Macarons (French Macaroons)

4.3
(367)

Macarons are made with finely ground almonds, confectioners' sugar, and egg whites. They are the most delicious soft cookies with crispy edges. I finally perfected the technique and wanted to share it. Pipe your choice of filling or frosting on a cookie and sandwich another cookie on top.

218
Overhead shot of macaron cookies on a plate.
218
218
218
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Additional Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 10 mins
Servings:
16
Yield:
16 macarons
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 16 servings

  • 3 egg whites

  • ¼ cup white sugar

  • 1 ⅔ cups confectioners' sugar

  • 1 cup finely ground almonds

Directions

  1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.

  2. Beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until foamy. Add white sugar and beat until egg whites are glossy, fluffy, and hold soft peaks.

    Eggs whites and sugar being whisked in a standing mixer.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. Sift confectioners' sugar and ground almonds in a separate bowl; quickly fold almond mixture into egg whites, about 30 strokes.

    Overhead of sugar and ground almonds being folded into an egg mixture in a bowl.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. Spoon a small amount of batter into a plastic bag with a small corner cut off and pipe a test disk of batter, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, onto the prepared baking sheet. If the disk of batter holds a peak instead of flattening immediately, gently fold batter a few more times and retest.

    Overhead of two dollops of macaroon batter on a baking sheet.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. When batter is mixed enough to flatten immediately into an even disk, spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe batter onto the baking sheet in rounds, leaving space between the disks. Let piped cookies stand out at room temperature until they form a hard skin on top, about 1 hour.

  6. Preheat the oven to 285 degrees F (140 degrees C).

  7. Bake cookies in preheated oven until set but not browned, about 10 minutes.

    Many baked macaroons resting on a baking sheet.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  8. Let cookies cool completely before filling, about 30 minutes.

    Overhead shot of macaron cookies on a plate.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Recipe Tips

To measure by weight, use these amounts: 100g egg whites, 50g white sugar, 200g confectioners' sugar, and 110g ground almonds.

If you do not have a sifter, you can use a blender or food processor to thoroughly mix the almonds and confectioners' sugar. Just blend or pulse for 30 seconds.

Remember that because the consistency of the mix is like cake batter, you'll have to be quick when piping it onto the silicone mat. Hold the pastry bag sideways between piping so it doesn't spill.

1,343 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

92 Calories
1g Fat
18g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 16
Calories 92
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Protein 3g 6%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 99mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.