Keto marzipan is easy to make and so fun to play with. It’s a holiday classic in many countries and can be used in cookies, cakes, and candy. Dip it in chocolate or use it like almond paste in keto croissants!
Marzipan is one of those love it or hate it foods and I fall firmly into the love it camp. Even as a child, I found that intensely almond flavored confection delicious, and was very taken with the colorful animals, and fruits, and other fun shapes people made with it.
And I’ve long adored almond croissants, filled with marzipan’s slightly more coarse cousin, almond paste. There was a time I would have considered both of these things off limits on my keto diet.
But then, as with so many other foods, I came to realize that these things didn’t actually have to be made with sugar. I could make my own keto marzipan to play with! And of course, to eat. It was astonishingly easy and just as tasty as the real deal.
It only takes a few basic ingredients to make your own keto marzipan or almond paste. Read on to find out how!
Marzipan vs. Almond Paste
If you’re confused about the difference between marzipan and almond paste, you aren’t alone. They are very similar in taste, texture, and function and many people mix them up.
The difference comes down mainly to sweeteness, as conventional marzipan has a higher sugar content than almond paste. They are a little different in consistency as well, since almond paste is typically made with blanched almonds, whereas marzipan is made from pre-ground almond flour. The result is that marzipan is a bit more cohesive and fine.
Finally, traditional marzipan often contains a little rosewater, which gives it a distinctive flavor.
But when it comes to making your own keto marzipan, the differences are pretty minimal. You can make them both from ground almonds or almond flour, you can adjust the sweetener to your taste, and you can add or leave out the rosewater as you see fit.
I don’t like anything too sweet anymore. So I have made the sugar-free marzipan and almond paste with the very same amount of sweetener.
How to make Keto Marzipan
This recipe for keto marzipan is easy and versatile, and you can use either whole blanched almonds or almond flour, whichever you can get access most easily. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Whether you use whole almonds or almond flour, you measure both out to 1 1/2 cups. If you want to use weight measures, the almond flour comes to about 165g and the whole almonds to 180g so it’s not far off, either way.
- Whole blanched almonds are more typical of almond paste, as the dough ends up a bit more coarse, but as I stated above, it’s really a small difference when you are making your own at home. I feel like I should call this recipe Keto Marzipan Almond Paste but it’s just too much of a mouthful!
- You really need a good food processor for this, to get it right. You can’t get your paste well ground and smooth without one. And because this ends up as a thick, moldable dough, even a high powered blender is not up to the task.
- Marzipan takes raw egg whites to hold together. If you’re worried about that, simply use carton egg whites as they are already pasteurized. The carton will tell you how much to use to equal a large egg white, and it’s usually about 3 tablespoons.
- You will need a fine powdered sweetener to avoid any grittiness in the marzipan. I always use Swerve but I think other powdered sweeteners should be fine as well. Be sure to check how sweet they are in comparison to sugar and modify accordingly!
- Almond paste typically takes just almond extract, whereas marzipan takes a bit of rosewater, which gives it a unique flavor. Rosewater isn’t something you can easily purchase at the store in most of the US so I recommend online. Or just skip it and enjoy your homemade marzipan almond paste hybrid!
- Be ready to adjust, depending on whether the keto marzipan is a bit dry and not holding together or a bit too wet and sticky. Much of this depends on your food processor and what brand of sweetener you are using. The recommendations for adjusting are in the recipe. It should be a thick, cohesive dough that balls together in your processor.
- This marzipan recipe makes quite a bit of dough but you can easily do a half batch if you don’t need 16 servings. If you’re using raw egg whites, whisk it a bit and measure out 1 1/2 tablespoons for the half batch.
- You can make this well in advance of using it, but because it contains egg white, it should be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to two months.
What to make with keto marzipan?
There are so many fun things you can make with marzipan or almond paste, and I have a delicious keto croissant recipe coming soon! I’ve also simply pressed it into silicone molds to make nice shapes, and then dipped the shapes in dark chocolate.
If you don’t have silicone molds, you can roll it out to any desired thickness and cut it with cookies cutters. You can die it and make the classic fun fruit shapes as well. You can break it up into bits and add it to cakes, cookies, and tarts.
Really, you can use this keto marzipan in any form you want. It’s a little like play-doh and totally moldable. Have fun with it!
More delicious Keto Almond Recipes
- Keto Almond Ricotta Cake
- Keto Almond Joy Bars
- Keto Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
- Keto Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars
- Keto Raspberry Almond Scones
- Keto Almond Biscotti
Keto Sugar-Free Marzipan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour (can use blanched almonds - see tips)
- 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1 large egg white (can use cartoned pasteurized egg whites)
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp rose water (skip for almond paste)
Instructions
- Place the blanched almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground. If using almond meal, skip to step 2.
