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    Home » Desserts » Christmas

    Authentic Bethmännchen - Marzipan Almond Cookies

    Published: Nov 16, 2021 · Modified: Dec 2, 2021 by Marita · 5 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe
    Bethmännchen on a chopping board and on a tray
    Bethmännchen on a cake stand

    If you like marzipan you will love Bethmännchen. Frankfurter Bethmännchen, as these cookies are known in Germany have a long tradition and in Frankfurt am Main (where grew up) they will always be on any coffee and cake spread. They are especially popular during advent and can be found in most Christmas markets. Keep an eye out for them!

    A glas cake platter with Frankfurter Bethmännchen placed on top.
    Jump to:
    • What are Frankfurter Bethmännchen?
    • History
    • How to make Frankfurter Bethmännchen
    • Recipe Variations
    • Troubleshooting
    • Storage Instructions
    • Interested in German Christmas?
    • More German Christmas Baking Recipes
    • Recipe

    They are different from the marzipan cookies recipe that I also have on my website. These cookies have harder outside and a soft chewy inside, that is flavoured with a hint of rosewater (affiliate link) and orange liquor.

    I grew up near Frankfurt and these marzipan almond cookies are intrinsically linked to my childhood. Just as the Frankfurt Green Sauce, which recipe I already posted.

    What are Frankfurter Bethmännchen?

    Bethmännchen is specilialty from Frankfurt am Main. It's a cookie in the shape of a ball made from marzipan, icing /confectioners sugar, almonds and rosewater (affiliate link). You decorate them with blanched almonds and glaze them with egg wash before being baked.

    The recipe is a variation of another famous Frankfurter recipe: Frankfurter Brenten.

    History

    According to the legend, the history of the Bethmännchen cookies started in 1838 in the home of the banker's family von Bethmann. It was there that this delicacy was served for the first time. It was invented by the French cook who used ground almonds, fine sugar, rosewater (affiliate link) and egg white. He decorated them with four almonds to represent the sons of the family: Moritz, Karl, Alexander and Heinrich. Unfortunately, Heinrich died young, so that after that only three almonds were used.

    The delicacy soon spread across the world when in 1863 Moritz von Bethmann served it to his esteemed guest, including the Emporer Franz Joseph from Austria.

    The Bethmann Bank and family still exist, and my father interviewed the Freiherr von Bethmann in the 1990s. Von Bethmann brought Bethmännchen as a present!

    Frankfurter Bethmännchen on a chopping board, which is placed on a grey napkin.

    How to make Frankfurter Bethmännchen

    Ingredients

    • 200 g raw marzipan
    • 80 g confectioners/icing sugar
    • 80 g ground almonds
    • 1 egg white
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • 1 tablespoon rosewater (affiliate link)
    • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (affiliate link) (you can substiute with Amaretto (affiliate link) if you prefer)
    • 4 tablespoons milk

    Bethmännchen Recipe Steps

    1. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
    2. Add a little water (about 500 ml into a saucepan and add the almonds to it. Bring the water to a boil for no longer then 2 minutes. Then quickly strain the almonds. You will find that the skin just slips off the nuts. With a knife (now is the best time as they are softend) slice the almonds in half lengthwise. Spread them on a paper towel to dry.
    3. Separate the egg and place the egg yolk and egg white into separate bowls. Place the egg yolk in the fridge until needed.
    4. Sieve the icing /confections sugar to avoid any lumps. Roughly chop the marzipan in smaller pieces. Mix with the sugar, ground almonds, egg white, liquer and knead to a homogenous dough.
    collage of 4 pictures for the bethmännchen recipe: 1. Almonds being boiled in saucepan. 2. Almonds being skinned. 3. Almonds being halfed with a knife. 4. Mazipan and icing sugar are being kneaded into a dough
    1. Next form the dough into an even roll and with a knife cut of equally size pieces. (I weighted them to ensure that they were equal and for me they were roughly 20 g each).
    2. Form the dough pieces into balls and place them on the baking tray. (My balls had a rough 3 cm diameter)
    3. Press three almond halfs into each ball.
    4. Leave the cookies to dry for at least an hour (if you like overnight).
    5. Now mix the milk and egg yolks. Apply the egg wash with a pastry brush (affiliate link) on the cookies. I like to also apply a further tablespoon or rosewater (affiliate link) or orange liqueur (affiliate link) onto the cookies before baking.
    6. Preheat your oven to 170°C or 338°F top to bottom heat and bake your cookies for approximatley 15 minutes.
    7. Leave to cool. If desired you can dust them with icing sugar before serving.
    a collage of 4 images. 1. marzipan being cut into pieces. 2 Marzipan being rolled into balls. 3. marzipan being brushed with egg wash

