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Macarons 101: A Beginner’s Guide and Printable Piping Template

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Macarons 101: A Beginner's Guide

Ahhhhh, les macarons. Could there be a better treat? These sweet, bite-sized almond pastries have exploded right out of their tiny shells during the past couple years. For good reason, I say. Out with the cupcakes and in with the macarons. (Ok… Cupcakes can stay, too.)

Unicorn Macarons by SouthernFATTY.com

Unicorn Macarons

I’m going to share my ups and downs of homemade macarons and hopefully save you a few exhausting days and bins full of squished, deflated, hollow, crunchy batches.

Keep reading for Macarons 101: A Beginner’s Guide and a free downloadable/printable macaron piping template.

Raspberry Almond Macarons

Why you so obsessed with meeeee?

If we are going to get serious about macarons, we should probably talk a bit about where they came from and why everyone is so obsessed with them.

First thing first… Macaron vs Macaroon:

A macaron (say: mac-a-ron) is what you see (look up) there. A tiny, round, dainty little sweet thang that you will soon learn to perfectly bake.

A macaroon (say: mac-a-roon) is a more dense, large, blob-like, coconut-based sweet.

[This post is pretty really long. I think it is worth reading, as I think there is some interesting history, etc. to share. If you just don’t feel like it, you can skip straight to the Making the Macarons part here.]

Now that we have that out of the way… The origin of these delicate pastries is somewhat mysterious. Almonds, the natuarally gluten-free (for those of you who enjoy that sorta thing) base of a macaron were exported from Syria into Europe way back in the 1400s. That’s basically back when computers weren’t around and Oprah was giving away cars. Once these almonds hit Europe, the Italians called the macaron concoction “macaroni” or “maccherone”. Yes. Exactly like the pasta. Think about it for a bit… Pasta base is made basically the same way. Eggs, flour. These confections simply substitute your regular old grain flour for the ground almond seed ‘flour’.

Ingredients for Macarons

Did you know almonds aren’t actually nuts? They are seeds of a fruit. As such, they are botanically a drupe.

It is said that the Italians created a version of the macarons as early as the 1500s. Typically thought of as French, the famed Renaissance author Rabelais was the first to have provided a written account,  “…petite pâtisserie ronde aux amandes”. For those of you that are a bit rusty on your french, this means “small round pastry with almonds”.

Macarons were originally just a single cookie. Like taking the top off of a traditional , modern macaron and leaving the filling and other half behind. I know… I know… That’s just crazy, right? Apparently, they used to have little macaron bars setup with the cookies and a bunch of fillings that you could spread on top. Now… THAT is a good idea. <noted for future business ventures>

Jump to Paris, middle of the 20th Century. Prestigious Chef Pierre Desfontaines of Maison Ladurée (the same one that is there today) decided to put two of the cookies together with some ganache cream between. Ta daaaa! I mean… Bon Appétit! <Julia voice>

Jump back to 2015, and here we are. Obsessed and full-circle. Having just visited Paris a few months ago, I took the opportunity to stuff my face with just about every pastry in sight. I lost count at around 14 pâtisseries that I had hit in one day. Don’t judge me. It was research, after-all. When I was mid-stream in my sugar rush, I decided to stop into a small bakery that was about to start a macaron-making class. Fate. The pastry gods certainly had thrown this opportunity right into my excessively-hyper arms.

Paris - July 2014

My Visit to Paris – July 2014

I had made macarons before at home. By made, I mean I had spent days upon days destroying hundreds of years of beautifully crafted french culinary history in mere moments. But then it sorta started to work out. This class was my ticket to ridding myself of the horrid uncertainty that a batch would make it through. Sorta like a Wonka Golden Ticket without the tiny Loompas. The Chef was a bit short, though….

Sifting Almond Flour for Macarons

Now… There are SO many different ways that people will tell you to make a proper macaron. Do this, do that, don’t do that! I’ve tried most all of them and have at times noticed a different and then haven’t at other times. Does drying the egg whites really help? Should you fold this many or that many times? I don’t have a damn clue, really. Because I find that this is what intimidates people the most, I did a few experiments at home. I kept my controls controlled, variables varied. I got this science thing down, y’all. I was told in this mini-intensive class that these things really don’t matter all that much. They make ’em in the rain, with old eggs, blindfolded. It’s all about precision and technique. Baking is a science, remember?

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Making the Macarons

Macarons are made with almonds, egg whites, sugar. Almond flour is simply raw almonds that have been finely ground into a flour-like textured mix. I grab mine at Trader Joe’s. I’ve heard Costco has it for crazy cheap, too. To create a more smooth textured cookie base, you need to sift the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar together. Go ahead and do this like 3-4 times. Dump any large bits of almond back into your bag and use it for something else. You’ll notice that I used raw, unprocessed almond meal (flour) for the Valentine’s-inspired macarons shown in this post. That accounts for the tiny bits on the shells. If you don’t want that at all (I think it adds a bit of character), get processed almond meal that doesn’t contain any of the skins. You can find it here. You can also make your own almond meal with a good processor, almond and the sugar to keep it from turning to paste. We’ll cover that another day. Be sure you are using a kitchen scale for all of this (and all of your baking, really). US measurements vary so much depending on the user and the product being measured. Weigh everything out. This is mandatory.

I would really encourage you to start weighing everything when you bake. These scales aren’t expensive, and you can often make everything in a single bowl, cutting down on the cleanup efforts at the end.

Piping Macarons on Template

Making the Batter Matter

After you separate the eggs into whites and yolks, toss the yolks away to use for something else. Strain the egg whites to be sure you don’t have any bits of big globs of whatever that stuff is that you sometimes find in there. From my experience, egg age doesn’t matter much if you strain them out. Be sure you have let your eggs come to room temperature before you plan to use them. Cold whites just don’t whip up like warmer ones do. Have a drink. Wait a few minutes. No big.

Using the Template to Pipe Macarons

You’ll whip the whites just a bit until they are broken up and foamy (seriously like 10 seconds…) and then add the sugar to beat and form just stiff peaks.

Macaron Batter

Fold, fold, fold, fold, STOP!

Take the almond meal/confectioners sugar mix that you have sifted the hell out of and dump it in. All of it. It’s cool. I promise. NOW… Here is where I hypothesize most people make their mistakes. Folding. If you just go stir-crazy on this mix, you’ll ruin everything (been there. done that. have the t-shirt.). Fold and pull the spatula around the bowl. If you aren’t familiar with folding, jump over to YouTube and do a bit of research. I find that many people do this incorrectly. Lightly, but with great confidence, take your rubber spatula and roll it around the batter in the bowl and fold the mixture over itself. It will look like it just isn’t mixing and that you have too much of the almond mix. Trust me here! Keep going.You want to do this and then when it is coming together, start to drag (pressing the batter against the sides) the mixture around the bowl.

This is called the macaronage. — The actual goal here is to deflate the mixture a bit, while still mixing the ingredients to the perfect consistency. A ton of posts will tell you, “Don’t deflate at all! Don’t do it!”. They are absolutely wrong. Plain and simple. You have to deflate the mixture or you will end up with hollow, cracked, improperly shaped cookies. I know it sounds odd, since you’ve worked so diligently to whip all of that air into the mixture. It’s much like knocking down bread dough. You want the air to be evenly distributed, but you also need the batter at the right viscosity with that air inside.  Unfortunately, this process just takes time to recognize the proper consistency. It should end up like thick lava.

Blueberry Macarons

The secret test that I learned for determining the exact consistency and viscosity for the perfect macaron batter is when you pick up the batter with the spatula, try to create an “8” pattern with a solid, streaming ribbon of batter. If you can make an “8” a few times over top of itself and see the entire shape not disappear, you have mixed the batter to readiness to pipe. Pat yourself on the back and have another drink.

Tracing Template to Parchment Paper

Piping Symmetrical Cookies

Speaking of piping… I consider myself pretty a pretty good shot with a piping bag. However, you really want all of these shells to line up perfectly to create a symmetrical sweet sandwich. I’ve tried silicone macaron molded mats, parchment paper, no paper, regular silicone mats. With all of this trial and error (mostly error), I found that the absolute best choice is a simple parchment paper. The delicate macarons tend to stick to silicone, the macaron mat molds are USELESS, and the paper gives you the ability to pull it off of the cookies if needed. I looked around for a while to figure out how to make sure I pipe each circle just like the last. There are some templates out there, but nothing that really hit home with me. So, being the total nerd that I am….

I made a printable macaron template for you all to have!

Printed out, I found that you can place this under parchment paper and trace the outlines. You can then flip it and pipe away. After a bunch of these, I also finally figured out that you could just place it under the paper and pipe, moving the paper over to pipe more. MUCH more convenient.

Printable Macaron Piping Template

Printable 1.5 Inch Macaron Piping Template – DOWNLOAD BELOW

The template gives you a bullseye for piping aim and a few guidelines to ensure consistently size cookies. If your batter is correctly folded, you should be able to pipe, holding the bag an inch above the paper, until it reaches the outer edge of the inside circle.

Download “Macaron Piping Template - SouthernFATTY.com”

SouthernFATTY-dot-com_Macaron_Template.pdf – Downloaded 455043 times – 299.63 KB
I’ve made this template available to you all here. The only thing I ask is that you do not take your copy and spread it around. For extra copies or to share it with friends, please send them right here (you can use the sharing buttons at the bottom!) to download it themselves. I spent a bit of time preparing and perfecting this and would like to see how well it is received by the downloads directly from the site. Thanks!

