Pistachio Marzipan

By
Elizabeth LaBau
Sweet Book of Candy Making Elizabeth LaBau
Elizabeth LaBau
A professional pastry chef, cookbook author, and writer, Elizabeth LaBau has published more than 600 articles on baking and candy making.
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Updated on 12/19/22
Pistachio Marizpan

The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 36 servings
Yield: 36 marzipans
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
110 Calories
7g Fat
11g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 110
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 7mg 2%
Sodium 60mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 28mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 108mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Pistachio marzipan has a vibrant green color and a bold taste to match. Freshly made pistachio marzipan is bursting with pistachio flavor and makes a wonderful filling when dipped in chocolate. It's also good in baked goods, cake recipes, and other recipes where almond marzipan is traditionally used.

This recipe, like many traditional marzipan recipes, calls for a raw egg white. If eating raw eggs is a concern, we suggest you substitute liquid pasteurized egg whites ​or reconstituted powdered egg whites instead.

If you are using salted pistachios, omit the salt. This recipe works best with raw, shelled pistachios.

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces pistachios shelled, preferably raw

  • 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (if using raw or unsalted pistachios)

  • 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

  • 1 teaspoon green food coloring, optional

  • 12 ounces chocolate candy coating

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Raw pistachios will give you the most vibrant green color, so use those if you can find them. They can be difficult to track down, however, so you can use toasted pistachios if that is what's available. Whichever type you choose, begin by placing your pistachios in the bowl of a food processor and pulsing them until they are finely ground. Remove a few tablespoons of ground nuts to use as decoration later.

  3. Add the confectioners' sugar, and if your pistachios are unsalted, add the salt. Process until everything is a very fine powder.

  4. Add a quarter of the raw egg, and pulse the processor until it's completely incorporated. Add a little more of the egg, and pulse again. Keep adding the egg white, a little at a time, until the marzipan comes together in a clump around the food processor. It should have a texture similar to Play-Doh. You might not need to use the whole egg white, so go slowly in your addition of the white so that you don't end up with marzipan that is too sticky.

  5. If you want to increase the green color of your marzipan, add a drop or two of green food coloring and knead it in until the color is even.

  6. Pinch off small balls of marzipan and roll them between your palms until they are round, then place them on a baking sheet lined with foil or waxed paper.

  7. Refrigerate them for 10 minutes.

  8. While the pistachio marzipan balls are chilling, melt the chocolate or candy coating in the microwave until smooth or fluid.

  9. Use forks or dipping tools to dip a marzipan ball into the melted chocolate, then place the dipped candy back on the baking sheet.

  10. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the top with a bit of the reserved chopped nuts. Repeat until all of the pistachio marzipan balls are dipped.

  11. Refrigerate the tray for 10 minutes to set the chocolate, then your pistachio marzipan is ready to eat.

  12. Store dipped candies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

  13. Serve and enjoy.

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness.