Homemade Almond Paste (2024)

Homemade Almond Paste can be made in as little as 5 minutes with just 5 ingredients. It is a versatile and delicious filling that will elevate your almond desserts to the next level. Not to mention all the money you’ll save from not having to buy premade almond paste.

Over the years, I’ve used homemade almond paste in so many different desserts and they have always been a hit. If you love almonds, making your own almond paste will give you limitless options for delicious almond desserts.

Plus store bought almond paste is not exactly cheap. So this homemade version is going to save you money while making you the star of the office bake off!

What is almond paste?

Almond paste is essentially almond and sugar processed together to form a paste with the help of a binder, in this case egg white.

It is typically incorporated into a recipe as a filling like this Almond Apple Tart, cut into cubes and tossed into these Almond Scones or this Almond Croissant French Toast Bake, or rolled out and tucked into pastries like Almond Rugelach.

Almond Paste vs. Marzipan vs. Frangipane

Almond paste and marzipan are very similar in nature. They are both made with mostly almond flour and sugar.

➤ The main difference is that almond paste has less sugar and is primarily used as a filling in baked goods.

➤ Whereas marzipan has a lot more sugar so it is sweeter, smoother, more pliable, and is used primarily to make candies and cake decorations.

You can make marzipan from almond paste by adding more sugar, simple syrup, or corn syrup, but you can’t make almond paste from marzipan.

Frangipane, on the other hand, is a completely different animal. It is an almond cream that is enriched with butter and whole eggs. Whereas only egg white is used in almond paste and marzipan for binding.

Here are some recipes using frangipane you might want to try to see the difference. And they’re not only limited to almond frangipane either:

• Plum Tart with Frangipane
• Pear Tart with Pistachio Frangipane
• Pineapple Tart with Coconut Frangipane
• Almond Croissants

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This easy almond paste recipe requires just 5 ingredients.
• And it takes only 5 minutes to whip up.
• You can make a large batch and freeze leftovers for another day.

Ingredients and substitutions

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips for each ingredient:

1. Almond flour – is the main ingredient for almond paste. I usually use fine almond flour for a smoother texture. But you can substitute almond meal, or grind whole almonds to make your own almond meal or almond flour.

2. Powdered sugar – I prefer this over granulated sugar for a smoother texture. Though I have seen recipes that use granulated sugar. If you want to substitute granulated sugar, I would highly recommend blitzing it in the food processor to make it a little finer.

3. Salt – just a few pinches to enhance the flavor.

4. Egg white – one egg white is used to bind everything together.

5. Almond extract – adds an incredible almond flavor making your almond paste 10x more flavorful, add a little or a lot depending on how strong you would like the flavor to be.

Tolls you’ll need

Depending on what tools you have available, you can make this recipe using:

• A food processor: this is especially useful if you are planning to grind whole almonds to make your own almond meal or almond flour.
• A stand mixer.
• And if you don’t have either, you could use a mixing bowl and a fork.

How to make Almond Paste

The following instructions, step by step photos and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Using a food processor

The easiest way and my preferred way to make almond paste uses a food processor. This mixes the ingredients very quickly and also creates a smoother paste.

Add all the dry ingredients in the food processor bowl fitted with the metal chopping blade. Turn it on to distribute the ingredients evenly. Alternatively, you could mix the dry ingredients with a whisk in a mixing bowl before adding to the food processor to ensure the almond flour and powdered sugar is mixed evenly.

See Also

What Is Frangipane and Why Do Bakers Love It So Much?FrangipaneThis Surprisingly Easy Recipe Will Transport You to a French BakeryAlmond Paste: What It Is, Curiosities And Tips

Add egg white and almond extract to the dry ingredient mixture. Turn the food processor on and allow it to process until a smooth paste forms. You will need to scrape the bottom and side of the food processor to make sure everything is well mixed. Then immediately scrape the mixture out and wrap in plastic.

Using a stand mixer

Whille I prefer making almond paste using a food processor for a smoother end product, you can certainly still make it without one. It is still super easy to make with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. This method will yield a paste with slightly coarser grain.

Similar to the food processor method, mix all the dry ingredients together in the stand mixer bowl. Turn it on and mix to distribute evenly.

Then beat the egg white and almond extract into the dry ingredients until the almond paste comes together. It will be very sticky, use a spatula to scrape it out and wrap in plastic immediately.

Make it by hand

Follow all the steps above using a mixing bowl and a fork. When you mix the egg white into the dry mixture, it will be very sticky, just keep kneading it together with the fork until you get a uniform paste.

Baker’s Tips

• This recipe makes about 7 to 7 ½ oz of almond paste. This is the same amount you’ll get from a package of Odense almond paste, which is widely available in grocery stores.
• You can use this immediately in your recipes, especially ones that call for it to be used as a filling or spread since it is soft and sticky immediately out of the food processor. If you need to chop it or roll it, it would be better to keep it refrigerated for a while first.

Storage

While commercial almond paste is shelf stable before you open the package, homemade almond paste needs to be kept refrigerated since it contains raw egg white.

You can make this recipe ahead of time and keep it refrigerated for a week and up to 10 days for all your baking needs. Or you can freeze it for up to 6 months. Be sure to wrap the paste well, so it doesn’t absorb any refrigerator or freezer smell.

FAQs

More basic recipes to enhance your baking

• Brown Butter
• Caramelized Sugar Dust
• Homemade Dulce de Leche
• Homemade Peanut Butter
• Pistachio Butter

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📖 Recipe card

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