Marzipan or almond paste is an absolute treat. This simple and easy recipe for homemade marzipan takes 5 mins and needs no special skills or equipment. Use it in baked pastry or decorating a cake. Also, try making traditional treats like marzipan fruits or chocolate truffles and Easter eggs
You are going to laugh, and yet I didn't know you could buy marzipan or almond paste. Because I grew up with marzipan always being homemade. My mom made these in buckets. She made small cute fruits with it and sell them as marzipan sweets during Christmas. I also remember she'd have to pay for extra help during Christmas time so that she could complete her orders in time.
There are two ways to make marzipan. Both use the same ingredients. And yet, you can either cook it or not cook it at all. The cooked version uses egg whites as a binding agent. While for the uncooked version I use light corn syrup or rose water.
Of course, marzipan can be eaten on its own and needs nothing else with it. It is also often used to mold into fruits during festive seasons like Christmas. Marzipan Easter Eggs are a trendy treat during Easter celebrations. I love making Marzipan truffles, marzipan chocolate balls, as well as my marzipan chocolate squares to give as gifts during the holidays.
You can also add marzipan in cake batters for a marzipan cake. I also love using marzipan in croissants.
Custom decorated cake - covering a cake with marzipan
Traditionally, marzipan has been used to cover fruit cakes with it. For example, I used marzipan to make this 77th Birthday celebration using my homemade fruitcake recipe.
Also, marzipan cakes are usually covered with royal icing or rolled fondant. I have covered this cake with my homemade fondant recipe from scratch, and yet you can use any of my other homemade fondant recipes.
Ingredient and substitutes
- Almonds/Nuts - Marzipan is traditionally made with almonds. And yet, you can make it with any nuts.
I grew up eating cashew nut marzipan because that's what mom always made. Back home in India cashews are more affordable than almonds. So, often cashews are used in marzipan.
I also make pecan marzipan because my husband likes pecans. You can buy almond meal or make homemade almond meal - Powdered sugar - Also called icing sugar or confectioners sugar. This has an anti-caking agent such as cornstarch or potato starch. Which helps combine the ingredients and make a smooth ball. You can make powdered sugar at home. And make sure you add some anti-caking agent to the mix as well.
- Extract - I love using rose extract in my marzipan, and yet traditionally almond extract is used. Vanilla works also great.
- Liquid - Traditionally beaten egg whites were used. The purpose of the fluid is mainly to bind the dry ingredients. So, sugar syrup or water works just as well. I prefer water to prevent making the marzipan too sweet.
Step by step instructions (pin)
- In a food processor - add the almond meal and powdered sugar. Pulse until smooth - a minute or two
Tip - How smooth you grind the almonds will determine the texture of your marzipan. Adding powdered sugar to the food processor prevents the almonds from releasing oil. - Transfer to a bowl. Add the light corn syrup, almond, and vanilla extract. Combine well
- Bring it all together into a ball - if necessary add one or two tablespoons of water or sugar syrup
Tip - if you plan to keep the marzipan longer than a week, use sugar syrup, not water.
- Lightly knead on a work surface until you have a smooth ball.
Tip - kneading is essential to get a smooth dough. But, over kneading will cause the almonds to give out oil and that can make the marzipan oily. - Wrap in plastic wrap and store until ready to use
Tip - marzipan must be wrapped well in plastic or it can dry out easily. When ready to use lightly knead to make it pliable again.
Frequently asked questions
Marzipan covered cake may be left at room temperature for a few days. And yet, like sugar paste, marzipan can dry if left open. Hence, it's best to wrap in plastic, so it's easy to mold and use again.
Marzipan and almond paste use the same ingredients. However, marzipan is smoother and can be colored and molded into different things like Easter eggs, marzipan fruits, and other shapes. Almond paste is coarse and a little less sweet. And it's often used as filling in baked products like croissants.
While they both have the same ingredients, frangipani is very different used than marzipan. Frangipani is used in baked treats, often at the bottom of a pie crust or galettes topped with fruits. Also, frangipani needs to be cooked, whereas marzipan can be used raw, eaten on its own or added into other products as an ingredient.
