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 ½ 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 ½ 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 ½ 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 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon 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.
Beth says
Have you used this recipe to make Almond Macaroons?
patricia says
I do not have almond meal, only Honeyville almond flour. Would that work? If so, how much?
Thank you.
Carolyn says
That will work just fine, use the same amount.
Rachel Horowitz says
Is Egg White powder the same as powdered Egg White Protein? I’m guessing it is, as egg whites are the on,y ingredient … I just bought a small hat of Egg White Protein at Trader Joe’s, in what now seems like a fortuitous move!
Carolyn says
Yes, that should be fine!
Unterderlaterne says
This was my favourite treat as child.in Germany. Every Christmas there they were–Marzipan-Potatoes, .in-stead of chocolate they were rolled in cinnamon .. I swapped the chocolate bars for Marzipan with my brothers .
Linda says
Hi Carolyn,
I was wondering if the egg white powder (or liquid) was needed as a binding agent? Would I be able to substitute Whey Protein Isolate? I’m going to make these today, starting with blanched almonds…….I love! marzipan.
Carolyn says
It is necessary as a binding agent so I don’t think the whey would work.
jillian says
Yum! Would honeyville almond flour work or is the Bob’s a different texture?
Carolyn says
Bob’s is coarser so it is a different texture, but since you are grinding it all up together, it shouldn’t matter for this recipe.
Barb says
Can fresh egg white be used in this recipe? If so what would the amount be? One poster asked about liquid egg whites is that the same as fresh? Thanks in advance for your help.
Aly says
I think it’s 2 TBSP raw or liquid egg whites. That replaces the 2 TBSP water plus 2 tsp egg white powder.
Karen says
These are really, really delicious! Had no rose water so I used vanilla as suggested. That was the only change. I rolled mine out and used a 1-1/4″ heart shaped cookie cutter. I made them about 1/4″ thick so I got 33 pieces. Thank you for your fabulous recipes!
Carolyn says
Glad you liked them!
Heidi says
I tried these the other day. They were delicious and addictive. Tasted just like I remembered from childhood. I opted to roll them into balls and then dip in the chocolate. Thank you for all you do. Your recipes are so tasty!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked them!
Karen says
OMG – Thank you sounds amazing, I agree with Denise, gemme the big honker – lol 🙂
Peabody (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)L says
I’m in the love it category too. Never considered making my own, great idea. And Bob’s is the best.
tanya says
I have very little experience with marzipan, but you make it look so easy and so good! I feel like I have to try now!
Denise says
Mold, schmold. You can have the ones from the mold. I want that big honker at the back of the picture!
Chris Sanchez says
You make me very happy….and the ladies at quilt bee are pretty thrilled too….
Nicole says
I love how simple these are to make! And so cute, too!
fabiola@notjustbaked says
Almond meal lovers unite! This is a perfect recipe, especially with chocolate!
Sarah G says
Ok, this is weird but I don’t think I’ve ever eaten marzipan! What is it like, candy or cookie or something else? I’m so curious.
Carolyn says
It’s a candy filling, very strongly almond flavoured.
Sarah G says
That sounds like something I need to try. Thanks!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Oh my gosh, these are so adorable! I love marzipan too, these are awesome!
Carrie says
As much as I love almonds, I have never cared for marzipan and I think it’s because of the almond extract. I’m going to try this with vanilla, because I’ll bet that would be amazing! And thanks for the Bob’s Red Mill shout out!
Carolyn says
That would be pretty tasty too, I would imagine!
Becky Gardiner says
These look great! Love marzipan! If using liquid egg whites I would assume the 2 Tablespoons of water would be eliminated, right? Also, the rose water is pretty pricey. Though it won’t be as authentic, can another flavoring that I may already have in my cabinet be used instead?
Carolyn says
Yup, leave out the water. Maybe just vanilla?
Donna J. Berkley says
I’ll bet a drop of cherry extract would taste nice. I have no idea what rose water tastes like but cherry almond is a nice combination.
Carolyn says
That’s a great idea too!
Dana says
I don’t know where you are getting rosewater, but it is not expensive usually. Amazon has a combo listing of rosewater and orange water for $15. If you have a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern grocery near you, you can find it for a reasonable price there too. Keep in mind you don’t use a lot at a go.