Can You Freeze Almond Paste?

3 minutes

Almond paste is an important ingredient in many dessert recipes and is always kept at hand by keen home bakers. It’s not quite as sweet as marzipan, tends to be creamier, and is used in many cakes. But, what is the best way to keep it for the long term?

How to Freeze Almond Paste

Almond paste (or marzipan) freezes extremely well and is easy to prepare for the freezer. You just need to ensure it’s properly stored to enjoy the incredible shelf-life. Here are the steps you need to follow to freeze almond paste:

1. Empty Paste from Tube
   Almond paste is most commonly purchased in a tube or can. Make sure you remove the paste from its original packaging and transfer it into freezer-safe packaging. Resealable freezer-safe bags are the ideal choice for almond paste. 
2. Separate into Portions: You must plan carefully when separating your almond paste into appropriate portions. Most baking recipes only need a couple of tablespoons of paste in each batch, so you should separate the paste accordingly before freezing.
3. Double Wrap: For best results, you should double-wrap almond paste to preserve its flavour. It’s a good idea to place it in cling film or tin foil and wrap it tightly. You can then place each portion size into a freezer-safe bag. This will help protect the paste from other odours in the freezer. 
4. Label and Freeze: Once your paste is double wrapped and ready to go, simply label the bag and place it in the freezer. You should write on the bag what it is (particularly if you’re wrapping it in foil) and mention the preparation and use-by dates.

3 Tips for Freezing Almond Paste

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing almond paste to have the best results:

Double Wrap
It’s extremely important that you double wrap almond paste, which is why we are reiterating it here in these tips! If you let too much air get to the paste while in the freezer for so long, it will dry out and lose its flavour.

Store for 6 Months in the Fridge
Almond paste is incredibly long-lasting. If you wrap it well, it can keep in the refrigerator for up to six months before you transfer it to the freezer. While it’s okay to keep it in its tube when refrigerating it, you should never put a can in the fridge or freezer. 

Try Making Your Own
If you’re buying almond paste, it can be expensive. You might consider following a simple recipe to make your own, or buy it in bulk from a whole food store. That way, you can freeze it in the long term and not worry about it going out of date.

How Long Can You Freeze Almond Paste?

You can freeze almond paste for around 24 months. 

 However, as has already been mentioned, providing it is well-wrapped and protected from excess air, your paste may even last indefinitely when in the freezer. 

How Do You Defrost Almond Paste?

The best way to defrost almond paste is to let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to protect it from harmful bacteria.

You should then leave it on the countertop for around thirty minutes to allow it to reach room temperature before adding it to your recipe. 

Can You Refreeze Almond Paste?

It’s perfectly safe to refreeze almond paste after it has defrosted.

Just make sure that you repack it tightly to stop any excess air from getting into it, which causes it to dry and lose its flavour.

Be mindful that it’s a good idea to freeze your paste in appropriate portions, so you don’t need to worry about refreezing what you don’t need. 

Does Almond Paste Freeze Well?

Almond paste freezes extremely well, providing you follow the instructions and keep it suitably wrapped.

This is great news as the almond paste can be expensive, so preparing or buying it in batches and then freezing will save you lots of money in the long run, particularly if you’re a keen home baker.

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing almond paste or almonds in general, then these may help: