Macarons are a French delicacy I am completely crazy about. Since I can’t always be in Paris close to my favorite pastry-chef, Pierre Hermé, I have decided to make my own. It’s not an easy task, and it needs a lot of patience. I learned how to make them in Paris, but when I came back I searched around the internet for some recipes providing the perfect ratios. I learned the hard way that macarons are capricious little wonders: add a bit of this or that, and your delicate balance tips over; I’ve seen my share of overbaked, flat, cracked or overinflated numbers coming out of my oven. No recipe is universal, and the most important thing is to go slow. Try cautiously with your own instruments, ingredients and oven. You will have to try more than once before achieving perfection. If they were so easy to do, wouldn’t everyone make them?
When I was looking around for recipes, I found plenty but few had illustrated steps to guide you through what’s OK or not in terms of texture, color and result. Since you can’t always have an experienced teacher showing you the first time, I figured I would allow you to benefit from my apprentissage and help you get to a happy result more quickly.
No single source can be given as a base for my recipe. I have gathered dozens left and right, tested and tasted and ended with my own proportions. Now I (almost) always make them successfully, so this is a good base to start with. I will guide you through the rest.
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Having trouble making macarons? Since first publishing this post, struggling macaron-makers have asked me every question under the sun. After over two years (and hundred of comments!), I’ve decided to close the comments on my macaron posts, but I’m not leaving you an excellent resource: I’ve gathered the most frequently asked questions I’ve been asked about macarons in one single post: A Macaron Troubleshooting Guide: Useful Tips and Advice to Master the French Delicacy. If you’re having any trouble making macarons, chances are you’ll find answers in that post. You can also read through the comments left below, I did my best to reply to all of them and many (if not all!) macaron issues are covered in there as well.
If I missed something, send me a note and I promise I will keep on editing the troubleshooting post once in a while!
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I have put together a short 5-minute video that shows you the key steps in making French macarons at home. There’s nothing like having someone show you the way – at least, that’s how I learned. The video, along with this post’s detailed instructions and pictures, should allow anyone wanting to make this French delicacy at home succeed.
Watch the video below, or better yet, click here to view it in high-definition on YouTube. You’ll be able to read the instructions more easily and see all the important details much better.
See also my “All About Macarons” page for more resources and links.
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Looking for the right tools that will help you make macarons successfully? Visit my new macaron store for my recommendations for the best macaron-making tools, ingredients and books.
Note: The following window provides a preview of the items I added to my store. Click here to go straight to the store and view all of my recommendations.
Full disclosure: This store is powered by Amazon. When you buy tools, ingredients and books through my store, I am earning a small referral fee that helps me keep on producing quality content for Food Nouveau. Thanks for your contribution!
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Macarons: Basic Recipe
These ingredients will make the cookies. This is the base and what’s hardest to master. You should try to successfully bake a couple recipes of basic macarons before trying to mix in other flavors.
3 egg whites (from large eggs), separated at least 24 hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator
210 g powdered sugar
125 g almond meal
30 g regular granulated sugar
What you need – equipment:
It’s best to gather all the equipment you really need before starting. Yes, I did have to buy some of these tools before making my first macarons. The good thing is that none of the following tools are specific to making macarons so your new gadgets will help you make many other great desserts. Please, do take this excuse and go shopping. :)
Kitchen scale (yes, you do have to measure in grams, it’s more precise)
Food processor (really nice to have but not mandatory)
Hand or stand mixer with whisk accessory (mandatory unless you’re very courageous and/or strong)
Sifter or fine sieve
Big stainless steel bowl (cul-de-poule)
Another big mixing bowl
Spatula
Pastry bag and round tip (1/2 to 3/4 inch opening)
Large baking sheets, preferably 2 to 4 of them
Parchment paper
Various food color (liquid, gel or powder are all good)
A couple of days before you plan to make your macarons: Prepare your eggs. Separate them, putting the whites in a clean airtight container and reserving the yolks for another use. Now, your egg whites must “age”: they need to spend at least 24h (up to 5 days) in the refrigerator before you use them.
