Easy French Macaron Recipe (Macaroons)
I am often asked why have my macarons failed?! Why are there no feet?! Why have the macaron shells cracked? And which recipe do you use for your macarons? So here it is… french macaron recipe and troubleshooting.
On a recent holiday I found a 200 year old cookbook on my mums bookshelf. It tells that King Henry VIII granted an estate in Leadenhall Street to a Mistress Cornewallies in reward for the fine puddings that she presented to him. Follow these easy steps to make macarons fit for a king. You will aquire such indulgence that is pleasing to the palate and if you’re lucky enough perhaps you too will be granted an estate!
The picture above shows the 200 year old macaron recipe. They called them almond puffs. Personally I prefer to make them using my electric mixer using the recipe below.
French Macaron Recipe Ingredients
4 large egg whites (or 5 small) approx 140g (4.94 ounces)
1/3 cup or 70g (2.47 ounces) caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar)
1 1/2 cups or 230g (8.11 ounces) pure icing sugar. IF you wish to use icing mixture INSTEAD of icing sugar you will need 1 3/4 cups or 275g (9.7 ounces) icing mixture
1 cup or 120g (4.23 ounces) almond meal
2g (0.07 ounces) salt (tiny pinch)
gel food colouring (optional) note too much liquid will make the macarons fail so if it is your first time making them try with no colour until you’ve got the technique sorted.
Macaron Recipe Directions
This recipe makes approximately 40 shells or 20 filled macarons
Preheat the oven to 150C (302 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sift the almond meal and icing sugar and salt together, discarding any almond lumps that are too big to pass through the sieve.
Place egg whites and caster sugar into a bowl and mix with electric mixer until stiff enough to turn the bowl upside down without it falling out. How long this takes will depend on you mixer.
Continue to whip for 1-2 more minutes.
Add gel or powdered food colouring and continue to mix for a further 20 seconds.
Fold the almond & sugar mixture into the egg whites. This is the most important step and where most first time macaron bakers have trouble.
It should take roughly 30-50 folds using a rubber spatula but obviously this will vary depending on your folding technique. The mixture should be smooth and a very viscous, not runny. Watch the video to see what you are going for. Over-mix and your macarons will be flat and have no foot, under mix and they will not be smooth on top. See the macaron troubleshooting post for examples.
Pipe onto trays lined with baking paper, rap trays on the bench firmly (this prevents cracking) and then bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. Make sure you are using NON-stick baking paper or they will stick. Check if the macarons are done by quickly opening the oven and slightly pressing on top of one – if it squishes down slightly it’s not yet ready, close the oven so the oven temp doesn’t change. Taking them out of the oven too soon will mean the insides will drop and you’ll have hollow shells.
PLEASE make sure you watch the macarons FAQ and troubleshooting video. This way you can learn from the mistakes and questions of those who have made them before you.
Filling your macaroons
My favorite is flavoured ganache, but you can use jam and cream, butter cream or just eat them plain.
Ganache Recipe
100g (3.53 ounces) chocolate
30ml cream
Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Let stand for a minute and then stir. If it is not adequately melted then microwave for 20 seconds and stir – repeat until smooth. Allow to cool and thicken before piping onto macarons.
More macaron recipes for you:
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Macaron trouble-shooting & FAQ
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nut free macarons
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orange choc macarons
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chocolate macarons
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Salted Caramel Macarons
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My Cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country:
http://bit.ly/ARcookbook
All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.
Can we use granulated sugar?
Granulated sugar or regular table sugar could potentially be used but you won’t get anywhere near the same results as with using superfine (caster) sugar and icing sugar.
How many macaroons does this recipe make?
Hi Jennifer, it will depend on what size you pipe them, but the recipe is designed to make about 40 shells or 20 filled macarons.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ANN!!! I tried over 5 different recipes, 11 different batches of macaron recipes, an insane amount of time, and only your recipe works!!!!! I always had the same feetless macarons, it was extremely depressing. I adjusted your recipe to only use one egg, and it stilled worked perfectly! I love how your recipe does not require a wait period before baking, it definitely helps minimising the variables. Thank you so much!!!
That’s great to hear itried1000times! Happy Baking!
dose it matter if i use granuar sugar?
I used this recipe for my first attempt making macarons. They came out absolutely perfect! Thank you so much for posting it.
Hi new baker, that is awesome to hear. Well done!
How much macarons are made out of this recipie?
Hi Julianne, it will depend how large you pipe your macarons. Ann’s recipe usually makes 40 shells or 20 filled macarons.
How much does this recipe make?
Should the eggs be room temperature?
Hi Marcie, ann has tested using eggs at room temperature and straight from the fridge and she found it made no real difference to the outcome.
Hi, where I live the altitude is 1,500m. Should I change the quantity of the ingredients or increase the oven heat? Or following the exact direction and quantity will work for me as well?
Hi Samin, As we are located at a lower altitude we are are unable to test the recipe to see what will work best at 1500m. You will need to experiment. I do know that when the air pressure is lower that foods can take longer to bake and that liquids will tend to evaporate faster meaning that you may need to adjust your batter to get the best result.
