Making marzipan candy is a fun, easy, and delicious way to give homemade food gifts to friends and family for the holidays. It also makes a beautiful garnish on baked goods like cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.
This post came after Sherry B. asked how to make the cute little marzipan candy carrots on top of my Carrot Cake Cupcakes.
I hadn’t actually thought about it before, the cupcakes were the main attraction, and the carrots were merely a topping to the cupcakes.
What type of candy is marzipan?
Marzipan is a blend of ground almonds, sugar and glucose syrup. Other flavorings can be added such as orange blossom or rose water. Unlike almond paste, marzipan is considered a candy. In its natural state, it’s very light or white, which makes it easy to color. It’s also firm and easy to mold and shape.
What’s marzipan made out of?
Our friend, Dan is particularly fond of marzipan, so I’ve always included the tiny carrots on either a carrot cake or on the cupcakes. This year, I’ll be bringing my Lemon Posset, but I couldn’t resist making a small garden of marzipan vegetables for Dan.
How do you make marzipan candy?
First of all be sure to buy marzipan, and not almond paste, because they have different textures and purposes.
Almond paste is great for baking, like in this Almond Bread, but is too soft for molding. If you use gel colorings, (affiliate link), which I prefer, use toothpicks
and work in just a tiny bit of coloring, until the color is to your liking. 
It’s easy to add more coloring, but difficult to lighten it once it’s too dark. Toothpicks are perfect for adding detail to the fruits or vegetables.
Marzipan carrots, use a toothpick to add details to the vegetables.
Pressing the marzipan with your fingers gives the edges a rough look, perfect for making the leaves of lettuce.
Press the edges of the marzipan to give it frilled edge.
Marzipan lettuce
Add frilled layers around a small ball for lettuce.
Marzipan lettuce
To make radishes, blend a little bit of the white marzipan with the red marzipan.
When making marzipan candy radishes, we looked at a picture to help us visualize them.
Wanting them to look a little bit mottled was the goal. For the strawberries, use the toothpick to poke “seeds’ into them.
Marzipan vegetable garden.
Christina says
Cynthia, you guys did a phenomenal job with these little fruits and veggies! Great step by step photos for those who have never done anything like this makes it manageable to everyone.
Wonderful tutorial!
CC
Cynthia says
Thanks Christina!
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine says
I had it stuck in my head that marzipan was difficult. Wow, was I wrong and have I ever been missing out on the fun! Thanks Cynthia, what an awesome post!
Cynthia says
Chris, I remember going to Vienna and looking at all the beautiful marzipan creations in the pastry shop windows. Mine are simple, but my daughter sure enjoyed making them.
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
I have ALWAYS wanted to do this, I love it! My girls would have loved this too, I wish I’d done it with them when they were little.
Cynthia says
There’s still time!
GiGi Eats says
I remember when I was younger I used to LOVE eating those marzipan candies off of cakes and such – I would always ruin them 😉
Cynthia says
Haha! I would probably do that too!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
OMGosh, these are the cutest things! I love them decorating something on top, but they are so cute, I want to eat them just as they are. And oh yea…keep a few just so I can remember how perfect they are! Pinned.
Cynthia says
thank you Kristi! After making them, it is hard to eat them, but we manage!
Maris Callahan says
Cute! Such a fun spring idea
Taylor@Food Faith Fitness says
These look like such a fun treat!
Sarah says
I’ve always wanted to try this!
fabiola@notjustbaked says
These are so sweet looking!
Helena says
These are adorable!
I was wondering how you store them, I put mine on a cake and in the fridge… it did not go well.
Sabrina says
Hello! Beautiful work, congratulations!
I can make in advance? For months ahead or need to be fresh?
Thank you
Cynthia says
Yes, you can totally make them ahead. I don’t know about months in advance, but certainly a week or two for sure! Thank you!