First things first, what is a macaron? The French macaron is a small sandwich cookie traditionally made with almond flour and meringue. It can be sandwiched with many types of fillings such as ganache, jam, or buttercream. These fillings are typically where most of the flavor comes from. The shells have smooth tops and ruffled bottoms referred to as “feet.” Both the shells and fillings are often made in a variety of colors.

In this post I’m getting into the nitty gritty details of all things macaron. I make macarons using the French method, which means using french or uncooked meringue. Macarons can also be made with Italian meringue, where the meringue is cooked with a hot sugar syrup, or Swiss meringue, where the egg white and sugar mixture is cooked over a bain marie before whipping. Italian and Swiss meringues are considered more stable, but making macarons this way involves extra steps. In my opinion, French meringue gets the job done just fine without making extra dishes and taking extra time. Everything that follows is based off my experience making macarons with the French method, however many of the same principles will apply to other methods.

I’m also going to bash all the anecdotal evidence out there about making macarons and proceed to provide you with my own anecdotal evidence. I’m not patient enough to test all the variables in macaron making with proper scientific methods, so I can’t say for sure that all of my reasoning is correct. I’ve witnessed plenty of people doing things I don’t do and their macarons still turn out. All I can say is that this is what’s worked for me. I’ve written out everything I can think of that I’ve learned about macarons over the years, and I hope it helps you out.

 

Ingredients

 

Almond flour

The essential ingredients for macaron shells are almond flour, egg whites, and sugar. You can buy almond flour or you can make it yourself with a food processor. I prefer to buy the almond flour because it saves time and also because commercial producers are able to mill the almonds more finely and consistently than I can at home. I prefer Bob’s Red Mill brand since it’s available at most grocery stores, reasonably priced, and very consistent in quality. Most recipes call for blanched almond flour, which means the dark skins have been removed from the almonds before they are milled. Blanched almond flour will give you the most smooth and clean looking batter, however I also enjoy sometimes using unblanched almond flour for the speckled texture and appearance it creates. It’s best to store almond flour in the fridge or freezer to keep it fresh.

Egg whites

There are a lot of articles online about how to prepare egg whites for macarons. Many people advocate for aging egg whites with the idea that this helps some of the water in them evaporate and therefore makes a better meringue. I do not age my egg whites and my macarons still turn out just fine.

Sugar

Two types of sugar are used to make macarons. Standard granulated sugar is used for the meringue. Confectioners sugar is mixed with the almond flour, creating what some refer to as the “tant pour tant,” just a fancy french term for a mixture of equal parts (so much “x” for so much “x”).  A common myth is that the cornstarch in confectioners sugar will cause problems in macarons. Cornstarch or other starches are commonly added to confectioners sugar as an anti-caking agent. These starches make up a very small percentage of the confectioners sugar and don’t really make a difference in the macarons.  Sugar is an important structural ingredient in macarons and therefore you can’t decrease the amount used without compromising the structure of the cookies. Macarons are inherently a very sweet cookie, and I try to balance this out with my fillings.

Salt and cream of tartar

Salt and cream of tartar are two additional ingredients that you will often see in macaron recipes and I always use them. I use salt because it’s important to properly season all of your foods, especially desserts! Good tasting food is always about balance and salt helps balance out all the sweetness. Likewise, cream of tartar, or tartaric acid provides an acidic component that helps curb the sweetness. Cream of tartar also aids in the structure of the meringue. The acid helps the proteins in the egg whites coagulate and form a stronger structure.

Food coloring

Food coloring is typically also included in macaron batter. You will want to use gel paste or powdered food coloring because liquids will weaken the meringue. I like Americolor brand for my food coloring.

 

Tools

Scale

I use a digital scale for all of my baking and I measure everything in grams. Using a scale will give you the most accurate measurements when making macarons. It’s important to have accurate measurements because small inconsistencies can ruin your macarons.

 

 

Electric Mixer

An electric mixer is indispensable if you want to make a meringue. Technically you could whip a meringue by hand, but it will take a very long time and your arm will be very tired. I have a kitchenaid stand mixer which is great if you bake a lot, but a handheld mixer will get the job done just fine.

 

 

Fine mesh sifter

You will also need a fine mesh sifter to sift your almond flour and confectioners sugar mixture. It’s important to get out any lumps and make sure there aren’t any large bits of almond in your batter.

Rubber Spatula

For mixing the batter you will need a flexible rubber spatula. You need one that is comfortable to use, that is stiff enough to fold the mixture but flexible to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Piping bags and tips

For perfectly piped macarons you will want to use a piping bags and a round metal piping tip. If you are just getting started I think it’s fine to cut the tip off a large ziploc bag and be done with it, but know that you’ll have a hard time piping perfectly round macarons this way. I like Ateco brand piping bags, I usually use the 12 inch bags for small batches and the 18 inch bags for larger ones. I use a number 12 round tip for piping my standard 1.5 inch macarons, but you will want to use a larger or smaller tip if you plan to make larger or smaller macarons.

Baking Sheets

The baking sheets you use are also an important factor to consider. Baking sheets will conduct heat differently based on their thickness and material. I use standard aluminum baking sheets, the kind which are used in most commercial kitchens because they are cheap and durable.

 

Parchment paper and silicone mats

Another thing to consider is whether you will bake your macarons on parchment paper or silicone mats. You must use at least one of these things or the macarons will stick to the pan. Parchment paper is cheaper and available at most grocery stores. If you use parchment paper you can easily trace circles on the backside to use as a guide when piping your macarons. I find that parchment paper creates macarons with more of a ruffled bottom because the moisture in the batter causes the paper to ripple. In the photo below, the top macaron was baked on a silicone mat while the bottom one was baked on parchment paper.

 

 

 

I much prefer to use silicone mats for baking macarons. I like that they create nice, flat bottoms on the shells but this is a matter of personal preference. There are A LOT of options for silicone mats, but I’ll go through a few good options. First of all, I don’t recommend the mats with raised circles made specifically for macarons. I don’t like them because they only serve one purpose and if your technique is good there’s really no need for the raised circles. I do like mats with guide patterns on them, which can still be used for other purposes like baking cookies.  Another thing to consider is the thickness of the mat, which just like the thickness of your baking sheet, will affect the macarons. The thicker the mat, the more insulated the macarons will be against heat.

 

Oven thermometer

Oven thermometers are also good to have. Macarons are sensitive to minute temperature differences, so it’s a good idea to use an oven thermometer to keep track of things. Your oven may not be calibrated correctly, and even opening the oven door can cause a drop in temperature. For example, when I use my countertop oven, the temperature drops about 25 degrees upon opening the door and putting a tray inside. Larger ovens won’t have such drastic temperature changes but even 5 degrees can make a difference. 

 

Oven

Finally, one of the most important tools in macaron making is your oven. You really need to get to know your oven to figure out the best way to bake macarons in it. It’s important to note whether the heat source in your oven comes from the top or bottom or both, as this will influence where to place the oven racks. It’s also good to consider using a convection feature if you have it. Macarons get their iconic feet because the tops crust over, forcing steam out the bottom as the shells bake. I have a small counter top convection oven, and I find my best macarons are baked in that oven. However, it’s absolutely possible to bake great macarons in a normal oven, you just have to let the the shells dry out and form a skin before you bake them.

 

Techniques

 

Meringue

Properly whipping your meringue is possibly the most important aspect of making macarons, so it’s good to have a thorough understanding of the whole process.

To set yourself up for success with the meringue, you’ll want to make sure you have a clean bowl and room temperature egg whites. The presence of any fats will inhibit the meringue from forming, so I always wipe out the mixing bowl with a little white vinegar just to be sure no traces of fat remain. This is especially true if the bowl was last used to make something like cake batter or buttercream frosting. If you are using a handheld mixer, avoid using a plastic bowl as plastic is porous and tends to retain oils.

You don’t strictly speaking have to work with room temperature egg whites, but it will make the process much easier. The goal is for the sugar to dissolve into the egg whites as you whip the meringue. Egg whites are about 90 percent water, so think about how much easier it is for sugar to dissolve in warm water rather than cold water.

Now let’s talk about the science of meringue for a minute. When you whip egg whites, you are physically denaturing the proteins. In their natural state the proteins are like long strands folded up, but as the whisk agitates them, they start to unravel. As you continue to whisk, the proteins continue to unravel and reconnect in a pattern that allows air bubbles to be trapped. You can think of the sugar as a sort of glue that helps this new protein network to form. The acid from the cream of tartar also helps the proteins to coagulate and hold their new shape. Adding heat to the meringue will also cause the proteins to coagulate and hold their structure, which is why swiss and italian meringues are generally considered to be sturdier than french.

Most instructions for making meringue will tell you to whisk the egg whites until frothy and then add the sugar, very slowly and gradually. I don’t find this gradual addition to be necessary and I don’t like standing at the mixer if I don’t have to. The caveat is that when you start whisking everything together from the start, you need to run the mixer on low speed for longer to ensure the sugar is dissolved before you start whipping on a higher speed. It typically takes almost 15 minutes to whip the meringue for my macarons, but while the stand mixer is working I’m measuring out the rest of my ingredients, getting my baking trays set up, and cleaning up dishes.

The next thing to consider is the definition of “stiff peaks,” which is the goal for your meringue in most recipes. In most basic terms, stiff peaks are identified when you pull the whisk out and the meringue trailing off it can stand up straight on its own, even when you flip the whisk over. However, I believe this is often misinterpreted because the peaks really depend on how much meringue you pick up. If you try to test a big scoop of meringue, it’s going to slump over no matter what because of the weight. I test for stiffness with only a very small peak of meringue. For  beginners I think a better test is to turn the bowl completely upside down. If the meringue doesn’t move, it’s stiff enough for macarons. I made the mistake of over whipping my meringue for a long time and it’s one of the most important factors in whether or not you will get hollow pockets inside your shells.

Coloring

I typically add my gel coloring once the meringue is at soft peaks. This gives me a little time to play with getting the color just right and ensure it gets thoroughly mixed in without over whipping the meringue. If you are using powdered color, you could also whip it into the meringue at this point or you could whisk it in with the dry ingredients. Remember that the color of your batter will be diluted by the dry ingredients and also fade as the shells bake. You should also consider that the almond flour has a slightly yellow hue to it, which can change the color you’re aiming for, especially with lighter colors. It’s best not to add more than a few drops of color, as the more you add will start to affect the texture of the batter. I find that the more food coloring I add, the chewier/tougher the shells become. Darker colors also often require a longer bake time. Very dark colors like black or navy are hard to achieve, and you will probably need to use a combination of gel and powdered coloring. Likewise, very light colors can be susceptible to browning in the oven.

Sifting

When scaling out your almond flour and confectioners sugar, you’ll want to pass them both through a sifter to make sure there are no lumps or large pieces of almond. If there are any pieces of almond that do not pass through the sifter, discard them. Again, this is why I like to buy almond flour rather than make it, because commercially milled almond flour has almost no large pieces and therefore no waste. If you are making your own almond flour with a food processor, you can take any large pieces and pulse them again until everything comes to a fine powder. Just be sure to process your almonds together with the confectioners sugar, otherwise you’ll end up with almond butter. Alternatively, you can just remove larger pieces of almond and save them for muffins, pancake batter, or something like that. If you remove a significant amount (more than a teaspoon or so) of large pieces, you’ll need to replace it with the same weight of finely ground almonds. After sifting the almond flour and confectioners sugar, I usually whisk them a bit just to make sure the mixture is homogeneous. I don’t want any pockets of just sugar or just almond flour in my macaron batter.

Macaronage

After the meringue is whipped, I sift the almond flour/confectioners sugar mixture a second time, directly into the meringue. The next step is to use a rubber spatula and begin to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue. This step is referred to as the “macaronage,” and it’s often the step people worry about the most. Just take your time folding and there’s really nothing to worry about. You don’t have to be super gentle, you just don’t want deflate the batter before its completely mixed. After the mixture starts to come together, you can also start scraping it against the side of the bowl to deflate some of the air. The goal here is to evenly incorporate the dry ingredients into the meringue while deflating the batter just a bit. I think this whole process is best understood by watching someone else do it, so check out my video and watch a few others to get an idea of the process. The finished batter will stream off the spatula in ribbons and slowly sink back into itself. You want it to be loose enough that the shells smooth out as you pipe them, but not so loose the batter runs all over the place and loses its shape. If you are unsure, it’s best to err on the side of under mixed. You can always use a wet finger to gently smooth out your shells if the peaks don’t smooth out by themselves. Also remember that your batter will deflate just a tiny bit more as you transfer it from the bowl to your piping bag.

Piping

I use silicone mats that are already printed with macaron templates, but if you don’t have those, you can trace circles on a piece of paper or print a template to slide under the mat of paper you’re piping onto. Or go wild and pipe them without a guide! If you are going to bake your macarons on parchment, pipe a small dot of batter under each corner of the paper and stick to your baking tray so it doesn’t slide around. The technique for piping macarons is another thing I would recommend watching videos to understand. Generally, you’ll want to hold the tip at a 90 degree angle to your baking sheet. I squeeze from the back of the bag with my right hand and use my left hand to guide the tip of the bag if needed. You’ll want to start piping with the tip in the center of your circle, pulling up just a hair as the batter fills the template. It’s also a good idea to stop piping just short of the line because the batter will spread out a bit. To get the smoothest top, you’ll want to flick the piping tip away as you stop squeezing. The motion is similar to drawing a comma, and it takes a little practice to get the hang of.

