Marzipan Cookies With Piped Wreaths: Buttery Shortbread Bases Filled With Tart Jam Centers

These marzipan cookies turn a simple buttery shortbread round into an elegant Christmas treat: a piped wreath of almond marzipan around a bright, tart jam center. The tender dough and the rich marzipan are a combination that is hard to resist, and the result is well worth the careful work.

Two-stage baking gives the base a crisp bite and the marzipan its full flavor, while hot jam adds freshness and a glossy shine. How do you keep the wreaths from melting in the oven and keep the piping sharp? The answer is in the method below.

How to Make Marzipan Cookies That Keep Their Wreath Shape

The secret is to pre-bake the butter base and add the marzipan afterward. Use real raw marzipan with a high almond content, not soft covering or modeling paste. Pour the jam in while it is hot so it sets as the cookies cool.

At a Glance

• Prep time: 45 minutes (plus 15 minutes chilling)
• Baking time: 17 minutes (two stages)
• Servings: 30 cookies
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: about 160 kcal per cookie
• Trend: Holiday baking / Luxury desserts

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Make the dough: In a bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar and baking powder. Add the softened butter, egg yolks, vanilla and salt.
2. Knead by hand into a smooth, compact dough. Wrap it in plastic and freeze for 15 minutes (or refrigerate for 30 minutes).
3. Roll the chilled dough out to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut out rounds about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
4. Place the rounds on a baking sheet and pre-bake at 350°F (180°C) (conventional top and bottom heat) for about 7 minutes. They should be set but not fully baked. Let them cool completely.
5. Make the marzipan mixture: Cut the raw marzipan into pieces. Add the powdered sugar, rum extract and egg whites (one whole white plus 1 tablespoon of the second).
6. Mix into a smooth paste and fill a sturdy piping bag fitted with a 1/3-inch (8 mm) star tip.
7. Pipe a wreath of marzipan around the edge of each pre-baked, cooled round.
8. Bake a second time at 320°F (160°C) for about 10 minutes, until the marzipan is lightly golden.
9. Bring the jam to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove it from the heat.
10. Carefully fill the centers of the baked wreaths with the still-hot jam and let it set.

Video Recipe

Tips for Perfect Marzipan Cookies

• Choose the right marzipan. Use raw marzipan with a high almond content. Cheap modeling or covering marzipan spreads in the oven.
• Use a sturdy bag. Marzipan paste is thick. A good silicone or cloth piping bag works best; a thin plastic bag could burst.
• Cool the bases completely. Piping onto warm bases softens the marzipan and blurs the ridges.

Variations

• Chocolate centers: Fill the cooled centers with chocolate ganache instead of jam.
• Orange note: Add a little grated orange zest to the marzipan mixture.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Why do the cookies need two bakes? Marzipan bakes more quickly and at a lower temperature than the dough. If you baked both raw together, the base would stay underdone.
• Can I use a whole egg in the marzipan? No, only egg whites go into the marzipan mixture. A yolk would change its color and texture, and the wreaths would not hold their shape.
• How long do marzipan cookies keep? Store them in a closed tin in a cool place. They stay fresh and tender for about 2 to 3 weeks, so they work well for baking ahead of Christmas.
• What marzipan should I buy? Look for marzipan with a high almond content in the baking aisle. Almond paste is the closest substitute. Avoid soft covering or modeling marzipan.
• Are they good for a cookie exchange or gifts? Yes. Let the jam set completely, then pack the cookies in a single layer in a tin so the wreaths stay intact.

These cookies are a jewel on a cookie platter and taste as luxurious as they look. Serve them with festive coffee or tea.

The recipe is based on a version by Tolle Rezepte, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.

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