Aldi Marzipan & Almond Cookies Review
Author’s Note: Not sponsored, as always. Not a paid review. I have no affiliation with Aldi. Enjoy my unbiased nonsense.
Dangerous. Like a Russian sleeper agent.
I could not stop eating these little German cookies. It’s my wicked sister’s fault, as usual. She showed up to my office door with TWO packages of these naughty nuggets. It’s like she wants me to be chubby.
Anyway. These are the cookie version of a Russian sleeper agent. The boring spy who lives next door, but flies under everyone’s radar. They look so unimpressive. I’ve been burned before by Aldi’s “imported” cookies in a similar chocolate-coated shape (read my snarky review, and weep). So I was totally caught off guard by the quality and yum-factor here.
Textures
These “Almond” and “Marzipan” cookies are surprisingly tender morsels. It’s a weird combination of delicately crisp exterior, and softer interior. The Almond variety are pillowy, even. I love the nutty texture — it’s not gritty, but the ground nuts are palpable. These are rich, heavy morsels, without tasting “dense.”
Flavors
The way the Almond dough is baked, it forms a more concentrated crust on top, with a richer flavor and slight texture change. It reminds me of a meringue mixed with marzipan. It has a distinct almond flavor that is just a tad too strong to taste entirely normal. But yummy. Thin, crunchy almonds on top give extra pizazz. The thick finger-like shape is satisfying to bite.
Chocolate
There’s just enough dark chocolate to complement the almond flavors. A thin, but crisp coating. And it’s nice chocolate, not melty or waxy tasting. I approve. Only lightly sweet, it adds richness without sugar overload.
Fruit Centers
There are jelly centers in the Marzipan variety. Unexpected. But good. On par with finding a forgotten $20 bill in a coat pocket. This jam is a combination of apple pulp, cherry juice, and elderberry concentrate. Tangy, juicy, and soft. A jolt of cool tartness against the warmth of the nuts and chocolate. Sassy. Like your opinionated Aunt who almost makes you mad, but doesn’t.
Why doesn’t the label announce this fruity feature? Why, Aldi? It just says “Mini Marzipan Cookies with rich dark chocolate base.” How are we supposed to know there is fruity joy lurking in the middle? Hmmph. Hire me as a consultant next time. Will work for cookies.*
(*Just kidding. I won’t.)
Serving the cookies
The small size of these cookies makes them perfect for a tea party. Or a party buffet. They’re fancy enough to make an elegant impression. None of mine were broken, crumbly, or damaged. These cardboard trays provide a fresher-looking packaging, too. Better than a jumbled old sack, anyway.
Ingredients in Aldi Specially Selected Marzipan & Almond Cookies
Here is my best attempt at typing out the ingredients from the labels:
Almond Cookies:
Sugar, Wheat Flour, Almonds, Chocolate Liquor, Invert Sugar Syrup, Palm Fat, Cocoa Butter, Sorbitol, Eggs, Whey, Egg White, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Rapeseed Oil, Barley Malt Extract, Wheat Starch, Turmeric (Color), Ammonium Carbonate, Citric Acid, Soy Lecithin, Mono and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Natural Flavor (Contains Milk), Salt.
Marzipan Cookies:
Sugar, Almonds, Wheat Flour, Apple Pulp, Palm Fat, Invert Sugar Syrup, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Sorbitol, Sweet Cherry Juice Concentrate, Eggs, Whey, Egg White, Egg Yolk, Potato Starch, Soy Flour, Barley Malt Extract, Elderberry Juice Concentrate, Ammonium Carbonate, Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid, Pectin, Natural Flavor (Contains Milk), Salt.
Both cookie varieties are imported from Germany.
Nutrition Facts
Each cookie type has its own Nutrition Facts:
Marzipan:
A serving is 3 cookies and contains 230 calories. You get 10 grams of fat (4 grams saturated fat) and 4 grams of protein. There are 28 grams total carbohydrates, of which 3 grams are fiber, and 20 grams are sugars (18 grams “added sugar”). Only 2% your daily value of sodium, and less than 5mg cholesterol.
Almond:
A serving is 3.5 cookies and contains 240 calories. You get 12 grams of fat (4 grams of saturated fat) and 5 grams of protein. There are 26 grams total carbohydrates, of which 2 grams are fiber, and 17 grams are sugars (all of them “added sugar”). You also get 3% your daily value of sodium per serving, and 0% cholesterol.
Price and Servings
Each 6.1-7 ounce package costs $3.99 at my local Aldi. For an Aldi product, these are on the “spendy” side: if you only get 3.5 servings per package, the price per serving is $1.14. That’s anywhere from 33-44 cents per cookie.
There’s also a third “Hazelnut” variety, which is triangular in shape. Tempting.
Shelf Life
My packages were dated for about 4 months after purchase.
Dramatic Conclusion
I loved the delicate textures and flavors of these cookies. They’re elegant enough for entertaining. Unfortunately, they’re relatively expensive. I probably wouldn’t have risked an unknown purchase, for this price. But, now that I know how delicious they are, I might buy these again. Or for the first time. Thanks to my wicked sister.
The End.
More Reviews You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out these other reviews I’ve written. Or don’t. That’s fine, too:
