Are macarons gluten-free?

Since the main ingredients in macarons (egg whites, granulated sugar, icing sugar, almond flour, and optional food coloring) are gluten-free, macarons are gluten-free.

Should macarons be crispy or chewy?

Macaron shells should have a slightly crispy or crunchy exterior, but the interior should be slightly chewy. This contrast in textures is what makes the macaron so irresistible.

Can you freeze macarons?

If you plan to freeze these gluten-free French macarons, I recommend that you freeze just the shells without assembling them. Place the shells in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 months. When ready to eat the cherry macarons, fill them with buttercream and jam (no thawing required!).

Cherry Macarons (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Name: Cherry Macarons (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 90 grams egg whites; 90 grams granulated sugar; 95 grams powdered sugar; 95 grams almond flour; 5 drops teaspoon red gel food coloring (optional); 4 tablespoons vegan butter, softened; 2 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled; 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar; ¼ cup cherry jam

Description

These beautiful cherry macarons are filled with a dairy-free chocolate buttercream and sweet cherry jam. Perfect for special occasions such as Valentine’s day, Mother’s day, Easter, Christmas or as a sweet treat anytime. Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Macaron Shells:

90 grams egg whites
90 grams granulated sugar
95 grams powdered sugar
95 grams almond flour
5 drops teaspoon red gel food coloring (optional)

For the Filling:

4 tablespoons vegan butter, softened
2 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cherry jam

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Instructions

Whisk Egg White and Granulated Sugar: Heat a small pot of water over medium-low heat. Once the water is simmering, add the egg whites and granulated sugar to a heatproof bowl and set it over the pot, making sure it doesn’t touch the water. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together until the sugar has fully dissolved– about 3 minutes.
Beat Egg White Mixture: Next, transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the egg white mixture on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the meringue holds a soft peak.
Add Food Coloring: Add a few drops of gel food coloring to the meringue (if using) and continue mixing on medium speed until stiff peaks form (about 1-2 minutes). I like to start with a few drops (about 5) and add more if needed.
Fold Powdered Sugar and Almond Flour In: When the meringue holds a stiff peak, sift the powdered sugar and almond flour into the bowl and fold them gently into the meringue. Make sure to fold gently so you don’t deflate the egg whites. Fold just until the meringue reaches the “lava stage”. When the meringue flows smoothly off the spatula without breaking, it’s ready to be piped.
Pipe Meringue Onto Silpat-Lined Sheet: Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe 1” macarons onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Once you’ve finished piping the first tray, hold it a few inches off the counter and drop it straight down to release any air bubbles. Repeat 4-5 times or until any large bubbles have popped. Repeat step 5 with the second tray of macarons.
Let Macaron Mixture Rest: Set the macarons aside to rest for 20-30 minutes or until a skin has formed. You should be able to tap them gently without the meringue sticking to your finger.
Preheat Oven: While the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 325F. (Make sure to use an oven thermometer because it needs to be exactly 325F).
Bake: Bake the macarons, one tray at a time, on the middle rack. Bake for 13 minutes, turning the tray halfway through baking.
Cool Macarons Completely: Allow the macarons to cool completely on the pan before assembling.
Prepare Chocolate Buttercream: Add the softened vegan butter and melted chocolate to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the butter is light and fluffy (about 30 seconds). Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, turn the mixer to medium high speed. Beat until the buttercream becomes light and fluffy (about 1 minute).
Assemble Macarons: Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip. Place the macaron shells in similar sized pairs. Pipe a small ring of buttercream onto the flat side of one macaron and fill the center with cherry jam. Place another macaron shell on top and press down gently, just until the chocolate buttercream reaches the edges. Repeat with the remaining macarons.
Chill Overnight Before Eating: Place the filled macarons in an airtight container and rest them in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature and enjoy.

Notes

Egg Whites: Egg whites are the base of our meringue. They do not have to be at room temperature but they do need to be free of any water or egg yolk (this is very important as the water or yolk can destabilize the egg whites).

Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the macarons and helps form the meringue for the shells.

Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar) is used as a main dry ingredient in both the shell and chocolate buttercream. It also adds additional sweetness.

Almond Flour: Blanched almond flour is the key to rich, crunchy macaron shells– it adds a bit of fat and helps absorb extra moisture. You can either buy store-bought almond flour, or make your own by grinding blanched almonds in a high-speed blender or food processor until you get a super fine flour. Pass the ground almond flour through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of any large pieces or clumps. Do NOT use almond meal (ground almonds) here, as almond meal is coarser and includes the almond skins.

Gel Food Coloring: You must use red food gel coloring in the macarons, not liquid (remember that the liquid will destabilize the egg whites).

Vegan Butter: I used vegan butter to keep this recipe dairy-free. Vegan butter is the base of our buttercream. Make sure it’s fully softened so it incorporates smoothly with the chocolate. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use normal butter instead.

Dark Chocolate: In this recipe, I used dairy-free dark chocolate to keep the recipe dairy-free. If you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use normal dark chocolate instead. Dark chocolate pairs perfectly with cherry. Make sure to cool the melted chocolate slightly before mixing it with the butter so it doesn’t melt the butter.

Cherry Jam: Cherry jam pairs perfectly with chocolate and gives delicious cherry flavor. Alternatively, you could also use a mixed berry, strawberry, or raspberry jam if you prefer.

Storing: Store any leftover macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Resting Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Category: Desserts
Method: Baking
Cuisine: French