Homemade Almond Paste
Homemade Almond Paste is quick and easy to make at home with only 5 ingredients and a food processor, in under 5 minutes!
Almond paste is the perfect thing to have on hand for holiday desserts! If you’re looking for more sweets to make, check out my White Chocolate Macademia Nut Cookies, Flourless Oatmeal Cookies, and Homemade Apple Pie Filling!
Homemade Almond Paste
Homemade Almond Paste is so incredibly delicious, I can’t even stand it. If you’ve ever wondered what makes some holiday desserts taste so incredible, here it is. Almond paste. You can usually find it in the baking isle at the grocery store, but it’s really, really easy (and cheaper) to make at home! One thing to note is that it does have raw egg whites in it, but you can use the pasteurized ones from a carton to avoid any food safety issues.
What can almond paste be used for?
Almond paste is perfect for baking desserts like almond cookies, bars, cakes, croissants, pastry crusts, and other pastry recipes. It’s found with bakers in multiple countries like Italy, France, Sweden, Germany, and more. You can buy it from the store, but it’s less expensive to make it at home, and you can make as much or as little as you need for a recipe.
What ingredients are in Homemade Almond Paste?
I like to make mine with almond flour. It’s just easier in my opinion, then using full almonds. It saves you a few minutes in the process. But if you have regular almonds, you can pulse them in the food processor until a flour is formed. Then measure how much you’ve made in cups, and adjust the recipe accordingly.
You can store leftover ground almonds (almond meal) in a plastic bag or airtight container in the pantry. If you’re not going to use the leftovers for a long time, you can store it in the refrigerator or freezer to preserve the freshness.
- Almond Flour
- Salt
- Powdered Sugar
- Almond Extract
- Egg Whites
How is almond paste made?
Almond paste is so EASY to make with minimal directions, I will probably never buy it again. And it only takes 2 steps.
- Place dry in ingredients in the food processor and pulse a few times.
- Add egg and almond extract, and process until a ball of dough forms. If it’s way too sticky, add a few teaspoons more of powdered sugar and puree it again until it’s mixed in, then check to see the difference.
That’s it! Done! So easy.
Are marzipan and almond paste the same thing?
Marzipan and almond paste are really similar because they are both primarily ground almonds and sugar, but not quite the same thing. The difference is that marzipan generally contains more sugar, and you can mold it into shapes and add food dyes. It’s really popular for making holiday desserts this way. Almond paste on the other hand is used in baked goods and has a more coarse texture.
Think of marzipan more like a fondant for cake decorations, and almond paste as more of a filling for baked goods and candy.
You’ll find a lot of different marzipan recipes, depending on the country the recipe is from. Some recipes use honey instead of sugar, and others use corn syrup. I’ve also seen recipes using a blend of almond meal and butter with other ingredients.
How long does almond paste last?
Almond paste will last for about a month in the refrigerator. Some people will say that it will last up to three months, but I like to err on the side of caution. Roll your paste into a log and cover in plastic wrap. Then seal tightly in a plastic bag to keep any air out and refrigerate. Just take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before using.
Can you freeze almond paste?
If I’m going to be keeping it longer than a few weeks, I will freeze it for the next dessert recipe. Keep it wrapped in plastic wrap and sealed in a plastic bag. For an extra layer of protection, you can wrap in tinfoil. It should last 5-6 months in the freezer.
Tips for Making This Almond Paste Recipe
- The 1/4 teaspoon salt in this almond paste recipe is mostly for flavor, so you can feel free to omit it if you’re avoiding salt.
- I pulse the ingredients in a food processor to make it easier and faster. If you don’t have a food processor, you can whisk the ingredients together, then mash with a fork until your dough comes together.
- If you grind your own almonds, you’ll get almond meal unless they’re peeled. Almond meal contains the almond skin, while almond flour is made from peeled almonds. It won’t make a huge difference but you might notice the skins in the texture and dark flecks. You can still use finely ground almond meal to make this recipe.
- This recipe uses powdered sugar, make sure you don’t use granulated sugar. This gives your paste a smooth texture.
- It also uses a teaspoon almond extract to help give it more impact. If you don’t have almond flavor on hand, you can leave it out. But expect it to be less impactful.
Homemade Almond Paste
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour, gluten free
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tsp almond extract
Equipment
- food processor
Instructions
- Add dry ingredients to a food processor and pulse to mix together. Add egg whites and almond extract, then process until a ball of dough forms.
- Remove from processor and roll into a log. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
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I want to make your homemade almond paste to use in your recipe for chewy almond cookies. How can I measure 16 oz which is what the cookies call for? I’m making these for a shower and would appreciate your response! Thank you
The almond paste came out perfectly, very easy to make–who knew? So thank you, I love this. But I have the same question as Barbie, in the other comment I see here. You referenced this recipe in your other recipe for almond cookies, but this does not provide a quantity in ounces. The cookie recipe calls for 16oz of paste, but your paste recipe just says 16 servings. I wasn’t sure if a serving was equitable with an oz, so I ended up measuring this on a scale and it came closer to 13 oz. So not sure if I need to tweak this more in order to have enough for the cookies. It would be great to kind of link these two together…
Looks like the real thing! So easy. I have the same question. Your recipe calls for a pound of almond paste. The recipe makes 12 ounces. Do I need to make more?
Yes, I usually make extra and freeze the leftover almond paste for another recipe.
What is the total amount at the end of the recipe? Or what is the serving size? i only need 1/2 cup of paste for a recipe but need to find a way to reduce your recipe correctly. Thanks!
This recipe makes about 12 ounces of almond paste. If you make the full recipe, you can freeze the remaining paste until you’re ready to use it.