Crunchy and rustic vegan macaroons recipe - German Style! These are a vegan version of a traditional German Christmas bake, made with aquafaba and hazelnuts - super nutty and delicious!
Yet another one of my childhood Christmas bakes! Traditionally German macaroons are created from whipped egg whites - no not very vegan-friendly - but how do you make vegan macaroons? Well let me tell you luckily we have a fantastic baking replacement called 'aquafaba' (aka whipped chickpea water) that's absolutely perfect for things like these Vegan Hazelnut Macaroons Recipe.
Ingredients
- aquafaba (unsalted chickpea water): I usually choose organic tinned chickpeas to use the water.
- icing sugar
- a pinch of salt
- vanilla extract
- ground hazelnuts
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- electric hand whisk
- non-stick baking parchment paper
- teaspoons
- spatula
Instructions (Step-by-Step)
To create these German-style Vegan Hazelnut Macaroons, start by preheating your oven to 180°C (360°F).
Whip up the aquafaba
Next, let's make the aquafaba! Place your chickpea water in a large mixing bowl - make sure to use the water from a tin of unsalted chickpeas. Blend it with an electric hand blender for about 5-6 minutes. Within this time it will more than double in size, become white and fluffy. Once it forms stiff peaks it's ready for the next step. Alternatively, you can also use a hand mixer to whip up the aquafaba for you.
Once you've got your stiff peaks, add in the vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and also the icing sugar in small batches - whilst you're still continuing to mix with the hand mixer.
Combine the macaroon cookie batter
When you've got everything combined, turn off the hand mixer and sprinkle in your ground hazelnuts. Gently fold them in with a spatula, but don't overmix.
Oven preparation and How to pipe the German macaroons
Line a baking tray with structured non-stick parchment paper - or ideally: with silicone baking mats. Using either a piping bag or 2 small spoons, transfer your cookie batter onto the baking tray in small portion sizes. Remember, that these are meant to look rustic and they will spread out and become more even in the oven, so don't worry too much about creating perfectly round shapes.
Ensure to leave at least 2-3cm or 2 inches of space in between the biscuits - they will become slightly bigger in the oven, and they need space to expand.
Baking your vegan macaroons
Once you've got all your cookies on the tray(s) - most likely you will need 2-3 to use up your batter - transfer them to the preheated oven and bake at 180°C (360°F) for 16-20 minutes or until golden. Keep a close eye on them as the exact baking time can slightly vary depending on your oven and they can easily burn. In my own oven, I have a weird 'hot corner' that seems to burn everything whilst the cookies in the other parts are just about done 😉
Cool down
Allow for the macaroons to cool down entirely before removing them from the silicone mat and keep them in an airtight container in your fridge - if you need to keep them at all and don't eat them all at once!
This recipe is:
- 100% vegan
- crunchy
- easy to make gluten-free
- simple delicious
- easy to make
- egg-free
- dairy-free
- nutty
- traditionally German (just vegan!)
Related Recipes
If you love Christmas baking, you might also enjoy my Vegan Gingerbread House! Spritz Cookies are another Christmas classic from my childhood that are super fun to make!
📌 If you love Pinterest you can pin any of the images to your boards!
📖 Recipe Card
Vegan Macaroons (German Style)
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric hand mixer
Ingredients
- 80 g aquafaba unsalted chickpea water, weight before whipping
- 125 g powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 g ground hazelnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
- Place the chickpea water in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric hand mixer until it expands in size - for about 5-6 minutes - and forms stiff peaks.
- Continue to mix and add in the vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and the icing sugar in small batches.
- Once all combined, carefully fold in the ground hazelnuts.
- Line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment or a baking mat, then place the chunky batter onto the tray. Use 2 teaspoons to form little chunks - don't worry about the shape, these biscuits are meant to be 'rustic'. Leave 2-3 cm space in between the macaroons.
- Transfer the baking tray to the oven and bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Love sweet treats? Give these delicious creations a go:
💭 Leave a Comment