Golden and crumbly, this peanut Mazapan is one of Mexico’s most loved candies. Made with only 2 ingredients, it won’t be hard for you to discover why everyone finds its sweet nuttiness addictive.
Why You’ll Love This Mazapan Recipe
Children love it, adults love it… Mexican mazapan candy is always a hit with everyone!
- Easy. It really doesn’t get any easier than a 2-ingredient dessert that needs to be blended and pressed into a mold.
- Kid-friendly. Even picky eaters love mazapan! You can also get them to help you press the mixture into the molds, making it a fun kitchen-project.
- Makes great gifts. Homemade candy is always a super thoughtful and impressive treat to bring to any gathering. You might even start getting orders for it!
- Quick. No matter what your week looks like, you probably have time to make this 15-minute candy.
What Is Mazapan Candy?
Mazapan is a traditional melt-in-your mouth Mexican candy. It’s made from peanuts and lots of powdered sugar for a very delicate and crumbly texture. The mixture is tightly pressed into molds before each piece of candy is wrapped in cellophane plastic.
Locals love to buy ones that are still intact because there’s a certain excitement around opening it without it crumbling. Mexico’s most common mazapan brand is “De la Rosa.”
What Is Mexican Mazapan Made Of?
With only two ingredients, you don’t need to consider yourself a candy-maker to have these on hand.
- Unsalted peanuts – If they’re salted, give them a good rinse and pat them dry. Either way, make sure they’re peeled.
- Powdered sugar – Don’t use granulated sugar for this. It won’t work.
How to Make Mazapan
Just process the mixture and press it together. It’s simple! Check the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.
- Process the peanuts. Add half of the peanuts to a food processor or powerful blender. Pulse until you get a fine mixture. Add the remaining peanuts and process again until nice and crumbly.
- Add the sugar. Place the sugar in the blender. Pulse until well combined with the peanuts.
- Press it. Fill each mold with the crumbly mixture. Press it down tightly.
- Remove the mold. Press around the mold’s edges as you gently lift the mold. Wrap each mazapan in plastic wrap.
Tips & Variations
While store-bought ones are great, you’ll never go back to De la Rosa again once you see how easy it is to make mazapan extra yummy.
- Add cocoa. Substitute 1 tablespoon of ground peanuts for unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate mazapan.
- Blend until fine. Only blend the peanuts until you get a fine, crumbly mixture. Don’t process them forever or you’ll end up making peanut butter.
- Change the mold. Feel free to use any shape mold. However, the simpler the shape, the easier the mold will be to remove without breaking the mazapan. I used a scalloped biscuit cutter for my mold. However, I find round silicone molds to be the easiest to use.
- Use almonds. Swap the peanuts for peeled almonds to make “mazapan de almendras” (almond mazapan.)
- Add chocolate. Melt 1/2 to 1 cup of dark chocolate chips according to package instructions. Use a fork to carefully dip each candy into the chocolate until completely coated. Set them on a parchment-lined tray until the chocolate hardens. Enjoy!
How to Store Mexican Peanut Candy
Mazapan needs to be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Avoid keeping it at room temperature, especially if there’s lots of heat or humidity in your area. To store it for longer, wrap each piece in foil and freeze them for up to 3 months.
More Mexican Desserts
Mazapan Candy
Ingredients
- 2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place half of the peanuts into a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds, scrape down the sides and pulse for another 20 seconds. Add the remaining peanuts and pulse at 20 second intervals until a fine sand remains. (Don’t over process until the peanuts start to get oily, or you will wind up with peanut butter.)
- Add the powdered sugar and pulse to combine.
- Spoon a mold full of the peanut mixture and press down firmly with a spoon, making sure to tightly press the edges.
- Press around the edges while gently lifting the mold. If the candy crumbles, you may not have pressed it together well enough. Simply place the peanut mixture back in the mold and press some more.
- Wrap the candies tightly in plastic wrap until ready to eat.
Notes
Nutrition
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