Macaron Recipe Without Almond Flour: Nut-Free Delicacies

Last Updated on February 4, 2023

Today, we’re going to be looking at a macaron recipe without almond flour. So, how to make macarons without almonds? Before anything else, many people do not believe that a macaron without almonds is possible as they think that a macaron is dependent on almond flour. For that reason, the thought of its absence is hard to accept. 

Nonetheless, those who have nut allergies beg to differ. The reason is that many suffer from tree nut and peanut allergies, so it is best to let them have their nut-free macarons. 

But what is a nut-free macaron? And how do you make it? Usually, you make macarons that do not contain nuts with pumpkin seeds. In that regard, nut-free macarons have a smooth, shiny dome, lacy feet, eggshell crust, crisp, chewy interior, and delicious filling. 

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How to Make Macarons Without Almonds

First and foremost, how to make macarons without almond flour or almonds? But, before that, what if you like to eat macarons but are allergic to nuts? And as everyone knows, macarons are made with almond flour which can cause an allergic reaction. 

Considering that, can you still have that same melt-in-your-mouth experience when you bite into that delicious goodness if you make nut-free macarons? 

Well, you sure can since you are free to use these two almond and almond flour substitutes. 

Sunflower Seeds

To make macarons using sunflower seeds, you will need to put your sunflower seeds into a food processor with your powdered sugar. Afterward, make sure to process it for about a minute until well combined. Next, sift your sunflower seed and powdered sugar using a sieve. 

Pumpkin Seeds

To make macarons using pumpkin seeds, you will need to toast them. After that, be sure to place them inside a food processor. Then, ensure to grind them with powdered sugar, malt powder, and cocoa for about a minute. 

Next, sift the powdered mixture. Afterward, be sure to sift a couple of times until all mixes pass through the sieve.

What You Will Need: Macaron Recipe Without Almond Flour

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup of raw sunflower seeds
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 2 large egg whites (room-temped)
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• Jam or filling of choice

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat your conventional oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, place sunflower seeds in your food processor with powdered sugar and process for about a minute until well combined. Afterward, be sure to sift the mixture through a sieve and process the bits that failed to pass through the sieve. Please ensure to repeat the process until there are only a few bits left.

Step 2

Then, be sure to whisk your egg whites and granulated sugar by hand. Afterward, ensure to whip on medium speed using an electric mixer. Remember to increase the speed of the mixer every three minutes until stiff peaks form. Also, to tint your macarons, add your coloring, and make sure to whip on high for about thirty seconds.

Step 3

Afterward, add your dry ingredients and fold them using a spatula. Remember, keep folding until the batter flows like lava. Then, pipe tiny circles onto your parchment paper. Likewise, you can use a macaron sheet. Next, tap the sheets against your counter firmly about two to three times to pop air bubbles.

Step 4

After that, make sure to bake your macarons for about ten to twelve minutes. Likewise, you can do so until it has risen and set. Then, please allow them to cool completely. Also, ensure to put filling on one-half of the macaron cookies and attach the other half. Finally, be sure to wrap your macarons in plastic and refrigerate them overnight.

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Why is Almond Flour Necessary in Making Macarons? 

Do macarons need almond flour? In general, almond flour is one of the primary ingredients in making macarons. Every time you come across a macaron recipe, you can see almond flour or almond meal as a requirement. 

Blanched almond flour is best for making macarons; remember that blanched almond flour is preferable over unblanched flour. The primary reason is that it does not contain the almond’s skin, and its color is free of dots that will give the macaron a smoother batter and brighter color.

Also, almond flour is hard to find as they are available in specialty stores, but macarons made with almond flour have a smooth, chewy texture. The almond flour texture causes that melt-in-your-mouth sensation when you bite into them. 

Plus, the almond flour mixes well with the meringue, making the macaron batter smooth and thick. Because of this, it is perfect for piping. Almond flour is also used in macarons because people want a refined texture. 

That is why if you want to make french macarons, almond flour is the flour that will give you the best results. However, if, for some reason, you find yourself unable to use almond flour because of its scarcity or you are allergic, you can always opt to use other replacements like the ones mentioned above. But, ultimately, almond flour is necessary to make the best macarons. 

Substitutes for Almond Flour

What can I substitute for almond flour in macarons? Generally, macaron is undoubtedly a delicacy to many people who enjoy baked goods. 

Moreover, almond flour is the primary ingredient in making macarons. It is essential to use almond flour for a macaron recipe because it has a coarse texture compared to other flour. 

But if you cannot find or use almond flour when making macarons for personal reasons, you can use pumpkin seeds as a substitute; bear in mind that pumpkin seeds are an excellent replacement for almond flour in macarons. 

To make homemade pumpkin seed flour, process the seeds inside a food processor until it becomes exceedingly fine. Remember, when used as a replacement in the macaron recipe, use a one-to-one ratio. 

Furthermore, you can use all-purpose flour as a substitute for almond flour; however, since almond flour needs more eggs as binding agents in the recipe, it is necessary to modify your macaron recipe when using all-purpose flour. 

Ground almonds are the best substitute for almond flour, but you can skip this one if you are allergic to nuts. The following replacement is sunflower seeds; it has a nutty but mild flavor. The key to using sunflower seeds is to use raw sunflower seeds as they contain total fat and moisture that match the almond meal’s texture.

Also, another replacement for almond flour in macarons is white chocolate. For the most part, it can give you mild and milky-flavored macarons. But the reduced sugar variety of white chocolate can be hard to find. 

