Pure White Macarons

5 from 9 votes

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These gorgeous white macarons, filled with silky smooth white chocolate ganache, are pure dream for every macaron lover! Grab a coffee and read my recipe testing notes to get these pure white macarons.

White macarons filled with white chocolate ganache in a white bowl.


 

Since my very first basic macaron recipe, I’ve shared many different flavored macaron recipes. Even though things don’t always go smoothly and macarons come out disastrous sometimes (yes, it happens!!), they’re so worth it. No matter how they look, they always taste delicious! (Plus, you can turn failed macarons into delicious macaron brownie cookies!)

And the joy of perfect macarons is addicting too!

Anyway, today we’re baking simple macarons without any bright flavors. But don’t be fooled by its simplicity, white macarons are actually one of the biggest challenges among macaron bakers!

White macaron shells spread out on a baking sheet.

Recipe Testing Notes:

In the quest for the best baking technique to create these beautiful white french macarons, I’ve tested 4 different methods. 

  • TEST #1. Baked as usual, on middle rack, for 18 minutes at 300°F.
  • TEST #2. Baked on middle rack, for 18 minutes at 300°F, but placed a parchment paper over the macarons after initial 10 minutes.
  • TEST #3. Baked on middle rack with an empty baking sheet place on top rack, for 18 minutes at 300°F.
  • TEST #4. Added white gel food coloring in the batter and baked on middle rack with an empty baking sheet place on top rack, for 18 minutes at 300°F.
A collage of baked macaron shells from 4 different test batches.

Results:

Test 1 notes: As you can see in the photo below, macarons from test #1 browned the most. 

Test 2 notes: Then macarons in test #2 browned less than in test #1, but they got weird dimple in the middle from the weight of the parchment paper. I even placed the parchment paper half way through baking, hoping that the shells are set. But even then, they still browned.

Test 3 notes: Much better result. Almost no browning!!!!

Test 4 notes: Added white food coloring definitely made a difference in brightness of the macarons. And combined with shielding the top heat, the macarons had flawless white color! Winner!!

Conclusion:

  1. Use white gel food coloring
  2. Shield the heat from the top by placing a tray on top rack.

How to make white macaron shells:

If you’re new to making macarons, check out my easy macaron recipe for beginners, where I explain each technique in depth.

1. Make the meringue

I think french meringue method is the easiest no-fuss way for us, home-bakers. And once you learn to make a stable french meringue, you’ll get great results as well!

  • Combine egg whites, granulated sugar, salt and cream of tartar, if using, in a large bowl.
  • Whisk at a consistent medium low speed until the meringue reaches soft peak stage, about 20 minutes.
  • Add white gel food coloring.
  • Continue whisking at the same medium low speed until the meringue reaches stiff peaks.
Side by side images of meringue in a whisk at soft peak stage and stiff peak stage.

2. Sift the dry ingredients

  • Sift the dry ingredients 3 times. I usually do this while meringue is whipping in the stand mixer.
Powdered sugar and almond flour in a hand-crank sift.

3. Mix the batter (Macaronage)

  • Sift in almond flour mixture into the meringue. 
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue with a large silicone spatula. Then fold the batter until lava-like consistency, which means the batter is thick, yet runny enough to slowly flow off the spatula.
Side by side images of mixing macaron batter.

to test the consistency of the batter

A lot of recipes, including mine, say that the macaron batter should be lava-like consistency. But what does that mean exactly?

Here’s a great way to test the consistency of macaron batter:

Scoop the batter with a spatula and drop it back into the bowl. The batter should fall in a continuous ribbon, then the next drop won’t fall immediately. And keep an eye on the ribbon in the bowl. If the edges of the ribbon dissolve into the batter within about 10 seconds, the batter is ready!

4. Pipe the macaron shells

  • Transfer the batter into a piping bag, fitted with a round tip (I use Wilton 2A tip).
  • Pipe 1.5-inch rounds on two baking sheets, lined with teflon sheets or parchment paper.
  • Tap the baking sheet from the bottom a few times to smooth out the shells and pop any air bubbles trapped in the shells. If needed, use a toothpick to pop stubborn bubbles.
Side by side images of macaron batter in a piping bag and piped macaron shells.

FREE MACARON TEMPLATE

I made a perfect template 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!)

5. rest and Bake the macaron shells

  • Rest macaron shells before baking for 15 minutes. 
  • Bake, one baking sheet at a time, for 15-18 minutes. I don’t use convection settings for baking macarons. My oven is set to heat from top and bottom.
Side by side images of unbaked macaron shells and baked shells.

6. Cool and pair the macaron shells

  • Cool the macaron shells completely and then remove them from the baking surface. If the shells are stuck to the baking surface, the shells are either underbaked, or you need to let them cool completely.
  • Pair the shells by size and arrange them on a baking sheet, or wire rack, placing one shell bottom side up.

And can we just admire that perfectly fluffy and full interior! 

These gorgeous white macarons, filled with silky smooth white chocolate ganache, are pure dream for every macaron lover! Grab a coffee and read my recipe testing notes to get these pure white macarons. #macarons
"Macaron 101" cookbook on a marble background.

Macaron 101: A Comprehensive Guide

Master the art of French macarons and create your signature flavors!

How to make white chocolate ganache filling:

This simple white chocolate ganache is divine. Silky smooth and creamy, rich and indulgent!

1. Chop the white chocolate

Chop white chocolate into small pieces and place them in a heat-resistant bowl.

2. heat heavy cream and make ganache

  • Heat heavy cream until nice and hot. (I microwave it for about 1 minute.) Pour the hot cream over white chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes and the stir until chocolate is fully melted.
  • Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until silky smooth, which means the mixture is emulsified.
  • Cover with a plastic wrap, making sure it touches the surface of the ganache.
  • Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight, to thicken and stabilize the ganache. After the chilling time, ganache should be nice and thick, and hold its shape when piped!

White Chocolate Ganache Filling Tips:

The success for this beautiful filling lies in 3 things:

  1. Quality white chocolate – I used Ghirardelli white chocolate bar and I love it.
  2. Precise ratio of ingredients – The ratio of white chocolate and heavy cream is pretty specific to achieve the proper consistency.
  3. Proper emulsification and stabilization – After melting the chocolate in cream, we need to emulsify the mixture to create that indulgent creamy smooth texture. And that means mixing it vigorously until smooth. Note, we’re not trying to incorporate air into the mixture, so don’t use a whisk. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a spatula instead. And finally, it’s important to let the ganache set for at least 5 hours in the fridge to thicken and stabilize. 

Assemble the macarons

Now that you’ve bake beautiful macaron shells and made a perfectly smooth creamy white chocolate ganache, let’s fill your macarons.

  • Transfer the ganache into a piping bag. You can use a round piping tip or simply cut a hole.
  • Pipe a dollop of filling on one macaron shell and place another shell on top to sandwich the cookies.

More Macaron Recipes & Resources:

  • How to Fix Hollow Macarons – If you’re struggling with hollow macaron shells, I’ve shared 7 tips to fix this annoying issue.
  • Visual Troubleshooting GuideGot cracked, lopsided, wrinkled macarons? Don’t fret, this troubleshooting guide will guide you how to fix them the next time.
  • My Go-To Macaron Tools – My detailed guide to 9 essential macaron tools, complete with my honest review of each tool, product recommendations, and why you need them.
  • Easy Macarons Recipes for Beginners – My comprehensive tutorial to basic macaron recipe with in-depth explanation of each technique.
  • Chocolate Macarons RecipeUp for a challenge? Try my chocolate macaron recipe next time you crave some chocolate. 😉
A white bowl of white assembled macarons with white chocolate ganache.
5 from 9 votes

Pure White Macarons with White Chocolate Ganache Filling

These gorgeous white macarons, filled with silky smooth and creamy white chocolate ganache, are pure dream for every macaron lover! Grab a coffee and read my recipe testing notes to get these pure white macarons.
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 18 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 23 filled macarons

