Are Macarons Gluten Free? And a Macaron Recipe

This post will answer the question, Are macarons gluten free? I will also share with you a completely gluten-free macaron recipe that you can make at home with a few simple ingredients (like almond flour) and a little patience. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

I spent six weeks living in Europe (read about my London and Paris adventures), and while I was there, I fell in love with Laduree’s French macarons.

If you go to London or Paris (and I’ve since learned they are in major cities in the US too), you must try Laduree macarons. They are divine – and totally gluten free. 

Laduree makes the most delicious, sweet, flaky and beautiful macarons you’ll ever eat or see. Just see for yourself how beautiful these French macarons look:

The only issue I have with legit French macarons is the cost. This entire box was about $40 (USD). That’s a lot of money to spend on 15 small cookies!

So I had to temper my macaron cravings, a bit, because I would have went for broke. I knew that as soon as I got home (to the U.S.), I would try my hand at making my own gluten-free macaron recipe.

Are Macarons Gluten Free?

Wait, you might be wondering if macarons are gluten free, and I’m here to tell you, that, for the most part, yes, they are.

Of course, if you buy macarons from a shop, you’ll want to inquire about the ingredients, just to be sure. You’ll also want to ask about the potential for the macarons coming in contact with gluten, which is known as gluten cross contamination.

If you buy packaged macarons, you’ll also want to example the ingredient label and allergen-disclosure statements carefully.

However, you’ll more likely than not be excited to learn that French macarons are gluten free and safe for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities to enjoy.

What Ingredients are Used to Make French Macarons?

French macarons are far from simple to make, but the ingredient list is super simple. French macarons are made from these few ingredients:

• Egg whites
• Powdered sugar 
• Almond flour
• White sugar

Additional ingredients include:

• Food coloring gel
• Ingredients for the filling

Unfortunately, a lot of processed macarons may contain wheat, so be sure to ask questions when you’re eating macarons prepared by someone else. 

Again, while the ingredients used to make French macarons are quite simple, and they’re fairly inexpensive ingredients too, these petit cookies are such a fuss to make!

In fact, it took me many tries to get my French macarons just right.

My first batch spread in the oven.

The second batch didn’t have the “feet” you commonly see on macarons.

The third batch burned on the bottom.

Forth time’s a charm, and after perfecting my technique, I finally cracked the code to making a beautiful and tasty gluten-free French macaron.

How to Make a Gluten-Free French Macaron

If you’re ready to make gluten-free macarons of your own, follow the instructions below.

My son helped me make this video. Please watch before you begin baking your own French macarons.

Step #1: Preheat oven to 315º F. Cover a large baking sheet with a silicone mat (parchment paper is okay too – but a silicone mat is preferable). You can purchase silicone baking mats specifically for making macarons. Set aside.

Step #2: Add almond flour and powdered sugar to a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Sift flour-sugar mixture through a strainer and discard any large bits or reprocess in your food processor and sift again). You want the flour-sugar mixture to be as smooth as possible. Set aside.

Step #3: Using a standing mixer with the whisk attachment, add egg whites and sugar to the mixing bowl and mix on medium for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, increase mixer to medium-high speed for another 2 minutes, and then switch the mixer to high for another 2 minutes (always set your timer). After mixing you should have a beautiful white mixture with stiff peaks.

Step #4: Add gel food coloring and mix on low until desired color is achieved.

Step #5: Add the flour-sugar mixture to the egg white mixture and gently fold until well combined. It will take you about a minute to fold everything together. You’ll know the mixture is good when you can hold up the spatula and the mixture ribbons off of it smoothly. It will take about 60-70 folds.

Step #6: Add mixture to a piping bag with a 1″ round tip. Holding the piping bag upright, pipe the mixture to form small round circles. I usually count to 3 (1-2-3) as I pipe. The cookies are meant to be small (about 1-2″ wide). Once mixture is piped into small circles, gently bang the cookie sheet against the counter 3-4 times to remove any air bubbles.

