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    Home » Basic Baking Techniques

    Published Sep 8, 2017 · Updated Apr 17, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Perfect French Macarons step by step

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    French Macarons with purple buttercream & lemon curd stacked on a purple towel with more in background.
    French Macarons with purple buttercream & lemon curd stacked on a purple towel with more in background.

    The Perfect French Macarons are crispy, chewy meringue shells paired with your choice of sweet fillings. They can be flavored and colored as you like, and are a gluten-free treat. Learn how to make macarons from scratch successfully, step by step!

    French Macarons with purple buttercream & lemon curd stacked on a purple towel with more in background this …

    [June, 2021: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]

    Why this recipe works

    • Using almond flour (not almond meal) ensures that the batter will be smooth, not gritty
    • Allowing the macaron batter to dry before going into the oven forces them to rise up (that's what creates the feet)
    • You get to choose the flavorings, colorings, and fillings to suit your preferences

    French Macarons are dainty little confections with crisp outer shells and chewy seductive centers. At their base, the cookie shells feature little ridges called “feet” that are the mark of a well-made macaron.

    And their reputation as a finicky cookie are well noted, but don't worry. I'm going to show you how to make a French macarons recipe successfully, step by step.

    (Side note: if you just say Macaroons, people think you mean the treats made with coconut flakes. These are definitely not those!).

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • What you need
    • How to make French Macarons
    • What can go wrong
    • Tips for French Macaron success
    • Questions asked and answered
    • The fillings are up to you
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What you need

    The ingredients that go into macaron recipe are simple, at least. One item that may not be a pantry standard is almond flour. The other might be cream of tartar.

    There are two types of almond flour available, blanched and unblanched, the difference being whether or not the almonds are ground up with their skins. If the color of the macaron is going to be light, use the lighter-shaded blanched almond flour.

    Note, almond flour is not the same as almond meal. You want the finer grind of the almond flour for macarons so the resulting cookie won't be gritty.

    Cream of tartar (not pictured) is an acidic dry powder that's a byproduct of winemaking. It's used to stabilize the egg whites as they're being whipped, so you get a fluffier finished meringue. It's optional, but recommended.

    Macarons ingredients on tray from overhead marked
    Simple ingredients for a finicky delicacy (cream of tartar not shown)

    How to make French Macarons

    The steps to making a French macaron recipe from scratch are, in and of themselves, simple. Make a French meringue, stir in sweetened almond flour, then bake.

    Ok, there's a little more to it than that.

    Step 1: Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar

    Sift finely ground almond meal and powdered sugar together, preferably passing them both through a fine-mesh strainer or using a sifter (photo 1).

    Sifting almond flour and powdered sugar for French macarons.
    Sifting almond flour and powdered sugar together with a fine mesh sieve

    Step 2: Make the meringue

    Wet a paper towel with white vinegar or lemon juice and wipe the bowl of a stand mixer. Any bit of residual fat in the bowl can keep the meringue from forming. The acid ensures that the bowl is absolutely free of fat.

    Beat egg whites until foamy, then add the granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and salt (photo 2). Whip until the meringue can form a peak that stands upright (a stiff peak), about 8 to 10 minutes.

    Collage of whipping egg whites in mixing bowl into meringue.
    Start with a super clean mixing bowl, and add the sugar, cream of tartar, and salt when the egg whites are foamy

    Now is the time to add any food coloring if you'd like (photo 3). Gel food coloring works best. The color does fade as it bakes, so do a shade or two darker than you want them to be.

    Collage of flavoring and coloring meringue in a mixing bowl.
    Adding flavoring & coloring to the whipped meringue

    Double check that the meringue is whipped to stiff peaks (photo 4).

    purple meringue holding a stiff peak on a mixer whisk attachment.
    Meringue at the stiff peak stage.

    Step 3: Fold in the almond flour mixture

    Folding in the almond flour mixture into the meringue is the trickiest part to making macarons (photo 5). About 65 to 75 turns of your spatula is the magic number.

    Under-mix, and your macarons will be lumpy and cracked when they bake and won't have feet. Over-mix and your macarons will be flat and still won't have feet.

    More on that later.

    Mixing almond meal & powdered sugar into a purple meringue in a mixing bowl.
    Folding the almond flour mixture into the meringue just the right amount of strokes

    Line a half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.

    Transfer the macaron batter to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch round pastry tip. If you're using parchment paper, place a little of the macaron batter on the underside of each corner to hold it flat to the baking pan.

    Pipe out 1½-inch rounds onto the baking pan, spacing them about 1-inch apart (photo 6). Use a wet finger to gently flatten the points from the batter.

    Tap the pan hard at least 2 to 3 times to release the air bubbles. This will prevent the tops of the macarons from cracking.

    Purple french macarons piped onto a silpat lined baking pan before baking.
    This macaron batter needs to dry before heading to the oven

    Step 4: Dry the macarons before baking

    Allowing the macaron batter to dry before going into the oven is a very important step. When they dry out they can't spread out in the oven, and are forced to rise up. That's what creates the distinctive feet you want!

    Let the macarons sit out for 30 to 60 minutes, allowing them time to dry out a bit before hitting the hot oven. The batter should be tacky, but not stick to your fingertips.

    Step 5: Bake the macarons

    Bake the macarons at 300°F for 20 minutes (photo 7). Warning: do not underbake, even if they look done. Otherwise they will stick to your tray. Just bake for the prescribed time and have faith.

    Purple french macarons on a silpat lined baking pan after baking.
    Perfectly baked and cooled macaron shells, ready for some filling

    Turn off the oven once the macarons are done without opening the oven door to let them cool completely in the oven (about 1 to 2 hours) before removing the pan. This will keep them from cracking due to thermal shock.

    Voilà, perfectly puffed macarons with their distinctive feet!

    Closeup of purple french macarons on a silpat lined baking pan after baking.
    Lovely macaron shells that have feet!

    What can go wrong

    The first time my daughter and I made a macaron recipe, we felt like we knew what to do and dived right in…and failed.

    [insert tires screeching sound here]

    French macarons without feet on napkin closeup
    Look at these sad, footless French Macarons

    These French Macarons tasted good, but the look and texture were all off.

    Here are some of the lessons we learned that day:

    • Sifting the almond flour and the powdered sugar can take time, and since I had already made the meringue, it sat for quite a while. Maybe enough to deflate a bit? Lesson learned...sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together first.
    • It was a humid day. Meringue batter needs to dry out before baking to increase the surface tension of the batter as it expands, thereby allowing it to puff up properly. Humidity definitely has an effect. Lesson learned...make sure you pick a non-humid day to make macarons.
    • We over-mixed the almond flour mixture into the meringue, thus deflating the meringue. You want to keep as much air in the meringue as possible because that's what causes the macarons to rise in the oven. Over-mixing is a well-noted stumbling block, and probably was the main reason for our failure. Lesson learned...count the strokes when folding in the almond flour mixture, and stop when it's just combined.

    Tips for French Macaron success

    Here are some more expert tips for making French macarons:

    • Be patient when you sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together. This step can be tedious (especially if you don't have a sifter), but it's important to make the powder as smooth as possible and remove any larger almond pieces that would make the shells look less than ideal.
    • Allow the meringue shells to dry before going into the oven. When they dry out, the shells can't spread out in the oven, and are forced to rise up (that's what creates the feet).
    • For a more stable meringue, think about making Italian Meringue Macarons instead. The cooked Italian meringue is more forgiving when folding in the almond flour mixture, thus giving better results.
    French Macarons with purple buttercream stacked on a purple towel with more in background

    Questions asked and answered

    Here are some questions that you might have...

    Should French macarons be chewy?

    Fresh out of the oven, macaron shells will be quite crisp and delicate. If you fill them and eat them immediately, the shells will still have that extra-crisp texture. However, macarons are best enjoyed the next day as the meringue shells have a chance to soften to a crispy chewiness. Yummm...

    How do I store French macarons?

    To store French macarons, place them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a week, unless you have a filling that must be refrigerated.

    What's the different between French macarons and Italian macarons?

    The difference is in how the meringue is made. French meringue is just egg whites beaten until fluffy and sweetened with sugar. In Italian Meringue Macarons, the sugar is boiled into a syrup before adding it to the whipped egg whites. As it's slowly added to the bowl, the egg whites cook, giving the resulting meringue a sturdier structure that's less brittle than French meringue.

    French Macarons with purple buttercream & lemon curd laying sideways in a dish on a purple towel from overhead
    All lined up and ready for snacking

    The fillings are up to you

    You’ll notice I didn’t include the filling recipes because there you can get creative. Use classic buttercream frosting, an Italian meringue frosting, chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, butterscotch sauce, jam, peanut butter...the list goes on.

    The macarons pictured below are filled with purple buttercream frosting and lemon curd thickened with powdered sugar.

    My daughter crushed up Oreo cookies with their filling for a cookies & cream filling, and used crushed graham crackers, melted marshmallow, and chocolate ganache for a S’mores variety. Be creative!

    Also, you can flavor the meringue before folding in the almond flour mixture (think mint, fruit puree, coffee, cocoa…).

    The possibilities are endless!

    French Macarons with purple buttercream & lemon curd laying sideways in a dish on a purple towel
    Macarons filled with purple buttercream frosting and lemon curd thickened with powdered sugar.