- Add the powdered sweetener and pulse to combine. Add the egg white, almond extract, and rose water, if using, and run the processor on high until the mixture becomes a paste and begins to form a ball.
- If the mixture is too wet, add a little additional almond meal. If the dough is dryish, add a bit of water, 1 teaspoon at a time. It should resemble cookie dough or pastry in texture.
- Form into two logs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Use in cookies, cake, or candies. And I have a delicious Keto Almond Croissant recipe coming soon!
- Store the dough, tightly wrapped, in the fridge for a week or the freezer for up to two months.
Kathy Cooke says
This is a breeze to make, and it’s delicious too! Tastes better than store bought. I whipped up a batch and gave it to my 9-year-old to form into fun shapes. Great project for a kid!
Josh says
I’ve been using the last year to change my diet to better manage my type 2 diabetes. Your videos and blog has helped me so much, and this marzipan recipe just made Christmas Eve so special. Thank you!
Kathy Cooke says
Read The Diabetes Code by Dr Jason Fung if you’re type 2; you can cure it and get off meds.
Tanja Bennett says
I just want to share how excited I am about this recipe and how my marzipan came out! It’s LEGIT as my kids would say! I could’ve eaten the whole thing! Thank you so much for this! I did try it in the croissant recipe but I think I over floured or over baked, not sure. I still like them but definitely not the flaky crust or softness I was hoping for. I’ll try again and see if I can adjust. Any tips to getting the Dough just right for that soft texture would be great!
Jennifer says
I am allergic to eggs and cheese could I replace egg whites with a powdered egg replacer and vegan mozzarella?
Carolyn says
For the croissants? I highly doubt it, to be honest. Fathead dough requires the stretchiness of real cheese.
Sysy says
You made my dreams come true. I’ve missed marzipan for so long. My daughter and I have type 1 diabetes and our whole family eats keto. This was such a treat. Thank you, this recipe is delicious!
Tracy Andries says
Hmmmm….keto croissants. I’m
intrigued. 😃 The chocolate covered marzipan looks wonderful. So easy and can’t wait to try this recipe.
Victoria Davis says
Thank you for this. One of my favorite Christmas memories is the little berry basket of marzipan fruits that always appeared in my stocking. Beautiful AND delicious! Can’t wait to introduce my 2 year old grandson to the joy 🙂
Happy holidays!
~ Tory
Carolyn says
Have fun!
Betay says
Excellent. I takes more time to gather he ingredients then it does to make it. I did not use the rose water as my original recipe didn’t call for it, so I’m not sure what I’m missing in flavor….maybe someday I will add it (I do have it however). Also I used dry egg whites with no issues.
It’s all made and “ripening” in my frig. I can’t wait to eat it! Yum.
Carolyn says
So glad you like it!
Leanne says
I did not grow up with marzipan nor almond paste. I can only recall one time ever having it and that was when I was about 10 years old – I am 67 now. My parents were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and the woman (mom’s friend) decorated the cake. She molded a “cast iron skillet” and 2 “fried eggs” out of marzipan. I was given a tiny piece so I cannot even recall how it tasted. (NOTE: I may have had marzipan over the years but didn’t know it!! LOL!)
Now I want to try this but I don’t have a food processor. Darn the luck and no real desire to get another appliance that I would rarely ever use! So, is it at all possible to make this by hand?
Carolyn says
Not in a way that will make it fine enough, no. Perhaps you can borrow one from a friend?
Karen says
You made my day! Maybe even my year. Growing up in The Netherlands we would celebrate St. Nikolaas and marzipan (almond paste) would be served in some form or another. Thank you so much for this recipe. I know what I will be doing the coming week.
Donna J Berkley says
I took a cake decorating class when I was a teenager. We added food coloring to marzipan and used it to mold fruits and vegetables and other decorations for the tops of some of our cakes.
MJ says
Many, many moons ago, when I would occasionally indulge in a See’s candy, I would always choose their dark chocolate marzipan. I will definitely be making your marzipan soon. Oh thank you for this!
Carolyn says
Enjoy!
Kate says
Did you ever do the keto croissant recipe you mentioned in the write-up?
Barbara says
Yes, I’m definitely interested in the Almond Croissants too!
Carolyn says
Well, this is an update that I just posted today. Keto Croissants coming some time this week!
Birgit says
Can rose water with glycerin be used? I’m having trouble finding plan rosewater since I live in rural Southern Ontario.
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not!
Lorene says
I am looking for a recipe for a sugar free almond paste to make Italian pignoli nut cookies with. Do you think this recipe for marzipan would work or is it something totally different?
Carolyn says
I think it would be close but it needs to be looser, less thick. Adding an egg yolk might help. I’ve been thinking of the same recipe myself!