Nutella-Filled Pillow Cookies

These are buttery sugar cookies with hints of almond and vanilla, stuffed with Nutella. The almond really compliments the Nutella! I guess hazelnuts and almonds make good company.

I first made these cookies over 10 years ago and they’re still a cookie I love to make. Because they’re cutouts, I tend to save them for special occasions, but the extra time is so worth it!

These cookies melt in your mouth and keep you going back for more, despite being a generous size to begin with! They’re also pretty little things, which makes them suitable for nice occasions, especially with a little dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder on top. You can use different shapes for different occasions, which makes these not only delicious and beautiful, but also versatile! These are always a winner.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

---

Nutella-Filled Pillow Cookies

Makes about 12 large cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup / 225g butter

• 1/2 cup / 100g sugar

• 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 Tbsp / 15g vanilla

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

• 3 cups / 360g flour

• 1 Tbsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• about 2/3 cup / 200g Nutella

• powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder for dusting, optional

Directions:

Oven preheated to 375°F / 190°C. Ungreased cookie sheets.

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

2. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in extracts.

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.

4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, mix until thoroughly combined. If dough seems too wet, add a bit more flour until a thicker consistency is reached.

5. Cover and place dough in refrigerator until chilled, at least 1 hour.

6. Remove dough from fridge. Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4in / 1/2cm. Use a 3in / 7.5cm cookie cutter to cut the cookie dough. Re-roll and cut more.

7. Place half of the cut out cookies onto a cookie sheet. Spoon or pipe about 2 tsp of Nutella onto the middle of the cookie. Place a second cookie on top, using fingers or a fork to seal edges together.

8. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until edges just barely start to turn golden. Allow cookies to cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to cooling racks or the counter.

9. When cookies are completely cool, dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Jenny’s Notes:

• Round or square cookie cutters work best for these pillow cookies, but any shape will do, as long as it has a large enough center area for the Nutella to be able to be sealed in. I like to do heart shapes for Valentine’s day, as pictured!

• While these may have Nutella in the name, I’ve stuffed these with other things before that were also delicious! Small chocolates like Reese’s, Dove chocolates, etc. could be used. I once used these hazelnut chocolates that are common in Italy, Gianduja, and they were wondeful in these!

• Don’t over bake! Not only can this lead to dry cookies, but it can affect the filling, as well.

Yield 12 Large Cookies

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

45 Min

Cook time

11 Min

Inactive time

1 Hour

Total time

1 H & 56 M

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Nutella-Filled Pillow Cookies

Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies with hint of vanilla and almond, stuffed with Nutella, and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 1 cup / 225g butter
• 1/2 cup / 100g sugar
• 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp / 15g vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 3 cups / 360g flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• about 2/3 cup / 200g Nutella
• powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder for dusting, optional

Instructions

1. Oven preheated to 375°F / 190°C. Ungreased cookie sheets.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in extracts.
4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.
5. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, mix until thoroughly combined. If dough seems too wet, add a bit more flour until a thicker consistency is reached.
6. Cover and place dough in refrigerator until chilled, at least 1 hour.
7. Remove dough from fridge. Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4in / 1/2cm. Use a 3in / 7.5cm cookie cutter to cut the cookie dough. Re-roll and cut more.
8. Place half of the cut out cookies onto a cookie sheet. Spoon or pipe about 2 tsp of Nutella onto the middle of the cookie. Place a second cookie on top, using fingers or a fork to seal edges together.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until edges just barely start to turn golden. Allow cookies to cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to cooling racks or the counter.
10. When cookies are completely cool, dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Notes

• Round or square cookie cutters work best for these pillow cookies, but any shape will do, as long as it has a large enough center area for the Nutella to be able to be sealed in. I like to do heart shapes for Valentine’s day, as pictured!
• While these may have Nutella in the name, I’ve stuffed these with other things before that were also delicious! Small chocolates like Reese’s, Dove chocolates, etc. could be used. I once used these hazelnut chocolates that are common in Italy, Gianduja, and they were wondeful in these!
• Don’t over bake! Not only can this lead to dry cookies, but it can affect the filling, as well.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

