Are McDonald’s Fries Gluten Free? Plus A GF Fries Recipe

Last Updated on September 1, 2024

Today, we’re going to be answering the question: are McDonald’s fries gluten free? And taking a look at which food products you can safely enjoy when eating out at McDonalds. It’s worth noting that this post will be focused around the McDonalds in the United States. It’s important to say that McDonald’s allergens vary across the world, and some countries even have a separate gluten free menu. However, this post is for US McDonald’s okay. With that in mind, are McDonald’s fries gluten free? Let’s take a closer look.

What Are McDonald’s Fries?

Wherever you are across the globe, you’ll definitely have heard of these world famous fries! They’re usually made from tasty potatoes such as russet, burbank or shepody. These infamous fries are best known for being soft and fluffy on the inside, whilst being golden and crisp on the outside. Let’s be honest, these fries need no introduction!

Ingredients In McDonald’s Fries

You may be wondering which ingredients make these fries as iconic as they are. Each McDonald’s fry contains the following:

  • potatoes
  • vegetable oil
  • natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives)
  • dextrose
  • sodium acid pyrophosphate
  • salt
Ingredients In McDonald's Fries

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Nutritional Information Of McDonald’s Fries

You may be curious as to the nutritional value of McDonald’s French fries. Each small serving of fries contains the following:

  • Calories: 230
  • Fat: 11g
  • Carbohydrates: 31g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3g
  • Calcium: 10mg
  • Sugar: 0g
  • Potassium: 470mg

Are McDonald’s Fries Gluten Free?

As you can probably tell from the list of ingredients, McDonald’s fries from the US are not gluten free. This is because they contain natural beef flavor which has been derived from wheat. As wheat is a gluten containing grain, these fries are unfortunately not suitable for those following a gluten free diet.

As well as that, fryers are often shared in places like McDonald’s, so the oil will also be contaminated with traces of gluten from foods such as breaded chicken nuggets.

Do McDonald’s Fries Have Dairy?

As well as not being suitable for those with a gluten intolerance, they’re also unsuitable for those with a dairy intolerance too. The natural beef flavor they use for the fries is derived from both wheat and milk products. Milk contains dairy, so should therefore be avoided if you’re following a dairy free diet.

Are McDonald’s Hashbrowns Gluten Free?

Much like their fries, the hashbrowns at US McDonald’s are also not gluten free. They contain the following ingredients:

  • potatoes
  • vegetable oil
  • natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives)
  • salt
  • corn flour
  • dehydrated potato
  • dextrose
  • sodium acid pyrophosphate
  • extractives of black pepper

As you can see, wheat and milk are both listed as allergens in this product. You should not consume McDonald’s hashbrowns when following a gluten free diet.

Do McDonald’s Have Anything Gluten Free?

While McDonald’s do not market any of their food as “gluten free”, there are plenty of options that do not contain any gluten ingredients. The difference between the two is that foods that are labelled “gluten free” contain less than 20ppm of gluten, which is the legally safe limit. McDonald’s do not guarantee that any of their food is free from gluten. This means that it’s up to the individual whether they want to take the risk.

McDonald’s Gluten Free Menu

If you’re happy to bring your own bun, there are a few options free from gluten ingredients. Let’s take a closer look.

Meats

  • beef patty
  • beef steak
  • Canadian bacon
  • sausage

Sides

  • apple dippers and caramel dip
  • fruit and yoghurt parfait

Salads

  • premium bacon ranch salad
  • premium southwest salad (no tortillas)
  • side salad
  • Caesar salad (no chicken)

Dressing

  • creamy Caesar dressing
  • cobb dressing
  • low fat balsamic vinaigrette
  • ranch dressing
  • salsa

Toppings and Condiments

  • cheese
  • butter
  • honey
  • hot mustard sauce
  • jam
  • ketchup
  • hotcake syrup
  • lettuce
  • tomato
  • pickles
  • onion
  • tartar sauce
  • mayonnaise
  • mustard
  • margarine

Desserts

  • ice cream sundaes
  • McFlurry (with M&Ms)

Beverages

  • coffee
  • ice coffee
  • hot chocolate
  • sweet tea
  • caramel frappe
  • mocha frappe
  • chocolate chip frappe
  • vanilla shake
  • chocolate shake
  • strawberry shake
  • orange juice
  • apple juice
  • milk
  • soft drinks
  • blueberry pomegranate smoothie
  • strawberry banana smoothie
  • mango pineapple smoothie
 

French Fries Gluten-Free McDonald’s Recipe

If you’re looking to recreate these infamous fries at home, this recipe inspired by The Cosy Cook is incredible, and tastes just as good as the fries from McDonald’s. Let’s take a closer look.

Ingredients

For the Brine:

  • 8 cups of cold water
  • 3 tbsp of salt
  • 1 tsp of white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup of corn syrup

For the Fries:

  • 4.5lb of russet potatoes
  • 1 quart of vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening
  • salt, to taste

Recipe – Homemade Fries As Good As McDonald’s

Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes

Add the brine ingredients together and leave to one side. Peel the potatoes and wash them. Once rinsed, slice into strings (around 1/2 inch). Once cut, place them into the brine. Cover and ;eave in the fridge for at least two hours. However, overnight is ideal. Once ready to use, drain and rinse with cold water. Then pat dry. They need to be completely dry before going into the oil.

Step 2: Fry the Potatoes

Preheat your oil to around 300 degrees. Place the fries into the oil in batches. Leave to cook for around five minutes. After this time, remove with a spoon (slotted spoon is ideal) and lay on paper towels. They do not need to be crispy at this point. Repeat until all fries have been cooked. Increase heat to 400 degrees and add shortening. Fry again, this time until golden brown. Remove and lay on paper towels.

Step 3: Season

Add salt to season, if wanted. Serve and enjoy!

French Fries Gluten-Free McDonald's Recipe

Conclusion – Are McDonald’s Fries Gluten Free

I hope this post has helped to answer the question: are McDonald’s fries gluten free? And given you an idea of which foods you can enjoy when eating out at McDonald’s.

I’m lucky to live in the UK where the fries and hashbrowns are both gluten free!