Raspberry Almond Macarons with Template

Let’s Call This… Drop the Baby

Once you get your macarons piped, you’ll be happy to know that I encourage you to beat the daylights out of them. Hold the baking sheet a good foot or so above your table/floor/whatever flat, solid surface is nearby. Drop the pan (evenly) like Missy drops a beat. Repeat several times. Then do it once more. This ensures that all of the bubbles make their way out of the batter. If you don’t do this well, you will end up with hollow macarons.

 Raspberry Almond Macarons

Take a Breather… You’re Almost There

Some will say at this point, you need to rest the macarons forever. Others will say that you can pop them directly into the oven. The risk in not aging the macaron shells is that you will ruin the opportunity for the “feet” (the less smooth part under the glossy tops) to form while baking. I was taught to rest the shells and tend to agree with this, having had poor results without resting the piped rounds. I recommend just letting them sit for 30 minutes on the baking sheets. You will notice that they harden and appear a bit glossy already. This is good!

Resting the shells will force the macarons to bake upward and not outward. This is what is responsible for forming the iconic shape of each cookie.

Raspberry Almond Macarons

Baking.

Heat the oven. Put the macarons into the oven. Bake. Let them cool completely before you attempt to poke or grab them off of the sheets. Completely! These things are delicate, ya know?!

Raspberry Almond Macarons

Finally– We are finished. Shewwwww! If you’ve made it this far through the post, be sure to leave a comment below and I will send you tons and tons of eMacarons to thank you for sticking with it.

Cookies and Cream Macarons by Southern Fatty

Cookies and Cream Macarons

Macarons aren’t super easy. They take time, effort, and whole lot of love. It took me several batches before they ended up working for me when I started making them.

Hopefully with these tips, you’ll be able to whip them up in no time for some very appreciative recipients. Check out the recipe for the Valentine’s-inspired Raspberry Buttercream Almond Macrons that are pictured in the post. These are the basic macaron shells that you can play with to create any flavor combinations that you can think of.

Unicorn Macarons by SouthernFATTY.com

Unicorn Macarons

Need help finding items to use to make macarons? Check out this Amazon list for suggestions from my kitchen:

Macaron Items I Use

Basic Macaron Recipe (and raspberry buttercream filling recipe)
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Macarons 101: A Beginner's Guide to making perfect homemade macarons. This recipe includes a raspberry buttercream filling with the traditional almond cookie shells.
Author:
Serves: ~ 2 dozen constructed macarons
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
  • 100 grams egg whites (3 large egg whites), room temperature
  • 50 grams (1/4 cup) superfine sugar (granulated sugar in food processor until fine), (1/4 cup granulated sugar or a little less than half a cup of confectioner's sugar if using that instead)
  • 200 grams (1 and ⅔ cup) confectioner's sugar
  • 110 grams (1 cup) almond flour
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • food coloring, optional (color will slightly lighten with baking)
Raspberry Buttercream Filling
  • 8 tablespoons butter, unsalted, softened
  • 1 cup raspberries, fresh
  • 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 12 ounces confectioner's sugar, sifted well
  • pinch salt
Instructions
Macaron Shells
  1. Place room temperature egg whitesin mixer bowl.
  2. With whisk attachment, whisk at medium speed until foamy, about a minute.
  3. Add superfine granulated sugar and cream of tartar. Mix until just stiff peaks form.
  4. Add food coloring here if desired. Add a bit more than you think you need, as it will fade slightly when baking.
  5. In different bowl, sift together almond flour and confectioner's sugar. Repeat and sift a couple times, removing any large pieces left behind after each sift.
  6. Add almond flour mix to stiffened egg whites.
  7. Using proper folding technique (see blog post for an explanation of this), fold until you can ribbon an "8" that holds into the batter. This may take about 40-60 proper strokes, depending on your folding style. THIS is the most important step in proper macarons.
  8. Visit the blog post for full instructions.
  9. Pipe macaron circles onto paper-lined baking sheets using the macaron template and instructions available HERE.
  10. Let the shells rest for 30 minutes to form hardened tops.
  11. Bake at 300 F for about 16 minutes. Be sure your oven temperature is exact.
  12. Remove and let cool completely before removing from baking sheets.
Raspberry Buttercream Filling
  1. Add softened butter to mixer. Whip until smooth.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Add more confectioner's sugar as needed for tight enough texture.
Finishing
  1. Pipe filling between two shells and enjoy!
  2. Visit SouthernFATTY.com for more.
Notes
2015 - SouthernFATTY.com

Have you attempted macarons yet?

Leave your success (or horror…) stories below!

Share your mac attacks with us by tagging @SouthernFatty #southernfatty on social media.

Reader Interactions

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  2. Thank you so much for your help in making macarons. Today was my second attempt at making these and once again it was an epic fail. My meringue is the problem. It is just too runny and now that I’ve read how you make your macarons and the steps to take so I hopefully won’t fail the 3rd time. They say third time’s a charm so we shall see. Lol!!! Thanks again!!

    Reply

    • Hope they turned out well! These things are absolutely finicky, but once you get it down it is worth the trouble in getting there. Let me know how it goes!

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  9. I did TONS of research & made some of these for Christmas years ago & they actually turned out perfect! But it’s been so long, that I had no idea what I did with that info! So glad I found your blog! I really want to make a macaron tower for Christmas this year. I’m not a big fan of human feet, but macaron feet just hit differently. lol

    Reply

    • You can! Frozen berries actually work really well in buttercream recipes. Just watch and check for it to be stiff enough. You can add some additional powdered sugar if the water content in the berries makes it thinner than needed.

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  13. I made them tonight for the first time ever, and there were big feet! I found that paying attention to detail is the main thing. This is a cookie that must be made with love.

    I cannot wait to try your rasberry recipe!

    Reply

  14. Thank you thank you thank you! I’ve been wanting to make these for a long time but never had the courage to do so. After watching a few videos and resading a few recipes, I decided to use your’s.
    First time success! I must still practise my piping. I’m not good at that as I don’t do it that often.
    Once again thank very much.

    Reply

  15. I only searched for The paper, ended up reading the entire story! you’re gooood mine are resting now. Have an awesome day!
    Greetings from Tm,România

    Reply

  17. What do I do? Whenever I make macarons, they look pretty and have nice feet, but they always come out hollow. What is the ideal number of times to tap them to remove the bubbles, fold the batter and whisk so that the peaks are nice and stiff?

    Reply

  18. Thank you so much for the tips! So I tried making for the first time and I used super fine almond flour. I put it with the confectioners sugar in a food processor and then sifted but I still have little tiny dark almond chunks…Would this be the type of almond flour or am I doing something wrong? Thank you!!!

    Reply

  19. Thank you for the template and all the detailed tips! I am making these for my oldest grandson today for his Christmas gift, Macaroons are his favorite. I have read several different pages but yours was so straight forward! Really appreciate that! I will let you know how it goes. ….got distracted and didn’t sent this..I just checked the oven 7min into baking the first sheet and OMG I think I did it. Thank you, thank you! You have a new follower. Will post pics later.
    ~

    Reply

  20. Honestly , i wish i could eat these lil beauties right off the screen.. They are absolutely gorgeous and give me courage to finally stop being afraid and try them. The Unicorn and Blueberry ones give me life.. Just amazing. Great post BTW and thanks for the template

    Reply

  21. I have been doing A LOT of research before settling on your recipe. It just made sense to me. Plus your blog is a hoot and really put me at ease to go ahead and give ’em a try. I’m ready to get started tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

    Reply

  22. If you want to change the flavor of the macaron itself, say to chocolate or lemon, what would you suggest so that it doesn’t throw the recipe off?

    Reply

    • That’s a tough one. Chocolate macarons require a bit more adapting of the recipe since you are adding some fat when you add chocolate. I have a great chocolate shell in a brownie macaron recipe and am just realizing that I never posted it. Oy! I’ll try to get that up soon. In the meantime, you can typically replace 25g of the almond flour in this recipe with a good quality Dutch processed chocolate powder. You’ll want Dutch processed because it is alkaline/not-acidic. Some cocoa powder can be acidic and can affect the rise in bad ways.

      My suggestion for other flavors is to add fresh zest to the sugar in the shell portion and place sugar and almond flour in a food processor and blitz it a few times. You can use extracts that are very concentrated, but be light with that as it can really ruin the shells quickly.

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  23. I tried last night, for the first time, to replicate the ones on the Mandalorian. My oven died in the middle of it. So I switched it to my countertop convection. They puffed a little.

    By now it was 12 PM. I just took out the silicon mat, crumpled into my convection oven, and went to bed saying I would make the filling tomorrow.

    My college students are the macarons. All that effort and nothing for it. Though I think I overbeat them. So now I have an oven that won’t heat up and no macarons.

    Reply

  24. I loved this post! I found it very informative and detailed which is what I’m looking for now! I’m in the “research and learn” phase of getting ready to start my macaron journey! 🙂

    Thank you!!

    Reply

  25. I’ve been making macarons for about 18 months now, and read this article to see how I can get rig off the hollow…otherwise, they turn out pretty darn good.
    I will also try but she whole flour and powdered sugar mixture in all at once….wish me luck!

    Thank you

    Reply

  27. I loved your “honest” approach to the “Story ” of the macarons! I am attempting my second batch today with your words of wisdom. Yesterdays batch were edible but not quite correct. Must continue to perfection. Thank you for the humor. We all need that.

    Reply

  29. Hi! I’ve made your recipe a couple times now, and my shells keep coming out hollow. My very first batch came out absolutely perfect, but every batch since has been hollow, and I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong! I follow everything exactly but not having a lot of success. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hollow macs can be a result of a number of issues, but usually goes back to the folding, and oven temp. Folding the meringue is almost always where the issues lie. When you fold, press the batter against the side of the bowl. Don’t be too scared of it. You are likely not getting enough of the air out of the batter prior to baking. Follow that by a good several bangs to release air bubbles. If you aren’t using an oven thermometer, I strongly recommend one. Most home ovens aren’t the correct temperatures. This is what I use (It’s like $7). If you still get hollows, drop your temp by 5-10 degrees and try again. My guess is that if you fold more appropriately, it will fix it.

      Good luck!
      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  31. I’m excited to try. I bought everything I need and just haven’t gotten around to it yet. My question is after everything is all done. What are your storing suggestions? Should we really eat it right away or is it supposed to go in the fridge for a couple days before eating? Thank you again for the detailed tips and template.

    Reply

    • Good luck! Storage-wise, you have a few options. They taste best when you toss them in the fridge overnight, bring them out and let them come to room temperature before enjoying. I recommend opening the container when you bring them out so condensation doesn’t mess with the shells. You can leave them in the fridge for several days with good results. At room temperature storage, they will not last as long. I like to freeze mine. They will last for quite a long time in the freezer. You can freeze them filled and assembled. They can be brought out of the freezer straight to room temp and be ready in 30 minutes or so. With all of these suggestions, I recommend using an airtight container to store.

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  33. I would love to make some macarons and your post has given me the confidence to try. I don’t know all the right questions to ask just yet but was wondering what kind of food coloring to use when making the shells. I read where you shouldn’t use liquid food coloring. I would appreciate any other tips, too! If I wanted to put sprinkles on top like you did, how do you get them to stick? Thanks so much!

    Reply

  34. I, unfortunately, over-baked mine but otherwise they turned up pretty good for my first attempt. Making them takes patience (and I don’t seem to have an abundance of this — ha!)

    Reply

  35. Thank you for the template. I am going to try to make macarons tomorrow! I have wanted to make these for a long time, so I’m really excite!
    Wish me luck!

    Reply

  37. Used your recipe for Macarons today.. they turned out fantastic.
    I’ve made macarons three times before using different recipes and those recipes were LONG!!
    I made two lots using your recipe and both lots turned out exactly the same. Great feet!

    Thanks for sharing and writing such a great blog about Macs.

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  38. Sooooo, I made macarons with my sister for the first time a while ago. We used this recipe and they were REALLY good. Like really good. Our macarons almost looked professional. We’ve made them 3 times and are going to do some more soon. This recipe is really good and the information above helped a lot. 🙂

    Reply

  39. Thank you so much for this recipe and all your efforts in trial and error.
    I have used your recipe before and have made perfect macarons.
    Your step by step guide is well explained and easy to understand,
    Thank you again! 🙂

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  41. I am so glad I found your post! I have never had a macaron, ever. After seeing someone being extremely creative with them, I’ve been wanting to make them for weeks, very apprehensive, trying to decide what I needed to add to my kitchen gadget collection and finding out I already pretty much have everything except for food coloring. I am especially grateful for the template. I’ll be giving these a try over the weekend (and probably every weekend until I’m satisfied. I hope to be able to be good enough to show off on the 4th of July. Thanks again!

    Reply

  45. Thank you for these wonderful instructions. I am a grandfather in my 70’s and have just started making mararons. I love the challenge. Your tips will make my attempts much more successful!

    Reply

  46. Great blog post! I found it to be very informative. I made some macs the other day and was so excited before they went in the oven and they looked great when they were done baking. I felt so defeated though when I bit into one and saw a hollow shell, as well as, in the rest of the batch. After being filling some with buttercream and some with chocolate ganache, the hollow doesn’t seem as bad.

    Reply

  47. Quarantine pushed me to take this opportunity to learn! What tip are you using as you pipe? Loved the entire post!

    Reply

  48. Hello,
    I’m a little confused by the sugar for the shell. Do you use 1/2 superfine sugar plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar for a total of 1/2 cup?

    Reply

    • Sorry about that. It is definitely confusing. I’ll update the wording. — It is asking for 1/4 cup sugar total. I just recommend taking that 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and processing it to a more fine texture. It will work without that step, but incorporates better if you do.

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  49. Thank you for this thorough post. I feel confident I can take these on. Also appreciate the Missy reference, that’s matters

    Reply

  50. I have not ever attempted to make macaroons, but when in quarantine one must try! So i read your WHOLE post and I’m going to get the special ingredients (almond flour). Wish me luck!

    Reply

  52. I tried another recipe before I found yours and they turned out okay but not great. Your recipe and templet worked perfect! Thank you sooo much!

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  53. My family ha s recently gained our love for macarons and my daughter is really excited to try to make them. I have obvious concerns as I am no baking conosour, but we’ll give it our best shot! Wish us luck!

    Reply

  55. Okay they are out of the oven and I am beyond excited – 1 – that they look pretty good and 2 your instructions were amazing. They are cooling but I had to post a picture of my coral macarons, I need to work on size consistency.

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  56. Thank you so much for taking the time to detail out the the good, the bad and the ugly of making these….going in the kitchen now…stay tune – reporting back in a few hours.

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  57. I did it! It was my first time trying and they came out amazingly! Thank you so much for putting this together, I never thought I’d be successful at something like this and look at me now! I even got the feet! <3

    Follow the instructions (all the tips and tricks above the recipe) to the letter and you, too, can make these impossible treats.

    Reply

  58. I recently made thin mint macarons for my sister, this is about the third time and I THINK I’m getting the hang of it. In other news, your blog is the only one I could actually read without scrolllling forever to get to the recipe. Very entertaining and you had me at “Southern Fatty” lol

    Reply

  59. Hi – can’t wait to try these and just made my almond meal. You mentioned almond meal and then in the Ingredients section said almond flour! These are two different things! Can I use the almond meal?

    Reply

    • Good point. You can use either, but know that the more fine your almond source is, the better your macarons will look. They can look a bit rough in texture if it isn’t fine enough. Recipe will certainly worth with either, though.

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  60. i just made these and i’m pretty happy with the result. i think my mixture was a little thicker than necessary but they worked so i’m uncertain. i certainly couldn’t draw figure 8s in my mixture. i did use a silicone mat, and it worked for me fine. thanks for all the tips. i’m practicing so i can make some for a birthday party.

    Reply

  61. Oh my these are tricky little devils. First batch awful. 2nd batch pretty good 3rd batch worse than tbe 1st! It’s the feet!!!!!

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    • If the feet are puffing out too far for your liking, you just need to beat the whites a bit less and be a bit less gently with your folding. Looks pretty good!

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  62. I am going to attempt your recipe tomorrow. I’ve some good success and some not so good. They all taste good but always have the thin top shells and soft in the middle. I tried a silicone mat today and they were more soft on the inside and did not want to come off the mat. Help would be greatly appropriated. AMD also can I add extract in while I’m whipping the egg white before stiff peaks?

    Reply

  63. Love all the good information in here! Any tips for high elevation macaron baking? I’m 4,300 feet above sea level.

    Reply

    • I just read another blog that talked about high elevation issues. In the comments, someone said that they used at least 10g more egg whites after reading Betty Crocker’s tips for egg white leavened goodies in high altitude baking. She said it helped but she still had some hollow places, and that using the Italian method (pouring hot sugar syrup into the egg whites) apparently works better for high altitude also. I think you may want to Google for yourself and see if there are any other tips. I know that, in Ohio, what has helped me the most to be successful was the right recipe, the right meringue, getting my macaronage correct, and knowing my oven temps. Good luck – the journey is totally worth the results!

      Reply

  64. Hi there, aspiring macaron artist here. Today will be my third attempt at making these finicky little delights. I’ve followed your recipe to a T twice now.The first batch was so runny i didn’t even attempt to bake them. This second batch which is hanging out before I put them in the oven, still seems so thin, but I’m going to bake them and see what happens. I weigh everything out. I’ve watched proper “folding” techniques. Just wondering where I’m going wrong. Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated!

    Reply

  69. I already have a Macaron silicone baking mat (I haven’t used it yet)…do you think I could simply put baking paper over it and pipe and bake on it? Have you tried this?

    Reply

  70. I’m a cottage baker and have tried sooo many recipes for macrons, but this is my first success! Thank you for breaking it down and the tip on weighing ingredients (I think that made the difference).

    Reply

  71. Thanks for giving us the good and bad of macarons… I am going to give it a first try.. Will let you know my results. I am a cake and cookie baker so we’ll see.

    Reply

      • Eeeee! It could be a number of things, really. First, I would highly recommend an oven thermometer to check your oven temperature. Baking too hot can be a cause of spreading like this. Most ovens are not at the correct temperature that you may think you are baking at. After that, verify that the egg white weight was correct. Incorrect ratio in the recipe can effect the spread. Did you let them sit before baking? Depending on the humidity in your home and environment, you may have better results with a longer rest. You should be able to tap the top with a finger and it not stick. Lastly, and often the most common issue after oven temperature, is mixing. If you mixed until you could let a ribbon fall off of the spatula, I don’t think this would cause this much of a problem that you’ve shown in the picture. Check that oven temp and let me know if that helps.