The morning of the day you plan to make your macarons: Take your egg whites out of the refrigerator and leave them to temper at room temperature for several hours.
Making the cookies:
Measure the powdered sugar and almond meal and put them in the bowl of your food processor. Finely grind the two together for a minute or two. Stop the processor, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and process again for a minute.
Yes, you need to do this even though both ingredients are already powdered. This step blends the sugar and nuts perfectly together and gets rid of bigger bits that often remain in packaged almond meal.
You can grind your own almonds, just make sure they are peeled. And that you very finely grind them (add the powdered sugar to the almonds when they are coarsely ground to make sure you don’t end up with a paste).
If you don’t have a food processor, you can still make macarons, but make sure to really thoroughly blend the almonds and sugar together. The consequence is that the texture of your macarons won’t be as soft and smooth.
After processing the powdered sugar and almond meal, you have to sieve the mixture. This is really important (especially if you don’t have a food processor) as it will get rid of the remaining bigger bits and ensure a smooth batter. You will see some of the almond refuses to pass though your sieve (see picture below). Don’t try to force it through; it’s ok to throw it away. The quantity shouldn’t be significant enough to unbalance your recipe.
Here’s what I generally have left after I sieve half of my almonds-sugar mixture:
Set this bowl aside and take your bigger stainless steel bowl out. This kind of bowl is called a cul-de-poule in French and they are so useful in a kitchen that, if you don’t have one already, you simply really should invest in a couple of them (different sizes). Stainless steel bowls helps egg whites get fluffy and firm.
Make sure your bowl is cold. Stainless steel usually remains cold by itself, but if it’s not, rinse it under cold water (or stick it in the freezer for a couple of minutes) and dry it before continuing. A cold bowl also makes egg whites happy.
Make sure your granulated sugar is measured and close to your working area. Put your egg whites in the bowl. Start beating them at medium/high speed with your mixer. Once they start to get bubbly and white and you see your whisk is lightly leaving marks, add a tablespoon of the granulated sugar.
Continue beating and add the remaining sugar slowly over the next minute or two. Your eggs will now be white and fluff but not stiff enough. Continue beating at high speed until peaks form and remain up when you take out your whisk (stop your mixer before trying this!). When the egg whites are ready, you’ll notice that they seem dense and creamy and not as bubbly anymore. Here’s what they look like:
Now is the time to put your electric appliances aside. Your egg whites are delicate and you must treat them gently. If you wish to add color, now is the time to do so. I made lemon macarons. I added 15 drops of yellow liquid food coloring and the very finely grated zest of one lemon. Gently fold in the color using a spatula: slide your spatula on the side of the bowl under the egg whites and bring the bottom up to the top. Repeat this until the color is evenly blended. Now is not the time to be in a hurry: DO NOT whisk at any cost as it will deflate your egg whites and your batter will be ruined. At this point, the color of your batter (if you added food coloring) should be at least as intense as you want the final macaron to be. It will intensify and brighten a bit when you add the almonds/sugar mixture.
The batter is now matte, light and fluffy:
Continuing your folding motion, start mixing in your dry ingredients a little at a time (you should add the whole thing in 4 or 5 additions). Carefully blend everything together, always sliding your spatula to the bottom of the bowl and back up to make sure no pockets of dry ingredients remain.
When your batter is evenly blended, it will look shiny and creamy:
Prepare your baking sheets. Double the baking sheets (helps macarons rise and cook more evenly) then cover each with a well-measured sheet of parchment paper. I have tried silicon mats before and I don’t think they work well with macarons. Their rubbery texture seems to cling to the delicate and somewhat sticky cookies so that you more often than not end up with empty shells (the tender insides remaining stuck to the silicon).
Now is the time to fit your pastry bag with its tip. I like to use disposable pastry bags that I wash 3-4 times before getting rid of them. I find that plastic pastry bags are more flexible and easier to work with than textile bags. They are also really easy to clean just by letting hot water run through them and they don’t stain.
To make the transfer from bowl to pastry bag easy, I stand my pastry bag in a measuring cup, folding or twisting the tip to make sure the batter doesn’t come out too quickly. If your pastry bags are long, fold it in half to make sure the batter gets to the bottom of the bag.
Take your bag out of the cup, keeping the tip folded or twisted so that the batter doesn’t come out. Unfold the larger end of the bag and twist it shut close to the batter to push it down. As you lay your macarons on the cooking sheets, you will continue this motion (twisting the larger end of the bag with one hand) to put constant pressure on the batter and ease its way out on the sheets.
Now is the time to work your magic: you have to hold the tip of your bag with one hand to guide it, and hold the larger end with your other hand to push the batter down. Place your tip close to the parchment paper and twist the end of the bag so as to push the batter down and out to form 1 to 1.5” disks. You can set your macarons pretty close together as they won’t expand while cooking. When enough batter is out, stop twisting the end of the bag and swiftly lift your tip up to stop the batter from coming out. This is tricky: you will need practice. Mastering this technique will ensure your macarons are uniform in size and round.
Now, don’t panic. Your macarons have a pointy tip that makes them look like lazy Hershey’s Kisses. Not to worry: as they rest before cooking, they will smooth out. You can help them though: lift your baking sheet up a bit and firmly bang it on the table a couple of times. This will even the caps and take the air bubbles out of them.
If you’re a perfectionist like I am, now is a good time to edit your macarons to make sure they will be perfectly round. I use a small silicon spatula to make oval caps round or smooth down tips that won’t come down. This step is absolutely not mandatory; imperfection can be very charming.
The next step will once again test your patience: you have to let your macarons rest on the baking sheets at room temperature for at least 20 minutes (some say a couple hours is best but I’m not that patient). You just have to. This step will “dry” the caps and help them rise later when they cook.
Halfway through the wait, preheat your oven between 275 and 300°F (135-150°C). Every oven behaves differently. I have a gas oven and 300°F (150°C) is generally good for me. In some ovens, this temperature can be too hot, especially for light-colored macarons (you don’t want them to brown). I prefer to play it safe, cook them at a lower temperature and leave them longer in the oven. You will have to test your own oven and stay close to it to watch over your macarons as they cook.
I baked these lemon macarons at 300°F (150°C) for 14 minutes. Your cooking time could be anywhere between 13 and 18 minutes. From 12 minutes on, watch closely, and avoid opening your oven door before that. Your macarons are ready when they look dry and matte and seem firm on their crown when you lightly tap on them. Overcooking the macarons will make them too crunchy and feel like meringue. Undercooking them will make them separate when you try to lift them off the sheets. I know, it’s tricky! After a while, you will know your oven and get better at figuring when your macarons are done. In any case, please play it safe when setting your oven temperature. Excessive heat is the macaron’s worst enemy: they will cook too quickly, cracking like meringue and browning, hiding their beautiful color.
When they are done, take the sheets out of the oven and let them cool on a rack. If you need to reuse your baking sheets for the next batch, let them cool 5-10 minutes in the baking sheet and then lift the parchment paper out of the sheet to set it directly on the cooling rack (this is why it’s good to have more than 2 sheets).
Once cooled to room temperature, your macarons are ready to be assembled.
When they are perfectly cooked, they should lift easily from the parchment paper, have a flat bottom and a beautiful puffy crown. If they stick a bit, help them up with a thin stainless steel spatula so that they don’t separate or break. If they’re a bit overcooked, they will be hollow under the cap. You can still use them, you’ll just have to put more cream to assemble them (yum!).
Match the cap sizes that fit best together. For the filling, the possibilities are as great as your imagination is. For lemon macarons, you can fill them up with lemon curd as I did, or with a lemon-flavored buttercream. If you made pink cookies, fill them up with good-quality raspberry preserves or, if you feel decadent, with a mixture of mascarpone cheese and preserves. The only thing that’s important is to make sure the filling is firm enough to not drip out from the macarons. A great macaron should be able to stand on its side and not lose its filling.
Using an icing spatula (or just a regular butter knife) spread your icing on one cookie. Place the other cookie on the icing and press gently to stick them together.
Once all of your macarons are assembled, in an ideal world, you would put them in an airtight container, in the refrigerator and let them rest for another 24 hours. Yes, you need patience once again. They won’t be bad if you eat them right away. Letting them rest with their icing in really reveals the fine texture of the macaron. The humidity of the icing will get into the crispy caps and that’s what will make them crisp on the outside and so tender on the inside. Try to be patient, trust me, it’s really worth the wait. The good thing is that it’s a great dessert to make in advance and it will for sure impress your guests. They will be at their best if you eat them in the next 4-5 days.
Yes, these French cookies are a really fancy delicacy. No, they’re not easy to make. Yes, they require time, patience and practice to master. But it’s worth it really, and less expensive than a plane ticket to Paris.
Thank you so much for such a great post! They look so pretty! I was also wondering if we could use the egg whites sold at the grocery store… I don’t know what to do with so many egg yolks!! Any ideas?
Hi Arissa! I’ve had the same dilemma – what to do with all those egg yolks? As I said to another commenter, I tried liquid eggs, or egg whites cartons sold at the grocery store (like “Simply Egg Whites”) with very inconsistent results. I know other bakers who have tried to use it as well without success. I’m not sure why they didn’t work for me – but you can try them to see whether you can pull it off.
There are many things you can do with the yolks though, if you want to be on the safe side and separate your own eggs. Fresh pasta is one of my favorites, but you can also make homemade mayo (really easy), hollandaise sauce, creamy desserts like crème brûlée and zabaglione, and many other great recipes. I found a page that I find useful because it lists recipes according to the number of egg yolks you need to make them: http://bit.ly/gujlGD. Maybe it’ll inspire you as well!
Has anyboby tried “liquid eggs”and are they more consistent for macarons?
I have tried liquid eggs, or egg whites cartons sold at the grocery store (like “Simply Egg Whites”, with very inconsistent results. The first time I tried to work with it, my macarons turned out good, but I never managed to pull it off again. I know other bakers who have tried to use it as well without success. I’m not sure why they didn’t work for me – but you can try them to see whether you can pull it off. I would recommend to open a brand new carton to make your macarons, just to ensure it’s as fresh as possible.
I’ve always been afraid to make these and I think I have spent more time searching for clearly written recipes, than actually trying out the recipes i’ve found! I know it takes time to write recipes step-by-step and THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for taking the time to do so.
I’ll be back to let you know how they turned out and maybe some questions if they don’t turn out so well…
thank you, again!
Hi Kristine! I hope you’ve tried making macarons by now. Did they turn out great? If not, please share your experience, maybe I can help out! I am preparing a “troubleshooting” follow-up post to my macaron step-by-step. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
unfortunately, i’m still so afraid of trying!!! i’ve bought all of the ingredients and tools already, they’re just waiting now :( since it’s spring break for me, i’ll be sure to try one day this week. and i’ll be sure to update you. thanks so much!
So Kristine, did you try making the macarons? I’m curious to know how they turned out!
Me again.thankyou for your advice. I did not know why people raved about macarons until I made my own.I bought some from Laduree when I was in London .they were artificial ccompared to mine . Has any body else found them artificial?Sorry for my English I am French.Nicole.
I respect Ladurée’s macarons because they’re one of the institutions in the macaron world… but they are not my favorites. They make the classics but I love when inventive flavors are incorporated to the mix, something that is easy to make at home. If you ever get the chance to go to Paris, try Pierre Hermé’s, I’m convinced you’ll like them. Ce sont mes favoris et je n’ai pas encore réussi à en faire des meilleurs que les siens! Merci pour votre visite :)
[...] no close ups shots of the cupcakes Anyway, there is an illustrated step by step tutorial over at French Nouveau that is a great reference for those beginners, me included. Who knows, if I can master the art of [...]
I have made macaron very succesfuly for a long time.the only problem they stick to the paper.I have try every trick in the book.the double sheet. Waiting until they are cold. Not so cold.a wet cloth under the paper.the only time they do not stick if I cook them longer but they do not taste so good.
You do have to cook them long enough so that they feel very firm to the touch when you tap on the shell. Even so, because the heat in my oven doesn’t seem to distribute equally, every time I take a batch out of the oven, some will get off the parchment paper in a snap, others will stick. To remove those how are stuck without breaking the shell, I use a thin icing spatula dipped in warm water to slide under the shell. It’ll usually allow me to recover most of the stuck shells.
Sometimes, the shells will feel too firm, crunchy and overcooked the day you’ve baked them. This is why you must ice the macarons, put them in an airtight container in the fridge and let them “age” overnight. The moisture from the icing will penetrate the shells and bring them to the perfect crunchy-on-the-outside-but-soft-on-the-inside texture. I have often thought I had overbaked a batch, only to ice them and discover they were delicious the day after.
One last tip for you would be to try another brand of parchment paper. It may sound surprising but I find the texture of parchment paper varies quite a lot from a brand to the other. Maybe trying another kind could help you.
ｔｈａｎｋｓ so much for this tutorial!!!
One day I might make it the right way, but for now, I just pipe it out w/a whipped cream pastry bag, do not make filling. :)
The tips are very useful!!!! I baked only 6 and a half minutes at 170C in my oven here in Japan. It really varies…baking time, recipe, etc!
I also often save time on icing and use what I have on hand – prepared jam, lemon curd, flavored whipped cream, etc. With the amount of work needed to make the shells, I sometimes feel like I deserve a break!
It’s true that macarons are very tricky and you must adapt the advice and cooking times according to your equipment. Every time I try them in a new oven, I have to adjust!
Hi, I had some problems with my macarons. While they were in the oven cooking, I realised that these cuties puffed right up, reached a sort of maximum height, and then let off some steam within them and deflated (and never got back up), all within 5 minutes or less.
Is this normal? And does it mean that I should remove them from the oven as soon as they reach their peak?
Kristyn, if you take your macarons out of the oven as soon as they’re puffed up, they most certainly won’t be cooked through. The insides will still be gooey and you won’t be able to assemble your macarons properly. I have never experienced a “deflating” problem while the macarons are still in the oven… The first reasons that comes to mind is perhaps your oven was too hot. When the oven temperature is too high, macarons tend to rise too quickly. It’s better to bake at a low temperature for longer than the reverse. Also, it may be because your eggwhites were not beaten firm enough. This is more of a long shot but the texture of the finished batter must have the right texture for your macarons to work and it mainly depends on how the egg whites are beaten.
I hope you’ll try making macarons again and tell me how it goes!
Oh wow, finally someone to post a step by step tutorial for these delicious treats! Thank you so much!
I hope it’ll help you make your own!
[...] from Food Nouveau’s Illustration on How to Make Macarons. Made them as I happened to have left over egg whites. [...]
This is the most detailed and thorough instruction on how
to make macaron I’ve ever seen and read. Thank you!
Thank you for your recipe, it worked like a charm! I'm happy that I managed to finally make my own macarons.
I'm really happy that my post helped you! Successfully making your own macarons is a proud moment, isn't it?
is it necessary to use stainless steel bowl?
Thanks so much for this recipe! It looks good! :)
Not it's not! Stainless bowls help beating egg whites faster, but you can do it in any kind of bowl. If you don't use stainless, my advice would be to chill your bowl (plastic, ceramic, etc) before using them. It'll work better!
What fantastic instructions! I really appreciate the extra tips that I haven't found in other writings!
My boyfriend & I fell in love w/macarons after enjoying several of Alain Ducasse macarons from Adour… Ah-mazing.
I just finished my first batch. They look great, except I didn't form the "foot". I think I made them a little large & wonder if I didn't bake them long enough? I let them sit for 45 mins before placing the first batch & the second batch sat an additional 20 minutes… (they're still cooling so I haven't tasted them yet, I just noticed I didn't get that pretty crust at the bottom)
I was just wondering if I might have done some thing wrong with the actual mixture, or if it was a baking time/temp error.
Thanks again for your wonderful piece; it's so well written! You helped me make my first batch of macarons & I'm determined to make mine come out well soon! :)
Warmest Wishes,
~Alexis
Hum, it's hard for me to say what went wrong! It can be so many different things: did you double your baking pans? It can help. Did you let your egg whites age once separated (leave them in the fridge for 2 days minimum)? I've had some batches that seem to not rise because of the food coloring I put in the batter (gel or powder food coloring is best).
Your macarons will probably taste just as good! And I'm sure the next time you attempt to make them, they'll be perfect. Keep on trying!
Thx for your recipe and it came out with beautiful legs and moist on the inside.
I find it too sweet. What if I reduced the icing sugar by 35% – what would happened?. Pls advise
The macaron recipe is a delicate balance! You need the sugar to create the soft meringue-like texture. Reducing the sugar would turn your cookies into something else than macarons!
Hey! Thanks a lot for the lovely recipe. My mother and I just attempted to make some. However, our batter became all runny. Hope they turn out fine though! :)
If your batter is runnier than it should be, it can be due to the size of the egg whites you're using. Large egg whites should weight about 30g each. I usually buy free-run eggs and they tend to be a little bit larger so I always weight them when I make macarons! How did your macarons turn out? I hope you were happy with the results.
After trying multiple times a recipe from a recipe book with pretty much very little success each time, I decided that maybe I needed a more reliable recipe… and came across your very detailed and easy to follow one. First time with your recipe and it was a success! I was so excited when the macarons started to get their 'feet'. I made a white chocolate lemon ganache for the filling. They're now in the fridge and I can't wait to taste them tomorrow :) Thanks so much for sharing your recipe and from now on, I will only be using your recipe for perfect macarons!
I'm so happy that my walkthrough helped you succeed! That's why I made this post, I found that the success of macarons is all in the details, which are not often pictured in books and other recipes online. Once you've managed to make them right, you know what to do and to avoid, but for that first time, you need help!
[...] How to Make Macarons: A Detailed, Illustrated Step-by-Step Recipe [...]
Hi! Thank you for the step by step instructions, I've always wanted to attempt macarons and I was hoping to make them for Christmas and your website is very informative. :) It's been raining where I live a lot though, so should I even give it a try or will that guarantee that they won't have feet? Thank you again!
The only weather that completely ruined my macarons was at the height of summer when it was very hot AND humid. If it's rainy but cool where you live, I think you're going to be ok. I've made macarons throughout the spring and fall without any problems. Good luck!
[...] Food Nouveau [...]
ohhh these look absolutely divine! Thank you for supplying me with the best recipe online! ( I plan on making these as gifts for inlaws for christmas once I master the recipe ) Just one quick quick question…
how many tasty treats does this recipe make?? :) ( I have 8 different groups to cook for… and didn't see a count on the recipe)
I like my macarons on the petite side (about 1 1/2-inch across), and with one recipe I make between 60 and 70 cookies (30 to 35 assembled macarons). It all depends on all big you want/make your own! Good luck in making your own, I hope my how-to helps you get through it flawlessly!
can i add cream of tartar in the mix? and do you have to add almonds? i still haven't tried making it im going to be doing it soon
Cream of tartar isn't necessary to get stiff peaks when beating your egg whites, providing you let them age for a couple of days in the refrigerator and let them temper to room temperature before beating. And ground almonds are absolutely mandatory to make macarons, there's no getting around it! Good luck.
I've love to try out your recipe but I have one question to ask :) You said there shouldn't be any cornstarch in powdered sugar, but isn't that typically part of powdered sugar? Sorry I just haven't seen any that don't have cornstarch in them :p
Thanks!!
You're right, there always is cornstarch in North American powdered sugar. Some sugar brands blend in less than the usual 3%, and you can make your own powdered sugar by putting granulated sugar in your food processor. Some experts say that the less cornstarch, the better. Honestly, I've always made my macarons with store-bought powdered sugar without any problems! Try it as well, you may very well succeed without having to go through further troubleshooting such as trying different kinds of sugar. Good luck!
thanks so much for your advice, will definitely give this recipe a go! :D happy holidays!
You're very welcome! Come back to tell me how it went! :)
[...] thing that I am close to mastering in the kitchen is the macaron. My how-to post about macarons is still, a year later, my most popular post, and I have become a bit famous (among my friends) for [...]
hello :) thanx for this recipe … I rly would like to try it …. But could I use the nuts instead of the almonds??
Thanxxxx so much :)