388.68

Fat

21.3 g

Sat. Fat

14.73 g

Carbs

48.95 g

Fiber

1.74 g

Net carbs

47.2 g

Sugar

18.17 g

Protein

5.22 g

Cholesterol

67.95 mg

Sodium

345.08 mg

Nutritional info is approximate, based on 1 cookie

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2024/1/27/nutella-filled-pillow-cookies

Cookies, Nutella, Pillow Cookies, Cutout Cookies, Rolled Cookies, Sugar Cookies

dessert, cookies

American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

---

Almond Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls

Last Updated October 27, 2024

Welcome back to quarantine snacks and meals!

Today we are making Almond Poppy Seed Rolls! Think cinnamon rolls, but instead of cinnamon, a sweet almond dough with little crunchy poppyseeds and a sticky glaze. It’s like a cross between almond poppyseed bread and cinnamon rolls.

If there’s one thing we are forced to be during this time, it’s creative. Lack of resources, lack of schedule, lack of really anything that resembles our normal life has led us to come up with some really great ideas. Sometimes useless, but great nonetheless. Homemade obstacle courses are trending, memes are at the top of their game, and random skills you never before dreamed of having suddenly manifest themselves.

Another way we have had to get creative is in our cooking and baking. Not everything is readily available, and even if it is, a quick run to the store is no longer a quick run to the store. For my Michigan peeps, you are probably now feeling the effects of the latest lockdown measures. Only a certain number of people are allowed in the store at a time, creating long lines outside. Welcome, friends. That’s been normal life in Italy since uhh do I rememer how long? I think going on six weeks. Some stores require you to have a cart (helps you keep your distance) and some stores take your temperature before you enter. (In Italy.)

In general, most of my baking, unless for a special occasion or holiday, is spur of the moment. And what I want to bake often corresponds with what I want to eat, what do you know? The problem with this, as mentioned above, is that if I’m missing an ingredient, that means either waiting until the next store run, making something else, or improvising. The latter usually wins out.

Take the other day, for example, when I really wanted to make (and eat) these lemon raspberry rolls. I knew I didn’t have any raspberries, so I figured I would make just lemon rolls. Not to be, as I found my last lemon had gone moldy, and I didn’t even have any lemon extract. Well. Plain rolls weren’t going to cut it. I could’ve made cinnamon rolls, but my husband doesn’t much care for cinnamon (gasp) and I didn’t think that I should be eating a whole pan of cinnamon rolls by myself. While in quarantine. And am supposed to stay within 200m of my abode for exercise.

I took stock of my cupboards to see what I could possibly use to make some kind of flavored, delicious roll. While I didn’t have lemon extract, I did find almond extract! I love almond, and, and POPPY SEEDS. Yes. Done.

If you happen to have ingredients for both, I would highly suggest making both. They are also freezer friendly; stick in the freezer before baking or even after, once they’ve cooled.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe by Jenny

---

Almond Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls

Makes 9 rolls

Ingredients:

For the Dough

• 1/2 cup / 119g milk or water

• 1/4 cup / 50g sugar

• 2 1/4 tsp / 7g active dry yeast

• 2 Tbsp / 28g oil

• 1 egg

• 3 Tbsp / 23g poppy seeds

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 2 1/4 cups / 270g all-purpose flour + about 1/4 cup / 30g for kneading

For the Filling

• 1/4 cup / 56g butter

• 1/4 cup / 50g sugar

For the Glaze

• 3/4 cup / 94g powdered sugar

• 1-2 Tbsp / 14-28g milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F / 205C. Grease an 8x8inch / 20x20cm square baking dish.

Make the Dough

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk until it is about 100F / 38C.  Pour into a large bowl.  Add the sugar and yeast and allow to sit for 7-10 minutes.  The yeast should foam up a bit. 

2. Add oil, eggs, poppy seeds, extract, and salt.  Add the 2 1/4 cups of flour and mix until combined. 

3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface.  Knead for about 8-10 minutes, sprinkling more flour on your work surface as needed.   Dough should be soft and elastic by the end, so don't get too flour-happy. Alternately, you can use the bread hook on a stand mixer and knead for 8-10 minutes, adding in flour as needed. By the end the dough should stick only to the bottom of the pan, not the sides.

