Basic Macaron Recipe

Step 1

Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Make sure ALL of the ingredients are at room temp.

Step 2

SIFT together the almond flour and powdered sugar. Discard any lumps in the sifter, do not force through, and set the bowl aside. (tip: your almond flour should be as dry as possible, you may need to spread it out on a baking sheet and allow it to dry for 1-2 hours).

Step 3

Put the room temperature egg whites in the mixer bowl with a whisk attachment. Start at low speed and move to medium speed until foamy (see pic). And add the cream of tartar.

Step 4

Once you have soft peaks, add the superfine sugar. Continue to whisk until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and food coloring and continue to mix until all of the color is mixed in.

Step 5

SIFT the flour and sugar mix once again into the egg whites and discard any lumps in the sifter.

Step 6

Fold until everything is combined. I use a silicone spatula and that works very well. Press the batter into the sides of the bowl to get out some of the air to avoid hollow macarons. The mixture will be sticky and should have a lava-like consistency, meaning when you pour it onto itself self it sinks back into the batter with no lines after about a minute or less.

Step 7

Put the batter in a pastry bag or macaron dispenser (see photo below, Amazon has a bunch to choose from). Try to get all the air out of the bag before you start. Pipe circles with the bag/tip straight up, you'll figure out what works best for you. I don't use a stencil which is why my macarons are not all the exact same size, but you can if you want to.

Step 8

Tap the pans on the countertop...A LOT, you might see bubbles come up and that's what you want. You can also carefully poke any other bubbles with a toothpick before you let the macarons rest. Let the pans sit for 30 minutes and do not touch or tap anymore or you will get cracks or holes. This allows the macarons to create a crust and helps with the feet. You know they are ready when you lightly place your fingertip on the outside and nothing comes off on your finger.

Step 9

Preheat the oven to 325°F. TIP: While the macarons are baking and cooling, you can make the filling if you have not already (recipe below). Bake for 10 minutes, one pan at a time and rotate once after the first 5 minutes. Let the macarons rest on the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 10

Once cooled, make your favorite filling and place it in a pastry bag with a round tip. Fill a circle around the edge of one half of a cookie and place the second half gently on top. Be careful not to push too hard or you will smash your beautiful creation. Enjoy!