I have tried several French Macaron recipes…all that have failed miserably. This recipe turned out perfect with the US measurements (which I kindly appreciated)! Thank you!! They have the perfect little feet, and no cracks! They also come right off the parchment paper!
Well done Jessica. Great result!
Hi Ann! My macarons came out fully cooked, tasted great and not hollow but they always turn out to not have feet 🙁
what’s my prob here???
Did you forget to let the macaroons rest for a while on the cooking tray before putting them in the oven?
It helps to get the feet cause of the harder area on top it will expand below making the feet. Instead of have expand outwards.
Did you tap the tray with the macaroons with a bit of force 3 or more times?
It help to get rid of the air bubbles.
Do this before you let the macaroons rest.
Hi Rev, Ann doesn’t recommend letting the macrons rest. With testing she has found it makes no difference to the outcome.
Hi leenzyan, Check out this post for trouble shooting tips: https://wellness-wave1.news/public_html/macaron-recipe-faq-troubleshooting/%3C/a%3E .
It is possible that your oven temperature is a little low. Try increasing it by 10 degrees.
Try a higher oven temperature
These taste AMAZING esecially with the chocolate ganash
Hi Holly, They look yummy!
2 questions:
1. Would it greatly impact the recipe if i don’t sift the ground almonds and the powdered sugar together? Would processing it in a food processor serve a similar purpose? The reason i’m asking this is because i’ve found that it simply takes wayy too long and it’s my least favourite part about making macarons.(it takes around 1/2 an hour). Is my sieve too fine?
2. I’ve found that the batter is dripping everywhere when i’m piping the macs. Did i overmix it? However i did follow the recipe to the gram and the macs turned out beautifully with flat tops and great feet. Is this normal?
Hello! I’m not the author but I just made these yesterday for the FIRST time and they came out perfectly. I made two full batches of the chocolate ganache and sea salt caramel but with the same cookie recipe. I think I can answer your questions..
1. I don’t think it would greatly impact if you sifted them separately because they will gift mixed together eventually but I think it will yield better results if you do sift them together just to mix them up without any clumping as when you fold them into the batter, you won’t have to worry about one being more folded in than the other. That said, if it’s take you 30 mins to sift twice, your sieve might be too fine. I used about a 7inch sieve that wasn’t very fine. I sifted twice and only took me 5 minutes. My macarons came out perfectly.
2. My first batter, I folded it about 10 more times than my second time and it was quite a bit runny. So it was dripping while I piped it but I still got a very smooth top and beautiful feet, however it was a more flat cookie. The second batter, though definitely not as runny, still dripped a little as I piped it. I noticed that it was a thicker cookie but sometimes retained the dollop point. I could have folded it 2-4 more times. So I think it is normal depending on the type of cookie you want – either more flat or more puffy.
I hope this helps!
HI, It does sound like your sieve is rather fine or your almond meal is rather coarse. The batter is not super thick but it shouldn’t be running everywhere.
This video soooo helpful! Learnt so much from it. 🙂
Hi, i have tried to bake the perfect macaron three times now. First time perfect, but now last two times a disaster! They are cracked at the top, no way near the first smooth macaron. I have followed every step. How long do you mix the egg white? I have a regural handmixer and mix until soft peaks appear. My folded mixture looks ok to me! Any other tips or tricks? Thanx Judith
Hi juud, Have you checked out our troubleshooting tips? here is the link: https://wellness-wave1.news/public_html/macaron-recipe-faq-troubleshooting/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
hi Ann…i have a question…can I use ground almond instead of almond meal???….what is the difference ??
Finely ground almond (without skin) is almond meal or almond flour. It has to be fine enough to mix in well and usually looks like a soft flour. Crushed almonds wont work.
Success… Couple with cracks, but all had ,,,,feet,,,, and just a little chew in the middle,,, happy.
That is great to hear Betty! Well done!
If you cut this recipe in half will it still work? I halved this recipe once and the macarons didn’t turn out great, but that could have been my fault. Thanks!
Please in the recipe of the macaroons i need to know what is the icing mixture im confused and can u please explain me, and in what part of the video you add it
Icing mixture refers to confectioners sugar with cornstarch added. You mix sifted confectioners sugar and almond meal and salt together then mix it into the egg white mixture
Hi Ana, The recipe gives you the option of using icing sugar or icing mixture. Icing mixture is icing sugar (powdered sugar) with a little cornflour mixed in. You choose whichever you prefer and sift it in with the almond meal. You will find this in the 2nd paragraph of the method.
Some of the macarons are cracked and some are not. Same mixture, same rapping, same oven temp. Why? Also, it is taking over 30 minutes for the macarons to cook (they’re still in the oven, so I’m not yet sure how long until they stop sticking, and I am using non-stick baking paper).
Hi Debbie, it is likely that your oven temperature is uneven. I have a similar problem at home.