        -Phillip
        Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

        Reply

    • Everything went well for my first try. I did fail at getting the consistency right, however. Needed to fold just a little more. Thank you for your detailed instructions. I am confident I will get it right next time.

      Reply

  74. The last blog I read had me scared to death — yours makes me ready to jump right in. My 10 year old wants to try her (our!) hand at this and now I’m ready! One question about the recipe — you list confectioner’s sugar as an option instead of the super fine sugar. Am I assuming correctly that this is IN ADDITION TO the confectioner’s sugar listed below it? Also, I only have a hand mixer and I’m not sure that it has whisk attachments. Should I borrow (Or validate buying one?!) a good stand mixer before attempting? Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Sorry for the delay on this! I have seen so many scary blog posts, which is one big reason why I wanted to post this. Baking shouldn’t be frightening, even with it’s failures. Yes. Those are two different ingredients on purpose. The superfine is used in Step 3 and the confectioners in Step 5. You certainly could use confectioners for the first set, but I’ve found this is the best for making perfect peaks with the whites. It’s a bit of added work, but I usually just make a bit batch of blended sugar and store it away for this.

      Let me know how it goes!

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  75. Love your flow with words, the teaching and guide through are thorough and very enjoyable to read. Please write a book! :} thanks for your help and love of sharing!

    Reply

  76. Thank you for all the info. I’ve made macarons so many different ways but this page is super helpful and easy to follow!

    Reply

  78. I’ve been wanting to try making these for a while now. It just seemed way too scary. But you are not speaking a foreign language! I think you just took the scary out of it.☺

    Reply

  81. this was our second time making macarons and they turned out MUCH better than before! This is an fantastic recipe and I am so glad that you put it online! I am sure all my neighbors and friends will love them

    Reply

  82. thank you so much for this recipe! it is fantastic. I do have a question though, if you have extra batter is it ok to store in the refrigerator for about an hour so you can make the macarons later? or should you just leave it out?

    Reply

    • Glad you are enjoying it! For just an hour, you can leave it out at room temperature, I think. Meringue-based recipes don’t do well with temperature changes and changes in the air in the batter can be tricky, though. You may end up with cookies that crack or don’t rise properly after they rest. Ideally use it all, but an hour may be ok. I would probably put the leftover in a piping bag and let it rest there so you don’t have to stir it much more to transfer it. If you can’t do that, definitely cover directly with cling film to prevent a hard layer on top. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  84. I really want to try and make these but was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Your post helped me understand all of the tips and tricks to making macarons! Thanks!

    Reply

  85. Great information, Phillip–thanks! My question is about the waiting time after finishing the macarons. I gather from other sources that you should leave them for 24 hours before serving (agony), so I’d like to know if they should be covered, air-tight or not, refrigerated or not, etc. during that 24-hour period. I’d hate to finish a batch and then ruin them after the fact! Thanks.

    Reply

    • Thanks! They are certainly best after resting overnight. I assemble them all and place them on their sides in an air-right / Tupperware style container in the fridge. You can also freeze them easily, but be sure to move them to the fridge to thaw slowly.

      Enjoy!
      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  86. Hi! I’m using an electric oven. What time and temperature is required? I did them for 150C for 25 minutes but it made my macarons to have brown top. I used the top and bottom heat function. Thanks!

    Reply

    • I developed this recipe using an electric oven as well. 150 C should be ok, but my guess is that your oven is actually not sticking to that temperature. I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer like this one. I would check that and also try reducing your temperature by 10 degrees and moving your baking sheet one level lower. It is almost always the oven temperature, though. Good luck!

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag and follow us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  90. That’s good to know that it would probably take several batches to get them to a point that you like the result. I’ll have to consider trying out some different varieties of macaroons to try and perfect them. I would think that would be the best way to get better at making them.

    Reply

  91. Hi Philip~ I had a question about some macarons I made recently.I started to post a comment to you a few days ago but got called away. I didn’t think I had sent it however, just now as I was going to do so again, I got a message saying “it seems you’ve already said that” or something similar. I don’t find it anywhere in the comments.

    Reply

  92. Hi Philip~
    Thank you for sharing your experience with macarons and the templates, etc. I have been messing around with them for a few years, off and on. I’m not a fan of them, but my daughter and her husband love them. So. It is a challenge that I want to master!
    I’ve been pretty successful, except that my piping skills are not all that. Practice practice practice.
    I have a question for you: what is causing the large gaps between the “feet” and the dome? these are not hollow inside – well I think a couple in the first batch were. but for the most part they had substance-, and the aforementioned daughter said they were “perfect” so the texture must have been good. Believe me she’d tell me. She’e had a lot of macarons from really good bakeries! ( That’s not to say mine were comparable to a fine bakery’s but that for what she expected from those I’ve made fairly successfully they were good.)
    Appreciate any ideas, wisdom, technique advice…Thanks again!
    Suzette

    Attachment

    Reply

    • Found it 🙂 — It looks like what is probably happening is in your mixing stage. If you have too many air pockets in the meringue when you put them in the oven, the air expands and the steam has to escape somewhere. That is at the weakest point, which means it rises up and then blows out the sides.

      When you are folding the mixture, don’t be as cautious with folding. You should be folding and then dragging some of the mixture along the side of the bowl to deflate the batter slightly. I suspect that, along with mixing a tiny bit more (I can see just a few bumps/points from piping on the tops) will fix it. Hope they enjoy!

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  93. I loved reading this! You crack me up! I feel like I’ve found a friend – your writing is just my cup of tea.
    I was curious why macarons have that “rough” edge – I found your post and now I know! Now I’m intrigued to try them myself! Thanks so much!

    Reply

  95. Can you explain how some are able to get a nice bright color while mine fade? I am using gel color. Should I guy powder colors?

    Reply

    • Coloring macarons can be quite tricky. Gel colors do typically work well, but you may have to use a lot to get vivid color. This can sometimes lead to odd tastes or problems with the bake. If you want really vivid color with less risk, I definitely suggest powder coloring. Try these out.

      Reply

  96. I’m making a study of macron recipes and will try yours today. I like your slightly less almond flour from others I’ve tried. Thank you fo4 this post.

    Reply

  97. Today humidity was down to 51% here on the coast which I have noticed really does make a huge difference (I live down the street from the beach) so I decided to make macarons today with a new recipe. I only rested them while the oven preheated and they turned out beautiful.. was wondering if you have noticed a huge difference in using a silicone mat vs parchment paper? Everytime I use a silicon mat the cookies don’t get feet and crack on the top. Any reason this might be happening? Any way i can change that? I really want to use my mats..

    Reply

  98. My husband is from New Zealand so last summer I mastered the perfect pavlova which made me feel more comfortable diving into my sons favorite dessert- macarons! Your recipe was spot-on and we had success right out of the gate. Thank you

    Reply

  99. Thank you for the recipe, hints, and template. I have never made these, but look forward to trying them out this week.

    Reply

  100. Thank you I will be trying them soon, question, my oven doesn’t have a window for me to see through is it ok for me to open the oven while they are cooking?

    Reply

    • It is ok to peek, but I wouldn’t do so for the first 8-10 minutes to be safe. Sudden temperature drops can be rough on a meringue-based bake. Let me know how it goes!

      -Phillip
      Share with @southernfatty / #southernfatty on social!

      Reply

  101. Hi, thank you so much for the template. It’s the one I use most often. However, I do have a question. It seems like on most template, there is a + (I know what that’s for) and then there are two circles. I don’t understand why it has two. Is that just so you could make them smaller if you want? Thanks. Sorry for the stupid question!

    Reply

    • A lot of people use the two circles for different sizes, but I added it because of my workflow with piping the macarons. I hold the bag an inch above the paper and pipe directly down at 90 degrees until the batter is to the outer edge of the inner circle on the template. Then when I bang the pans out (more on that in the post body), it expands out to the outer circle. It’s a guide for myself to know when they are all consistently the same size for baking. Hope that helps!

      -Phillip
      Share on social by tagging @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  103. Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this blog! I have wanted to make Macarons for a while now, but have been VERY nervous to try because they look difficult. You have taken some of that anxiety. Now, I’m excited to get started!

    Reply

  104. Thank you!! I’m on batch 3 and while not pretty (yet!) they are yummy. Will use your template and hope to perfect them before school ends so I can make them for teacher gifts!

    Reply

  105. I made my 5th batch of Macarons today (not your recipe). I was pretty frustrated with previous attempts. Your site was invaluable – the template was exactly what I needed. I would have willingly paid for it! The added bonus Is that I got twice as many Macarons because my piping was consistent in size. I don’t know the science of baking,, but my recipe doesn’t call for cream of tartar. My recipe uses 1/2 tsp of salt. I’m trying your recipe next time around. Had I not found your site, I’m not sure there would be a “next time around”! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hope it goes well! The tartar is not required, but I have added it in the recipe here because it acts as a stabilizer for the meringue. It is an acid, which helps the egg white-based structure. It’s my preference, especially for those that are just getting started. Let me know how it turns out!

      -Phillip
      Tag @southernfatty / #southernfatty if you share anything you’ve made.

      Reply

  106. I am in the cooling stage of my FIRST attempt at macarons . It is a practice batch prior to helping my granddaughter make them for a school project. THANKS for a delightful read, helpful tips and the piping template!! Mine did not raise but did not spread out either. Suggestions?

