I’m not being dramatic when I say that discovering Frangipane changed my life. Are you a person who loves almond croissants? You know the sweet almond filling in the middle that resurfaces in other cakes, pastries, and baked goods? It’s frangipane! It’s a simple filling that you can use in so many ways. Spread it inside a croissant, tuck it into puff pastry or croissants, or bake it under fruit in a tart (don’t worry- recipe links coming real soon!) and suddenly you have something that tastes like it came out of a French bakery.
The best part? It’s SO SIMPLE. Pantry ingredients and no special equipment needed. Just dump and mix. Once I discovered how easy it was to make, I’ve been including it in so many different things!
Ingredients needed for Frangipane
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Almond Flour – no substitutions. Find this in the baking aisle of your store.
- Sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- All purpose flour
- Almond extract
How to Make Frangipane
- Cream butter and sugar just until smooth, but don’t beat it fluffy. We don’t want to incorporate lots of air here.
- Mix in the eggs, gradually.
- Add almond flour, all purpose flour, and almond extract and stir until you have a smooth, soft, spreadable paste-like consistency.
Tips for perfect Frangipane
- Use Soft Butter – your butter should be soft enough to mix smoothly and easily without any lumps, but not melted. Butter too cold will result in lumps, butter too soft won’t bake properly.
- Do not over mix – Mix until smooth, not fluffy. Just mix your butter and sugar until combined into a smooth mixture, you don’t want to whip air into it. Air will cause expansion during baking and then collapse.
- Aim for Texture – it should result in a thick, spreadable paste consistency. If your kitchen is extra warm or your butter too soft, and you feel your mixture is too loose, pop it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm up- it’s super flexible!
- Don’t over bake – when cooked, it should be lightly golden on the edges but still soft and slightly tender in the center.
How to Use Frangipane
Now comes the fun part- what do you make with it?? You can be creative in so many ways. Stuff it inside of croissants or use with puff pastry dough for swoon-level treats. You can also spread it on the bottom of fruit tarts or layer it into bar cookies. It adds a soft rich almond layer that makes just about anything taste bakery-worthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not quite! Frangipane is a soft, spreadable almond cream that is meant to be baked. Almond paste is much firmer, sweeter, and typically used as an ingredient as opposed to a finished filling. Frangipane will bake up soft and tender, and almond paste will stay dense.
No, there is no substitution for the almond flour.
Technically no, the almond extract only impacts flavor. Without it, you’ll still get a lovely filling that can be used in all the same ways. However it won’t have as pronounced of an almond flavor. If that’s what you prefer, feel free to substitute vanilla instead.
Yes. Store finished frangipane in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2-3 months. If frozen, thaw in the fridge. For both methods, let it come to room temperature before using so it’s soft and spreadable.
Yes, it contains eggs, so uncooked frangipane needs to be kept in the fridge, however after baking, baked goods are stable at room temperature.
Yes, it freezes really well. Keep in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator and let come to room temp before using.
How to Measure for Frangipane (To weigh or not to weigh!)
This recipe is written in grams, with standard measurements included for convenience. Ideally, you’ll use equal weights (100g each) of butter, sugar, eggs, and almond flour, but standard measurements won’t match exactly. For example, a stick of butter is slightly over, and egg weights can vary.
For most uses, that’s completely fine. Frangipane is pretty forgiving. If it’s your first time, I recommend weighing ingredients, but it’s not essential. Using standard measurements may give you a slightly thicker or thinner mixture. If it seems too loose, just refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.
I sometimes weigh everything exactly and sometimes just use standard measurements, and both work well. The one time it really matters is when scaling the recipe, since small differences can add up.
Frangipane (Easy Almond Cream Filling)
Ingredients
- 100 g butter, softened or 1 standard stick
- 100 g granulated sugar 1/2 cup
- 100 g eggs 2 large
- 100 g almond flour 1 cup
- 15 g all purpose flour 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar just until smooth- but do not beat it until fluffy.
- Add eggs gradually, mixing until incorporated.
- Stir in almond flour, all purpose flour, and extract just until combined.
- Use as desired, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freee for up to 2-3 months. If frozen, thaw in the fridge, then bring to room temperature and stir before using.When used in baked goods, it should be lightly golden on top and set in the center. It will feel soft, but not wet or runny.
Questions & Reviews
I have a gluten intolerant grandchild…what can I do to replace the all purpose flour in this recipe? Thank you.
good question. The purpose of the flour is just to help bind the mixture. You could do a cup-for-cup GF flour if you have one, or just add an extra tablespoon almond flour. Your mixture might be just a bit looser but it will be just fine!