That is why looking for almond flour substitutes is not as easy as it seems. Nonetheless, there are plenty of choices out there that you can choose. In that regard, working with what you have and the courage to explore will give you the best macarons without almonds. 

Read more about How To Draw A Macaroon

Nut-Free Macaron Recipe

If you’re looking to make easy nut-free macarons, this is the recipe for you. For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 4 egg whites
• 1/3 cup of caster sugar
• 8.5oz of grated white chocolate
• 1 cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar

Now all you need to do is:

1. Add the egg whites to a bowl, along with the caster sugar. Whisk until stiff peaks form, and then fold in both the confectioners’ sugar and grated white chocolate.
2. Keep mixing until it’s firm. It should not be runny at this point. If it is, keep folding the mixture.
3. Add the mixture to a Ziploc bag, or a piping bag if you’d prefer. Pipe circles onto a baking sheet that’s lined with parchment paper.
4. Place in the center of a preheated oven (at 150F) and bake for around 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, leave to cool, and then remove from the parchment paper.
5. Pipe filling of your choice in between two macaron pieces. Sandwich together. Serve and enjoy!

Healthy Macaron Recipe

If you’re looking for a healthy nut-free macaron recipe, then look no further. For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• filling of your choice
• gel food coloring, if desired

Now all you need to do is:

1. Grab a bowl and add the egg whites. Whisk them until they begin to foam and become frothy. Now add the granulated sugar. Keep mixing until stiff peaks begin to form.
2. In another bowl, sift the flour and sugar together. Then add the dry ingredients to the egg white mixture. Pour in the vanilla extract and food coloring, if desired.
3. Fold the ingredients and then add them to a piping bag or Ziploc bag. Pipe circles of the mixture onto a baking sheet, that is lined with parchment paper.
4. Once your oven reaches 280F, place your macarons into the oven and bake for around 18-20 minutes. Leave them to cool before adding the filling.
5. Add your filling between two of the macaron shells and sandwich them together. Serve and enjoy!

Easy Macaron Filling Recipe

There are many fillings you can make for macarons. My favorites include chocolate ganache and vanilla buttercream frosting. Let’s take a look at how to make both.

For the vanilla buttercream frosting, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of butter
• 3/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon of milk
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Now all you need to do is:

1. Add the butter to a bowl and cream. Keep creaming until it becomes smooth.
2. Once smooth, add the remainder of the ingredients. Keep mixing until you have a fluffy buttercream frosting.

For the chocolate ganache, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 2/3 cup of chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream

Now all you need to do is:

1. Add the butter and chocolate into a bowl and leave to one side.
2. Place the cream into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for around 15 seconds at a time. Keep doing so until completely melted. Once melted, pour over your bowl of chocolate. Leave for a few minutes.
3. Now keep mixing until it becomes smooth and then cover with plastic wrap and chill for around 2 hours. This helps the ganache to firm up.
4. When ready to use, fill a piping bag and pipe your filling onto your macaron shells, and sandwich them together. Serve and enjoy!

Conclusion

I hope this post has helped you to become more familiar with a macaron recipe without almond flour. It’s super easy to do, and they can be just as delicious. Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to making macarons without almond flour? If so, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!

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5 from 2 votes

Macaron Recipe Without Almond Flour

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Do macarons really need almond flour?, how to make macarons without almond flour or almonds, how to make macarons without almonds, macaron recipe without almond flour, Macaron Recipe Without Almond Flour: Amazing Recipe, what can i substitute for almond flour in macarons

Servings: 0

Author: Cakedecorist

Ingredients

  

• ▢ 2/3 cups of raw sunflower seeds
• ▢ 1 cup of powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 large egg whites (room-temped)
• ▢ 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• ▢ Jam or filling of choice

Instructions 

• Preheat your conventional oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, place sunflower seeds in your food processor with powdered sugar and process for about a minute until well combined. Afterward, be sure to sift the mixture through a sieve and process the bits that failed to pass through the sieve. Please ensure to repeat the process until there are only a few bits left.
  2/3 cups of raw sunflower seeds, 1 cup of powdered sugar
• Then, be sure to whisk your egg whites and granulated sugar by hand. Afterward, ensure to whip on medium speed using an electric mixer. Remember to increase the speed of the mixer every three minutes until stiff peaks form. Also, to tint your macarons, add your coloring, and make sure to whip on high for about thirty seconds.
  2 large egg whites (room-temped), 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• Afterward, add your dry ingredients and fold them using a spatula. Remember, keep folding until the batter flows like lava. Then, pipe tiny circles onto your parchment paper. Likewise, you can use a macaron sheet. Next, tap the sheets against your counter firmly about two to three times to pop air bubbles.
• After that, make sure to bake your macarons for about ten to twelve minutes. Likewise, you can do so until it has risen and set. Then, please allow them to cool completely. Also, ensure to put filling on one-half of the macaron cookies and attach the other half. Finally, be sure to wrap your macarons in plastic and refrigerate them overnight.
  Jam or filling of choice

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Zarah Grace

Zarah is an experienced pastry chef whose creations have delighted countless customers. With a passion for baking, Zarah has developed a unique style that combines classic techniques with modern flavors. Her desserts are consistently crafted with the finest ingredients, and her attention to detail is evident in the stunning and delectable results. Zarah has a wealth of experience in the pastry kitchen, and loves to share her knowledge with others. Whether it is teaching a class or creating a custom cake for a special occasion, Zarah is committed to making sure every customer is satisfied.