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
Mary Lee Enright says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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! :)
Ricardi says
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”.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Thomas says
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
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Hedy seaborn says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Anonymous says
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!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Sandra Sie says
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!!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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
Kristin says
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?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kristin, this is white marzipan and will be perfect for your Battenberg cake. Happy baking!
Chris Kühle says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Chris, I’m really happy you found my blog and that you enjoyed this recipe – thanks for the feedback!
Steve says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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!
Dorethea says
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
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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!
Dorethea says
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
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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!
Dorethea says
Thank you so much .Mutti always made Marzipankartoffeln Dorothea
Marilyn MacCallum says
It would be good to post how much this recipe would cover. I have 4 8×8 fruit cakes to cover.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Sam says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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!
Anonymous says
What are some possible substitutes for the rose water in this recipe?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m afraid there are no substitutes. Rose water has a very unique flavor that is an important element in marzipan.
Dan Hue says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Rosemary Hampton says
Why all the history? I only need advice and how to make it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.