    French macarons are finicky, and they deserve that reputation. But with a bit of patience and attention to detail, you can achieve macaron success.

    Yes, you can make perfect French macarons. Just take it step by step!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

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    Recipe

    French Macarons with purple buttercream & lemon curd stacked on a purple towel with more in background.

    Perfect French Macarons step by step

    Tammy Spencer
    The Perfect French Macarons are crispy, chewy meringue shells paired with your choice of sweet fillings. They can be flavored and colored as you like, and are a gluten-free treat. Learn how to make macarons from scratch successfully, step by step!
    Adapted from Cooking with Beth and Ahead of Thyme
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 40 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Resting Time 1 hr
    Total Time 2 hrs
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine French
    Servings 36 meringue shells
    Calories 33 kcal

    Equipment

    • half sheet baking pan
    • Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper
    • sifter
    • stand mixer with whisk attachment
    • pastry bag
    Prevent your screen from going dark while cooking

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • ¾ cup almond flour, see Recipe Notes
    • 1 teaspoon white vinegar, or lemon juice, optional, see Recipe Notes
    • 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
    • pinch kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, see Recipe Notes
    • food coloring, optional, see Recipe Notes
    • fillings, see Recipe Notes

    Instructions
     

    • Line a half sheet baking pan with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
    • Sift together the powdered sugar and the almond flour. Discard the larger lumps of almond pieces left behind.
    • Wet a paper towel with white vinegar or lemon juice and wipe the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the egg whites in the bowl and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment.
    • Beat egg whites until foamy, then add the granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Whip until the meringue can form a peak that stands upright, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and the food coloring (if using).
    • Gently fold the almond flour mixture into the meringue, counting about 65 to 75 turns of your spatula. Folding in the almond flour mixture into the meringue is the trickiest part. Under-mix, and your macarons will be lumpy and cracked when they bake and won't have feet. Over-mix and your macarons will be flat and still won't have feet.
    • Transfer the batter to a pastry bag. If you’re using parchment paper, place a little of the batter on the underside of each corner to hold it flat to the baking pan. Pipe out 1½-inch rounds onto the baking pan. Use a wet finger to gently flatten the points from the batter.
    • Tap the pan hard on the counter at least 2 to 3 times to release the air bubbles. This will prevent the tops of the meringue shells from cracking.
    • Let the meringue shells sit out for 30 to 60 minutes, allowing them time to dry out a bit before hitting the hot oven. They should be tacky, but not stick to your fingertips. Allowing the macaron batter to dry before going into the oven is a very important step. When they dry out they can't spread out in the oven, and are forced to rise up (that's what creates the feet).
    • While the macarons are drying, preheat the oven to 300°F.
    • Bake the meringue shells for 20 minutes. Do not underbake, even if they look done (otherwise they will stick to your tray).
    • Turn off the oven once the shells are done without opening the oven door to let them cool completely in the oven (about 1 to 2 hours) before removing the pan. This will keep them from cracking due to thermal shock.
    • Carefully pipe or spoon your desired filling onto one side of a meringue shell, then sandwich with a second shell.
    • Macarons are best enjoyed the next day as the meringue shells have a chance to soften to a crispy chewiness.
    • To store French macarons, place them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a week, unless you have a filling that must be refrigerated.

    Video

    Notes

    There are two types of almond flour available, blanched and unblanched, the difference being whether or not the almonds are ground up with their skins. If the color of the macaron is going to be light, use the lighter-shaded blanched almond flour. Note, almond flour is NOT almond meal. You want the finer grind of the flour for this recipe.
    Egg whites need to be absolutely free of fat to whip into a meringue. To make sure there is no yolk, separate the eggs over a bowl and dump the whites into another bowl (an egg separator can help). Also, wiping the mixing bowl with white vinegar or lemon juice prior to adding the whites help to ensure there is no fat in the bowl that can inhibit the meringue formation. This step is optional but highly recommended.
    You can flavor the macarons with extracts other than vanilla. Use ⅛ teaspoon for stronger flavors like almond, mint, or Fiori di Sicilia (orange vanilla).
    If you want to color your macarons, gel food coloring works best. The color does fade as it bakes, so do a shade or two darker than you want them to be.
    You have many options for filling the macarons. Use a classic buttercream frosting, an Italian meringue frosting, chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, jam, peanut butter...the list goes on.

    Your Notes

    Click here to add your own private notes

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 meringue shellsCalories: 33 kcalCarbohydrates: 5 gProtein: 1 gFat: 1 gSaturated Fat: 1 gSodium: 3 mgPotassium: 6 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 5 gCalcium: 5 mgIron: 1 mg
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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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