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 Paste
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. 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 Recipe
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
Stewart says
Hi Kimberley,
I love your site, and your recipes!! Thank you!!
I still seem confused with Marzipan vs. Almond Paste as you have it laid out. Marzipan to me is sweeter and stiffer whereas an Almond Paste is softer and used as a filling etc.
The recipe you have posted…it says either Marzipan or Almond Paste..but there is one recipe. When the sugar and almond meal ratio is the same, is that Marzipan?
Either way, it all tastes delicious and I have been using your recipe as stated above inside my Christmas Stollen, and for making the Marzipankartoffeln!!
Happy baking…
Stewart
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Stewart! The difference lies primarily in the consistency – you are correct, marzipan is firmer and almond paste is softer and used for filling. See the “Notes” section at the bottom of the recipe box for the explanation. To make marzipan you’ll simply add more almond meal for a firmer consistency and rose water always goes in marzipan (though I add it to my almond paste as well).
Sybille says
this is the easiest, fastest and best tasting marzipan I have ever made!
thank you for the recipe
greetings from tropical Far North Queensland, Australia
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Sybille, and friendly greetings to Australia!
Meagan S says
Can it be frozen? or will that change the texture?
Joan says
Have you tried the Nielson-Massey brand of rosewater or almond extract? The only Cortas I have in house is the orange blossom water. I love the Sinply Organic products though! They’re the only spices I use!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Joan, Nielson-Massey and Simply Organics are both good brands and I don’t recommend Cortas over those – choose whichever you have access to, any of those options will be good.
Ingrid says
Hiya, I was wondering if u could omit the egg white or corn Sirup?
Could I use rose Sirup ?
❤️😇
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ingrid, as long as it has a similar consistency to corn syrup it should work fine. One of our readers said she uses agave syrup.
Ingrid says
Thank you !! I shall try and I let u know how it went!!!😇😇
barbara del arbol says
awwwwww – wonderful, the addition of rose water is genius. thank you
Ingrid Henderlight says
My mom’s recipe called for corn syrup, but I wanted to find a healthier substitute. I tried Agave syrup instead and it seemed to work well. Having no eggs means it lasts longer, and during the holidays, being able to make things ahead is worth a lot! Thanks for a great scratch recipe!
Andrea says
I think traditional marzipan uses some amount of bitter almonds along with the regular ones, to give that slightly bitter almond flavor. Have you tried that?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Andrea, yes, they’re just challenging to find in some areas so I’ve stuck to regular almonds for this recipe as they are readily available anywhere and produce a fantastic-tasting marzipan all on their own.
Anonymous says
Thanks, Kimberly. Bitter almonds are available on Amazon, but I’m not sure that they are the same as the traditional Italian ones, so I haven’t tried them. Still looking for an Italian source. Thank you for the recipe – I’m looking forward to trying it! Love your website too.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Exactly, I’ve wondered the same thing about the ones on Amazon. Their source is mysterious which always makes me hesitant, but in any case they’re definitely not Italian bitter almonds. Thank you! :)
John says
Mojn, Kimberly
Following your recipe, I made the marzipan a week ago, and it turned out very well, except I may have put too much almond extract and rosewater in it, so next time, I’ll use the two ingredients a bit sparingly. But still, it is delicious and reminds me of the little marzipan piggy, our parents gave to the lucky kid who found the whole almond in the Christmas ris al’amande that traditionally followed the oven fried goose.
however, I wonder if you, or any of your readers can tell me, when the marzipan has been in the fridge say two weeks, by what signs, smell or taste I can tell that the marzipan is no longer suitable for use??
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi John, thanks so much for the feedback. The only ingredients in this that will really go “bad” is the egg, if you’re using it. That aside the nuts and sugar will last a long time. If you’re using the egg white the “shelf life” of the marzipan in the fridge is as long as the shelf life of the egg. So you can simply gauge the shelf life of your marzipan by the expiration date on your carton of eggs. That said, if your marzipan starts smelling weird before that date then don’t take any chances and toss it.
Thiess says
Throwing almonds in the oven, will that be a way to dehydrate the almonds? Newb question lol
Char says
I made this today as a trial run before Christmas ( I want to use it to top my fruitcake and in stollen!) And it turned out great. I did omit the rosewater and only used 1 tsp of almond extract..incase 2 was too overpowering) it’s in my fridge now and tomorrow I might make some petit fourres to top! Thank you for such a great recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Char, thank you!
Kim says
How much does this make. I have 25+ cakes to marzipan!!!
Char says
Can’t wait to try this! My mum makes some every Christmas and she colors it and makes different shapes. This year I want to try my hand at it! I would like to use some on fruitcake and some for stollen…which I haven’t made in years! Would u happen to have a good recipe for stollen ?!?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Char, I do have a recipe for authentic German Stollen with a marzipan center! Here is the link: https://www.daringgourmet.com/stollen-german-christmas-bread/
Happy baking! :)
Keto Max says
This site truly has all of the information and facts I needed concerning this subject and didn?t know who to ask.
SethDotK says
Which Corn Syrup should I use, Light or Dark???
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It depends on whether you want your marzipan/almond paste to be light or dark. I use light.