Are Macarons Gluten Free?

What Ingredients Are Used To Make French Macarons?

Macarons don’t contain very many base ingredients; sugar, almonds and egg whites are the three ingredients used to make the macaron shells. The filling is usually comprised of either buttercream, ganache, or jam.

The original macarons are thought to have actually come from Italy, not France. The use of almonds is likely someone of Arabic origin, having been brought to Italy some time before the 13th century. However they didn’t contain a filling originally. This is something that arose in France and led to the macaron’s widespread popularity.

You can read our article on the difference between macarons and macaroons to learn more about their history.

Does Almond Flour Contain Gluten?

Almond flour is the key ingredient to creating a macaron shell. It’s made by boiling the almonds in water to remove the skins before grinding them down into a fine, powdery flour. As almonds are the only ingredient, the flour produced with them is 100% gluten free.

On top of being gluten free, almond flour has a number of other benefits. It is low in carbs but high in healthy fats and fibre. This means that almond flour has a low glycemic index, which allows it to release sugar slowly into the bloodstream and provides a steady source of energy. It’s also quite high in magnesium which helps to control your blood sugar. Almond flour also contains high amounts of vitamin E – several studies have shown vitamin E intake is linked to lower rates of heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

What Is Macaron Filling Made Of?

Macarons are typically filled with one of three substances; buttercream, ganache, or jam. However some people have experimented with other, less common fillings such as cream cheese or foie gras.

Macaron fillings come in a wide variety of flavours, some of the most popular being chocolate, salted caramel or vanilla. These flavours are usually achieved via the filling, however the shells can also be flavoured on occasion, particularly with paired flavour macarons. For example, the macaron could be filled with chocolate ganache while the shells are given a minty flavour to achieve mint chocolate.

Can Coeliacs Eat Macarons?

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to attack its own tissue when you eat gluten. The body mistakes gluten for a threat though the cases can vary heavily in severity. In the most severe cases, someone suffering with coeliac disease will have their intestines damaged by their immune system to the point where they are unable to take in any nutrients from other food. Some people may have coeliac disease and not even know it.

There is no cure for coeliac disease, and it is only managed by a change in diet to remove any food that contains gluten such as bread, cake or pasta. It is thought that 1 in 100 people in the UK suffer with coeliac disease however some believe this number to be even higher, as less severe cases often go unnoticed and undiagnosed. Fortunately, since macarons don’t contain gluten, they are an excellent sweet treat for coeliacs!

Explore Our Delicious Gluten Free Macarons

At Miss Macaroon, not only are all of our macarons gluten free but we are also very strict about keeping a totally gluten free environment within our kitchen. This is to ensure no cross contamination can take place and our macarons remain suitable for those who can’t eat gluten.

We make macarons for all occasions from birthdays, to baby showers, to housewarming parties. We also have a large variety of amazing products for those big, special events such getting married in the form of macaron wedding towers or wedding favours.

Christmas is right around the corner so why not treat your loved ones to some of our delicious Christmas themed macarons? With flavours like gingerbread spice, minced pie, and mint chocolate it’ll really put you in the festive mood.