    Reply

    • Great! — If they did not rise, I’m guessing you may have knocked out too much of the meringue’s air content. Did you mix this by hand? You aren’t at an odd elevation, right? Also… the oven temp. could possibly be off. Do you have an oven thermometer to verify the temp? If not, I would increase the temp 5-10 degrees and watch (through the door – don’t open) to see if they rise and are just falling back down during the bake.

      -Phillip
      Share on social by tagging @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  109. I’m writing this after another failed attempt at macarons. I’ve tried about 5 times, and my last two batches have come out worse than the previous ones. The last one I attributed to a very rainy and humid day, but I don’t know what the problem was today. Is there something I should be doing differently for the high altitude I live in?
    I am a pretty experienced baker, so I am finding this beyond frustrating.

    Reply

    • For the humidity here in Florida I have a fan going the whole time I’m mixing the macarons to help move the air, I let the macarons rest in a separate room that has its own air conditioner. I make the room super cold and I let the macarons rest for over an hour. I found that it has really helped. The feet weren’t completely developing before and some of them flattened when I put them in the oven before I started using the fan and conditioner

      Reply

  111. What’s up,I read your new stuff named “Macarons 101: A Beginner’s Guide and Printable Piping Template | Southern FATTY” regularly.Your humoristic style is awesome, keep it up!

    Reply

  112. Lots of great info! I’m just starting to attempt making these. Question… at what point and how do you flavor the macaron without changing recipe too much? Liquids? Powders? Is food coloring gel colors? Thanks!

    Reply

    • I would highly recommend starting with the base without any coloring so you can focus on the technique and eliminate the coloring causing any problems. When you are ready, use powder or gel colors. Just be aware that too much color can change the bake. I generally don’t flavor the shells unless I am opting for chocolate cocoa powder in them. Instead, I flavor the filling. Good luck!

      Reply

  114. I’ve done this 4 times and my macarons continue to stick. Is it 300 in a convection oven? I’ve checked my oven temperature with two thermometers and it’s perfect. The only thing I can think is that it’s not on convection.

    Reply

    • I”m new at this, too. In my macaron cooking class we were told to make sure that you do NOT use a convection oven, although I don’t recall why. Mine have been coming out best using 300 regular oven.

      Hope this helps! This can be a very frustrating process, but worth the effort.

      Reply

      • Lots of debate in the pastry world over this. My experience is that convection works great (and can bake multiple trays usually at the same time), but only if you have really nailed the meringue. It is more common to see convection used for Italian meringue macarons, I think. Good conversation, though! Thank you!

        -Phillip
        Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

        Reply

    • The 300 listed is conventional oven. My first guess would be that you are either 1) not cooking long enough or 2) not waiting until they are completely cooled to remove them. You can find more heavy duty baking paper (like THIS one) that will help if it is still an issue.

      -Phillip
      Have a photo to share? Tag us on social using @southernfatty / #southernfatty!

      Reply

  115. I have been too intimidated to try macarons. Your post has eased my fears. I am excited to try these now. Thank You

    Reply

  116. Thanks so much for taking time to write this post. I used your recipe after doing much research and my macarons came out perfect. I’m a first timer, so super excited about the success.

    Reply

  118. I have made 100,s of them but my problem is the hollows. No matter what I try I cannot get rid of them . I have tried Italian and French method. They taste great but I cannot get rid of hollows.

    Reply

  119. I have made 6 batches now. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but every time I bake them the feet spread out, not up. It is so frustrating. I’ve read so much on the internet of what to do. The only place I can see that I may have the issue is the mixing although I’ve tried the “make an 8” and everything else I’ve read. I don’t know what lava looks like so that throws me off. I don’t know where else I’m going wrong. I weight all ingredients, I sift the sugar and flour multiple times, I use eggs that are at room temperature, etc,. I’ve double checked every step of this. Please give me some suggestions.

    Reply

  120. I’ve always wanted to attempt macarons, but was super intimidated. But, I can say that my first attempt was a success! Thank you for your detail! It made trying something new so much less intimidating. My husband and I liked the first batch so much, we’re planning another batch this weekend:) I’m even excited to try different flavors!

    Reply

  122. THANK YOU!! This was amazing. The template was great and the tip to go watch YouTube for “folding was super helpful. Honestly one of the best tutorials out there.

    Reply

  124. Thanks so much for these concise and clear instructions. I was just at a bakery, tried two different flavors, fell deeply in love, and decided I could make them myself. After looking at numerous “how to” sites, I have decided to give yours a try as it seems to cover all the bases thoroughly. Much appreciated!

    Reply

  126. SOOOOO delicious!!!! Your tips and tricks were really helpful. This was my first attempt at making macarons, and I have only had them twice before. Mine were not as pretty, but they are certainly as tasty as any professional baked ones. I had a bit of trouble sieving the egg whites, and had to crack the 4th egg to get the correct gram weight. Your template was a big help also, although my piping skills need some improvement, as I had some tiny ones, and more than a few egg shaped, but they all taste yummy. I didn’t have raspberries, so substituted an almond frosting..YUM YUM>>
    thanks so much for taking the time to do this post!!!

    another tip might be to start early in the day, as these took me almost all day from start to clean up. 🙂

    Reply

  127. Thank you! I am attempting macarons for the first time today! I’ve decided on cookies and cream. I hope they turn out at least edible!

    Reply

  129. This is a great recipe! So helpful in breaking down each step. I made them for the first time tonight and they actually turned out pretty good. Practice makes perfect, so I’ll make these again! Thanks for sharing your experience!

    Reply

  130. Thank you so much for doing this baking guide and history on them, very educational and boosts your courage to try.

    I have read others and watched youtube videos to prepare to tackle the intimidating MACARON. Failed twice, I could be a contender at Nailed It! If they had macarons featured. First attempt:no feet, flat as the cookie sheet it was baked on. Second attempt: Had feet, no rise but it didn’t look like puddles of cooked macaron batter like the first attempt, and it was chewy and stuck to the parchment paper. My home taste-testers just peeled them off the parchment paper. I had read the whole entire thing. Read and re-read your recipe (except I did make a coffee flavored shell and chocolate ganache filling). After 40 strokes, it looked like the right consistency and I decided it was time to start piping. I piped them onto the sheets (thank you for your beautiful template!!!) and already could tell, they were different from the other two (high hopes). The first tray came out of the oven (that was a long 16 minutes of wait) and they looked so beautiful I almost cried. Feet, it rose as it should and it was not hollow (checked when I bit into a couple). Although the third tray wasn’t as smooth on the top as the first two trays, I don’t know that I dropped them enough, my three year old told me I was being way too noisy and I needed to stop.

    I’m so glad to have found your website!!!

    Reply

  131. Hi Thank you for the educational and encouraging
    Instructions . I read it from beginning to end. I plan plan to attempt my first batch of
    Macarons using your guide. Will let you know
    how it went.

    Reply

  133. Thank you so much for your great instructions! Last week I attempted Macarons for the first time, and it did not go well. Today I used your recipe and specific instructions, and they came out beautiful. The piping sheets were so helpful and all my shell came out nearly identical in size. I’m so glad I found your website! Thanks!!

    Reply

  134. Finally a relatable, real life guide to making macaroons. Can’t wait to try them out this weekend (since we’re all snowed in)

    Reply

  135. Hi Phillip, hoping for some advice as a first-timer – I followed the instructions pretty closely and my macarons ended up with a pretty good texture and consistency, but appearance-wise, the top shells looked as if they slid off their feet, so that the shell was not directly on top of the feet but sort of shifted off to the side. I’m wondering if this may have to do with improper piping technique (they were not perfect circles), too-aggressive tray dropping (dropped 3-4 times and it didn’t always fall exactly straight), or putting them in the oven and then having to re-arrange the trays to make them fit; there may have been some shifting. Or, do you think it could’ve been over or under-mixed? Just wondering if you’ve seen this problem before and the most common cause! Thanks in advance for any advice!

    Reply

    • Unfortunately, there could be a lot of possible problems with lopsided macarons. Do you have an oven thermometer (like this one)? That’s always my first recommendation. Did you happen to watch them bake? Did they puff up and then fall to one side? Certainly helps to pipe them directly at 90 degrees and not move from the center piping point. I don’t think banging the trays would have much to do with this unless you were really sideways when you did this. You mentioned moving trays around… can I assume from that that you were baking more than one tray at the same time? With most conventional home ovens, this does not work well. If you baked multiples, my guess is that is your problem as long as it was mixed properly. Definitely try with one try at a time. Multiple trays, especially in ovens that are not convection/fan, causes the heat to distribute oddly and will melt the batter before enough heating the egg white meringue enough to start expanding the whipped air inside and setting it properly. — Hope that helps!

      Reply

  136. Thanks to your tips, I made macarons the first time that I can be proud of! Beautiful and delicious! So glad I found your article. I just impressed myself. 🙂 Thanks.

    Reply

  137. I have used this recipe every time I’ve made Macarons, and they have turned out well each time (some better than others). The issue I run into is the filling. I always seem to have to add WAY more confectioners sugar to it so that the consistency is correct. I’m guessing it’s because maybe I use too many Raspberries, BUT, is it possible to add flour or another ingredient to the filling for consistency sake. I feel like the confectioner’s sugar is way too sweet after a point. 🙂

    Reply

    • That is definitely a struggle for a lot of American frostings and fillings, I think. My best recommendation is to try an Ermine frosting. It’s a bit odd in that you cook flour and milk like a gravy, but it is my all time favorite frosting. I use it on my Berry Bourbon Cake and a few other recipes. It is almost like a thickened whipped cream in texture. Much less sweet. I think that may be perfect. I’ve used it a ton for filling macarons and have had great reviews. Give that a try! The recipe is on the Berry Bourbon Cake post here.