Ingredients

For white chocolate ganache:

  • 8 oz (227 g) white chocolate
  • ½ cup (130 ml) heavy whipping cream

For white macaron shells:

  • 100 g almond flour Note 1
  • 65 g powdered sugar Note 2
  • 70 g egg whites at room temperature Note 3
  • 75 g super fine granulated sugar Note 4
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar optional Note 5
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white gel food coloring

Instructions 

To make the ganache filling:

  • Since the ganache filling requires long chilling time, we’ll start with the filling.
  • Chop white chocolate into small pieces and place them in a heat-resistant bowl.
  • Heat heavy cream until nice and hot. (I microwave it for about 1 minute.) Pour the hot cream over white chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes and the stir until chocolate is fully melted.
  • Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until silky smooth, which means the mixture is emulsified. Cover with a plastic wrap, making sure it touches the surface of the ganache. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight, to thicken and stabilize the ganache. After the chilling time, ganache should be nice and thick, and hold its shape when piped!

To make macarons shells:

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or teflon sheet, or silicone mat.
  • 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, combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and salt and beat the mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form. (I set it to speed 4 on my KitchenAid stand mixer. It takes 30-40 minutes to whip the meringue, but it's well worth it for nice and full shells.)
  • Add white gel food coloring when the meringue reaches soft peaks.
  • Continue beating the meringue at the same medium 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.
  • 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 the most crucial step of all. 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 use 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: Download my free macaron template. Simply pipe the batter to fill inner circle.)
  • Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter (or slap the bottom of the baking sheet with one of your hands) 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 rest on the counter for 15 minutes before baking.
  • To bake, bake the macarons for 15-18 minutes, one baking sheet at a time, on the middle rack. 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.
  • Cool the macarons complete and then remove the shells from the baking surface. (TIP: Don't remove the shells while warm, you may risk breaking the shells, or the bottom might get stuck to the baking surface.)

To assemble macarons:

  • Transfer the ganache into a pastry bag with round tip.
  • 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.
  • Refrigerate the filled macarons in an airtight container 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.

Video

Tips & Notes

Note 1: It’s best to use super fine almond flour to ensure smooth tops. Weigh the ingredients before sifting.
Note 2: I don’t recommend making your own powdered sugar, because commercial powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. And it helps with texture of the cookies.
Note 3: I’ve had success with carton egg whites (Bob Evans brand, #notsponsored). You’ll need 1/3 cup of egg whites.
Note 4: It’s important to use fine granulated sugar for meringue, as it dissolves quicker. You can also use caster sugar, aka baker’s sugar.
Note 5: 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!
Note 6: You can easily double this macaron recipe.
GOT MACARON TROUBLE? Check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.
Freezing Instructions: Freeze the filled macarons in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 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 before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 52kcal
Carbohydrates: 7g
Protein: 1g
Fat: 2g
Sugar: 7g
Sodium: 30mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French

Hi, I’m Shinee!

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here! I believe anyone can cook restaurant-quality food at home! And my goal is to help you to become a confident cook with my easy-to-follow recipes with lots of tips and step-by-step photos.

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51 Comments

    1. Yes, you can! Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are interchangeable, as they both have 36% of milk fat. However, whipping cream has a little less milk fat content.

  1. Hi, I love your recipe and I really want to try it! I live in Florida where it’s really humid, do you have any tips for making macarons here?

    1. Hi, Adriana. So I’d suggest using a fan and turning on your AC to shorten the drying time. Also, if you get wrinkled shells, I’d suggest aging the egg whites. Let me know how yours turn out.

  2. Did you use Americolor bright white as the white gel food coloring for these macarons? Every time I use Americolor bright white, my macaron batter is very grainy looking. Your macarons look great!

    1. Hi, Jenn. Yes, I did use Americolor bright white here. Grainy shells are most probably caused by the almond flour.

  3. Hey. Thy look delicious. Did you use parchment paper to bake them? If so I am looking for good parchment paper like the ones you used in the picture with circles. can you please share the link or tell me where to find it. Thanks!!!!

