How to Make Homemade Almond Paste ~ this delicious, fresh almond paste recipe is made super quick and easy in your food processor. Wrap it up, refrigerate, and get on with baking your favorite almond-y treats.
My Homemade almond paste is all natural, without the artificial flavors and preservatives in commercial brands.
I love the flavor of almonds, and love to bake with almond paste, so I couldn’t be more excited to share this with you, it’s so easy, and so delicious! It will save you $$ and allow you to make your favorite almond-y recipes without running out to the store to buy almond paste. This is no surprise, but the homemade stuff is even better than store bought…not only fresher, but it has a better flavor. And you get a nice big amount, too 🙂 Enough to make lots of almond treats.
What is almond paste?
Almond paste is made principally from ground almonds and sugar. It can include almond extract, or not.
Almond paste is an ingredient in many European and Scandinavian baked goods, and it’s also used in candy making. It’s a key ingredient in macaroons and Amaretti cookies ~ and if you’ve ever had a bear claw or an almond croissant, you’ve tasted it.
Almond paste is sold in small (pricey!) tubes, usually in the baking section of supermarkets.
What’s the difference between marzipan and almond paste?
Marzipan is an almond candy dough. It contains half the almonds but twice the sugar as almond paste, so it’s smoother and sweeter than almond paste.
Marzipan is smoother and very malleable. The dough is often colored or painted, and used to shape candies and cake decorations.
Marzipan looks very similar to, and is packaged the same way as almond paste, so pay attention to the labels!
What you’ll need to make almond paste:
- blanched almonds ~ these are the kind without skins. They can be whole or ‘slivered’. If you can only find almonds with the skins on, you can easily remove them…put the almonds in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water for 60 seconds. Rinse in cold running water for 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels. When the almonds are cool enough to handle, slip off their skins.
- confectioner’s or powdered sugar
- an egg white
- salt
- almond extract
- a food processor. If you cook, you need one of these.


How to make almond paste ~
Place the almonds in the food processor. Process until finely ground.
Add the sugar, egg white, salt, and extract to the processor and process again until the mixture just comes together into a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a surface and form into a smooth log.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends.
Your almond paste is ready to use, and will keep in the refrigerator for about a month. If you’d like to store it longer, freeze it.
Can I make almond paste without egg whites?
Yes, you can, but you’ll need to replace them with something else that will help bind the almond paste together.
You can use honey in place of sugar for a Paleo friendly almond paste. Add the honey slowly, just until the dough comes together, you won’t need as much of it as you need of the granulated sugar.
You can also experiment with corn syrup, or even a little bit of water. Basically you want to add just enough so that the dough, or paste, holds together enough to form a log. Chilling will help keep it firm.
Can I freeze almond paste?
Yes! it’s a great idea to make a double batch and freeze it for future use (think ahead to the holidays.)
Almond paste will last a year in the freezer.
Wrap it in log form, first tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. I will sometimes put the wrapped logs in heavy duty zip lock freezer bags. If you’re freezing large amounts, divide it up into smaller pieces so you can defrost what you need and leave the rest frozen.
Some of my recipes that include almond paste in the ingredient list:
White Peach Frangipane Galette
Almond Poppy Seed Butter Cookies
How to Make Homemade Almond Paste!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups, or 185 grams, blanched almonds (the skinless ones)
- 1 and 1/2 cups, or 163 grams, confectioner's sugar
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Put the almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground.
- Add the sugar, egg white, salt, and extract and process until smooth and the dough starts to come together in a lump.
- Turn out to a surface and form into a smooth log. Wrap tightly in plastic.
- Refrigerate for up to one month. Freeze for longer storage.
- This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups of almond paste.
Make this almond paste your own ~
- You can use almonds with the skins on, if you like, it’s your choice. The almond paste will be darker and slightly more bitter. Not necessarily a bad thing!
Thanks for pinning!
27 Comments
Christine
December 18, 2020 at 2:47 pmCan this be used right away or does it need to rest or age in the refrigerator first? If so, for how long?
Sue
December 18, 2020 at 4:05 pmIt can be used right away.
Stephanie
July 16, 2020 at 6:56 amAlmond paste is expensive! I am going to make my own. Is it OK to use raw almonds? I plan on blanching them first. Love your website! ???
Sue
July 16, 2020 at 7:31 amYes, that will work, enjoy!
Irene
June 28, 2020 at 4:11 pmThanks for the recipe. Just wondering if you can make with almond butter? Thanks for your help.
Irene
Sue
June 28, 2020 at 4:16 pmI don’t think you can make it with almond butter, but that’s just a guess, Irene. I think the butter has the wrong consistency.
Leesa
May 8, 2020 at 12:05 pmJust made my first batch at it is grainy. Is this supposed to be a smooth paste or have little grains of nut in it? I’ve never used almond paste before and don’t know the consistency.
Sue
May 8, 2020 at 3:23 pmYes, it does have a slightly sandy texture, Leesa. But the power of your food processor is going to determine how finely ground your almonds are, so that could make your paste a little grainer.
Liz
February 27, 2020 at 7:18 pmHi! May I substitute meringue powder for the egg white? Thank you in advance for your response,liz
Sue
February 27, 2020 at 7:38 pmI think so , if you hydrate it.
Kyla
January 1, 2020 at 5:40 pmHi! I used almond flour and it tasted great but it doesn’t blend up very smooth. Best to use whole blanched for a smooth paste ;)) I tried both food processor and vitamix
Char Roemer
December 19, 2019 at 2:17 pmJust made this for a Swedish tea ring I will be making, and boy, is it delicious. I used slivered almonds and that works very well. Thanks for the recipe, never thought about making it myself.
Sue
December 19, 2019 at 2:26 pmIsn’t it fun?
Donna
June 3, 2019 at 3:08 pmWhat would the weight be for a cup of almonds? I like to weigh things when I cook & bake.
Thanks,
Donna
Donna
June 3, 2019 at 12:40 pmHi Sue,
I’ve been looking for blanched almonds in the stores near me, but the only ones I can find are slivered. I see you said slivered almonds can be used. Would I use the same amount of slivered as whole?
Thanks! Can’t wait to make the almond paste. I LOVE almond!?
Sue
June 3, 2019 at 1:20 pmYes, I’ve used both, in the same amount. If you can weigh them, that’s the most accurate.
Lorraine
May 16, 2019 at 3:36 amCan I substitute almond flour to make this recipe?
Sue
May 16, 2019 at 7:01 amA lot of people have asked about that, and I don’t think that will work, Lorraine…but I will test it today and report back.
Peggy Su
April 5, 2020 at 2:13 pmdid substitute of almond flour work? (I’m thinking Keto)
Michael
May 15, 2019 at 3:24 amCan I use store-bought almond flour instead of grinding my own?
Sue
May 15, 2019 at 7:05 amWell, here’s the thing, almond flour will be drier than freshly ground almonds, so I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I haven’t tried it, though.
Sue
May 15, 2019 at 7:28 amcarol
May 15, 2019 at 7:58 amDoes this mean you can use almond flour?
Sue
May 15, 2019 at 8:00 amI don’t think almond flour will work as well, because it would be drier than ground blanched almonds, but you could try it. I would guess that the flavor would not be as good either, but I’m not sure.
carol
May 15, 2019 at 8:53 amThanks for the quick response. I wasn’t sure if you meant it was OK when you said “yes absolutely”. I’m off to buy almonds now-your recipe sounds easy and delicious!
Sue
May 15, 2019 at 9:00 amThe “yes absolutely” was meant for another comment…sheesh! Anyway, glad you’re going for the almonds 🙂
Tricia | Saving Room for Dessert
May 15, 2019 at 3:14 amI haven’t made almond paste in years but love the stuff! Thanks for the beautiful inspiration and great recipe. Pinned!