    Recipe Variations

    There are not one recipe for these iconic Frankfurter cookies but every Frankfurt family has their own. Here are some ways you can adapt the recipe:

    • without egg - to make vegan Bethmännchen simply omit the egg in the dough. Instead of coating the cookie with egg wash you can brush it with a little lemon juice and (soya, oak or almond) milk instead. Naturally the bethmännchen are without butter.
    • without flour - You do not have to use the flour in the recipe. Lots of recipes don't but I like adding it for the consistency and flavour. (Otherwise I think it gets to sweet).
    • without rosewater (affiliate link) - You do not have to add the rosewater (affiliate link) into the dough nor brush with it. It is traditional to use rosewater (affiliate link) but not obligartory.
    • non-alcoholic bethmännchen - If you do not want to use liquor, it is fine. For me the best liquors are orange liqueur (affiliate link) or amaretto (affiliate link). But you can leave it out.
    Where to buy Bethmännchen in Frankfurt

    If you look to buy Bethmännchen in Frankfurt you do not have to look very hard. Any Kontioreu. Examples are the Kleinmarkthalle (an all-year market hall) in the old part of Frankfurt. There you will find most delicacies.

    Alternativley head to the Konditorei Condit Conteur or the Cafe Goldene Waage, which are both in the city center.

    Bethmännchen Marzipan Almon Cookies on a chopping bord. In the background a green wreath with a canle in the middle

    Troubleshooting

    • My dough is too sticky - add a little flour to the dough..
    • The dough is too dry - add another spoon of rosewater to your dough
    • My bethmännchen are too hard - you probably baked them for too long. But do not worry, just add a slice of apple to the cookie tin when storing the cookies. This should soften them again.

    Storage Instructions

    These traditional cookies from Frankfurt will stay fresh for up to 4 weeks. It is important that you leave them too cool entirely before placing them in a cookie tin.

    Interested in German Christmas?

    • Read my Guide on German Christmas Food.
    • Discover all about German Christmas Market Food
    • And see all of our Christmas Recipes

    More German Christmas Baking Recipes

    • Lebkuchenherzen Recipe - German Gingerbread Hearts
    • German Butter Cookies
    • Vanillakipferl
    • Baiser Cookies (Germen Merengue Cookies)
    • Kokusmakronen (German Coconut Macaroons)
    • Spitzbuben (German Jam Cookies)
    • Stollen Recipe (German Christmas Cake)

    Recipe

    A glas cake platter with Frankfurter Bethmännchen placed on top.

    Authentic Bethmännchen - Marzipan Almond Cookies

    Marita
    Try this delicious speciality from Frankfurt. It is a cookie formed into a ball of marzipan with, icing /confectioners sugar, almonds and rosewater
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine German
    Servings 30 cookies
    Calories 37 kcal

    Equipment

    • pastry brush
    • Baking Tray
    • baking parchment

    Ingredients
      

    • 200 g marzipan 7 oz
    • 80 g confectioners /icing sugar 2.8 oz
    • 2 tablespoon flour
    • 1 egg white
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 4 tablespoons milk
    • 1 tablespoon rosewater
    • 2 tablespoon orange liquor  (you can substitute with Amaretto if you prefer)

