Macarons, those delicate and colorful French treats, have captured the hearts (and taste buds) of many. But for those following a vegan lifestyle, the question arises: can vegans enjoy these sweet delights?
The answer is a bit more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Traditional macarons, made with egg whites, sugar, and almond flour, are not vegan. However, there’s good news! Vegan macarons do exist! These delicious alternatives replace egg whites with aquafaba, the liquid from canned chickpeas, which surprisingly whips up just like egg whites.
Where to Find Vegan Macarons
Vegan macarons are becoming increasingly popular, and you can find them in various places:
- Specialty vegan bakeries: Many vegan bakeries specialize in creating delectable vegan versions of classic desserts, including macarons.
- Online vegan shops: Several online shops offer a wide selection of vegan macarons, delivered right to your doorstep.
- Some mainstream bakeries and cafes: As veganism gains traction, some mainstream bakeries and cafes are starting to offer vegan macaron options.
Making Vegan Macarons at Home
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even try making vegan macarons at home! Several recipes are available online, using aquafaba as the key ingredient. Here are some resources to get you started:
- Baked by Clo: This popular vegan blog offers a detailed recipe for vegan macarons, along with helpful tips and tricks.
- Okonomi Kitchen: This website features a beautiful recipe for vegan macarons with stunning photos to guide you through the process.
- YouTube tutorials: Numerous YouTube channels offer visual demonstrations of how to make vegan macarons, making the process even easier to follow.
Tips for Making Vegan Macarons
Making vegan macarons can be a bit challenging, but with patience and practice, you can achieve delicious results. Here are some helpful tips:
- Use a digital scale: Precise measurements are crucial for successful macarons. A digital scale ensures accuracy, unlike measuring cups.
- Reduce the aquafaba: Before whipping, simmer the aquafaba to reduce its volume by half. This concentrates the protein, leading to better meringue formation.
- Use a clean bowl and whisk: Any trace of grease or residue can sabotage your meringue. Ensure your tools are spotless before starting.
- Whip the aquafaba until stiff peaks form: This takes longer than whipping egg whites, so be patient and keep whisking until the mixture holds its shape.
- Rest the macarons before baking: Allow the piped macarons to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to form a “skin.” This prevents cracking during baking.
- Use a dark, non-stick baking sheet: This ensures even heat distribution and prevents sticking.
While traditional macarons are not vegan, there are plenty of ways for vegans to enjoy these sweet treats. You can purchase vegan macarons from specialty bakeries, online shops, or even try making them at home with aquafaba. With a little practice and these helpful tips, you can create delicious vegan macarons that are just as beautiful and flavorful as their traditional counterparts.
How To Make Vegan Macarons
Allow me to educate you if you’re unfamiliar with aquafaba or are new to vegan baking.
This recipe’s primary ingredient is that gooey, yellowish water that comes out of canned white beans, like broad beans or chickpeas.
But don’t be alarmed. You’ll be astounded at how well it imitates egg whites as soon as you get past how strange it looks (and smells). It still fluffs up and forms soft meringue peaks!
However, the most crucial thing to understand about aquafaba is that you must reduce it before attempting to whip it up. When making meringue in the past, I discovered the hard way that it will most likely collapse into a puddle during baking if you don’t reduce it beforehand. Sad times.
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Step 1: Reducing the Aquafaba
Simply put, to reduce aquafaba, place it in a pot and simmer it until its volume is reduced (i.e., e. getting rid of the excess water content).
I used the liquid from two cans weighing 400g (14 oz), yielding about 250g of aquafaba. Which brings me to my next point….
For this recipe, I would strongly advise using a digital scale because it’s crucial that all of the ingredients be measured precisely. All of your hard work can be undone by one small error—trust me, I know this from personal experience.
Regardless of the initial weight of your aquafaba, you should cut it in half. I put 250g of aquafaba into a pot and kept weighing it while it was on high heat until it came to 125g. This can take around 5-10 minutes.
Be aware that the aquafaba will release an odd, soup-like smell while it reduces. Don’t worry, though—your eggless macarons won’t taste anything like that.
After it has sufficiently reduced, let it cool, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator for the entire night or for a few hours. You’llnotice that it becomes sort of gelatinous, like egg whites.
Easy Vegan Macaroons
FAQ
Can vegans eat macarons?
Do macaroons contain dairy?
What is macaroon made of?
Why are macarons not vegetarian?
Are macarons vegan?
Traditional macarons are not vegan, however, vegan macarons do exist! You can buy macarons that have been specifically made to a vegan recipe or you can make your own at home with aqua faba instead of eggs. Macarons tend to be gluten-free and vegetarian most of the time but this can vary, depending on the filling.
Is macaroni healthy to eat?
Macaroni made with refined flour is unhealthy but if it is made with whole grains can be a better choice. Whole grain pasta is lower in calories and carbohydrates, high in fiber and most micronutrients. Refined pasta is higher in calories and lower in fiber. This may increase risk of heart disease, high blood sugar and insulin resistance.
Are coconut macaroons vegan?
Homemade vegan coconut macaroons that are toasty and golden on the outside and sweet, moist, and chewy on the inside. Made with just 4 simple ingredients (plus a tiny pinch of salt) and naturally gluten-free! Hey friends it’s coconut time!! And it’s all squashed up in perfect vegan coconut macaroon form.
Can vegans eat macaroons with milk chocolate toppings?
On the other hand, however, macaroons with milk chocolate toppings are not safe for vegans. As the name itself suggests, milk chocolate contains milk in one form or the other. If a pack of macaroons at the bakery is deliciously vegan at the core but uses milk chocolate topping, abandon it.