    1. Hi, Nav!! I mostly use parchment paper for baking macarons with one exception. The mat with circles you’re referring to is actually the only silicone mat I use for my macarons that I love. It’s thinner than most silicone mats. I bought it on amazon. (<- affiliate link)

  4. So I made my first attempt at macarons using your recipe. Definitely ran into some issues. They browned on the bottom and cracked slightly. Maybe a little too long in the oven. The biggest thing that left me scratching my head was I only had enough to pipe out 11 halves. So enough to make 5 filled ones. That is a significant reduction to the +20 for your recipe. Everything was weighed out to within 1g. I started out trying to whip the eggs on 2 with my stand mixer but it wasn’t getting them foamy after quite some time so I increased the speed. When I added the sugar I noticed it was accumulating along the side of the bowl above the egg whites so I used a spatula to push it down. I continued to whisk everything until it formed hard peaks and then incorporated my sifted dry ingredients. It was quite thick and folding them did help but it still felt thick. Actually was hurting my wrist to keep doing it. Not sure what happened to have such a reduction in the amount of filling where I could only pipe out 11 halves. In your photos it doesn’t look like there is much in the bowl to pipe out approximately 45-50 halves. My only guess is something went wrong with the whisking and I didn’t get enough volume since the dry ingredient is a constant? Perhaps the egg whites deflated? I’ve never done anything where egg whites could deflate so I’m not sure. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi, Daniel. Thank you so much for your detailed feedback. It’s very helpful with troubleshooting. Here’re a few questions and my thoughts on what might have gone wrong…
      1. What brand of stand mixer do you have? The reason I ask is to find out if different brands have significantly different speeds, since your egg whites weren’t foaming at speed 2. For reference, my egg whites start foaming pretty much right away after I start the mixer (KitchenAid 5qt) at the lowest setting.
      2. When you added sugar, did you add it a little at a time? Or all at once? It sounds like you added all the sugar at once, but I want to double check with you. It’s very important to add sugar about 1-2 tablespoons at a time, mixing after each addition to give the sugar a chance to dissolve. This creates nice and stable meringue, which is a foundation for perfect macarons.
      3. Did you weigh you egg whites by the way?

      Ok, here’s what I suspect. I agree with you, it seems like your main issue is to do with meringue. If you weighed the egg whites, most likely it didn’t get the volume it needed, which definitely causes thick batter, which you’ve experienced. With thick batter, you’ll also won’t get enough shells. However, I’m quite confused how few shells you’ve got. Just 11? How big were they? I think yours were big circle. Though I don’t get lots of batter with my recipe, I easily pipe 40 circles (often times more). But remember, they’re tiny. I pipe 1.5-inch rounds and then it spreads into 2-inch circles as it rests!

      It’s totally normal to deflate the meringue during macaronage – the process of mixing dry ingredients with meringue. It’s just the meringue probably didn’t get the potential volume it should have gotten.

      Anyway, hope this helpful and I hope to hear back from you.

      1. 1. I have a 6qt. Kitchen aid stand mixer I got for Christmas, which I’m not fond of initially. Maybe where I’m using one for the first time. I find it difficult to add the stuff as it is running and the attachments never seem to reach the bottom fully when in the correct position. When I got the whites to hard peaks I noticed the very bottom wasn’t whisked enough and was still soft so I have to lightly fold it get it more uniform. I left it on 2 for 3-5 minutes and 90% of it looked like I had just added egg whites. Maybe 10% was foamy. Can you go too fast? I know you don’ want to keep whisking once it reaches hard peaks.

        2. I did add the sugar slowly. One tablespoon at a time over a period of around 30 seconds? The only problem I thought of with the sugar is when it was collecting above the egg whites after slowly adding it. Maybe when I used the spatula to incorporate it into the whites it was too much sugar at once. Perhaps the spatula had some oil residue that was unnoticeable.