4. Lightly grease or flour a large bowl (the bowl you mixed the dough in is fine) and place dough in the bowl.  Cover with a towel and place in a warm area to rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. 

Assemble the Rolls

1. In a small saucepan melt butter for filling and let simmer until it starts to brown.  Remove from heat and cool.

2. When the dough has risen, punch it down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead for a minute, then roll into a generous rectangle, about 7x14inch / 18x36cm and roughly 1/4inch / 1/2cm thick.

3. Spread cooled butter over dough almost to the edges, then sprinkle evenly with sugar.

4. Starting from one of the longer sides, roll dough into a spiral, pinching the dough together at the end to seal it. 

5. Cut the log into thirds, then each third into 3 slices.  Place the rolls in the prepared pan and cover lightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel.  Place in a warm area to rise for about an hour, or until puffed.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden on top and centers no longer look doughy. Internal temperature should be about 195F / 90C.

Make the Glaze

1. In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and1 Tbsp of milk.  It should be thin enough to drizzle but not too liquidy.  Add more milk as needed. 

2. Drizzle warm rolls with glaze. 

Jenny's Notes:

• If you don't have a thermometer handy to know what 100 degrees is, simply warm until the milk feels quite warm, but not hot.

• You can freeze these rolls once you have sliced them and put them in the pan.  Once removed from the freezer allow to thaw and proceed as normal. 

• When using a stand mixer to knead, I still recommend kneading it for a few minutes by hand afterwards. I find they are not always as thorough as kneading by hand and you want an even rise for your dough.  I often to do it all by hand just because it’s therapeutic!

Yield 9 rolls

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

1 Hour

Cook time

20 Min

Total time

1 H & 20 M

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Almond Poppy Seed Rolls

Soft, fluffy breakfast rolls reminiscent of cinnamon rolls but with an almond poppy seed dough, a sweet, gooey buttery filling, and a sweet glaze.

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 1/2 cup / 119g milk or water
• 1/4 cup / 50g sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp / 7g active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp / 28g oil
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp / 23g poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 cups / 270g all-purpose flour + about 1/4 cup / 30g for kneading

For the Filling

• 1/4 cup / 56g butter
• 1/4 cup / 50g sugar

For the Glaze

• 3/4 cup / 94g powdered sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp / 14-28g milk

Instructions

Make the Dough

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk until it is about 100F / 38C. Pour into a large bowl. Add the sugar and yeast and allow to sit for 7-10 minutes. The yeast should foam up a bit.
2. Add oil, eggs, poppy seeds, extract, and salt. Add the 2 1/4 cups of flour and mix until combined.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for about 8-10 minutes, sprinkling more flour on your work surface as needed. Dough should be soft and elastic by the end, so don't get too flour-happy. Alternately, you can use the bread hook on a stand mixer and knead for 8-10 minutes, adding in flour as needed. By the end the dough should stick only to the bottom of the pan, not the sides.
4. Lightly grease or flour a large bowl (the bowl you mixed the dough in is fine) and place dough in the bowl. Cover with a towel and place in a warm area to rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Assemble the Rolls

1. Preheat oven to 400F / 205C. Grease an 8x8inch / 20x20cm square baking dish.
2. In a small saucepan melt butter for filling and let simmer until it starts to brown. Remove from heat and cool.
3. When the dough has risen, punch it down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for a minute, then roll into a generous rectangle, about 7x14inch / 18x36cm and roughly 1/4inch / 1/2cm thick.
4. Spread cooled butter over dough almost to the edges, then sprinkle evenly with sugar.
5. Starting from one of the longer sides, roll dough into a spiral, pinching the dough together at the end to seal it.
6. Cut the log into thirds, then each third into 3 slices. Place the rolls in the prepared pan and cover lightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place in a warm area to rise for about an hour, or until puffed.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden on top and centers no longer look doughy. Internal temperature should be about 195F / 90C.

