vegetables. If you’re crafty, marzipan is a really fun (and tasty!) medium to work with!
- Filling Pastries and Adding to Baked Goods: Use it to fill pastries such as croissants, buns, tarts, pies, Danish pastries, and of course the famous German Stollen. It can also be used to make cookies like Almond Horns and Bethmännchen or cakes like our Cherry Marzipan Streusel Cake and Pineapple Cake with Marzipan. It can also be crumbled and added to crisps, crumbles, cobblers, streusel toppings, cookie dough, muffin batter, or a variety of sweet breads.
- Making Decorations: Marzipan very pliable and ideal for using to create decorative elements for cakes and cupcakes. You can shape it into various figures such as flowers, fruits, and animals. You can easily add food coloring to it to make a variety of colors to work with. Once the shapes are made, let them sit out at room temperature where they will form a dry outer coating and firm up. Then you can place them on the cake.
- Cake Covering: Roll the marzipan into a thin sheet and use it to cover cakes like Battenberg cake and Christmas cake for a smooth and sweet almond-flavored layer. You can then apply decorative icing on top of it if you wish.
Homemade Marzipan RecipeÂ
Let’s get started!
Add the almond flour to a food processor.  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 option, you can use Swerve Confectioner Sweetener.)
Add the rose water, almond extract, and egg whites (or alternatives, see recipe below) and pulse to combine.
Use good quality almond extract and rose water (and be sure it’s food grade). Nothing will spoil the flavor of the almond paste more than poor quality extracts.
Process the ingredients until it comes together in a firm mass.
If it’s too wet, add some more almond flour.  Keep in mind though that it will become firmer after it’s been refrigerated.
Turn it 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.
It will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks (provided you used very fresh egg white). It will keep even longer if you use a sugar syrup alternative (see recipe below).
Warm it to room temperature before using.
Enjoy!
Homemade Marzipan (Almond Paste)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups very finely ground blanched almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- OR 1 1/2 cups Swerve Confectioner Sweetener (sugar-free alternative)
- 2 teaspoons quality pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon quality food grade rose water
- 1 egg white (alternatives: liquid pasteurized egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites, 4+ tablespoons corn syrup, golden syrup, honey agave syrup or brown rice syrup)
Instructions
- 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 some more almond flour. Keep in mind that it will become firmer after it's been refrigerated.
- 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.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.Makes 13-14 ounces.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet June 23, 2014
Christina Langley says
This was my first time making marzipan and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Absolutely delicious!
Teryl says
So easy and SO good!
Trish says
Fantastic tutorial and absolutely scrumptious marzipan, thank you!!
Rebecca says
I used your recipe to make almond paste/marzipan for my family at Christmas two years ago, and I’ll be doing it again this year. I’m allergic to eggs, and the substitute I used was silken tofu. I simply put the almond meal, sugar, and almond extract into the food processor and mixed them up and then added the tofu until it seemed like it was about the right consistency, then chilled it overnight. It worked perfectly and my family LOVED it. The almond flavor completely covered any flavor the tofu may have had and the consistency was perfect for sculpting/molding. If you use this substitute, be sure to use SILKEN tofu (the go-to vegan egg substitute for baking), not some other kind.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Rebecca, thanks for the tofu tip!
Laura says
Has anyone tried making this in a standing mixer (kitchenaid)?
Kathy says
Instead of corn syrup, I’ve been making a symple syrup. Ratio of equal water and sugar and boiling it for a few minutes.
Lori says
Just whipped up a batch 10 minutes ago. WOW! Super easy and it tastes delicious. I can’t wait to use it in your Mandelhornchen recipe tomorrow. On a different note, my husband just left for Germany so I asked him to pick me up some chocolate covered marzipan from Niederegger. I hope he finds it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Lori, I’m so glad to hear that! You’re going to equally love the Mandelhörnchen, they’re SO good. Your husband should have no problem locating Niederegger marzipan, especially this time of year. So if he comes back empty-handed you might want to weigh him on the scale and call him out on having snacked it all away on his flight back! ;)
Kris Norton says
This is best tutorial I’ve found and the results were AMAZING. Never buying this stuff again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Kris, thank you!
Shannon says
Hi. I love marzipan so much but dislike processed sugars and can’t do Swerve because my body doesnt process sugar alcohols. Do you think I can sweeten marzipan with honey, maple syrup, or even coconut sugar?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Shannon, using a wet sweetener will result in a wet marzipan. Definitely stick with a dry sweetener – so yes, coconut sugar or something like powdered stevia would work.
Sandra Hjort says
This is the BEST tutorial I’ve found and the results were absolutely PERFECT. Thanks to you I’ve become addicted to this stuff, lol :) Thanks so much for sharing your time and talent.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Sandra!
Sha says
Dear Kimberly,
I’ve never had marzipan before in my life (though have heard of it) until few years ago when I tried Ritter Sport Marzipan (the chocolate bar) and fell in love with it. The funny thing was, the reason I bought it in the first place was because it was on sale and I thought oh well, I’ve never tasted marzipan before so why not? Since then, I’ve eaten many, many bars and lost count of how many I’ve had and the taste of marzipan in it is always pure bliss.
So, yesterday, I came across your site. I’ve seen marzipan recipe floating around once in a while, but I’ve never given a thought of trying to make it. Your recipe, however, was calling me to go give it a try and since all the ingredients are sort of staples in my kitchen, I just had to make it today.
Followed everything to a T except for the sugar, I used erythtritol blended into powder and subbed that for the powdered sugar instead, just to keep the sugar content and calories on the lower side, as this thing is like crack to me LOL I don’t find myself quite safe around it and need some self control ha ha.
Oh BTW, I read all the comments above and some of the readers asked if this can be made in their Vitamix etc, well, I just poured everything into a large bowl and mixed by hand using a spatula until everything came together, and late knead the mixture into a smooth dough, the process took less than 10 minutes and minimal washing.
It’s now in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap into a log, and I’ve tasted bits of it prior to storing it and ahhhh it was divine…..
Thanks so much Kimberly for sharing this delicious marzipan recipe. I’m planning on dipping some into melted dark chocolate to make my copycat Ritter Sport Marzipan bar.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Sha! I’m with you, I can eat marzipan endlessly, shamelessly :) And YES, the copycat Ritter Sport bar is a great idea and you can actually find chocolate bar molds to make it look like the real thing – which reminds me, I need to get some!
Pooja says
Hi,
I was looking for marzipan/almond paste and stumbled upon your website. I haven’t given it a try yet, but the reviews look promising.
For those who are concerned with the egg white being raw, you can always pasteurize your egg whites over a double boiler. Just bring them to 140 F over barely simmering water. Or until they become hot to touch. Keep whisking and keep them at 140 for about 4-5 mins. Then take them off heat and let them cool to room temperature. Use them as you want. Same technique can be used for yolks or whole eggs.
Only thing is you have to keep whisking not let the temp rise too much or you ll have scrambled eggs.
Also I have seen some recipes that use sugar syrup heated to a certain temp and them added to almond meal to make a paste.
Just my 2 cents.
Thomas Butler says
Excellent tutorial, this marzipan tastes absolutely fantastic!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Thomas!
Jenny | Honey and Birch says
I love homemade baking recipes like this one!! I can’t to wait to try it
Kitty Forseth says
Thank you!!