This basic macaron recipe is perfect for beginners. In this post, you’ll find all my tips and tricks for perfectly full shells with pretty little feet and smooth tops, as well as my detailed video tutorial to walk you through the entire process!
I’m not holding anything back!!
These dainty little almond cookies are simply divine! And I’m here to help you find your groove with these finicky cookies!
Now, a fair warning… This’s a long article! I wanted to cover all the details in making a perfect batch of macarons. And my hope for this post is to be your go-to resource for perfecting these iconic little treats.
Why you’ll love this basic macaron recipe:
While I don’t believe in foolproof macaron recipe, I can tell you that my macaron recipe has been tested by not only me, but also many of my readers with great success over the years.
3 unique pro’s of my macaron recipe:
- French meringue method, which is the easiest meringue!
- Reduced sugar amount without compromising the texture!
- Tried and tested by not only me, but also hundreds of my readers.
Yeah, this post is loong overdue an update!!!
It’s been more than 7 years (where did time go?!) since I published this basic macaron recipe.
And in that time, I’ve learned so much more about making perfect macarons and I’m excited to share them all with you!
I also tweaked the recipe just a little bit to make it a little more “fool-proof”. (It turns out a little more sugar in meringue makes it that mush stronger, so I reduced the powdered sugar and increased sugar in meringue. In the end, the same amount of sugar as my original recipe, but with a little less room to mess up!)
Disclaimer: I don’t believe a foolproof macaron recipe exists, because successful macarons are a result of more than just a good recipe.
And here’s why…
4 pillars of perfect macarons:
- Precise ingredients amount
- Stable meringue
- Proper macaronage technique (mixing the batter)
- Accurate oven temperature
So let’s talk details of each of these factors, because once you understand the technique and reasons behind certain steps, you’ll be well on your way to perfect macarons.
- Weighing the ingredients on a scale is crucial for setting yourself up for success. It’s so easy, and often unreliable, to measure the ingredients by volume. That’s why I provide only the metric measurements in my ingredients list. I really want you to have the best chance to succeed!!
- Stable meringue is the foundation of perfect macarons! If your meringue is weak, you’ll run into so many issues, like hollow macarons, no feet, etc. And I share my technique to achieve the most stable French meringue below.
- Macaronage is a step when we mix dry ingredients with meringue and fold the batter until perfect consistency!
- So, you can have the most reliable macaron recipe, measure the ingredients just right and fold the batter until the perfect consistency, and unfortunately, you can still FAIL, if your oven temperature is off. No matter how good your oven is, it’s important to find the sweet spot for YOUR oven. Every oven is different, and it’s totally normal for the oven temperature to vary 50°F up or down, which could make or break your macarons. That’s why I recommend getting an oven thermometer to double check the accuracy.
Before we jump into the recipe, I also want to share a video about the tools and ingredients to make a perfect macaron:
Now that you know what areas to pay attention, let’s go through every step.
HOW TO MAKE BASIC MACARONS:
Step 1. Sift dry ingredients
Sift almond flour and powdered sugar three times. Yes, three. Not only are we combining the two ingredients, we’re also aerating the dry ingredients to get that beautiful full interior.
- NOTE: Unless your almond flour is chunky, I don’t recommend processing the dry ingredients in the food processor, because you may over-process the almond flour, which would lead to blotchy shells from oily almond flour.
Tip
If you have up to 2 tablespoons of chunky dry ingredients left in the sifter, you don’t have to replace it. Simply discard those chunky bits.
Step 2. Make the meringue
Whisk the egg whites in a large mixing bowl until foamy. Then add cream of tartar and salt, and continue beating. Once the mixture is white, start adding sugar, one tablespoon at a time, making sure the sugar is mostly dissolved before adding more.
- TIP 1: Room temperature egg whites whip better and get more volume, but cold eggs separate better. So separate the egg whites right out of the fridge, and allow the egg whites come to room temperature on the counter for about 30 minutes.
- TIP 2: Make sure the mixing bowl and whisk are completely grease-free and egg whites have no yolks in it. Any trace of fat may ruin your meringue and it won’t allow your meringue reach hard peaks. Glass, stainless steel or copper bowls are the best!
- TIP 3: Use super-fine granulated sugar, or caster sugar for meringue, as it dissolves easily.
- TIP 4: Don’t rush it! Beat the meringue on low and consistent speed for the most stable meringue. I continuously whisk the egg whites on speed 2 or 4 on my KitchenAid mixer the entire time. It does take a little longer this way (12-14 minutes!), but I think it’s totally worth it!
WATCH MY FRENCH MERINGUE 101 VIDEO
Step 3. Macaronage.
