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Pistachio Marzipan

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Get ready to fall utterly in love with this incredible Pistachio Marzipan!  A beautiful green and positively bursting with flavor, this pistachio marzipan recipe takes all of 5 minutes to make!  That’s FIVE minutes away from pure heaven!

Be sure to also check out our traditional almond Marzipan!

pistachio marzipan recipe homemade pistachio nuts almonds rum orange blossom water easy Austrian German Mozartkugeln

Pistachio Marzipan Ingredients

There are essentially two ways to make pistachio marzipan:  With 100% pistachios or with a combination of pistachios and almonds.  We are making this with a combination of the two because we feel it provides a better flavor balance.  Even Niederegger, the world’s most famous brand of Marzipan founded in Lรผbeck, Germany in 1806, makes their pistachio marzipan with a ratio of 3:1 almonds to pistachios.

That said, if you really want to go hard core for an especially bold and robust pistachio flavor you can use all pistachios in this recipe.  No other adjustments needed, simply substitute the almonds for more pistachios.

We recommend using unsalted pistachios.  If you cannot find them, go ahead and use salted.  This recipe works with either raw or roasted pistachios (I usually use roasted).

The more pistachios you use relative to almonds the “greener” your pistachio marzipan will be.  With the ratio of pistachios called for in this recipe the marzipan is a nice, natural green color.  If you prefer it to be a more vibrant green you can add a drop or two of green food coloring.

pistachio marzipan recipe homemade pistachio nuts almonds rum orange blossom water easy Austrian German Mozartkugeln

Do I Have to Use Egg White?

If you’re concerned about using raw egg you have a few options.  You can either substitute liquid pasteurized egg whites or you can use reconstituted powdered egg whites.  Another option is to use a liquid sweetener such as golden syrup, corn syrup or agave.

How to Use Pistachio Marzipan

Use it for making chocolate dipped candies, as a filling in pastries, a fondant for cakes, and for any recipe that calls for regular marzipan that you want to jazz up a bit with the unique flavor element of pistachio.  Pistachio marzipan is also a central ingredient in Mozartkugeln, the famous German confection from Austria.

And of course you can eat it plain all by its amazing self!

Quick and easy to make, you’ll love experimenting with creative ways of using this beautiful and delicious Pistachio Marzipan!

pistachio marzipan recipe homemade pistachio nuts almonds rum orange blossom water easy Austrian German Mozartkugeln

Pistachio Marzipan Recipe

Let’s get started!

If you’ve already made our regular almond Marzipan, the process is exactly the same.

Place the almond flour, pistachios, and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up.

grinding nuts

Add the almond extract and rum extract and pulse to combine. Add the egg white and process. 

adding egg white or liquid sweetener

If desire you can add a drop or two of natural green food coloring.

As a point of reference, here is the same batch of pistachio marzipan without food coloring (on the left) and two drops of natural food coloring added (on the right).  I’m using the TESCO brand of natural food coloring (colored with spirulina) that I brought back with me from our last trip to England.  You can also find natural green food coloring here on Amazon.

pistachio marzipan with or without green food coloring

As you continue to process the mixture it will come together in a thick dough.  (If you’re using a liquid sweetener instead of egg white the mixture won’t come together as easily as with egg white and you may need to use your hands to press the moist crumbs together into a dough.)  If the mass is too wet and sticky, add more powdered sugar and ground almonds. Keep in mind that it will become firmer after it’s been refrigerated.

pulsing mixture until it comes together

Turn the pistachio 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 (longer if using liquid sweetener instead of egg white) or up to 6 months in the freezer. Bring to room temperature before using in any recipe.

Makes 13-14 ounces of pistachio marzipan.

store pistachio marzipan in plastic wrap

Enjoy!

pistachio marzipan recipe homemade pistachio nuts almonds rum orange blossom water easy Austrian German Mozartkugeln
pistachio marzipan recipe homemade pistachio nuts almonds rum orange blossom water easy Austrian German Mozartkugeln

Pistachio Marzipan

Use it for making candies and chocolates, as a filling in pastries or a fondant for cakes, this delicious Pistachio Marzipan takes all of 5 minutes to make!
5 from 12 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert, Ingredient
Cuisine All, Austrian, German, Italian
Servings 6
Calories 287 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup very fine almond meal
  • 1/2 cup shelled unsalted roasted pistachios (can use raw if you don't have roasted)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered/confectioner's sugar
  • 2 teaspoons quality pure almond extract
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons rum extract , depending on desired flavor profile (if using this pistachio marzipan for Mozartkugeln use 2 teaspoons rum extract)
  • 1 egg white (can substitute liquid pasteurized egg whites โ€‹or reconstituted powdered egg whites) (vegans: use egg substitute or 4+ tablespoons corn syrup, golden syrup, or other liquid sweetener)
  • natural green food coloring , optional (the mixture is a nice, natural green but if you prefer it a more vibrant green you can add 1-2 drops natural food coloring to it)

Instructions
 

  • Place the almond flour, pistachios, and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up. Add the almond extract and rum extract 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. If desired, add a drop or two of natural green food coloring.
    Turn the pistachio 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 of pistachio marzipan.

Nutrition

Serving: 2.5ozCalories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 7gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 114mgFiber: 3gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 27IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Pistachio Marzipan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




5 from 12 votes (11 ratings without comment)

11 Comments

  1. Hello! I’m looking to make this to make Mozartkugeln, but Rum Extract is completely unavailable to me where I am.
    I’ve read that you can substitute with Bourbon, but at a higher ratio. Would the liquid content mess with the texture, and how would I compensate for that? Thank you

    1. Hi Finch, too much liquid will make it messy, yes, but I think you can get away with 3 teaspoons of Bourbon without any problems. You can always add a little more almond flour if it’s too wet. If you don’t already have Bourbon on hand you can also use vanilla extract instead of the rum. Not the same thing obviously but it will contribute some of the fruity/floral notes.

  2. This was so delicious! I’ve made your regular marzipan many times and stumbled upon this pistachio marzipan variation. It’s such a fun and tasty twist, I look forward to making it again and incorporating it into some new baking projects.

  3. it is traditional in germany, and for a very long time, thats true, but the origins are probably from latin speaking, european countries, eg. spain, italy, france
    pan or variations of it, even mean bread in those languages

    i wish you would make even simpler and healthier recipes
    like youd dont need egg white for a marzipan, nor a replacement of it
    and a store bought food coloring is a giant no-no
    those things are really bad for human health
    (if someone wants, there are ways to make food coloring from natural ingredients)
    just like corn syrup in general (95%+ of all corn today is genetically modified, why on earth would somebody want to eat that, once they learn this info?)

    simplicity is the ultimate sophistication

    i wish to see much more health conscious food bloggers
    coz people come here recipes and education, use your power, and help the world become healthier and more aware of all the bad things in the store bought “food” items

    thank you, for making the world a better place

    1. Hi Jan, I haven’t seen it sold commercially but I’ve heard of a person or two making it like this pistachio marzipan, using both almonds and hazelnuts. Hazelnuts and marzipan are a popular flavor combination in chocolates/confections so I think it’s definitely worth a go.