      Also… I would recommend using freeze-dried fruits in frostings. It is a bit more bitter, so it balances perfectly with the sugar that is already in the frosting.

      Reply

  138. I did it! On my first try. My cookies are FLAWLESS. I just followed your directions to the letter and they are beautiful. I made a brown butter chai buttercream frosting. These are devine!

    Reply

  139. I enjoyed your post, my first attempt was not very successful, they kept their shape but had tips on them. Tasty but not pretty.

    Reply

    • If the macarons had tips on them, you didn’t quite mix the batter properly. That is the most common mistake that people make. A bit of practice in mixing will help. It should ribbon off of the spatula and allow you to draw a figure 8 in the batter without the ribbon breaking. You likely need to mix a bit more and press the batter on the bowl sides to deflate it a bit. Good luck!

      Reply

  140. First timer here! Used the template but they turned out tiny! They seemed to rise and have a foot. Taste delicious! Not many air bubbles. Did I beat the egg whites too long or fold too vigorously that they didn’t get to 1.5″?

    Reply

    • Glad they (sorta) worked out. My guess is that you may have under-mixed and/or didn’t deflate the batter properly if they stayed fairly small. It should flow like magma and let you ribbon a figure 8 from a spatula without breaking. Make sure you are piping from high enough as well. If you re too close to the pan, you won’t have enough volume to spread for the right size when you bang the pans out.

      Reply

    • I’ve not had the best luck with air pans for macarons. Ideally, you want that heat to not be too insulated. My guess is that the bottoms are not warming as quickly with the air pans. This may be a problem since you need that bottom heat to properly warm the meringue to expand upward and set. If you have a regular sheet, I would use that.

      Reply

  143. I made licorice macarons and the only good thing is that they actually taste like licorice macarons but everything didn’t go as planned. My macarons grew sideways instead of up. The recipe I had said oven must be 285F and to bake for 16-18 minutes. They also got stuck to the baking paper. I pulsed my almond flour and confectioners sugar together 10 times and then sifted the mix. I let it stand for about an hour. What did I do wrong?

    Reply

    • A couple questions… Did you use this recipe for the licorice macarons? Did you try to flavor the shells or only the filling?Spreading is usually an issue with the folding technique and deflating of the meringue. Usually from too much folding. Sticking can be from undertaking or from an improper meringue as well. My best guess with what you’ve shared is that your base meringue was off either in ratio (if you used a different recipe or added any flavoring to the shell itself). If you share a few more of these details, I can try to help you troubleshoot a bit better. Good luck!

      Reply

  144. I used your tips with a different recipe. I don’t think my whites we’re stiff enough as the cookies spread and no feet. Interestingly, the last bunch out of the piping bag, that sat maybe 10 minutes, turned out much better, but not great. That’s why I think my battery was too runny. Comments?

    Reply

    • It’s really hard to say if you are using a different recipe. It could be a lot of things. I often find that other macaron recipes haven’t been tested in enough different environments and skill levels and the ratios are all off. No feet means no rise, which probably means that the batter was over mixed. Mixing too much will deflate the whites too much. If you mix all of the air bubbles out of the batter there isn’t anything to expand on baking and they just kind of turn into pancakes. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  145. I tried your recipe and they can’t out beautifully. My only problem is that I can’t get them off the parchment paper. They’re stuck hard! Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • So glad they turned out well! — I’ve had this happen before. A few possibilities, I think. SOME parchment has a smoother side. If so, be sure you are using that. I’m not referencing waxed paper. Are they underbred at all? That is my first thing I would check. If not, it may be an issue of humidity. Make sure the macarons are completely cooled before removing. I usually bake on a pan with no border so I can slide the warm paper with macarons off onto a cooling rack to cool for a solid 30 minutes before I remove them.

      Reply

    • Cracking on the macarons can be from a few possible issues.

      The most common two reasons are:

      1) You didn’t deflate the batter enough when mixing. Look in the instructions about folding and mixing above. You’ll see that I advise to fold and drag the batter around the bowl. This deflates the air bubbles enough that there is enough to rise, but not too much to expand when baked and have to escape (from cracks).

      2) Oven temperature. If your oven hasn’t been calibrated, or has fallen out of calibration (and all,ost all home ovens have), the temperature set is most likely not the actual temperature.; Too high of a temperature can cause cracking. I highly recommend placing an oven thermometer in the oven’s center to check. They are very cheap and make such a huge difference in finicky baking like this.

      You can find the thermometer I use here. It’s about $5.

      Good luck!
      Phillip

      Reply

  147. I’ve been thinking about trying yo make macarons for a while. I only just now looked them up and came across this page first. Now i definitely have to give them a shot soon.

    Reply

  148. I tried another recipe and the batch looked nice but the feet were too tall! So, I scoured the internet and read all of the no, no’s and found your recipe and instructions….very helpful. I made a batch last night and OMG! Fantastic! These are a thing of beauty. Thank you so much for all the help you provided with your very in depth instructions and helping people feel confident in the task at hand. I also appreciated the template since I really could not find anything the proper size to make my own template. Although mine are not quite perfection, they look beautiful and taste amazing.

    Reply

  149. Yesterday i tried making these and i followed your instructions to a tee (apart from two little details ill describe later) and they turned out perfect. Picture perfect. And i was so sure they would fail too, considering how i not only had to let the macarons rest before baking for well over two hours, but also that i accidentaly piped a whole lot of them really close to eachother, and my peanut-sized brain was sure they would overlap, but they didnt! They rose beautifully, and my chest was swollen with pride all through those anxious 16 minutes! I cant say i finnished the whole piping process too well, but ive just gotta practice, no? I made them yesterday, so i havent had the chance to taste a fully rested one yet, but im very excited! Thank you for this amazing blog!

    Reply

    • Fantastic! It’s such a great feeling when they come out well like that. They can be so stressful. I really wanted to try to take some of the myths and frustration out of the process. I’m certain the macarons know when you are scared hah — Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  150. OMG! Thanks to your perfect instructions AND template, these turned out PERFECT the first time! They are amazing! I want to make a tower for a grooms cake at my daughter’s wedding November 10th (he asked for this). I’m just wondering how far in advance I can make them and keep them fresh. Any suggestions? I put some buttercream in the middle and rilled the edges in ground pistachios. Delish! Thank you so much!!

    Reply

  151. Just made macarons for the first time today. Thanks for the template! They made such a difference and my macarons looked “professional” (my husband’s words).

    Reply

  153. I’ve made quite a few macaron with mixed results, anywhere from perfection to “throw these away before anyone sees them”. I’m anxious to try your recipe and method. Tomorrow.

    Reply

  154. Is it possible to use powder flavor (such as organic apple powder flavor, for example) in the shell portion? Maybe by replacing said amount with the almond flour. Thank you in advance.

    Reply

  157. I made them for the first time yesterday, they were perfect! My ego did not fit in the house. Lol, now to get crazy with flavors.

    Reply

  158. Hi Mr. Phillip,

    Thank you so very much for this guide! In July my daughter asked for Macarons as a birthday cake since she doesn’t care for cake! No idea where I went wrong with her on that, anyhow I bought her the raspberry cookies and she loved them and has asked for them often since then. They’re just so expensive eep! So I found you while researching and voila, made my first batch! The tops cracked quite a bit, and they were way too large, but I got the foot! Yay! None of that mattered to my girl though, she flat loved them! Thanks for making me a hero!

    Reply

    • Awwww! Sounds like a great birthday to me. Glad they worked out pretty well for the first go.
      If the tops cracked, you may need to do a bit more of the deflating when folding and consider dropping the oven temp a few degrees. — Happy birthday!

      Reply

  159. I haven’t tried your recipe. Wish to let you know I have not succeeded in making them in the past but recently tried a batch and am still faced with failure, primarily without the iconic leg raised. I believe my resting time on the the counter top has a problem. I live in a equatorial country here Malaysia, where the weather is hot and humid all year round. Please advise how I can get the surface dry ready for baking. I value your assistance.

    Reply

    • Hopefully I can help you figure it out!

      A couple of things I could recommend. This is the French method of making macarons. If you can’t get this to work,. I would try the Italian method using hot sugar syrup. They are still great, and can be more stable.

      But with that said… try these things first:
      – Place egg whites (a bit more than you’ll need since some will evaporate) in a container, cover with foil or plastic and punch several good sized holes in it. Leave it out at room temperature for at least one night. Two nights even works. This is called aging the whites and many traditional techniques swear by it. It should reduce the water in the whites.
      – If your almond flour doesn’t seem very dry, you can spread it on a pan and toss it in an oven at around 250 F for 5-10 minutes to dry it out a bit. Again… be sure to weigh after for the recipe.
      – Try to do those things and see if that works to form a good skin after they sit out for an hour or so.

      The thing though is that if you have a really good macaron recipe and your technique is dead on, you can actually bake them without the drying step at all. It is just an insurance policy to make things a bit more consistent.

      Hope that helps!

      Reply

  160. Round 2 of trting6macarins today! Had better luck getting feet than first try. Good texture and flavor BUT the tops aren’t smooth and pretty. They have peaks and swirls. I think the consistency is good so not sure why. Also not piping the size right so I will print your sheets. Thanks!

