Gluten-Free Dacquoise

A classic dacquoise: three crisp, chewy discs of toasted hazelnut meringue layered with a light chocolate cream made from ganache and whipped cream. There is no flour at all, and it softens slightly as it chills for neat slices.

Prep: 40 min Cook: 70 min Total: 360 min Serves: 10

At a glance: This hard desserts recipe yields 10 servings in about 6h (40 min prep, 70 min cook). It uses 10 ingredients — including hazelnuts, cornstarch, egg whites — and walks through 7 steps. Updated October 24, 2026. Browse more desserts recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.

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Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Dacquoise: When preparing this desserts recipe, chopped and roasted nuts are often processed on shared lines with grains, so check the hazelnut label. Some chocolate is made on shared lines too.

Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Dacquoise: Dacquoise is made of nut meringue, chocolate and cream, with cornstarch to keep the ground nuts dry, so it needs no flour. Use hazelnuts, cornstarch, chocolate, vanilla and cocoa labeled gluten-free.

Scale Recipe:

servings

Ingredient amounts update automatically

Instructions

1 Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Draw three 8-inch circles on two sheets of parchment, flip them over and lay them on baking sheets.
2 Pulse the hazelnuts with the cornstarch until finely ground but not oily.
3 Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks, then add the sugar a tablespoon at a time and whip to stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in the hazelnut mixture gently.
4 Spread or pipe the meringue evenly inside the three circles.
5 Bake for 60-70 minutes, until dry and lightly golden. Turn off the oven and leave the discs inside for 1 hour, then cool and peel off the parchment.
6 For the chocolate cream, heat 1 cup cream until steaming, pour over the chocolate, wait 2 minutes and stir smooth. Cool until thick but still soft, about 40 minutes. Whip the remaining cup of cream with the vanilla to soft peaks and fold it into the ganache.
7 Set one disc on a plate and spread with a third of the chocolate cream. Repeat with the remaining discs and cream, smoothing the last layer on top. Chill for at least 2 hours, then dust with cocoa or top with hazelnuts and slice with a serrated knife.

Tips & Notes

Grind the hazelnuts with the cornstarch and stop as soon as they are fine. Overprocessed nuts turn into paste and deflate the dacquoise meringue.
Let the dacquoise discs dry in the turned-off oven. It sets the crisp outside while the centers stay slightly chewy.
Chill the assembled dacquoise for at least 2 hours. The meringue softens just enough to slice cleanly without shattering.

Common questions

How long does Gluten-Free Dacquoise take?

Gluten-Free Dacquoise takes about 6 hours, including resting time: 40 minutes to prep and 70 minutes to cook, for 10 servings.

What should I check before making Gluten-Free Dacquoise with celiac disease?

Written with gluten-free ingredients. Use products labeled gluten-free, check labels, and ask your clinician about your own needs.

What cross-contamination risk is specific to Gluten-Free Dacquoise?

Check hazelnuts, toasted and skinned, cornstarch, egg whites, at room temperature before they go into Gluten-Free Dacquoise. Chopped and roasted nuts are often processed on shared lines with grains, so check the hazelnut label. Some chocolate is made on shared lines too.

Which gluten-free swaps does Gluten-Free Dacquoise use?

Gluten-Free Dacquoise relies on cornstarch or arrowroot. Keep those gluten-free-labeled products in place of a gluten-containing flour or sauce. If the blend already lists xanthan gum, do not add a second binder unless this recipe says to.

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Gluten Free Recipes team

Gluten-free recipe development since 2026

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