Make the Glaze

1. In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and1 Tbsp of milk. It should be thin enough to drizzle but not too liquidy. Add more milk as needed.
2. Drizzle warm rolls with glaze.

Notes

If you don't have a thermometer handy to know what 100 degrees is, simply warm until the milk feels quite warm, but not hot. It'll be fine!You can freeze these rolls once you have sliced them and put them in the pan. Once removed from the freezer allow to thaw and proceed as normal. When using a stand mixer to knead, I still recommend kneading it for a few minutes by hand afterwards. I find they are not always as thorough as kneading by hand and you want an even rise for your dough.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

276.34

Fat

10.42 g

Sat. Fat

3.94 g

Carbs

40.79 g

Fiber

1.52 g

Net carbs

39.27 g

Sugar

15.97 g

Protein

5.19 g

Sodium

122.93 mg

Cholesterol

35.35 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 1 roll.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2020/4/18/almond-poppyseed-rolls

almond poppy seed, breakfast rolls, yeast, yeasted breads, enriched dough,glaze

Breakfast,Breads, Dessert

American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

---

Sicilian Almond Cookies - Paste di Mandorle

Last Updated August 16, 2024

Paste di mandorle, or almond cookies, are one of the simplest and most delicious cookie recipes you could ask for, requiring only 4 ingredients and an overnight refrigeration (and even that is optional), so you can make the dough one day and bake the next. And because they only use almond flour, they are gluten-free friendly!

These cookies and many variations of them hail from Sicily, where the land is full of sunshine and Mediterranean breezes, charming towns, and has the perfect climate for some of the most succulent citrus fruits and almonds. Or so I’ve heard, I have yet to actually go there! The first time I found a bag of Sicilian almonds in Italy I snatched them up, hoping for a taste experience like never before. Basically setting myself up for disappointment. They were good, yes, but I think it would be best to eat them fresh, in Sicily. Until that day when I go to Sicily, I will content myself with tastes of their culture, like the occasional good arancini (fried balls of rice stuffed with cheese and veggies or meat) that you can find around Florence, granita (a slushy type drink), brioche stuffed with gelato, and cannoli. And of course, these almond cookies. And they’re so simple to make. Dangerous.

A Note on What You Call These Cookies in Italian

The original name of this post I had named as “Paste alle mandorle” but I believe that is used more to denote almond paste, or marzipan, so I’ve updated it to Paste di Mandorle.

While most translating apps will tell you “cookie/cookies” translates to “biscotto/biscotti”, it’s not a catch-all. For as often as I talk about, bake, and eat cookies, this word has always given me grief. If you want to get technical, and you know I do, “biscotti” can be broken down into two root words: “bis” meaning two or twice, and “cotti” meaning baked or cooked. Thus, biscotti actually refers to cookies that have been baked twice. In America, you probably are familiar with the word biscotti, meaning those long hard cookies often sold at coffee shops. Those are truly biscotti, because they’re twice baked. The whole dough is baked, then they’re sliced and baked again. So if you want to talk about cookies in Italian but you don’t want to talk about the twice-baked ones, what do you call them? There is no catch-all, but you have some options. You could simply call them “dolci” (sweets) or dolcetti (little sweets) which is always safe, or cookies made with butter, similar to what we know as shortbread, you could call “frolli”. Or, you can call them “paste” as I did in this post, which in the most general translation of the word means "doughs” or “pasticcini” which is similar. Just looking up this recipe in Italian, on the first page you will probably find them called paste, pasticcini, and biscotti.

Then don’t get me started on the Italian word for “cake” which is “torta”. That one IS a catch-all, but in a bad way, because then I’m calling desserts “cake” in Italian that are definitely not cake in English. They have no word for pie, so then if someone comes to your Thanksgiving dinner and asks what the pumpkin pie is, you might say “torta di zucca” or, pumpkin cake. Sigh. Pie, like Americans think of pie (apple pie, cherry pie) doesn’t exist in their traditional cuisine so it makes sense. But confusing for an American who wants to talk about it in Italian. Some desserts, like apple, are known enough now in Italy that you can refer to them by their English name, apple pie.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Original recipe adapted and translated from GialloZafferano

---

Sicilian Almond Cookies - Paste di Mandorle

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups / 250g almond flour

• 1 1/4 cups / 250g granulated sugar

• 2 / 60g egg whites

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

Garnishes (optional)

• powdered sugar

• whole, sliced, or slivered almonds

Directions:

Oven 350F / 180C

1. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour and the sugar.