    Reply

  161. Just took my first pan from oven and they look great! Woohoo!!! Thank you so much!!! I plan to fill them with strawberry cheesecake filling.

    Reply

  163. Hi Philip,
    Thanks for your recipe and great tips! I managed to make some chocolate macarons with feet! 🙂

    Question: is it possible for me to pipe out 2 trays and bake them in the oven on 2 levels at the same time?

    Best,
    Li

    Reply

  166. OK, just FINISHED your MACARONS 101 article so I’m ready to start baking. I have all my supplies. I PROMISE to post pictures of the process AND the finished product. WISH ME LUCK!!

    Reply

  167. After trying a different recipe multiple times with little success, finding this recipe lead to both relief and tasty macarons. Now I can’t stop making them — send help.

    Reply

  168. Really loved this post! Read it from beginning to end, thanks for all the helpful tips. I started my macaron journey about a year ago & have tried basically everything you mentioned. I feel like you usually have a love/hate relationship with these because when they come out good they are amazing but when they come out bad, feels like you wasted your time! Looking forward to trying your method on my next batch!

    Reply

  169. I loved your breakdown! I attempted to make pistachio french macarons earlier today and epically failed (not with your recipe)! The recipe had everything in cups (not oz or gm), realized I did not properly press the meringue/flour mixture along the edges of the bowl, the cookies held their round shape while drying, but flattened out and cracked while baking AND the tops and bottoms came out brown and cracked…I will try again tomorrow…using a scale and no pistachio flour or gel food dye. Just a plain macaron.

    Reply

  170. Thank you so very much for sharing our experience and knowledge.
    I will be making these tasty morsels this weekend, and will let you know how they turn out!!!

    Thank you again.
    Mary Ellen

    Reply

  171. First of all, I love you for this! I just started making them and my OCD is struggling with the sizes being the same. I am going to try your template tonight. I do have a question though. You prefer adding the sugar directly verses making the sugar syrup?

    Reply

    • I actually like both methods. That is French (this one) vs Italian (cooked sugar syrup). The Italian method can be a bit more simple to make, I think. But I really prefer the results of French macarons using this recipe. They end up being more delicate. They have a bit higher failure rate for most, but once you get it down, it works beautifully.

      Reply

  172. My 9-year-old wanted to make macarons after watching too many cooking shows on TV. I knew nothing about them, so I found this page on pinterest. We finally got around to making them last week — just in time for her to enter them in the county fair. All of your tips were great and we loved the template! One of the judges complimented her on their uniformity! She won a championship ribbon and they sold at the baked goods auction for $200!
    Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Oh my goodness. I love this so much! — I was totally that 9-year-old watching wayyy too many baking shows. I hope you both had a great time making them. Congratulate her on the big win!

      Def tag us if you happen to post anything on social media. I’d love to see them! @southernfatty / #southernfatty

      Cheers,
      Phillip

      Reply

  173. I stumbled across your site while looking at how to make the French macaron!!! You have inspired me completely.. Not even Martha Stewart and her folding technique video has me energized like you.

    I will hope for the best first time out

    I am making some Blueberry jelly for starters as well..

    Do you suggest jellies or jams if using fruit fillings..

    thanks again

    Reply

  175. I decided to do red & choc for my 1st attempt!!! What was I thinking……..divided the mixture & added 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder worked perfectly. The red ones with 2 teaspoons of strawberry jam & food colour gel cracked & spread. I expect to runny.

    Any suggestions to rebalance the jam

    Reply

    • You are going to have issues if you add any additional liquid to the shells (like jam). You could try to add freeze-dried fruits to the shell mix. I’ve had success with that. Too much gel food coloring does the same thing. It all has water or liquid in it and will set your ratio off a bit. Too much coloring and it will release the steam from the excess liquid and cause the cracks. I recommend using powder food coloring (like these) if you want strong colors. They are very affordable and qork extremely well with macarons.

      Reply

  176. We just made these tonight. I wish I could up load a picture because they are stinking PERFECT! Seriously, beautiful and yummy!!! Thank you so much, this was they most amazing recipe! So informative, and easy to follow. Thank you so much!

    Reply

  179. Just was sent over here to this blog post from a friend who has had wonderful success with your techniques and recipe!
    I just ordered the scale and plan to take a stab at making them this week! Such a great detailed post. thanks!!

    Reply

  180. Hi there. I have been so afraid to try to make these delicate pastries, but I’m ready! However, your template won’t download! Can you email it to me?

    Reply

  181. Loved your post, was entertaining and insightful! Was fun to read and confirms y suspicions about needing to fold it enough. Will be looking for you on instagram to hopefully see some of your goodies. Also, do you have any suggestions for making a less sweet version without ruining the consistency?

    Reply

    • Def check out the Instagram goodies! Honestly, I would opt for reducing the sweetness in the fillings for macarons, not in the shells. It is much easier to adapt the filling than the shells with their finicky nature. I haven’t tried it myself, but I’ve read suggestions before that you can swap about 1/3 of the sugar in the shells with fine rice flour instead of the confectioner’s sugar. Maybe give that a go. Let me know if you try it out!

      Reply

  182. I made these for the first time today. Your tips were spot on. They turned out great! Can’t wait to try some different flavors! Thank you!

    Reply

  183. Hi I’m thinking of trying to make macarons and have read many posts to get tips. I was just wondering why in your instructions don’t you tap the trays? I thought it had to be done to get the bubbles out. Thanks

    Reply

  184. Southern Fatty this is great..thanks for the template. Can you share your techniques for flavoring your macaron shells?

    Reply

    • Honestly, I try to not flavor the shells. This is because the ratio of the mix that I use for the shells that works well is best to not mess with. Once you are comfortable with making them, you can adjust some, but it is still tricky. If you search for macarons in the search bar on the top of the blog page, you will find all of my other macaron recipes to reference.

      Reply

  185. I am very super excited that I found your page. I am just beginning my adventure with Macaron making. I made 2 batches last night. The first batch did not turn out too great although they did taste wonderful.The second batch looked much much better tasted delicious, but a few of them cracked on top and they even actually seemed almost a little under cooked inside. Now I am going to attempt making them tonight using your recipe. I must perfect these by the first weekend in June as I have committed to making them for not only a Bridal shower on June 2nd but also a Baby shower on June 3rd. (haha 2 separate people/groups)
    I have all weekend to practice!!

    Reply

  186. I had my first macaron last week in Las Vegas. Where have you been hiding my darlings?! An obsession has blossomed. I will try my hand at making macarons using your tips/hints and recipes. I enjoy your blog very much…it may be another obsession.

    Reply

  187. Hey,
    I loved reading you directions to macaroons. I am going to give this a go. Thank you for making this enjoyable to read
    Have a great day
    Jill

    Reply

  188. Third time’s a charm! After two failures I searched for more tips and guidance and found you. First batch looked and tasted great with pretty feet but were totally hollow. Second time looked ok but some cracking and very very very short feet (I’m gonna claim what was there as feet.) Today’s batch, following your instructions…finally…it all came together. Thanks so much for the template, too. It helped. I am wondering why the two circles though…I piped to just outside the smaller circle but they didn’t go quite as big as the outer circle. Hmmm? Yum!

    Reply

  189. My daughter LOVES to bake, specifically, she loves to bake macarons. She watched a kids baking competition a couple of years ago and they made macarons and so we made macarons. At 7 years old and on her first attempt…she nailed it!! I pull every macaron recipe I find for her and we bake and bake and bake. Your recipe looks a lot like the 1st one we used so we are going with yours this coming weekend as we bake for a friends “Royal Wedding” party. Thank you for the recipe, I’ll send photos when we are done

    Reply

  190. I made these for the first time last night and they came out perfect! There is an error in your recipe; sugar is 1/4 cup not 1/2 cup. Thankfully I weighed everything as you suggested. I was very happy with the results!!

    Reply

    • Glad it worked out! — I see the sugar measurement. It sort of depends on the grind of the sugar. I just tested again and it would be 1/4 cup granulated sugar, but 0.4 cups of icing or superfine sugar. Hopefully everyone weighs it out! I almost hate to even put cup measurements. I’ll clarify the instructions. Thanks!

      Reply

  191. Thankyou soo much for this great info I have been wanting to make them for awhile but I was intimidated, so reading the blog and all the hints in everyone’s comments gave me some confidence, I was really proud of myself when they worked out (beginners luck haha), thankyou again
    Much love from Australia !

    Reply

    • That could be due to a few things… the recipe or the technique in mixing. If the recipe ratio is correct and established, you should look at the folding. It sounds like you might be mixing too much or folding incorrectly. If you haven’t, give the above post a read. It has some info on how I like to mix my batter. — Good luck!

      Reply

  194. You’ve given me the courage to try this. One question (so far): do you weigh the flour before or after you’ve sifted out the bits? Thank you.

    Reply

    • Give it a go! First time may not be the best, but at least enjoy the effort. We’ve had a lot of first-timers have great success here!

      Great question — You want the weight after sifting, although I guess I suavely weight it first and just break everything up with a spoon while sifting. The larger bits that are left behind shouldn’t be enough to really mess anything up, but certainly weigh after will be more precise. That was how I weighed when I developed this recipe.