Add dry ingredients into the meringue and gently fold until incorporated, using a rubber spatula. Then fold the batter until lava-like consistency, which means the batter is thick, yet runny enough to slowly flow off the spatula in a continuous flow to draw a figure eight.
Tip
One way to test the consistency of the batter is to drop the batter into a ribbon and count to 10. If the edges of the ribbon are dissolved back into the batter in 10 seconds, the batter is ready!
WATCH REAL TIME MACARONAGE VIDEO
Step 4. Pipe the shells.
Transfer the batter into a piping bag, fitted with a round tip (I use Wilton 2A tip). And pipe 1.5-inch rounds on two baking sheets, lined with parchment paper.
Tip
If you need a template, I made one for you. Subscribe to my e-mail list and download this custom macaron template for FREE. (This template is perfect for my recipe and super easy to use!)
Now tap the baking sheet on the counter for 3 times to pop any air bubbles trapped in the shells. If needed, use a toothpick to pop stubborn bubbles.
Tip
I prefer parchment paper and teflon mat over silicone mat, because they’re thinner and conduct heat better. But out of all silicone baking mats, this thin silicone mat is the best.
WATCH MY PIPING TECHNIQUE VIDEO
Step 5. Rest and bake.
Rest the shells before baking until skin forms. This could take anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. It all depends on humidity. If you’re in humid climate, you may use a fan to expedite the drying process.
Tip
To test, lightly touch the top of the shell with a finger. It should be dry to the touch, and batter shouldn’t stick to your finger.
Bake the shells in a preheated oven at 300°F for 15-18 minutes. I don’t use convection settings for baking macarons. My oven is set to heat from top and bottom.
Tip
To prevent browning on top, place an empty baking sheet on a top rack to shield the heat from the top.
Tip
It’s better to over-bake the shells than under-bake them. If the shells are stuck to the mat, they’re not quite done yet. Check every 30-45 seconds after 18 minutes.
Step 6. Fill the macarons.
Fill the macarons with any kind of filling. The most common fillings are ganache, buttercream, jams and curds.
Once you’ve filled the macarons, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or preferably for 24 hours. This process is called maturing, which allows the filling to soften and flavor the shells.
HOW TO STORE MACARONS:
Unfilled macaron shells:
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Filled macarons:
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
- Depending on the filling, you may be able to freeze them too.
Freezing Instructions:
Once matured, the filled macarons can be frozen for up to 1 month, depending on the filling.
- Freeze the filled macarons in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- To thaw, place the frozen macarons in the fridge and let them thaw slowly for at least 1 hour.
- Then, bring them out 30 minutes prior to serving.
MORE MACARON RESOURCES:
I’ve shared so many macaron recipes on my blog and I’ve highlighted different aspects of making macarons in every post.
So if you’d like to dive deeper into certain areas, check out the following posts:
- Lemon French Macarons – Macaronage
- Chocolate Hazelnut Macarons – Using different nut flours and nut flours in general
- Red Velvet Macarons – Food coloring
- Pumpkin Macarons – Shaped macarons
- Chocolate Macarons – Using cocoa powder
- White Chocolate Raspberry Macarons – French meringue
- Mint Macarons – Maturing and storing
- Pistachio Macarons – Piping technique
- Pure White Macarons – Baking, how to prevent browning, etc
- Strawberry Macarons – Using freeze-dried fruits
Basic Macaron Recipe
Ingredients
For macaron shells:
- 100 g super fine almond flour Note 1
- 75 g powdered sugar/confectioners sugar Note 2
- 70 g egg whites, at room temperature (about 1/3 cup)
- 75 g fine granulated sugar Note 3
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar optional (Note 4)
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Gel food coloring if desired
For buttercream filling:
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoons milk
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make macaron shells, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or teflon sheet, or silicone mat. (TIP 1: For even air circulation, flip the baking sheets upside down.)
- To prepare dry ingredients, sift together almond flour and powdered sugar twice. Note: If you have up to 2 tablespoons of chunky dry ingredients left in the sifter, you don't have to replace it. Simply discard those chunky bits.
- To make meringue, in a clean mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium low speed until foamy. (I set it to speed 2 or 4 on my KitchenAid stand mixer.)
- When egg whites are foamy, add cream of tartar and salt and continue to whisk.
- Then slowly add sugar one tablespoon at a time, while mixer is still running. Allow the sugar to dissolve after each addition.
- If you’re making colored shells, add gel food coloring when the meringue reaches soft peaks.
- Continue beating the egg whites on the same medium low speed until hard peaks form. Visual cues: Meringue should ball up inside the whisk, and when you lift the whisk, the meringue should hold a pointy end and have sharp ribs. (See pictures above or watch this meringue video for more information.)