2. Mix in the egg whites and the almond extract until thoroughly combined. This can be done with a spoon, a hand mixer, stand mixer, or even in a food processor.

3. Cover dough and place in fridge overnight or for at least 7 hours.

4. Remove dough from fridge and roll into balls, then roll in powdered sugar. Flatten cookies a bit, as they will not spread much in the oven. Press in a few almond slices on top. Alternately, shape them as you wish, as they hold their shape well after the overnight refrigeration.

5. Place cookies on a silpat or parchment covered baking sheet, leaving about 1” between cookies.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 8-12 minutes, until just lightly golden. Be careful no to overbake, cookies should be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Jenny’s Notes:

• If you have almonds and a method to grind them, such as a food processor, go ahead and make fresh almond flour! Be careful not to over grind, you don’t want the almonds to heat up and the oil to start to escape, resulting in almond butter.

• If you prefer other extracts, go ahead and play around with other flavors; vanilla, orange, lemon, coconut, etc.

• This recipe, if you go by weight instead of imperial measurements, is very easy to modify or double, triple, halve, etc.! You can see that the ratio of almond flour to sugar is 1:1: essentially all you have to do is mix together equal weights of almond flour and sugar, with just enough egg whites to bind them together easily and a touch of extract for flavor. Voila.

• These cookies have many variants and shapes and are often piped with candied cherries on top. I’m not a huge candied fruit person, and so I found a simple recipe and omitted the piping for one of the simpler almond cookie methods, rolling in powdered sugar and decorating with almonds.

Yield 24

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

12 Min

Inactive time

7 Hour

Total time

7 H & 42 M

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Sicilian Almond Cookies - Paste alle Mandorle

A classic Italian cookie originating in Sicily with a soft center and crunchy exterior. 4 ingredients and gluten-free.

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups / 250g almond flour
• 1 1/4 cups / 250g granulated sugar
• 2 / 60g egg whites
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

Garnishes (optional)

• powdered sugar
• whole, sliced, or slivered almonds

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour and the sugar.
2. Mix in the egg whites and the almond extract until thoroughly combined. This can be done with a spoon, a hand mixer, stand mixer, or even in a food processor.
3. Cover dough and place in fridge overnight or for at least 7 hours.
4. Remove dough from fridge and roll into balls, then roll in powdered sugar. Flatten cookies a bit, as they will not spread much in the oven. Press in a few almond slices on top. Alternately, shape them as you wish, as they hold their shape well after the overnight refrigeration.
5. Place cookies on a silpat or parchment covered baking sheet, leaving about 1” between cookies.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 8-12 minutes, until just lightly golden. Be careful no to overbake, cookies should be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Notes

If you have almonds and a method to grind them, such as a food processor, you can make fresh almond flour! Be careful not to over-grind, you don’t want the almonds to heat up and the oil to start to escape, resulting in almond butter. If you prefer other extracts, play around with other flavors; vanilla, orange, lemon, coconut, etc. This recipe, if you go by weight instead of imperial measurements, is very easy to modify or double, triple, halve, etc.! You can see that the ratio of almond flour to sugar is 1:1: essentially all you have to do is mix together equal weights of almond flour and sugar, with just enough egg whites to bind them together easily and a touch of extract for flavor. Voila. These cookies have many variants and shapes and are often piped with candied cherries on top. I’m not a huge candied fruit person, and so I found a simple recipe and omitted the piping for one of the simpler almond cookie methods, rolling in powdered sugar and decorating with almonds.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

110.04

Fat

5.24 g

Sat. Fat

0.40 g

Carbs

14.38 g

Fiber

1.31 g

Net carbs

13.07 g

Sugar

12.51 g

Protein

2.76 g

Cholesterol

0.00 mg

Nutritional information is approximate, based on 1 cookie.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2019/5/23/almond-cookies-paste-alle-mandorle

gluten-free, Sicilian almond cookies, Paste alle Mandorle

dessert, cookies

Italian

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

---

Homemade Marzipan

Last Updated: August 10, 2024

Marzipan!  That weird almond dessert that no one seems to really talk about in America, but people rave about in Europe. It really should catch on in the US, because:

1. It tastes like almonds and is delicious

2. It's easy to make

3. It's fun to work with and versatile

 It can be used as filling or toppings of baked goods, and it can also be colored and molded into shapes or rolled out and used to cover cakes in a fondant fashion. Fondant has it's place, but I would rather eat a marzipan covered cake any day over a fondant cake.  

You may have seen almond paste sold in stores, and although almond paste and marzipan are made from the same ingredients, they are not usually equal. This depends on what part of the world you call home.  In many European countries the terms marzipan and almond paste are interchangeable, in other parts, such as the US, they are different products. If they are different, as in the US, marzipan is smoother, sweeter, made with egg whites and sometimes rose water, whereas almond pasted is less sweet and has a coarser texture.  When I first started dabbling in marzipan, I used almond paste as a base to make marzipan, but now I prefer to make it from scratch.

It's so simple, as you can see for yourself!

This post may contains affiliate links. If you buy something using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe adapted from La Cuochina Sopraffina

---

Marzipan

Makes about 280g of marzipan, or about 10 oz. 

Ingredients:

• 125g / 1 1/3 cup almond flour or almonds

• 125g / 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 egg white (about 30g)

• 6 drops almond extract

• 3 drops rose water, optional

Directions:

1. If using whole almonds, place in a food processor and process until finely ground.   

2. Process almond flour, powdered sugar, egg white, almond extract, and rose water until a thick dough forms.  If the consistency is too thin, add more powdered sugar.  

3. Turn marzipan out onto a surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar, knead for a few seconds.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed, or freeze.  

Jenny's Notes:

• This recipe is very simple to adjust to the amount you need, especially if you scale/weigh your ingredients.  As you may have noticed, the almond flour to powdered sugar is a 1:1 ratio.  

• If you are worried about eating or serving raw egg whites, be sure to buy pasteurized egg whites from the store.   

Yield 10

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

10 Min

Total time

10 Min

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Homemade Marzipan

Marzipan is a versatile and tasty European almond sweet, often paired with chocolate, molded into fruit shapes, or used to cover cakes in place of fondant. Gluten and dairy free.

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 125g / 1 1/3 cup almond flour or almonds
• 125g / 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg white (about 30g)
• 6 drops almond extract
• 3 drops rose water, optional

Instructions

1. If using whole almonds, place in a food processor and process until finely ground.
2. Process almond flour, powdered sugar, egg white, almond extract, and rose water until a thick dough forms. If the consistency is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
3. Turn marzipan out onto a surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar, knead for a few seconds. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed, or freeze.

Notes

This recipe is very simple to adjust to the amount you need, especially if you scale/weigh your ingredients. As you may have noticed, the almond flour to powdered sugar is a 1:1 ratio. If you are worried about eating or serving raw egg whites, be sure to buy pasteurized egg whites from the store.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

131.15

Fat

7.44 g

Sat. Fat

0.57 g

Carbs

14.21 g

Fiber

1.86 g

Net carbs

12.35 g

Sugar

11.43 g

Protein

3.51 g

Sodium

6.80 mg

Cholesterol

0.00 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 10 servings.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2017/5/3/homemade-marzipan

marzipan, almond paste, European sweets, marzipan fruit, fondant, gluten-free, dairy-free, raw

dessert

European

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

---

Quinoa Coconut Date Rolls

Last Updated August 8, 2024

These little morsels are so named because they are rolled, and no, these will not get you a date nor would I suggest bringing them on a first date.  Not because these aren't scrummy (that’s scrumptious and yummy combined), but because "healthy" baking should always be treated warily.  You must already have a well established relationship with that person, preferably have treated them to some normal sugary delicious desserts so that they understand that you understand what a dessert "should" be, and can trust your taste buds when you then try to sell them on your spinach-spirolina-turmeric-kale-ginger-wasabi-moringa bars that are also dairy-free and refined-sugar free.  Whew, I'm out of breath.  But that relationship is important.  So if I've never eaten anything that you've made before, know that I might distrust you at first, in the most genial way possible.  And you should distrust me, until I gain your trust.  

