Funfetti Macarons

These funfetti macarons instantly uplift the mood with their colorful look and delicious flavor!

We’re not only sprinkling colorful sprinkles on top, but we’re adding them in the macaron batter as well! It creates a beautiful swirled effect.

You can flavor these macaron shells with birthday cake extract, if you’d like. I filled these macarons with white chocolate buttercream and blueberry confiture. White chocolate buttercream filling recipe is included below. The blueberry confiture recipe is included in my Macaron 101 cookbook.

Key Ingredient Notes:

Measure the macaron ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale. This intentional step leaves no wiggle room for error, maximizing your success!

• Egg whites – Stable meringue starts with quality egg whites. Choose fresh eggs, carefully separate the whites and yolk, and weigh the amount precisely. I’ve also had success with carton egg whites. Be sure to check the labels and avoid the ones that’s says “not for meringue”.
• Almond flour – Choose super-fine almond flour to with light beige color and fluffy texture. This almond flour is my go-to. Avoid oily, yellow and/or coarse almond flour. And here’s how to salvage oily almond flour!
• Powdered sugar – I don’t recommend making your own powder sugar, because commercial powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. And it helps with texture of the cookies.
• Granulated sugar – It’s important to use fine granulated sugar for meringue, as it dissolves quicker. You can also use caster sugar, aka baker’s sugar.
• Cream of tartar is optional and can be omitted. However, it helps to stabilize egg whites and create sturdier meringue. It’s just an extra insurance!
• Sprinkles – Not all sprinkles are made equal! For funfetti macarons, I recommend nonpareils sprinkles, which are colorful tiny beads. They’re light enough not to damage the shells.

How to make funfetti macarons

1. SIFT THE DRY INGREDIENTS

• Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar 3 times. Third time, you may sift it directly into the meringue.

TIME-SAVING TIP: If you have a stand mixer, sift the dry ingredients while the meringue is whipping.

2. MAKE THE MERINGUE

French meringue is the easiest, because we simply whisk egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks. Now, while it seems super easy, there’re a few things to keep in mind.

• Combine egg whites, granulated sugar, salt and cream of tartar, if using, in a large bowl. And beat the mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Continue whipping the meringue on medium speed until stiff peaks form. 

Visual Cues: Your meringue should be super thick and ball up inside the whisk. When you lift the whisk, the meringue should hold a pointy end and have sharp ribs.

3. Mix the macaron batter

• Sift the dry ingredients into the meringue.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue using a large silicone spatula. Run your spatula down the side of the bowl to the bottom, and then cut through the center of the batter. You don’t have to be too gently, but also don’t rush through the process.

• Add the sprinkles (as much as you want) and carefully stir the batter to distribute the sprinkles evenly.
• Transfer the batter into a large piping bag with a round tip. ( I prefer Wilton 2A tip.)

4. SHAPE AND BAKE THE MACARONS 

• Pipe the macarons onto parchment-lined baking sheet about an inch apart. Hold the piping bag straight at 90°. Then gently squeeze the batter from the top until the batter spreads into a 1.5-inch circle.
• Tap the sheet pans to smooth out the shells and remove any air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any bigger bubbles. This will give you beautiful, smooth tops! Immediately sprinkle more sprinkles on top.
• Then rest the macarons for 15 minutes. And bake one baking sheet at a time for about 18 minutes at 300°F.
• Cool completely on the baking sheets before peeling them off the parchment paper.

5. Make the white chocolate buttercream filling

• Beat the butter and powdered sugar with an electric hand mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave according to package directions. (I microwaved mine for 1.5 minutes at 50% power. Stirred and microwaved for another 30 seconds at 50% power. Stirred again and microwaved for 15 seconds at 50% power.)
• Add the melted white chocolate and vanilla extract to the whipped butter mixture.
• Beat until the filling is smooth and well combined. Stir in sprinkles, if desired. Transfer the buttercream into a pastry bag with round tip.

7. MATURE THE MACARONS

Now, place the assembled macarons in an airtight container and allow to rest for 24 hours in the fridge. This process is called maturing, and it’s an essential step before serving macarons.

During this maturing process, filling seeps into the shells, softening and flavoring the macarons perfectly.

Macaron Troubleshooting

Be sure to check out my super detailed visual french macaron troubleshooting guide. I’ve created a visual infographic to troubleshoot the most common problems, many of us face when we make macarons.

If you’re struggling with hollow macarons, these 7 tips will help you fix hollow macaron shells.

How to store macarons:

• Plain macaron shells can be store in a dry, airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days. Or frozen for up to 3 months.
• Assembled macarons should be refrigerated in a dry, airtight container for up to 3 days. Or freeze them for up to 1 month. If there’s any moisture in the container, it will transfer to the macarons and make them soggy.
• Remove the macarons from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Macarons are best at room temperature! 
• Don’t store these delicate cookies in bags. They are more likely to crack or break this way.