Mazapán (Mexican Peanut Marzipan)
Why this recipe works
- Simple ingredient list: Peanuts, icing sugar and a few flavourings create a recognisable sweet without cooking or specialist pastry work.
- Balanced sweetness: Fine sea salt and vanilla soften the direct sweetness of the icing sugar and bring out the peanut flavour.
- Quick to make: The mixture comes together in a food processor and mixing bowl, with only a short chill needed before serving.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Choose unsalted peanuts: Unsalted peanuts give better control over the final flavour, especially because the sweets use only a small pinch of salt for balance.
- Use fine icing sugar: Sifting the icing sugar helps it blend evenly with the ground peanuts and keeps the texture delicate rather than gritty.
- Keep the spice subtle: Cinnamon should add warmth without masking the peanut flavour; cardamom can be used for a more aromatic variation.
Texture tips
- Grind evenly: Pulse the peanuts until very fine, scraping down the bowl so there are no coarse pieces in the finished sweets.
- Stop before paste forms: Do not over-process the peanuts; once they release too much oil, the mixture can become pasty rather than crumbly.
- Compact firmly: Press each portion firmly into shape and neaten the edges before chilling so the rounds are less likely to crack.
Make-ahead tips
- Make ahead: Mazapán can be prepared in advance and kept chilled in an airtight container until needed.
- Protect the layers: Separate layers with baking paper to reduce breakage, as the sweets are intentionally fragile.
- Serve slightly softened: Let the rounds sit briefly at room temperature before serving so the texture returns to its characteristic crumbly finish.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Tip the peanuts into a food processor and pulse until very finely ground, stopping before they turn into a paste. Scrape down the bowl as needed so the grind is even.
- Transfer the ground peanuts to a mixing bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Add the fine sea salt and ground cinnamon, then mix thoroughly so the colour is uniform.
- Drizzle in the vanilla extract and mix with your hands until the mixture clumps when squeezed. If it feels too dry, keep mixing for another minute to help the natural oils bind it.
- Divide the mixture into 12 portions and press each one firmly into a small round, compacting the edges so they do not crumble. Turn out and gently neaten the sides with your fingers.
- Chill the rounds for 10 minutes to help them hold together. Serve carefully, as mazapán is meant to be delicate and crumbly.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the cleanest shape, press the mixture firmly and evenly, then chill before handling; warmth from your hands makes it more fragile.
- If serving to young children, keep the pieces slightly thicker so they are less likely to crack when unwrapped or picked up.
Substitutions
- Replace vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste for a more pronounced vanilla flavour.
- Replace ground cinnamon with ground cardamom for a different warm spice note.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 7 days
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge, separating layers with baking paper to reduce breakage. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving for the best crumbly texture.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 12 pieces
- Total time: 25min (15min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Mexican
-
Allergens:
Peanuts
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