These nostalgic German marzipan cookies are easy to make with just 6 ingredients and no chilling the dough. Homemade marzipan and almond flour makes them chewy & nutty, then they get decorated with sliced blanched almonds for a shareable European holiday cookie that isn't too sweet.
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"I made these for Christmas and my grandmother was proud that I knew such old German recipe" -Rolf
My Favorite Holiday Marzipan Cookies
Every winter, my family bundled up and headed into Frankfurt for the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market), and we always treated ourselves to a few Bethmännchen. The name means "little Bethmanns," after a wealthy Frankfurt banking family, and traditionally each cookie wears three halved almonds, one for each of the family's three sons.
I grew up in Germany just outside the city, so these cookies are close to my heart. I wanted to recreate that market-stall memory at home, but nearly every recipe I found included a long chill time, and I wanted these cookies without the wait. So I created this no-chill version packed with nutty flavor from homemade marzipan and blanched almond flour, plus a little rose water (or orange zest works great too). Then powdered sugar is used instead of white or brown sugar, to keep them chewy on the inside, & crispy on the outside.
My best tip is to make your own marzipan. Store-bought marzipan can be hard to find, and can vary a lot in their sugar-to-almond ratios. I've found different brands can make cookies taste bland or overly sweet, turn the dough either too sticky or stiff, or cause them to spread in the oven if the marzipan is really oily. Mixing it in a food processor takes just five minutes, and it gives you the best-tasting cookies every time.
I love baking with almond flour because it makes cookies really soft and chewy. You'll taste the same thing in my German almond horn cookies and vanilla crescent cookies, which are two more of my childhood-fave German Christmas cookies.
Let's Make almond Marzipan Cookies Together!
1. Blanch almonds to remove the skins.
2. Cut the almonds in half length-wise.
3. Make marzipan in a food processor.
5. Roll the cookie dough into small balls.
7. Brush each dough ball with egg wash.
4. Mix everything to form a thick dough.
6. Press 3 almond halves on each cookie.
8. Bake and cool the cookies. Enjoy!!
My Tips for Baking traditional Marzipan cookies
- If you can't find blanched almonds at the store, you can make them at home in a few minutes. Soak whole almonds overnight or boil them for 60 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold water. Use a towel or your fingers to rub the skins off the almonds.
- I tested a few ways to get the almonds to stay put on the outside, and it turns out the sticky dough holds them on all by itself. Then a brush of egg wash over both the cookies and the almonds then seals them so nothing falls off, and gives you that glossy golden finish as they bake.
- Because this dough is sticky, I recommend keeping a small dish of cold water nearby to wet your fingers whenever the dough starts to cling while you shape it.
German Marzipan Cookies | Bethmännchen
developed & tested by:
Ingredients
Marzipan
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- ½ teaspoon rose water (optional)
Cookies
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup blanched almond flour
- 1 large egg, separated
- ⅓ cup blanched almonds, sliced in half (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the blanched almonds in half length-wise.
Make the Marzipan
- In a food processor, add the almond flour and powdered sugar. Pulse a few times, to get the lumps out.
- Add the salt, two egg whites, almond extract, and optional rose water. Mix on high speed until it forms a dense, soft, slightly sticky mixture.
Make & Bake the Cookies
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, add all the marzipan along with the powdered sugar, almond flour, and one egg white. (Save the egg yolk in a bowl for later.) Mix on low speed until it forms a smooth dough, after about 1 minute.
- Roll the cookie dough into small balls, about 1-inch (2.5cm) in diameter. Spread them out on the prepared baking sheet.
- Gently press three almond halves on the sides of each cookie.
- Whisk the reserved egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush on the top and sides of each cookie.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cookies are a pale gold color & look dry on top. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely, then enjoy!!
Notes
- Marzipan: Almond paste is not the same thing as marzipan, so they can't be substituted.
- Blanched Almonds: If you can't find blanched almonds (aka skinless almonds) at the store, they're really easy to make at home. Soak whole almonds overnight or boil them in a saucepan for 60 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold water. You can use a towel or your fingers to rub the almonds, and they'll pop right out of the skins.
Nutrition
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Brenda says
I did this twice because the almond flour I got tasted a bit stale the first time. Got Bobs redmill flour and it tasted so good afterwards. Thank you!
Carissa Erzen says
The same thing happened to me! I bought my almond flour in bulk from my grocery store, but it was very stale even though I used it the next day. If you have leftover fresh almond flour, be sure to store it in the fridge to make it last longer!
Rolf says
I made these for Christmas and my grandmother was proud that I knew such old German recipe lol
Carissa Erzen says
Aww anything to make Oma proud! 🙂
Shanon says
Cute looking cookies!