Same as sugar paste, it's best to use food color gels to dye marzipan. Use a small amount with a toothpick as the color will intensify later. Also, avoid kneading the paste aggressively to prevent the marzipan from getting oily. Over-kneading can cause oil from the nuts to separate making it hard to work with.
No, cooked marzipan is a different recipe. I shared the recipe with you on my other blog - Cooked Marzipan Recipe
SAVE THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER. TRIED MY RECIPE? SHARE IT WITH ME, PLEASE.
Share a picture of your work with me by uploading an image here below my image on this board. You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
Description
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200 g) Almond meal ground almonds
- 7 oz (200 g) Powdered sugar confectioners sugar / Icing sugar
- 4 tbsp Light corn syrup (or simple syrup or water)
- ¼ tsp Almond extract
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp Rose extract optional
- 2 tbsp Water as needed for kneading
Instructions
- In a food processor - add the almond meal and powdered sugar. Pulse until smooth - a minute or two Tip - How smooth you grind the almonds will determine the texture of your marzipan. Adding powdered sugar to the food processor prevents the almonds from releasing oil.
- Transfer to a bowl. Add the light corn syrup, almond, and vanilla extract. Combine well
- Bring it all together into a ball - if necessary add one or two tablespoons of water or sugar syrupTip - if you plan to keep the marzipan longer than a week, use sugar syrup, not water.
- Lightly knead on a work surface until you have a smooth ballTip - kneading is important to get a smooth dough. But, over kneading will cause the almonds to give out oil and that can make the marzipan oily
- Wrap in plastic wrap and store until ready to use.Tip - marzipan must be wrapped well in plastic or it can dry out easily. When ready to use lightly knead to make it pliable again.
Recipe Notes
- Why do you pulse the almonds meal and sugar some more? We do this to ensure the almonds are fine ground powder not grainy. This makes for a much smoother paste, especially when you need to use marzipan to cover cakes or to make Easter eggs.
- Water vs. sugar syrup - Water is preferable when you are not going to keep the marzipan for an extended period, which usually is the case with me. And if you plan to make this for sale or to keep for more than ten days - I highly recommend using sugar syrup. Simple syrup or sugar syrup is just 1 part sugar and 3 parts water boiled for a few minutes and cooled.
- Why test - It is easy to end up with too much liquid in the marzipan, resulting in a gloppy mess. So it's best to be safe and add a tablespoon at a time. And only adding enough so you can form a dough.
- Why do we knead for only 30 seconds and not more - Nuts give out oil when you squeeze the paste. While we do need the mixture to be smooth, we do not want an oily mess in our hands. We want the oils to stay in the nut paste. Since oily marzipan is very difficult to work. It's still delicious, and yet can't be molded into things quickly.
- Read my post - Marzipan 101 -Everything you need to know about Marzipan
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Katie
Hi Veena,
I don’t see the footnote for the simple syrup instructions within the recipe.
Thanks, Katie
Veena Azmanov
Katie. Simple syrup is just sugar and water boiled together for a few minutes. I have written in the notes below. Thanks
Karen
Thank you so much for this no-fail simple recipe. The marzipan turned out perfectly. I am still amazed at how quickly it all came together. Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
You are very welcome. Karen. Happy this worked for you.
Shelly
How long will it keep in the fridge (wrapped in cling wrap) for if I don't use sugar syrup? The sugar syrup made it too sweet for me. Also, could I use amaretto (almonnd liquor) for a little flavoring?
Veena Azmanov
Yes, Sugar syrup is more sugar but then again - you can reduce the powder sugar by a bit as well. You can use ameretto for flavor. You can use boiled cooled water as well. It will stay in the fridge well wrapped for a few days. I've left it for over a week and it was fine.
Maria
Hi Veena
Thank you for the Marzipan recipe. Can you tell me what is the shelf life of the Marzipan and should it be stored in the fridge or on the kitcben counter top.
Thanks
Veena Azmanov
Maria, Marzipan made with sugar syrup has a longer shelf life - one made with water will, of course, have a shorter shelf life. I don't keep my marzipan in the fridge usually as it gets over in about a week. If I want to keep it longer I store it in the fridge. The fridge does dry it out so wrap carefully.
