This is the best homemade marzipan recipe, also called almond paste. It’s soft, sweet, full of almond flavor, and made with just 2 ingredients in 2 minutes! It’s better than store-bought and is dairy-free, vegan, and egg-free.
You can make this marzipan at home with 2 ingredients you likely have in your kitchen. Also called almond paste, this soft, sweet candy is usually store-bought, but it's easy to make. If you love the flavor of almond desserts, you'll love this marzipan, plus my almond sugar cookies and marzipan chocolates.
Marzipan is a popular European treat with roots in the Middle East. In North America, it’s often called almond paste and sold in baking aisles.
Skip store-bought and make it fresh at home without preservatives. You can eat this as is or use it as a layer or filling in many of my no bake desserts.
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What is Marzipan?
Marzipan is a soft, sweet paste made from almonds. It’s often used in holiday desserts around the world. Traditional marzipan uses skinless almonds, powdered sugar, egg whites, and almond extract. My vegan version skips the egg and uses baking soda for flavor. I like to add rose water, a common European touch.
How to Use Marzipan
Shape into sweets: Marzipan can be molded into fruits and candies for Christmas and Easter. Try marzipan Christmas cakes, Italian rainbow cookies, or German marzipan potatoes (Marzipankartoffeln).
Use as a filling: Add marzipan to cakes, pastries, and chocolates for a sweet almond flavor such as my filled chocolates, my chocolate-coated homemade chocolates in a box, and my marzipan chocolates.
Ingredients
Almond flour: Finely ground almond flour gives the best texture.
Powdered sugar: Organic powdered sugar has better flavor, using tapioca starch instead of corn starch.
Almond extract (optional): For a stronger almond flavor.
Baking soda: A pinch gives it an authentic taste.
Rose water (optional): Often used in European marzipan.
Optional: Add salt for flavor or alcohol like Grand Marnier or rum.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
For more detail, visit the complete recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Step 1: Add almond flour to a food processor.
Step 2: Add powdered sugar and baking soda.
Step 3: Add almond extract and rose water (if using). Add a little milk to make the dough sticky.
Step 4: Blend for about a minute until it’s like putty. Check if it holds shape.
Step 5: Roll the dough into a log, wrap in plastic, and store in the fridge.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t over-mix, or you’ll make almond butter.
- Use almond flour, not almond meal, for smoothness.
- Adjust the milk based on the stickiness of the dough.
- A food processor works best, but you can use a blender or knead by hand.
How to Store
Refrigerated. Wrap marzipan in plastic and store for up to 2 weeks.
Frozen. You can easily freeze homemade marzipan for up to 6 months.
Variations
Make it refined-sugar-free with maple syrup and as I did here in these marzipan chocolates.
Shape it into hearts, cups, or other molds.
Flavor it by adding dried fruits, nuts, or cocoa for chocolate marzipan.
FAQS
It’s made with almonds, sugar, and flavorings.
No, this recipe is egg-free.
My marzipan recipe contains 4 grams protein, 2 grams fiber, and is high in essential nutrients such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. However it’s a sweet treat, so enjoy in moderation.
This recipe makes just under a cup of marzipan.
This recipe works best with almond flour or another high fat flour such as tiger nut flour.
More Holiday Marzipan Sweets
If you tried this German homemade marzipan recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Marzipan Recipe (egg free)
Equipment
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
Marzipan Recipe
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon rose water food grade
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1-2 tablespoon dairy free milk or water
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Instructions
marzipan recipe
- Combine the flour and sugar in a food processor and process for 30 seconds to be sure you have a fine texture.1 cup almond flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- Then add the almond extract and rose water if you are using.½ teaspoon almond extract, ½ teaspoon rose water
- Process the mixture until you have a crumbly dough. Add up to (4) ½ tablespoons for milk and process between each half tablespoon.1-2 tablespoon dairy free milk
- You are looking to achieve a squishable dough.
How to Use Marzipan
- Slice and break off pieces to eat chilled, or use as an ingredient for baked goods or candy. Read my post for more uses.
Bev
Have just made the almond paste so easy to do and tastes wonderful. I'm going to use it in a stollen bread. Thank you
Dee Dine
Thank you for stopping by!