These French Macarons are made using a sweet, simple recipe with few ingredients that can be customized to your own tastes and with different colors. The recipe is naturally gluten-free and is comprised of very fine almond flour, powdered sugar that is sifted together and then mixed with a French meringue using three large egg whites, cream of tartar, caster (superfine) sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt. You can have them plain or as sandwiches with your favorite fillings! (makes 36 servings or 18 sandwich cookies)

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

French Macarons

French Macarons

Hi Everyone, I’m here to tell you that you can make those beloved, coveted, fancy French Macarons right in your home kitchen!

I filled the pink, vanilla-flavored macarons with a pink, classic, vanilla buttercream frosting to make the popular “sandwich-style” macaron but they are just as delicious as a single cookie!

What is your favorite flavor of macaron?

I’m excited to honor my husband’s family’s French heritage (on his father’s side) as well by making this recipe.

I love French food and culture and thoroughly enjoyed making this recipe for our family’s celebrations and for the blog.

pink French Macarons with crab apple flowers on a cupcake tree in a white kitchen

Ingredients

I link (affiliate links) to ingredients I use, or similar, in the recipe card at the end of the post.

1 3/4 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
1 cup super-fine almond flour
3 large egg whites (room temperature)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt – I like Morton or Maldon
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, scraped out (just the seeds), optional – adds more vanilla flavor & depth
1-3 drops gel food coloring – I like using the Americolor brand
filling of your choice, if made into sandwich cookies, optional (examples, buttercream, lemon curd, jelly, jam)

Kitchen Tools

I linked (affiliate links) to kitchen tools that I use or similar in the recipe card at the end of the post.

large whisk
oven, with convection setting, ideally
2-4 rimmed baking sheet(s) – only 1 is required but at least 2 is helpful to have
2 silicone baking mat(s) – there are ones specifically made for baking macarons or parchment paper
measuring spoons and cups
knife for leveling
silicone (flexible) baking spatula(s)
2-cup wet measure
2 large mixing bowls
pastry bag(s)
piping tips – 1/4-inch and star tips are basic tips to use
kitchen timer

What kind of meringue does this recipe use?

This recipe uses a simple, French meringue as part of the batter but an Italian (which requires more steps, uses heat but creates a more stable meringue, and is less likely to have air bubbles) or Swiss meringue (requires using a water bath) can also be used.

I think a French Meringue is easiest for a beginner macaron baker and really, is the simplest method!

What is the “macaronage”?

“Macaronage” is the term used for the stage of preparing the batter when all the ingredients are mixed together to form a shiny, smooth, and flows.

It should fall from the baking spatula in a thin ribbon and you should be able to drizzle it to form a “figure-8” in the mixing bowl.

Recipe Attribution

This recipe is inspired by any French Macarons that I have had in researching for this recipe and also on the “French Macarons” recipe from FoodNetwork.com.

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Thank you for reading and following along!

pink French Macarons close up in a rectangular dish

This post was first published on 5/17/2021 and updated and republished on 7/21/2021.

French Macarons

Name: French Macarons
Prep time: 2 h 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: 36
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar; 1 cup super-fine almond flour; 3 large egg whites (room temperature); 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt – I like Morton or Maldon; 1/4 cup superfine (castor) sugar; 1/2-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 vanilla bean, scraped out (just the seeds), optional – adds more vanilla flavor & depth; 1-3 drops gel food coloring – I like using the Americolor brand; filling of your choice, if made into sandwich cookies, optional (examples: buttercream, lemon curd, jelly, jam)

Yield: 36 servings

Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Drying Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
1 cup super-fine almond flour
3 large egg whites (room temperature)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt – I like Morton or Maldon
1/4 cup superfine (castor) sugar
1/2-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, scraped out (just the seeds), optional – adds more vanilla flavor & depth
1-3 drops gel food coloring – I like using the Americolor brand
filling of your choice, if made into sandwich cookies, optional (examples: buttercream, lemon curd, jelly, jam)

Instructions

Prepare: Adjust the middle rack in your oven and with another oven rack on the bottom of the oven too. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Line your baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Gather and measure your ingredients, use the spoon and level method for measuring the sugar and almond flour.
Sift the almond flour + powdered sugar: In a large mixing bowl, sift the powdered's sugar and almond flour together (if there are any coarse bits leftover, just discard them); Use a whisk to make sure it's evenly mixed.
Whip the Egg Whites: In a mixing bowl, with a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites on low until frothy, add the cream of tartar and salt. Continue mixing at medium-high speed, start adding the superfine sugar. It should be at stiff peaks and shiny when finished.
Make the Macronage (should take 2-3 minutes): Add the egg whites to the bowl of almond flour and fold (make sure to always fold, not stir!) the mixture together (using a baking spatula), turn the bowl as you fold the mixture.
Add the Gel Food Coloring: Add the gel food coloring (optional) and continue to fold the mixture together, scrape down the bowl, as you continue to fold. The mixture should come off the baking spatula as a flat and thin ribbon and you should be able to make a figure-8, as you drizzle it back into the bowl.
Fill the piping bag: Transfer the macronage into a piping bag and using a 1/4-inch tip, pipe onto the circles of the silicone baking mat, 1 1/4-inch circles (approximately 24 per sheet). Tap the baking sheet 1-3 times to bring the bubbles to the surface. Allow the piped circles to sit for 15 minutes, up to 1 hour (depending on the moisture of the air in your kitchen), until a skin forms and it should be dry to the touch.
Bake the Macarons: When they are ready, bake the macarons, 1 sheet at a time, in a 300-degree oven. Tip: You can slip another baking sheet on the rack under the macaron baking sheet, to help protect the macarons from the heat. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes or until they have risen 1/8-inch high and have formed a "foot." Repeat with the other baking sheet of piped macaron cookies. When they are done baking, allow them to cool and gently peel them from the silicone (or parchment paper) baking mat. Enjoy the macaron cookies as is or fill them to make "sandwich-style" macaron cookies.
Fill the Macarons: You can fill the macarons with a thin layer of any flavor of your choice, for example, lemon curd, buttercream frosting, or jam.

Notes

Recipe Yield: Makes 36 servings or 18 sandwich cookies.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 34Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g

Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.

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Sara Maniez

Owner at Life's Little Sweets

Sara is an architectural designer turned work-at-home Mom. She lives in New Jersey by way of New England and New York, with her husband and 3 kids under 8. She loves design, being creative, and spending time with family and friends. She loves checking out local businesses and eats and being apart of the local farm to table community.

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French Macarons

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