Foolproof Macaron Recipe: Step-by-Step Success for Perfect French Macarons

Foolproof Macaron Recipe (Step by Step!)

You’ll love this foolproof macaron recipe. Macarons are the delicate French sweets that make every bakery window look like a jewelry case, and this version walks you through them one calm step at a time.

Prep takes about 30 minutes, the actual bake is quick at around 15 minutes, and you should set aside about 2 hours total once piping, drying, and cooling are counted.

The recipe makes 20 macarons, which is exactly the right number for a small celebration or a very good Tuesday.

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Repeat after me: you can do this. If you have ever stared at a tray of cracked, flat cookies and wondered where it all went wrong, this is the recipe that finally makes sense.

One quick note on transparency before we bake. The original recipe post from Broma Bakery is sponsored by Café Appliances, and all opinions in it are the author’s own. I jest about a lot of things, but I never joke about a good oven.

How to make French Macarons

I don’t know about you, but the first time I tried macarons I felt like I was defusing a bomb. There is a reason for that feeling. Macarons are notoriously finicky, and they fail in small, sneaky ways.

Under beat the egg whites, or over beat them, and you get flat macarons that never develop their little feet. Fold the powdered sugar and almond flour in too many times and the tops crack in the oven. Even rainy weather, something completely outside your control, can ruin a batch.

Here is the structure underneath it all. The base is whipped egg whites, and into those whites you fold a mixture of powdered sugar and almond flour. That batter is unstable and unpredictable. It can discourage even professionally trained bakers, which is why so many home cooks quietly give up after one tray.

This guide offers a real solution for perfect macarons, and it starts with changing one thing about the egg whites.

What makes this classic macaron recipe foolproof?

The trick came from a pastry chef named Alon Shabo, and once I learned it I never looked back. Instead of a French meringue made from uncooked egg whites, this recipe uses a Swiss meringue made from warmed egg whites.

That single change gives you a much more stable base for a cookie that is famous for misbehaving. A warmed, gently cooked meringue holds its structure, so a slightly heavy hand or a humid afternoon is far less likely to wreck your day.

The base is also more forgiving during folding. Traditional recipes ask you to count folds as you work the almond flour into the egg whites, and one extra fold can be the difference between a smooth dome and a cracked top.

Here, everything goes into a stand mixer first. You still need to watch the batter, but it comes together quickly and reliably instead of hanging on a prayer.

Ingredients for Macarons

You need only a handful of ingredients, and most of them are probably already in your pantry. The one thing you may need to buy is almond flour, and you have to buy the right kind.

Now the details that matter. Use super fine almond flour, not almond meal. Almond flour is finer and made from blanched almonds with no skin. Almond meal is coarser and includes the skin, and it will give you bumpy, speckled macarons instead of smooth ones.

Powdered sugar does double duty. It sweetens the batter and thickens it, and it also shows up in the filling. Granulated sugar is what aerates and whips the egg whites up to stiff peaks.

Measure your egg whites by weight, and keep every trace of yolk out of them. Here is a piece of good news: aged egg whites are not necessary with the Swiss meringue technique, so you can make these the same day you decide to make them.

Food coloring is optional. A few drops are plenty, and you can match the color to the season or your mood.

What tools do you need to make macarons

Tools matter here, so let’s set up your station before you crack an egg.

• A kitchen scale, because grams are not optional in this recipe
• A stand mixer, which does the heavy whisking and the first stage of mixing
• A sifter for the almond flour and powdered sugar
• Parchment paper and a cookie sheet, ideally two of them
• A piping bag for the shells and the filling

A reliable oven rounds out the list. Macarons bake at a low temperature, so accurate and consistent heat is the difference between a tray of smooth domes and a tray of sad, burnt edges. An oven that runs hot or swings wildly will fight you the whole way.

The article that inspired this guide highlights a Café Appliances Range for exactly this reason. It preheats fast, holds consistent heat that avoids burnt corners and underbaked centers, and has a bright oven light so you can check on your cookies without opening the door.

That last part matters more than it sounds, because opening the oven can make delicate macarons fall.

How to make macarons:

With your ingredients weighed and your tools ready, let’s walk through the whole thing step by step.

Read it once all the way through, then come back and cook.

Step One: Measure out your ingredients.

Precision is the whole game here, so measure everything with your kitchen scale before you start. Weigh the egg whites, granulated sugar, almond flour, and powdered sugar into separate bowls, then set them out in the order you will use them.

While you are at it, preheat the oven to 300°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Once the mixing starts, you will not want to stop and hunt for anything.

Step Two: Sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour three times to get out any clumps that would cause air bubbles or lumpy macarons.

Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together three times. Yes, three. Those little clumps turn into air bubbles and lumpy shells, and sifting is the cheapest insurance you can buy.

If you prefer, you can pulse the two together in a food processor instead. That said, if you sift thoroughly, you do not need the extra appliance, and fewer dishes is always a win.

Step Three: Whisk egg whites and roughly 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar continuously until sugar melts completely and egg whites become white and frothy

Heat a small pot of water over medium low heat until it steams. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the egg whites with roughly 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, then set that bowl over the steaming pot to make a double boiler.

Whisk continuously until the sugar melts completely and the egg whites turn white and frothy, about 1 minute. This is the Swiss meringue step, and it is the reason this recipe works. The egg whites are cooked just a little before they go into the batter, which builds a stable, forgiving base.

Step Four: Transfer the egg whites to a stand mixer and slowly add the remaining granulated sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy. If using food coloring add here as well!

Move the bowl back to the stand mixer, fit it with the whisk attachment, and beat on high speed. Slowly add the remaining granulated sugar as it whips, and drop in your food coloring now if you are using it.