Getting rid of air bubbles and imperfections

After all your macarons are piped, the next step is to bang your trays on the counter. This will help release any large air bubbles which inevitably form in the batter as you transfer it from bowl to piping bag. If you don’t get rid of these bubbles, they will cause your macarons to crack in the oven. Don’t be afraid to bang the trays hard, just make sure to hold them evenly so that you don’t ruin the circular shape of your shells. I usually bang the tray once, then rotate and bang again to make sure everything is even.

After banging your trays on the counter, you’ll see little divots on the surface of your macarons where the bubbles popped and perhaps a few unpopped bubbles. If your batter is properly mixed, the divots will smooth out slightly on their own. I like to go through with a toothpick, popping any unpopped air bubbles and smoothing out imperfections. This is super tedious and totally optional.  If your macaron batter is under mixed you will see a lot more imperfections on the surface. This is also the time to add any sprinkles or similar adornments. You’ll want to keep these adornments minimal because if the get too heavy they will create a weak point in the surface of the macarons and cause them to crack.

Drying shells

Drying macarons is a hotly debated topic, so here’s my take on it. The surface of the shells does have to dry out at some point in order to form a crust that will trap steam and force it out the bottom of the shell to form feet. How and when this crusting over occurs can be manipulated by the baker. When I bake macarons in a convection oven, they quickly form a crust because a fan is circulating air inside the oven. Therefore I don’t rest macarons which are going to be baked in a convection oven.

On the other hand, if you are baking your macarons in a regular oven, it’s a good idea to let them rest until a skin develops. This is where ambient humidity can really affect your macarons. If the air is so humid that the shells can’t form a crust, they will crack in the oven. The time it takes to form a skin can vary greatly, anywhere from ten minutes to over an hour. The macarons a ready when they feel dry to the touch and their surface doesn’t stick to your finger. In very humid environments you might need to get creative about how you dry them. You can use a fan to dry out the shells as long as it isn’t so forceful that it moves the batter. You can set the trays on your stove under the hood fan to help them dry. You can even try heating your oven to its lowest temperature and letting the shells dry inside for a few minutes with the oven door cracked. Then remove the shells and preheat your oven to the baking temperature.

It is also possible to over dry your macaron shells. I have found that if the shells dry for too long, the feet will be lopsided because the shell is dried to the parchment or mat and steam only escapes from the weakest point.

Baking

Baking time and temperature is, in my opinion, one of the most crucial steps in successfully making macarons. The problem with giving a set time and temperature is that you have to take into consideration how you prepared everything up to the point of baking as well as the mechanics of your particular oven and bakeware. Small variation in temperature will affect how your macarons turn out. In the photo below, the top macaron was baked at 300 F. This wasn’t hot enough for the meringue to set up, so it collapsed as the shell cooled. The bottom macaron was baked at 325 F, which allowed the shell to set up fully.

 

 

 

A good place to start is with your oven at 310 degrees fahrenheit and a baking time of around 12 minutes, with one tray in the center of your oven. You will only want to bake one tray at a time because two trays will likely interfere with each other as they bake. The macarons are done when you can gently nudge a shell with your finger and it doesn’t move. This indicates that the center has fully set up.

As you continue to bake macarons, you can adjust your temperature, time, and rack height according to any issues you might have. Think about how the macarons form when exposed to heat, and use this information to figure out your adjustments. Remember, the shells form a crust, pushing steam out the bottom to form feet. See my Best French Macaron Recipe for a list of common problems their causes.

Fillings

You can fill a macaron with anything you want, but there are a few things I would consider when selecting your filling. The filling should be firm enough that it will hold its shape and won’t leak out of the cookie. On the other hand, it should be moist enough that it absorbs somewhat into the shells. Part of the magic in macarons is that the filling soaks into the shells, giving them a soft and chewy center while maintaining their crisp exterior.

I prefer to fill macarons with buttercream, and my absolute favorite to use is french buttercream. This is a style of buttercream made with egg yolks so it’s a great way to use up the leftover yolks you’ll have after making the meringue. It has a rich custard-like flavor and it just seems natural to me to reunite the yolks with the whites.

Chocolate ganache is another popular filling, although you’ll want to make it on the softer side to ensure there’s enough moisture to absorb into the shells. I don’t like using jams or curds alone because they don’t hold their shape and they have a little too much moisture, which can cause shells to disintegrate. However, I love love love surrounding a small center of jam or curd with a ring of buttercream. The buttercream provides a barrier to keep the center in place and also give you the option to play with more flavor combinations.

Maturation and Storage

After filling macarons, it’s best to let them rest in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight in order for the filling and shells to meld flavor and texture. Macarons have a fairly long shelf life as long as they are kept in an airtight container. You can also make the shells ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer to fill later. Well-wrapped macarons will keep for about a week in the fridge and several months in the freezer. Let refrigerated or frozen macarons come to room temperature before enjoying.