Nut Free Macaron Recipe | substitute almond flour
This is a golden macaron. It is special because it contains no nuts. That’s right not a hint of almond meal or any other ground nuts or seeds. Many people have nut allergies and some just can not get hold of almond meal so they asked ‘ Can I substitute almond meal for wheat flour?‘ To which I would answer, ‘Almond meal is high in fat and protein and low in carbs, wheat flour is high in complex carbs, low fat and low protein so the substitution would not work’. But that got me thinking what else could we use.
I have read other recipes that use ground pumpkin seeds. I don’t grind my own almonds, I buy them as almond meal or flour so the thought of buying seeds and grinding them seemed like too much hard work. If you want to try that method, swap in equal quantities for the almond meal.
At first the only other things I could think of that were high protein and fat were also full of water, like egg yolks, which wouldn’t help. Then white chocolate came to mind – high fat, high protein and high sugar. Perhaps if I reduced the sugar in the recipe I could get the nutritional composition of the white chocolate to match the almond meal and it will work – may be!
A couple of trial runs and adjusting ingredient quantities and we have nut free macarons. Now let me warn you they look and taste great but they are not perfect they are a little hollow. If you are after perfect macarons then almond meal is the best way to go.
Nut Free Macaron Ingredients
140g (4.94 ounces) or 4 egg whites
72g (2.54 ounces) or 1/3 cup caster sugar
240g (8.47 ounces) finely grated white chocolate
120g (4.23 ounces) or 1 cup icing sugar sifted
Nut Free Macarons Directions
Whisk together your egg whites and sugar until stiff, add colour if desired and whisk through. Egg whites should be stiff enough that you can turn your bowl upside down and it will not spill out of the bowl.
Gently fold in your icing sugar and white chocolate. Once it is just combined continue to fold some more until some mixture dropped into the bowl very slowly melds down into the rest of the mixture. You do not want a runny mixture or your macarons will be flat. See the video for a visual example of what you are looking for.
Pour the mixture into a piping bag or ziploc bag with the corner cut off and pipe circles onto non-stick baking paper.
Bake at 150C (302 degrees Fahrenheit) for approximately 20 minutes. I like to bake on the top shelf for 15 and then move down for the last 5 – 10 as needed. Leave to cool on the paper and then carefully peel off.
Pair similarly sized macrons and fill with ganache. The recipe should make about 20 macarons.
Chocolate Ganache Recipe
150g (5.29 ounces) dark chocolate chopped
50g (1.76 ounces) or 31/2 tablespoons cream (35% fat)
Place chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Wait approximately 3 minutes for the chocolate to melt and then stir until smooth. Place in a ziplock bag in the fridge until firm enough to pipe – it thickens as it cools.
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Is the white chocolate absolutely necessary?
Hi Sana, yes it is providing the protein and fat that the almond meal normally does in the macarons.
Do I have to use almond flour for macrons or will soy flour work?
Hi savannah, soy flour will not work in this recipe sorry
HOW MANY MACARONS DOES THIS RECIPE MAKE??????????????
Hi Gabrielle it depends on the size you pipe them, makes about 20 complete macarons in the size shown
do you have to use the chocolate?
Hi ann..I tried this recipe before. When I put my macs into the oven, they started to melt and spread. I wonder why your macarons didnt melt in the oven, as chocolate surely melts when heated. Maybe the chocolate I used was the problem. Any suggestions? Thanks 🙂
Ur just great.just love ur recipes and ideas u come with.
Hi Ann, I just wanted to ask, around how many macarons can you make with each batch? I plan on making them for some friends for Valentine’s day and I wanna be sure I have enough for everyone. C:
Hi Ann, I was wondering, how many macarons can you make with each batch? I’m trying to make then for Valentine’s day and I want to make sure I have enough for everyone. Thanks c:
Thank you so much for this recipe. My daughter is highly allergic to nuts and has always wanted to try macarons after seeing them on the cooking shows on tv and in bakeries. Will be giving this a go and will post results. Thanks again.
Great to hear Caroline
Hi! I have mixed in my egg whites and sugar but it is not hardening? what is the difference between caster and shifted cane sugar? shifted powered sugar and icing sugar?
Hi Jasmine, the difference is the particle size of the sugars or how small they have been ground. In order you have white sugar, caster sugar, powdered sugar and then icing sugar. The main reason for egg whites not whipping up is if you have some egg yolk in the bowl, even a small amount will stop it whipping.
Hi! I have mixed in my egg whites and sugar but it is not hardening? what is the difference between caster and shifted cane sugar?
Must we use chocoate?
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Thanks for this recipe I have two sons with serious nut allergies but my daughter has been desperate to make macarons having seen them made on so many tv shows. We are off now to try your recipe and will post our results.
Hey ann.
I’m allergic to nuts, and when I was making this recipe I had some trouble grateing the white chocolate. Could you tell me how tho do that?
Thanks
thanm you for this! I wanted to make macaroons for my office department but I lost a day searching for that almond flour without ever founding it and my direct colleague is allergic to peanuts specifically but he tries to avoid all nuts so he is often excluded from shared goods – im just happy for once he’ll be able to say yes thanks instead of no thank you.
Hey Ann,
Thank you soo much for sharing this nut free macaron, I was just wondering roughly how big the diameter of the macaroons needed to be? 🙂
Hi Ann,
For the chocolate center, what percent cream do you use? (ie. 10%, 35%?)
Thanks very much!
hi is there any substitutions for the white chocolat
Dear Ann, is it possible to use corn flour or rice flour instead of almond flour?
Hi Tanya, unfortunately not they are both high carbs low fat low protein, the almond flour is high fat high protein
thank you_!
🙂