Keep whisking for another 3 to 4 minutes, until stiff peaks form and the meringue looks glossy. Here is your test: rub a little between your fingers. If it still feels grainy, keep going. When it feels smooth, congratulations, you just made a Swiss meringue.

Step Five: Add the sifted powdered sugar and almond flour to the egg whites. Turn the mixer to medium speed and whisk for 5 seconds.

Sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt together twice more, then gently shake the mixture into the meringue bowl.

Put the bowl back on the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and turn it to medium speed for just 5 seconds. That is enough to combine the dry ingredients with the egg whites, and not a second more.

Step Six: Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and gently fold the batter from the outside of the bowl and gently twisting it into the center in a circle like manner.

Stop the mixer and take over by hand with a large rubber spatula. Scrape down the bowl, then fold the batter by scooping from the outside of the bowl and gently twisting it into the center in a circular motion.

You are done when you can lift the spatula and draw a figure eight with the dripping batter without it breaking. If the ribbon snaps, fold a couple more times and test again. The texture you want is like slow moving lava. It should give, but only slightly, like everything is happening in slow motion.

Step Seven: Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fit with a ½ inch tip. Pipe the macarons out a few inches apart onto two cookies sheets lined with parchment paper.

Scoop the batter into a large pastry bag and pipe silver dollar sized circles onto your prepared baking sheets, keeping about 1.5 inches between each one. Steady pressure and a quick stop will give you even rounds.

Once a sheet is full, lift it a few inches above the counter and drop it twice. That bang releases trapped air bubbles. If you like, sprinkle the tops with a little sea salt as a garnish.

Step Eight: Bake the macarons at 300°F for 13 to 15 minutes (depending on the size).

Before they go in the oven, let the piped macarons air dry for 15 to 30 minutes, until the tops are dry to the touch. This rest is what helps them bake up with smooth domes.

Bake at 300°F for about 13 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through, and give them up to 15 minutes if your shells are on the larger side. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet before you try to move them.

Step Nine: Allow the macarons to cool completely before transferring to a cooling rack. Step Ten: While the macarons cool, make the filling. Combine all the filling ingredients together in a bowl and beat until fluffy and creamy.

Let the shells cool completely, then move them to a cooling rack.

While they cool, make the filling. Combine the room temperature butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and fully combined, about 2 minutes. Scoop it into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch tip and set it aside.

Step Eleven: Once the macarons are completely cool, sandwich together with the filling.

Check that the shells are completely cool to the touch. Pipe a round of filling onto the flat side of one macaron, then sandwich it with another and press gently until the filling reaches the edge.

Repeat with the rest of the tray. Line them up as you go, because they look wonderful in a neat row.

Step Twelve: Devour!

That is it. You just made French macarons at home, and you did not need a plane ticket to Paris.

Pour something warm, put the tray in the middle of the table, and watch them disappear. Et voila.

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Foolproof Macaron Recipe (Step by Step!)

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• Total Time: 120 min
• Yield: 20 macarons 1x

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Description

Foolproof Macaron Recipe (Step by Step! ) You’ll love this foolproof macaron recipe .

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

for the macarons
100 g egg whites
100 g granulated sugar
100 g almond flour
100 g powdered sugar
salt
food coloring

For the filling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
salt

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Instructions

1-Preheat the oven to 300°F: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2-Heat a small pot of water over: Heat a small pot of water over medium-low heat until it steams. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and roughly 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Place bowl over steaming pot, creating a double boiler.
3-Whisk egg whites and sugar continuously until: Whisk egg whites and sugar continuously until sugar melts completely and egg whites become white and frothy, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and place the bowl back onto the stand mixer.
4-Fit stand mixer with whisk attachment and: Fit stand mixer with whisk attachment and whisk on high speed while slowly adding in the remaining granulated sugar. Add the food coloring (if using). Continue to whisk for another 3-4 minutes, until stiff meringue peaks form. Congratulations, you just made a Swiss meringue!
5-Next, sift together the almond flour, powdered: Next, sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt twice, then gently shake the mixture into the meringue bowl.
6-Place the bowl back onto a stand: Place the bowl back onto a stand mixer, still fitted with a whisk attachment. Turn the mixer to medium speed and whisk for 5 seconds (just enough to combine the almond flour mixture with the egg whites).
7-Stop the mixer and use a large: Stop the mixer and use a large spatula to hand-mix the batter for the remainder of your mixing. You’ll want to gently fold the mixture with your spatula, scooping up the batter from the outside of the bowl and gently twisting it into the center in a circle-like manner. You’ll know to stop mixing when you can make a figure-eight out of the dripping batter without the batter breaking. If you cannot yet make a figure-eight, repeat the process if necessary, and try the figure-eight again. The best way to describe the perfect consistency is like slow moving lava. It should give, but only slightly, like in slow-motion.
8-Once your batter is the correct consistency,: Once your batter is the correct consistency, scoop it into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1 inch tip. Pipe silver dollar-sized circles onto prepared baking sheets, keeping about 1.5 inches between each meringue. Bang baking sheet on counter two times to remove any air bubbles. Sprinkle tops with a little sea salt as a garnish.
9-Let the macarons air dry for 15: Let the macarons air dry for 15 to 30 minutes or until dry to the touch. Just pop them into the prepared oven for 13 minutes, turning around halfway through, then allow to cool completely before removing from baking sheets.
10-While the macarons are cooling, make the: While the macarons are cooling, make the filling. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until fluffy and fully combined, about 2 minutes.
11-Scoop mixture into a piping bag fitted: Scoop mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch tip and set aside until ready to assemble the macarons.
12-Once the macarons are completely cool to: Once the macarons are completely cool to the touch, pipe the filling onto a macaron and sandwich with another macaron. Repeat with all macarons.

• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Method: bake

Keywords: Foolproof Macaron Recipe