Step #7: Allow the macarons to sit, untouched, for 20-25 minutes. The macarons will form a protective skin over them. You can gently touch the macarons after 20-25 minutes and if the macaron is not wet to the touch, you can bake them.

Step #8: Bake the macarons for about 11 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through. Do NOT over bake. Allow cookies to cool for 15 minutes before handling. Use a flat spatula to gently loosen any stuck cookies. Cookies should fully cool before adding any filling.

Step #9: You can fill your macarons with any filling you desire. I used a delicious chocolate ganache. To prepare the chocolate ganache, heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once cream begins to bubble, lower heat to medium and add chocolate. Stir constantly. Once chocolate is melted, add butter and continue to stir until well combined. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool in the fridge for 30+ minutes before piping it onto each cookie. The mixture will harden over time and once it looks and spreads like frosting, it’s ready.

Step #10: Add chocolate ganache to a piping bag with a 1″ tip and pipe it into the center of the cookie, then place a second cookie on top of the ganache to form a sandwich.

Step #11: Place macarons in the fridge for 1-2 hours before eating. This allows the ganache time to firm up. The macarons taste best after refrigeration overnight, so plan ahead.

Troubleshooting Macarons

I had to bake up dozens of these macarons to get them exactly right.

Here are some of the common challenges I found:

The macarons spread:  If the macarons spread, it might mean that you didn’t mix the ingredients well enough. Make sure you set your timer and mix for two minutes on medium, two minutes on medium-high and two minutes on high.

Then, once you add the almond flour mixture, you need to gently fold the ingredients until you get the right consistency. You’ll get the hang of it! Just make sure to mix until the mixture ribbons off the spatula.

A good way to get your macarons just right when piping them on your baking sheet is to use a silicone macaron mat. It’s an awesome tool for helping you get the just-right size.

The macarons don’t have feet:  If your macarons don’t have feet, it’s likely a mixing problem. See above for troubleshooting mixing issues.

The macarons crack on top:  If your macarons crack on the top, it means you did not leave them on the baking sheet long enough to form a skin over them. Don’t skip this step. The skin will prevent the macarons from cracking on top.

The macarons have bumps on the top.  After you pipe the batter, you must gently bang the cookie sheet 3-6 times against the counter. This removes air bubbles.  Some people will also poke at stubborn air bubbles with a toothpick.

I’m not that picky but if you’re a perfectionist, but all means poke away! Bumps can also happen if the almond flour + powdered sugar mixture is not processed long enough and properly sifted. You want a very fine flour to avoid any bumps.

The macarons stick to the pan.  Make sure you use a silicon mat to bake the macarons (or parchment paper). Do not use foil or a greased cookie sheet as you must not add any fat to these cookies.

The macarons are brown on bottom. This is an issue I run into often. My macarons often brown when I used parchment paper, but they are more resilient to browning since I switched to a silicone baking mat (thanks to a tip from a follower on Instagram).

Also, the macarons can brown if overcooked even just by 30 seconds. So watch them carefully and adjust the cook time accordingly. Oven temperatures vary, and you may have to make adjustments based on your climate and altitude. Also consider lowering your oven temperature by 15 degrees if the macarons brown too quickly, and make sure your baking rack is in the middle of the oven.

Remember, these are fussy cookies that require detail and precision. It make take you a few times to get them just-right.

The macarons are too crunchy. Macarons should be crunchy on top with a chewy inside (at least that is how I like them). If they are too crunchy, reduce either the oven temperature or bake for one minute less and see if that works.

The macarons aren’t colored.  I run into this issue because I refuse to use artificial dyes and natural food coloring doesn’t quite do the trick. I personally care less about the color and more about the taste and texture.

But if you do care about the color, you may need to use regular food gel to get the desired color (vs. the natural food coloring I used). Look for food coloring “gel” at any grocery store nationwide.

My macarons are only lightly colored because I use natural dyes, which don’t show well on these cookies despite the fact that I used quite a bit of red food coloring!

Oh, and let me know how your gluten-free macaron recipe turns out by leaving a comment or tagging me on Instagram.