Shelly
I really want to give this recipe a try, but don't want to end up with 2 cups of sugar syrup (I want to be able to store the marzipan in the fridge for a little while). The syrup recipe calls for 2 cups of water, but you only need 1/4 cup in the actual marzipan recipe. How do I make only the amount needed for a 1/4 cup please?
Veena Azmanov
yes, you can make a little batch Shelly. Just one cup water and a 2 tbsp sugars - give a boil on low heat - cool and use - Hope this helps
Naomi da Gama-Rose
The marzipan recipe I have used for years is from the ancient 'Reader's Digest Cookery Year' which used a raw egg and lemon juice in addition to almond essence. Not being very well off at that time, I always used cashew nuts instead of almonds. Now I can afford almonds but I really prefer the texture of cashew nuts. I just made your marzipan (with cashew nuts) and found it brilliant. Thank you so very much! Done and dusted in a jiffy where I would be kneading my wrist off, scraping gloop off my palms, and thinking uncharitable thoughts. Never again!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Noami. I am happy you liked this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to come back to leave this feedback.
Robyn
Thank you for the recipe Veena, I had no idea it was so easy to make marzipan however I’m a bit confused as you say keep it away from corn starch because it can cause mould yet you also say to use icing sugar with cornstarch in it, So my first question is will this cause the mould if stored for a long period. Also if I use boiled and cooled water will this be ok in place of sugar syrup to avoid mould. I live in Australia and we can buy here pure Icing Sugar used for royal icing or any hard set Icing. We also have Icing Mixture which has tapioca or maize added to it so it’s call Soft Icing Sugar, is this suitable or should I use Pure Icing Sugar and add corn starch which we call Corn Flour here and how much should I add? Also what does the 2 drops of lemon do for the sugar syrup? Thank you I enjoy your videos and blog very much you are very kind giving your recipes freely for everyone to use and enjoy.
Veena Azmanov
Hey Robyn,
You are right. Though we can use icing sugar which has corn starch inside it - somehow when you roll marzipan in cornstarch it causes the cake to mold. It's been like this for years. I remember my mom would be most cautious about this because she made lots of marzipan.
- I have stored marzipan for a week and up to 10 days and it did not mold. It does get dry over time though.
- I do use boiled cooled water but I think it will reduce the shelf life - there is something about using just water.
- I have used icing sugar with cornstarch or potato starch but not tried tapioca or maize so can't tell you about it. Sorry!
- To make icing sugar we use 1 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cornstarch - use that as your guide.
- The lemon just prevents the sugar syrup from crystalizing you can omit it too!
Thank you Robyn - glad are enjoying my blog and recipes. I think I have answered all your questions - feel free to ask again
Have a lovely day.
Jaimila
Made this marzipan recipe at home for the first time - was so easy and so delicious. We really enjoyed it.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Jaimila. yeey! So happy you had enjoyed this recipe. Thank you ! And thanks for coming back to write this feedback. Have a wonderful day.
Mavis
Thank you so much for this recipe. I tried it recently and was so much easier than the old recipe I had. The eggless version is better because it does not smell of eggs. Thanks for this lovely blog.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Mavis. Yes, I agree that if the eggs are not fresh they do tend to leave an eggy smell. Glad you found this recipe worked for you and that you like my blog thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much.
Rosalina
Thank you for this recipe. I didn't know we could make marzipan at home - My son loves marzipan so we always buy it. This time I tried to make it at home. My son say it was the best he ever ate. Homemade is always the best. Thank you for sharing your recipes - love this blog.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Rosalina. Years back I did not know you could buy marzipan because my mom always make it as home. I too think homemade is the best which is why I don't really buy marzipan lol. So happy to hear your son enjoyed this recipe. Now you can save money (it's expensive right?) and eat the best with homemade.
juliet green
Please can you tell me what sugar syrup is? I know what liquid glucose is (thick clear liquid that needs a hot spoon to shift it easily out of the jarmade by Hai and other manufacturers, I think it is made from sweet corn) - is it the same thing?
Veena Azmanov
Juliet... sugar syrup is just 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water boiled for about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool and use the amount requested in the recipe - Thanks