        3. Yep, weighed the egg whites. I’m a big fan of recipes that are specific with measurements. They weighed 68 grams total. I didn’t want to break a third egg for two grams. One of the egg yolks did bust while separating at the end but looked to see if any had leaked into the whites. I didn’t see any but perhaps it was so minuscule that I couldn’t see. How much increase should I see from start to end?

        4. Yeah, I’m confused too. I used parchment paper that has two-inch grids on it. I piped them to the borders so they would have been two inches in diameter. Some were just shy of the border but not by much. I’m still getting used to using piping bags so there was probably one or two in the bag I couldn’t quite pipe out. Still well below the amount you get. I don’t feel like I piped them too high either. I just looked at my photo and it doesn’t look like they expanded much outside the two-inch borders on the parchment paper.

        Maybe I just need to keep trying and experimenting. It took me a few tries to get choux pastry to where it was acceptable. If you have anymore suggestions, I’d like to hear them. Thanks.

        1. Definitely keep experimenting. These are finicky cookies, but once you get hang of it, they’re so satisfying!

          It does sound like 6qt mixer is a bit too big for 2 egg whites, maybe try doubling the recipe? Or use a hand mixer, if you have one. If there was any contact with oil, egg whites won’t whip to hard peaks. 68gr of egg whites is perfect. Usually 65-70gr works great.

          Your batter was too thick, so I imagine they didn’t really spread. Another thing is that they might have been piped thicker and that’s why you get less cookies. Hope you’ll keep trying, and thank you for your feedback.

    2. I had the same issue. Using my KitchenAid mixer I followed instructions to the letter, using carefully-weighed ingredients (yes, 70 g of egg whites!) and piping into 1.5″ circles on a pre-marked mat. I am now the proud owner of 8 sandwiches. It’s hard to imagine that I could somehow generate more than double the volume from the same amount of ingredients. A head-scratcher for me too. If I attempt this version again, I’m going to fold more during the macronage stage to get a slightly thinner batter. My finished cookies did develop feet and aren’t hollow, but they could be higher. Not bad for a first try but a very disappointing quantity for all that work.

      1. Just me following up on my own comment – I forgot to thank you for posting the recipe in the first place! The step-by-step instructions were very helpful and although I wish I had more product, I’m sure that the basic success is due to your instructions. Appreciate you!

      2. I tried the recipe a few more times and I did get more. I don’t remember what I did different. Maybe I whipped the egg whites for more volume, was more careful not to deflate things when mixing, or just made them a bit smaller.

        I’ve tried other macron recipes on here and I keep running into issues with them being crinkly on top and not have outer shell with the soft interior. I got them perfect once. Very disappointing considering the effort, but I recognize these are tricky things to make and get right.

        The best solution I’ve found is going to the bakery when I go into the nearest large city and them from the only place I know locally that makes them. They are so good.

  5. Report for 75gr sugar recipe :
    Meringue was stable and shinny.
    Batter was thick. Need a lot of folding to get to right consistency for mac (no worries about over-mixing)
    I baked at 305F for 20 mins. Feet raised high at 9 mins (I was so excited) but deflated some at 14 mins.
    Top shell was not too thin as 50gr sugar recipe. Both recipes work well.
    I like this recipe a little better.
    Thanks!

  6. Thanks Shinee for sharing your work. This recipe has less powdered sugar (75gr) and more granular sugar (75gr) than all of your previous recipes. Though total of sugar is equal.
    Which one gave higher foot and stable batter ? I like big foot . Thanks!

    1. Hi, Dee! Kuddos to you for noticing the difference!! 🙂 I’ve tweaked my recipe slightly to make more stable meringue, which helps to get beautifully full macarons. I find baking macarons on a parchment paper develops better/taller feet.

      1. I just made two batches – one double recipe for my niece’s bday using 50gr sugar recipe and it turn out great. Batter was stable. Medium high feet is pretty. It’s not overly sweet as other recipes I did long before and it’s not hollow . I’ll try this recipe 70gr sugar some time and report the difference. Thank you Shinee. I’m coming back to these little angels.