Gluten-Free Nougat

Chewy Italian-style white nougat packed with toasted almonds and pistachios, made by beating hot honey and sugar syrup into whipped egg whites. Wrapped in pieces, it is a classic Christmas sweet and homemade gift.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 25 min Total: 285 min Serves: 36

At a glance: This hard desserts recipe yields 36 servings in about 4h 45m (20 min prep, 25 min cook). It uses 11 ingredients — including whole almonds, shelled unsalted pistachios, edible wafer paper — 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 Nougat: When preparing this desserts recipe, store-bought nougat and torrone often use wafer sheets that contain gluten. If you buy wafer paper, read the ingredients and look for a gluten-free label.

Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Nougat: Nougat is egg whites, honey, sugar and nuts, all naturally free of gluten ingredients. Edible wafer paper is usually made from potato starch, but some is not, so use wafer paper, nuts and vanilla labeled gluten-free, or skip the paper.

Scale Recipe:

servings

Ingredient amounts update automatically

Instructions

1 Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread the almonds and pistachios on a sheet pan and keep them warm in the oven while you make the candy. Warm nuts fold in more easily.
2 Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment, lightly oil it and lay one sheet of wafer paper in the bottom, or dust the parchment with the cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture.
3 Put the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk. Put the honey in a small saucepan. Put the sugar, corn syrup and water in a second saucepan and stir to wet the sugar.
4 Heat the honey over medium heat to 250°F (121°C) on a candy thermometer. When it gets close, start whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. With the mixer on medium, slowly pour the hot honey down the side of the bowl into the whites.
5 Meanwhile, cook the sugar syrup without stirring to 300°F (150°C). With the mixer running, pour it in a thin stream into the honey meringue. Keep beating for 5-8 minutes, until the nougat is very thick, glossy and pulling from the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla.
6 Working quickly with an oiled spatula, fold in the warm nuts. Scrape the nougat into the pan, press it flat with an oiled spatula, and top with the second sheet of wafer paper or more dusting mixture.
7 Let the nougat set at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Lift it out and cut into 36 pieces with a large oiled knife. Wrap pieces in parchment or wax paper and store airtight for up to 2 weeks.

Tips & Notes

Use two thermometers if you have them, one for the honey and one for the sugar syrup. The nougat needs both syrups at their target temperatures, and it is hard to watch one while pouring the other.
Keep wiping the knife with oil as you cut the nougat. Each cut leaves sticky honey on the blade, and a clean oiled knife gives neat squares instead of torn ones.
On a humid day, nougat stays sticky and soft. Cook the sugar syrup a few degrees higher, to about 305°F, for a firmer set.

Common questions

How long does Gluten-Free Nougat take?

Gluten-Free Nougat takes about 4 hours 45 minutes, including resting time: 20 minutes to prep and 25 minutes to cook, for 36 servings.

What should I check before making Gluten-Free Nougat 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 Nougat?

Check whole almonds, toasted, shelled unsalted pistachios, edible wafer paper, to fit an 8x8-inch pan before they go into Gluten-Free Nougat. Store-bought nougat and torrone often use wafer sheets that contain gluten. If you buy wafer paper, read the ingredients and look for a gluten-free label.

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

Gluten-Free Nougat 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

Recipes include certified gluten-free ingredient guidance and cross-contamination notes. Check every label and use certified gluten-free products. Learn more about us.

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