    Instructions
     

    • Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
    • Add a little water (about 500 ml into a saucepan and add the almonds to it. Bring the water to a boil for no longer than 2 minutes. Then quickly strain the almonds. You will find that the skin just slips off the nuts. With a knife (now is the best time as they are softened) slice the almonds in half lengthwise. Spread them on a paper towel to dry.
    • Separate the egg and place the egg yolk and egg white into separate bowls. Place the egg yolk in the fridge until needed.
    • Sieve the icing /confections sugar to avoid any lumps. Roughly chop the marzipan in smaller pieces. Mix with the sugar, ground almonds, egg white, liquer and knead to a homogenous dough.
    • Next form the dough into an even roll and with a knife cut of equally size pieces. (I weighted them to ensure that they were equal and for me they were roughly 20 g each).
    • Form the dough pieces into balls and place them on the baking tray. (My balls had a rough 3 cm diameter)
    • Press three almond halves into each ball. (see picture)
    • Now mix the milk and egg yolks. Apply the egg wash with a pastry brush on the cookies. I like to also apply a further tablespoon or rosewater (affiliate link) or orange liquer onto the cookies before baking.
    • Preheat your oven to 170°C or 338°F top to bottom heat and bake your cookies for approximately 15 minutes.
    • Leave to cool. If desired you can dust them with icing sugar before serving.

    Notes

    I strongly recommend checking on the step by step instruction pictures on the main post. 

    Recipe Variations

    There are not one recipe for these iconic Frankfurter cookies but every Frankfurt family has their own. Here are some ways you can adapt the recipe:
    • without egg - to make vegan Bethmännchen simply omit the egg in the dough. Instead of coating the cookie with egg wash, you can brush it with a little lemon juice and (soya, oak or almond) milk instead. Naturally, the bethmännchen is without butter.
    • without flour - You do not have to use the flour in the recipe. Lots of recipes don't but I like adding it for the consistency and flavour. (Otherwise, I think it gets to sweet). This will make the cookies gluten-free. 
    • without rosewater (affiliate link) - You do not have to add
    • the rosewater (affiliate link) into the dough nor brush with it. It is traditional to use rosewater (affiliate link) but not obligatory.
    • non-alcoholic bethmännchen - If you do not want to use liquor, it is fine. For me the best liquors are orange liqueur (affiliate link) or amaretto (affiliate link). But you can leave it out.

    Storage Instructions

    These traditional cookies from Frankfurt will stay fresh for up to 4 weeks. It is important that you leave them too cool entirely before placing them in a cookie tin (affiliate link).
    This will prevent them from sticking together and preserve their look. Ideally, you will store each type of cookie in a separate cooking tin. If you want to store several kinds of cookies in the same tin, I would advise you to separate them with baking parchment so the flavours do not merge.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 37kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 5mgPotassium: 23mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 13IUCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Bethmännchen, Frankfurter Cookies, Marzipan Almond Cookies, Marzipan Rosewater Cookies
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Soft Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels (Martinsbrezeln)
    Easy German Gingerbread Cake (Gewürzkuchen) »
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    Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies and Biscuits, Desserts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Janice

      December 03, 2021 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      You had me at marzipan! These look brilliant and I'm excited to make them. A

      Reply
    2. Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/

      November 19, 2021 at 8:44 pm

      5 stars

      5 stars
      I am adding this recipe to the baking list for Christmas together with your stollen, which was a success last year! I am dribbling right now and can't wait to make these marzipan cookies! I know who will be more than willing to help me bake, LOL!!

      Reply
    3. Shilpa

      November 18, 2021 at 9:05 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve never tried them before but these look so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe and it’s variations. Will bake them soon

      Reply
    4. Giangi Townsend

      November 18, 2021 at 3:47 pm

      5 stars
      I remember having those during our vacation in Germany. So yummy!
      I love marzipan.
      Thank you for sharing

      Reply
    5. Jean

      November 18, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      5 stars
      I miss Frankfurt a lot and therefore will be making these cookies since I cant travel yet.

      Reply

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    Food enthusiast & home cook. I returned to Germany after living in the UK for 20 years. I love making German recipes and exploring the cultural history behind each dish.

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