Also understand what your taste preferences are, and if you don't like healthy desserts, well then, may I ask why are you reading this particular recipe? May I kindly redirect you to this decadent Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle?  Or if you don't like dates, we might have a problem.  But if you like healthy desserts, or are exploring in this arena, then you probably know what you're getting yourself into.  The quinoa provides protein and grains, the almonds provide good fats and more protein, while the dates give sweetness and carbs and coconut brings flavor to the party. 

So now, using your own best judgment, allow me to introduce my friends, the Quinoa Coconut Date Rolls.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe adapted from Skinny Ms.

---

Quinoa Coconut Date Rolls

Makes about 10-12 rolls

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup / 60g dry quinoa

• 2/3 cup / 158g water

• 1 cup / 160g pitted dates

• 1/2 cup / 70g almonds

• 1/3 cup / 33g grated unsweetened coconut, plus more for rolling

• 2-3 tsp / 10-15g water

• 1/4 cup / 42g chocolate chips, optional

Directions:

1. Combine quinoa and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed.  Set aside to cool completely.  If you already have quinoa made, you'll need about 1 cup.  

2. Place dates in a food processor and blend until they stick together in a ball.  Add the almonds, coconut, and quinoa; pulse until well combined.  Add water, if necessary, until the mixture holds together.  Shape into balls or roll.  Place extra coconut on a plate and roll the rolls around until completely covered in coconut.  

3. *Optional:  Heat chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave for 30 second bursts, until melted.  Drizzle chocolate over rolls.

4. Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze.  

Jenny's Notes:

• For a chunkier roll, process for a shorter period of time.  

• These rolls are also delicious if you add a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. They could become autumnal if you add cinnamon along with a dash of nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Yum!  

Yield 10-12 rolls

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

25 Min

Cook time

15 Min

Total time

40 Min

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Quinoa Coconut Date Rolls (Vegan)

Nutritious Lara-bar like rolls made with quinoa, dates, coconut, and almonds with optional chocolate drizzle. Great for breakfast, snacks, on the go, and after workouts!

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup / 60g dry quinoa
• 2/3 cup / 158g water
• 1 cup / 160g pitted dates
• 1/2 cup / 70g almonds
• 1/3 cup / 33g grated unsweetened coconut, plus more for rolling
• 2-3 tsp / 10-15g water
• 1/4 cup / 42g chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

1. Combine quinoa and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool completely. If you already have quinoa made, you'll need about 1 cup.
2. Place dates in a food processor and blend until they stick together in a ball. Add the almonds, coconut, and quinoa; pulse until well combined. Add water, if necessary, until the mixture holds together. Shape into balls or roll. Place extra coconut on a plate and roll the rolls around until completely covered in coconut.
3. *Optional: Heat chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave for 30 second bursts, until melted. Drizzle chocolate over rolls.
4. Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze.

Notes

For a chunkier roll, process for a shorter period of time. These rolls are also delicious if you add a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. They could become autumnal if you add cinnamon along with a dash of nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Yum!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

151.00

Fat

7.49 g

Sat. Fat

2.97 g

Carbs

20.79 g

Fiber

3.25 g

Net carbs

17.54 g

Sugar

13.01 g

Protein

3.11 g

Sodium

37.86 mg

Cholesterol

0.00 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 10 servings and includes chocolate drizzle.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2017/4/12/quinoa-coconut-date-rolls

quinoa, coconut, almonds, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, vegetarian, healthy, nutritious, clean eating, egg-free

snack, breakfast

American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

---