French Macarons

French macarons, unquestionably an elegant meringue-based sandwich cookies made from egg whites, almond flour, and sugar, filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam. Though widely associated with France, their origins trace back to Italy. Eventually, they were introduced by Catherine de Medici’s chefs when she married King Henry II in the 16th century. Previously simple almond cookies, they evolved over time in French patisseries. The modern version, obviously, with two shells and a creamy filling—was popularized in the early 20th century by Ladurée, a famous Parisian bakery, helping establish French macarons as a global symbol of refined French pastry.

Delicate French macarons made with whipped egg whites, almond flour, and powdered sugar. The batter is piped into small rounds, baked until crisp outside and chewy inside, then sandwiched with ganache or buttercream filling. Perfect after maturing for 24 hours in the fridge.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Macaron Shells

• 1½ cups finely ground almond flour
• 3 3 egg whites
• 1¼ cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅛ tsp pinch of salt
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• favorite frosting see note 3
• gel food coloring (optional)
• ⅛ pinch cream of tartar (optional)
• Food coloring gel or powder (optional)

Filling: Chocolate Ganache

• 100 g dark chocolate
• 100 ml heavy cream

Filling: Vanilla Buttercream

• ½ unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

 

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together twice into a bowl; discard coarse bits.
3. Make the Meringue: In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites on medium until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form (5–7 minutes). If using gel food coloring, add it at the soft peak stage.
4. Macaronage (Folding the Batter) Add sifted dry ingredients to the meringue. Gently fold with a spatula, pressing the batter against the bowl to deflate it slightly. Stop folding when the batter flows like lava: it should form ribbons that settle within 10–20 seconds.
5. Pipe the Shells: Transfer batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip (e.g., Wilton #12). Pipe 1.25-inch circles spaced 1 inch apart. Tap the trays firmly on the counter to release air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop stubborn ones. Pipe filling on one shell, sandwich with the other.
6. Rest the Shells: Let macarons rest at room temp until they form a dry skin on top (~30–60 minutes). You should be able to touch them lightly without sticking.
7. Bake: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake one tray at a time for 13–15 minutes.

   Let cool completely before removing from the mat. Bring to room temp before serving.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Heat cream, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit 1 min, then stir until smooth. Cool until pipeable.

Vanilla Buttercream

1. Beat until light and fluffy. Add 1–2 tbsp milk if needed.

Notes

Almond flour: Use superfine, blanched almond flour. Blue Diamond or Bob’s Red Mill are good options. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar thoroughly to avoid lumps and ensure smooth shells.

Weigh your ingredients for accuracy—especially for the macaron shells.

Use room-temperature egg whites and age them for 24–48 hours (in the fridge, then bring to room temp).

Underdone = hollow, sticky bottoms. Overdone = browned tops.

Rest the piped shells until they form a dry skin—you should be able to touch them without sticking. Drying may take 30–60 minutes depending on humidity. 

Pair shells by size before filling.  Chill filled macarons in an airtight container for 24 hours to develop flavor and improve texture.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours to allow flavors to mature.

Here are flavor variations for the macaron shells and fillings for raspberry, pistachio, and lemon:

Lemon Macarons
Shells:
Add 1 tsp lemon zest to the dry ingredients.
Use yellow gel food coloring in the meringue.

Filling – Lemon Buttercream:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
Beat until light and fluffy. Add more juice for stronger flavor.

Pistachio Macarons
Shells:
Replace 1/4 cup almond flour with 1/4 cup finely ground pistachios.
Use green gel food coloring.

Filling – Pistachio Buttercream:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tbsp pistachio paste (or very finely ground pistachios)
1–2 tsp milk or cream if needed for consistency

Raspberry Macarons
Shells:
Use pink or red gel food coloring.
Optionally, add a tiny bit of raspberry powder to the dry mix.

Filling – Raspberry Jam
Pipe seedless raspberry jam in the center.