People will warn you away from making macarons.
They’ll say it’s too hard, too fussy, too risky. And look, I get it. They look like something that should only come from a pastry chef in Paris with a very specific accent.
But here’s the thing. I made them at home, on a random afternoon, with ingredients from a regular grocery store.
And they came out with perfect feet, smooth tops, and a filling that made me stand in the kitchen quietly eating them one by one.
So if you’ve been putting this off, this is your sign.
What You’ll Need
For the Macaron Shells
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (112g) almond flour, finely ground
- 1 ¾ cups (200g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 large egg whites (100g), aged at room temperature for 24 hours
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring (optional)
For the Vanilla Buttercream Filling
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Tools You’ll Need
- Stand mixer or hand mixer with whisk attachment
- Two large mixing bowls
- Fine mesh sifter or sifter
- Kitchen scale (absolutely non-negotiable here)
- Large rubber spatula
- Piping bag x2
- Round piping tip (Wilton 1A or similar, about 1cm opening)
- Two large baking sheets
- Silicone macaron mat OR parchment paper
- Toothpick (for popping air bubbles)
- Oven thermometer (your oven is lying to you about its temperature)
Pro Tips
1. Age your egg whites. This sounds fussy, but it takes about 30 seconds of effort. Separate your eggs 24 hours before and leave the whites uncovered in the fridge. This reduces moisture and gives you a much more stable meringue.
2. Sift everything twice. Almond flour has lumps you can’t always see. Sifting twice through a fine mesh strainer ensures a smooth, lump-free shell. Whatever doesn’t pass through the sifter after two rounds, toss it.
3. Get the macaronage right. This is the folding step after you add the dry ingredients to the meringue. You want to fold until the batter flows off your spatula in a thick ribbon and the trail takes about 10 seconds to dissolve. Too stiff and your tops won’t smooth out. Too loose and you’ll lose the feet.
4. Let them rest before baking. After piping, let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until a skin forms on top. When you lightly touch one and nothing sticks to your finger, they’re ready. This is what creates the feet.
5. Use an oven thermometer. Most ovens run 15-25°F hotter or cooler than what the dial says. Macarons are sensitive. An oven thermometer costs about five dollars and will save an entire batch.
How to Make Them
Step 1: Prep the Dry Ingredients
Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together into a large bowl. Sift them a second time. Discard anything that won’t pass through.
Set this aside.
Step 2: Make the French Meringue
In a clean, completely grease-free bowl (any fat will ruin your meringue), beat the aged egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy.
Increase to medium-high, then slowly stream in the granulated sugar a little at a time. Beat until you reach stiff, glossy peaks. The meringue should hold its shape when you lift the whisk, and the peaks should stand straight up.
Add the vanilla extract and gel food coloring (if using), and beat for another 30 seconds.
Step 3: Macaronage (The Folding)
Add the dry ingredients to the meringue all at once.
Using a large rubber spatula, fold by pressing the batter against the side of the bowl and scooping it back. You’re intentionally deflating the meringue here. That’s correct.
Keep folding until the batter is smooth, shiny, and flows like lava. Test it by lifting your spatula and watching the batter fall back into the bowl. If it holds a peak that doesn’t dissolve within 10 seconds, keep folding. When the ribbon dissolves into the batter in about 10 seconds, you’re done.
Step 4: Pipe the Shells
Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
Hold the bag straight up, perpendicular to the baking sheet, tip about 1cm above the surface. Pipe 1.5-inch circles about an inch apart. The batter should spread slightly.
Once piped, firmly tap the baking sheet on the counter 4-5 times to bring air bubbles to the surface. Use a toothpick to pop any that remain.
Step 5: Rest and Bake
Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until a skin forms. Do not rush this.
Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 13-15 minutes. The shells should have visible feet and should not wobble when you gently nudge them.
Let them cool completely on the pan before peeling them off. Do not rush this either.
Step 6: Make the Filling
Beat the softened butter until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium until smooth and creamy.
Step 7: Fill and Sandwich
Match up shells by size. Pipe a small round of buttercream onto the flat side of one shell, then press the matching shell gently on top.
Refrigerate the filled macarons in an airtight container for at least 24 hours before serving. This is called “maturing” and it’s not optional. The shells soften and absorb the filling, and the texture goes from slightly crispy to perfectly chewy all the way through.
They’re genuinely better on day two.
Substitutions and Variations
| Need | Try This Instead |
|---|---|
| Vanilla buttercream | Chocolate ganache, raspberry jam, lemon curd, Nutella |
| Almond flour | Finely ground pistachio flour or hazelnut flour |
| Food coloring | Natural powders like matcha (green), freeze-dried raspberry (pink), or cocoa (brown) |
| Vanilla extract | Almond extract, lemon zest, or rose water in the shells |
| Regular buttercream | Swiss meringue buttercream for a silkier, less sweet filling |
Flavour ideas: Lemon and lavender, salted caramel, matcha and white chocolate, raspberry and rose.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Shells only: Baked and cooled shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Buttercream: Makes up to one week ahead and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature and re-whip before filling.
- Filled macarons: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They actually taste best on days 2 and 3.
- Frozen macarons: Freeze filled macarons in a single layer, then transfer to a container. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition, Diet Notes, and Pairings
Nutritional Info (Per Macaron, Makes ~24)
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~110 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 16g |
| Fat | 5g |
| Protein | 1.5g |
| Sugar | 15g |
Values are approximate and will vary based on size and filling.
Diet Notes
- Gluten-free: Traditional macarons are naturally gluten-free, as long as your almond flour and powdered sugar are certified GF.
- Dairy-free filling: Swap the butter for vegan butter and use coconut cream in place of heavy cream.
What to Serve Them With
Macarons pair really well with:
- Afternoon tea or a proper Earl Grey
- Champagne or sparkling rosé for a celebration
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream for a little dessert plate moment
- Gifted in a pretty box, because they look expensive and people will assume you’re basically a professional now
Leftovers and Storage
- Counter: Fine for a few hours if you’re serving them same day.
- Fridge: Airtight container for up to 5 days. Best texture on day 2 or 3.
- Freezer: Up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge still in the container to prevent condensation on the shells.
One thing worth knowing: macarons are genuinely better the next day. Freshly baked shells are a little crispy, a little hollow-feeling. Give them 24 hours with the filling and they become the chewy, light, melt-in-your-mouth cookie they’re supposed to be.
FAQ
Why did my macarons come out cracked? Almost always from skipping the resting period or oven temperature being too high. Let them rest until a skin forms before baking, and use an oven thermometer to check your actual temperature.
Why don’t mine have feet? Either the batter was overmixed (too thin), the oven temperature is off, or they didn’t rest long enough to form a skin. The skin is what forces the batter to rise up and out instead of spreading sideways.
My macarons are hollow inside. What happened? Hollow shells usually come from underbeaten meringue, overbaked shells, or opening the oven door too early. Make sure your meringue reaches stiff peaks before folding.
Can I use egg whites from a carton? Fresh eggs aged at room temperature work best. Carton egg whites have stabilizers that can affect the meringue. If you’re in a pinch, they can work, but fresh is better.
Do I really have to weigh everything? For macarons, yes. This is one recipe where volume measurements can genuinely fail you. A kitchen scale is what separates consistent results from a coin flip.
My batter is too thick / too thin. Can I fix it? If it’s too stiff, fold a few more times. If it’s already too runny, there’s no fixing it. Start the macaronage step again with fresh meringue, or accept that this batch might spread a little more than expected. They’ll still taste great.
Wrapping Up
Look, macarons have an intimidating reputation. But once you understand what each step is actually doing and why, it clicks into place quickly.
The resting, the sifting, the folding to a specific consistency, it all has a purpose. And when you pull a tray out of the oven and see those little ruffled feet around the edges, you’ll feel like you just unlocked something.
Make a batch, give some away, eat the rest over two days (trust the process on that one), and come back and tell me how it went. I read every comment and genuinely love hearing what worked, what didn’t, and what fillings you tried.
Also, questions are always welcome. No judgment here. 🍪