- To make batter, sift almond flour mixture into the meringue. Using a silicone spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until fully incorporated. Then continue to fold the batter until it’s runny enough to draw a figure eight. To test, take a small amount of batter and drop it into the bowl. If the small peaks dissolve into the batter on its own in about 10 seconds, the batter is ready. If not, fold couple more times and test again. Be careful not to over-fold the batter. (TIP: Making french macarons is all about the technique. This is one of the most crucial step. Let me try to describe the folding motion as best as I can: run the spatula clockwise from the bottom, up around the sides and cut the batter in half. If you’re beginner macaron-baker, I suggest to count every fold. It takes roughly about 50 folds to reach the proper consistency. After 50 folds, start testing the batter, and continue testing after every couple folds.)
- To pipe macaron shells, transfer the batter into a pastry bag, fitted with a round tip. (I used this Wilton 2A tip.)
- Hold the pastry bag at straight 90° angle and pipe about 1.5-inch rounds about an inch apart on prepared baking sheets. (TIP 2: I made a perfect macaron template for you. Simply pipe the batter to fill inner circle.)
- Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter (or using your hand) a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. You can also use a toothpick to burst some large air bubbles. This step ensures smooth tops.
- Let the macarons sit out on the counter for at least 15-30 minutes, maybe up to couple hours, depending on humidity. When you lightly touch the macarons and the batter does not stick to your finger, then it’s ready to go into the oven.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Note: I don't use convection settings. I set my oven to heat from top and bottom.
- To bake, working one baking sheet at a time, place one tray with macarons on the middle rack. (TIP: To prevent browning, place an empty baking sheet on top rack to shield the heat.) Bake for about 15-18 minutes. It’ll take longer for larger macarons. To test for doneness, touch a macaron lightly and try to move it. If it slides and wobbles, bake a minute or so longer. The cooked macarons should be firm to touch and the base shouldn’t move. (TIP: It’s always better to slightly over-bake macarons than under-bake them!)
- Cool the macarons on the sheet for 10-15 minutes, and then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the buttercream filling, in a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks slightly with a whisk and add sugar. Continue to whisk until the mixture is pale and sugar is mostly dissolved. Stir in the milk. Transfer the egg yolk mixture into a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until it’s thick like pudding, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture back to the bowl and bring it to room temperature. Stir in the butter in three batches. Add vanilla extract and continue to mix until smooth. Transfer the buttercream into a pastry bag with round tip.
- To assemble macarons, pair the macaron shells by size and arrange them on a wire rack. Line them up so that bottom shells are upside down.
- Pipe a dollop of filling on bottom shells. Place the top shell over the filling and press lightly so the filling spreads till the edges.
- Store the filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours to mature, which allows the filling to soften and flavor the shells.
- To serve, bring the macarons out about 30 minutes prior to serving.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Excerpt from my original post from January 13, 2013:
Just a few months ago, these pretty little cookies popped on the screens everywhere I went. So dainty, colorful and tempting! Everyone was all ohs and ahs about how wonderful these treats are.
I’m curious person by nature. And since I could not find anything like this where I live (I live in the middle nowhere!), I googled the recipe for these beautiful treats. Found ton of recipes, read countless tips and tricks (apparently they are quite finicky!), drooled over many, many gorgeous photos, and I finally made them!
Oh, sweet little macarons, where have you been all my life? They were so absolutely delicious.
To make up for all the lost time without these gems, I was on the roll making them day and night. Ok, maybe a little exaggeration, but you got the idea, I was obsessed!
I can’t say I’ve perfected these delicate little cookies yet. But as you can see they’re not that bad.
Now, that I had made these gems more than handful of times and I’m pretty confident with the technique, and I thought I would share my process.
This recipe was originally published on January 13, 2013, and last updated on May 27th, 2020.
Aniela says
Shinee! Thank you, thank you for this recipe and video instructions. I was in a bind and couldn’t get these little cuties right! I kept throwing them out but found your video and success!! I love your step by step instructions and they are thus far the easiest ones I found to make. Thank you!
Liz says
Okay final update, they baked great & look perfect but they are borderline hollow. Not sure what went wonky or if it was just a result of doubling the recipe but I will try again, just as a single batch
Shinee says
This recipe doubles perfectly, but I always recommend trying single batch first whenever you’re trying a new recipe. Borderline hollow sounds like there’s small gap under the top shell? But there’s good amount of meat, right? If so, don’t worry about it. Once you fill and mature them for 24 hours, it’ll be filled up. But I know you mixed the meringue on high at the end, and that usually causes hollow macs too. Hope this helps, Liz. Thank you for keeping me posted with all your updates!!!
