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
Carol says
Just wondered why under “Notes” you say corn syrup is not recommended for this recipe?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Carol says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Madhu Anvekar says
What is the substitute for corn syrup ?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Madhu, egg white is the best option hands down.
Emily says
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 .
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Ayoni says
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:)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Amanda says
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. This stuff is INCREDIBLE! Danke.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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 delicious. I made two double batches last week and just ordered 5 more pounds of almond meal ;) So more marzipan-making coming!
Angela Heydemann says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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!
Sharon says
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?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Anonymous says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You’re very welcome! :) Yes, please keep us posted how it turns out!
Susan Grady says
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!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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!
Amanda says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Carl Hoffman says
Instead of using powdered sugar which contains a little corn starch to keep it from clumping, would plain sugar be a good alternate.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Gail Stuart says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Donna says
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.)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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
Linda Winkler says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Linda, yes, that is correct.
Kalinda says
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
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Ah perfect, Kalinda, thanks so much for letting us know how it went!
April says
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.