Macarons are a delicious and fancy dessert that everyone should try at least once in their life. Whether it be a normal cream filling, lemon filling, strawberry, or anything else, all macarons are going to please anyone with a sweet tooth.
There’s a surprising variety of different kinds of macarons and beautiful artistry of how they’re made, but are there health concerns? Are Macarons vegan? Are these delicious treats gluten-free? Answering those kinds of questions is what this article is all about!
What Are Macarons?
A macaron is a smooth topped meringue sandwich cookie made with egg whites, almond flour, powdered (confectioners) sugar, and food coloring. The filling in these cookie sandwiches is usually buttercream, ganache, or fruit jams.
The meringues used are mostly airy and cake-like in texture with a little bit of chewiness. The texture depends a lot on how they’re baked, as it’s hard to bake macarons properly, some may come out hard or underbaked.
Macarons come in a wide variety of flavors and colors. Here are some ideas for fillings that illustrate just how diverse of a treat this can be.
Are Macarons Vegan?
Sadly macarons are NOT vegan. The meringues in macarons are made with egg whites and the cream filling usually contains dairy, making macarons something to avoid if you’re following a vegan diet/lifestyle.
Non-Vegan Ingredients in Macarons
So what makes macarons non-vegan? Not all macarons are made the same, but most will use standard ingredients with only slight variations.
Egg Whites
Egg whites are obtained from eggs, an animal product. Because of where egg whites come from they are not vegan and since they’re used in macarons, they make the meringues used in macarons non-vegan.
Buttercream
Buttercream is made from dairy products including butter and heavy cream/milk. These dairy products are animal byproducts making them non-vegan friendly. While there are vegan buttercream recipes, it wouldn’t exclude the meringues from still being non-vegan.
Ganache
Another common ingredient for macaron fillings is ganache. This creamy filling is also non-vegan as it uses animal byproducts such as dairy, thereby making it another ingredient that makes macarons non-vegan.
Are Macarons Gluten Free?
The natural and traditional ingredients used in macarons are gluten-free! So if you were worried about this delicious treat having any effect on you or a gluten-free diet, then don’t worry as they are safe to eat!
Keep in mind that only the traditional base ingredients for a macaron are gluten-free, different flavors may not be gluten-free. For example, perhaps a cream filling incorporates graham crackers for an extra flavor. At that point, the macaron would no longer be gluten-free, so be sure to check what kind of macaron you’re eating.
A great gluten-free recipe I recommend for macarons comes from Spruce Eats! Keep in mind that making macarons is an art and I recommend looking up some videos on how to do each step in the recipe.
Are Macarons Dairy Free?
Macarons are NOT dairy-free. The meringues that make up the macarons are usually dairy-free, depending on the recipe used. However, most cream filings use milk or other dairy products to make them. So, if you’re looking for a dairy-free macaron, find a recipe that replaces the filling with a non-dairy substitute.
Are Trader Joes Macarons Vegan?
Trader Joe’s macarons use traditional ingredients, including butter and cream. As these ingredients are animal byproducts, they are not vegan or dairy-free!
Can You Make Macarons With Coconut Flour?
Homemade coconut flour can be used to make macarons, but commercially bought coconut flour cannot be used as a one-to-one ratio substitute for almond flour. The issue with store-bought coconut flour is that it is mostly processed for preservation and has been defatted as well.
Can You Make Macarons Without Sugar?
Yes, macarons can be made without sugar but need a proper replacement. Xylitol for example will work as an alternative and there are recipes that incorporate xylitol instead of sugar.