Liz says
Super bummed. I’ve tried other recipes and had so so luck, never got them perfect though. Tried this one, measured everything, watched the videos, and my merengue never set. The eggs got nice and bubbly, I added the salt and COT and then the sugar slowly per as told and slowly the merengue just turned to a thick cream consistency with no air bubbles. So I started over and the EXACT same thing happened the second time. I’ve literally never had this issue before with different recipes soooo not sure what’s going wrong.
Liz says
May have saved it? Turned the mixer to a higher speed and it mixed for QUITE a long time. I need to mention I did a double batch so I was already expecting it to take longer but not as long as it did take. They piped well and got a skin, not sure how they’ll bake yet though.
Shinee says
Hi, Liz. Thank you so much for your updates!!! You were right on track with the first one. It’s totally normal for the meringue to be thick and creamy, because that’s exactly what we’re trying to do: create tiny bubbles, which makes it stable meringue. What model mixer are you using? I’ve always used my KitchenAid 5qt Artisan stand mixer and it takes about 12-15 minutes for my meringue (single batch) to reach stiff peaks. However, I recently added a new stand mixer (KitchenAid Mini) in my studio kitchen and it takes much longer with that one, about 30 minutes on speed 4.
Liz says
I have the 5qt as well, I would say it probably took me 20-25min before I called it stuff anough and just rolled with it, I was running out of time before the baby woke up at that point, lol. They do have just a bit of air at the top but it’s not horrible. I mixed it on speed 6 toward the end so it’s not like it was on high high. Which is probably why they aren’t bad. We’ll see how they are after they mature! I was just very surprised by how long it took to get stiff peaks and can’t imagine how much longer it would have taken had I stayed on speed 2 like I started out on!
Marcia says
Me encantan .
Pero fuera mejor para mi en español
Shinee says
No se española. 😉
Victoria says
Hi Shinee,
Thank you for sharing this with us!
This step-by-step recipe is the best!!! I’ve tried several other recipes and tutorials on how to get the macarons perfect but only with your help I’ve actually made it! So happy!!!
Shinee says
Yay, so happy my tutorial was helpful. Thank you for your feedback, Victoria!
Tasha says
Hi, if I have to bake the Macarons 1 pan at a time. Can I leave the one pan with uncooked batter out for 15-18 minutes will the other pan bakes. Otherwise how will I store the uncooked batter as I wait for the other batch to bake?
Shinee says
Hi, Tasha. Yes, it’s ok to let the other pan dry while the first pan bakes. You don’t have to do anything, just let it rest longer.
Jennifer says
Hi Shinee,
To prevent browning, do you put the extra sheet pan on top while the oven is preheating and leave it there the whole time? Or only towards the end of the bake? Thank you!
Shinee says
Hi, Jennifer. I place an empty sheet when I put my macarons in.
Colleen says
Help! My shell batter was so thick, like cement. I followed everything to the letter. What could have been wrong? My husband is trying to pipe them now because he has muscles. You added just the regular sugar to the merengue and folded the powdered with dry ingredients?
Shinee says
Hi, Colleen. How many grams of egg whites did you use?
Colleen says
I used 70gr the first time, 74gr the second time. Both times were so thick. I finally gave up working the dough as it was only becoming a thick ball both times. I came out with round chewy cream puff looking things both times. I’m so hopeless, but I really want to master this. It’s almost like I have too much flour/powdered sugar to add to the merengue. Does it matter if you weigh those before or after sifting? I weighed after 3 sifts each to get your measurements. Thank you!!
Shinee says
Hi, Colleen. Sorry for my delayed response. And no, you’re supposed to sift AFTER weighing the ingredients. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend watching my video. It’s perfect for beginners and explains everything in great detail. Let me know if it’s helpful
Suené says
Hi! I have made this recipe six times now and every time my macarons turn out better than the last! 🙂
I was wondering if I could replace the sugar with something like xylitol. I would like to try to make some sugar-free ones for a friend who can’t eat sugar.
Shinee says
Hi, Suene. So happy you love the recipe and improving your macarons every time!! Unfortunately, you can’t replace the sugar with anything. I haven’t heard anyone who had success with sugar replacements.
Geri digena says
Haw many cups of flour and granular sugar and powdered sugar please please
Michi says
This was my first time making macarons and they turned out amazing with your recipe which was a surprise cause I thought I would fail! However, my batter was definitely thicker than yours, I wonder why? They still turned out great thankfully, so I wonder if it just had to do with certain conditions.
Also I was a bit confused at what stage you added your food coloring, I’d love to know for the next time. Thank you!
Shinee says
Hi, Michi. So happy you had success with my recipe!! I recommend adding food coloring in meringue at soft peak stage. That way there’s plenty of time for the coloring to distribute evenly without over-whipping the meringue.