      Reply

      • A rule of thumb we were given at a recent class was that if there’s more than 2 Tbsp of coarse stuff left after sifting, you’ll want to add a bit more to the sifter to keep your ratios true. Depending on how coarse your almond flour is, the large bits left behind can sometimes add up to make a difference. HTH!

        Reply

  196. Thank you for sharing this tutorial, I found you after 2 failed batches so far. One on a silicon mat, and now on parchment. Second batch I believe was too wet due to the food color; they taste awesome though! I will certainly use your tips,

    Reply

  197. Hoping to make these for a bridal shower. Are they best filled the day of the event? Should they be stored in the refrigerator? Trying them today and hoping for success! THsnks

    Reply

    • Hope it goes well! I actually prefer macarons to be made a day before they are served. You Can just make the shells, cool them completely, fill them, and then store in the fridge. They will need to come to room temperature before serving (which will take an hour or two for the best result).

      Let me know how it goes! If you are on social media, feel free to tag #southernfatty and @southernfatty so we can see!

      Reply

  198. Thanks so much for all the insight. I recently received a French pastry cookbook with lots of macaron recipes. I think those those little buggers are so cute. I tried my first macaron today and really enjoyed the texture of the cookie. I’m going to give it a whirl and maybe I’ll become a Macaron making Mama!! 🙂

    Reply

  199. Loved this article! It helped a lot. I have been itching to make macarons but heard about the horror stories. A lot of the tips you mentioned helped. Also, thank you for the template!! 🙂 I printed all of your macaron recipe’s because they seemed legit!

    Reply

  200. I love the article! Thank you so much. I enjoyed reading and I’m sure I will enjoy making these pretty little sweets.

    Reply

  201. Soooo…. my 12-year-old son wanted to bake Macarons for an Easter gathering we are going to tomorrow and in the midst of the recipe, I realized I needed piping help, and found your post. It wasn’t until I sat down just now while they were baking that I realized it was you, Phillip! Can’t wait to let you know how they turn out 🙂 this is such a great, informative post!

    Reply

  202. Oh my gosh, huge fail!!!! The foot at the bottom was 1/2″ runout from under the pretty glossy top and it was hollow. What did I do wrong? This almond flour is too expensive to keep messing up!!!

    Reply

    • Based on previous experience with similar cookies (I haven’t tried THIS recipe yet) involving hazelnuts and chocolate….when it says beat the egg whites and sugar STIFF, it means to the point where you can dip a spatula in, pull it out, and the peaks DO NOT BEND. I have occasionally found it necessary to add a tad more confectioners sugar, especially if I haven’t weighed all ingredients; or I suppose if it’s humid (I usually bake the hazelnut things in December, in the Midwest, so humidity isn’t usually a consideration).

      Reply

    • Oh no! Unfortunately, these are certainly a bit finicky. Sooo… a few things I would start with. Are you weighing your ingredients? Have you verified your oven temperature? Those are two very simple steps to verify, and are MUCH more important than people think. If those aren’t at fault, it is probably in your mixing technique. If you had the whites at just stiff, you will want to focus on your folding method. Drag a spatula under the batter, fold it over and drag some of it along the bowl side to deflate slightly.

      From you saying that the batter spread drastically, my guess is that you mixed it far too much. You want to mix just until you get a constant ribbon that doesn’t break (or fall in pieces) from the spatula. You should be able to draw a figure 8 with the batter.

      Good luck!

      Reply

  203. I’ve been trying to make macarons almost daily for two weeks now…to no success! Well, some success, but I’m a perfectionist so unless I have those smooth tops and chewy feet, I consider it a fail. I know that I keep failing at the folding part / getting the right consistency, so I’m hoping the figure 8 trick will help, AND your template! I just downloaded it and printed it off, so now I’ve got 2 new tricks up my sleeve! Thanks for the read! It was great to hear about a real approach to baking these little tasty beasts!

    Reply

  204. I just finished my fourth batch and I’m loving them! I’m practicing for a big wedding shower in hosting in May. Your instructions are great and the template was very helpful.

    Reply

  206. I love, love, LOVE your recipe – and it’s a fun read too! Thank you Southern Fatty! Before you rescued me my previous attempts at macarons resulted in rather unappetizing looking creations that resembled cow pats!! Your guidelines made a huge difference., I’m obsessed now. It’s 8am on a Sunday and can’t wait to make another batch. By the way, I didn’t have any fresh raspberries for the butter cream so used frozen (which seem tastier and tangier generally) – and it was amazing!

    Reply

    • Awwww, great! I love it. I try to write conversationally. Too many blogs are boooooring hah! — Frozen berries are a great option. Glad you enjoyed it. Be sure to tag us on social media if you post any results! #southernfatty / @southernfatty

      Reply

  207. Tried you macarons for my first attempt. I didnt have the [roper nozzle so I used one with teeth, hence the ridges on the top. They were small but taste great!!! Unfortunately most stuck to the baking paper and the tops came off a few and crumbled as I peeled them off!!. How can I stop this?

    Reply

    • A few things you could try for the sticking… My first thought would be that you may have underbaked them a bit. If the tops popped off, I also wonder if you may have some hollow shells. Try dropping your oven temperature (which you should check with an oven thermometer) a few degrees and bake them a bit longer. You could try using a silicone baking mat like THIS one.

      Reply

  208. First off…thank you!
    I study many videos for a year and I found yours to be the best. I started out baking with my grandma at the ripe age of nine. I love to bake and seen this as a challenge! Well I nailed it th3 first time round!, thank you so much for your experience and recipe. I have made these at least six times and I’m hippopotamus Happy!

    Reply

  209. Hello! My daughter is doing a 3rd grade project on France and she decided she wanted to serve macarons as a treat to anyone who visited her booth. I was a little intimidated by the prospect of making these little treats until I found your blog. I did them exactly as directed including weighing my ingredients and they came out FANTASTIC! Boy was everyone jealous! This sure was a fun project. Thanks for the tips!

    Reply

  210. I’m so happy I could cry. I’ve made FIVE batches of macarons (all from different recipe sources) over the last two days, and they’ve all had issues (no feet, cracking on the top, etc.). I came across your recipe, and they are **PERFECT** in every way. The super detailed instructions truly helps. THANK YOU!!!

    Reply

    • Wonderful! Honestly, I went through the same thing myself. I was frustrated with recipes saying this and that without anything to back it up. I decided to test everything for myself and this post was the result. So happy that it worked out well for you!

      Reply

  211. I’m very excited to give them a whirl! I was too intimidated before I read ur 101 guide but now I’m gonna go for it! Do u have more recipes to share??

    Reply

  212. Thank you so much for the recipe and tips. I have made these twice. My first attempt was actually shockingly good. My second however, was not! I don’t think my batter consistency was quite right as they all broke up. I’m going to try again today. I’m a very amateur baker so I need lots of practice.

    Reply

    • It’s all in the technique. Focus on the folding and making sure you are getting the correct end viscosity and are dragging the batter on the bowl to deflate it slightly. Sounds like you’re on your way to perfection, though!

      Reply

  213. Must say I Love the name of your blog!!! I am planning a southern themed Bridesmaids Luncheon for my daughter and her maids. Oh I think I may have struck gold. I am planning to bake some macrons and petit fours. This will be a first for both. Keeping my fingers crossed!! Looks like I will need to buy a kitchen scale however. Never really used one before?
    Thanks for the great information and keep those fingers crossed. Hopefully pictures to follow.

    Reply

    • Aww, thanks! It started out as a bit of a joke as a name, but I think it’s been great. Check out our poured fondant recipe for the petit fours. It makes covering them so simple. I can’t recommend the digital scale linked in the post above enough. It will change your kitchen life.

      Post some pictures or tag us on social @southernfatty / #southernfatty. Would love to see!

      Reply

  214. Good thing I read this awesome blog. NOW I want to nail my macronage. I did a couple batches already but not perfectly satisfied with them. They’re a OK but not wow! My macarons seem to be a bit hallow and its because now i think i didn’t get the air bubbles out of my batter. Thanks to your blog, I know now why they turn out to be kinda hallow. I’m itching to get my hands and perfect my macaron. Thank you!!hopefully no more hallow shells. 🙂

    Reply

  215. Hi! I’m curious, if you are using a stand mixer to whip the egg whites (eg KitchenAid), what speed setting are you using for the main whipping phase? Another macaron recipe I used said to use the highest setting and I’m convinced this resulted in aggressively overwhipped whites 🙂 it’s quite intense on the KitchenAid…

    Reply

  217. Thanks for the great step by step instructions! Made my first batch today! I’m pretty proud. They look and taste great. I need to make a few adjustments next time, but overall this was great! I am no longer intimidated to make macarons

    Reply

  218. Tried making macarons for the first time and decided on your recipe after a TON of research, lol. They turned out nearly perfect! Just didn’t quite get all the air out, so my shells were hollow… But thank you for all the tips! Super helpful! I’d post a picture if I could!

    Reply

  220. Hi Phillip! I am so happy to have found your site. I made a second go at macarons (I’m a newbie at baking), this time using your recipe. Unfortunately, the paste came out very runny. I made an attempt, albeit a sloppy one, at making little circles. (Thank you for the template by the way, you’re a genius.) To my surprise, they baked looking like proper macaron shells – glossy balloon top and the characteristic cracked puffy trim! However, the color was uneven and yellowish around the rim. And when I bit into it, it was brittle, mostly hollow and very very chewy on the bottom. During the folding process, it felt like the paste was getting runnier. Maybe the egg white wasn’t stiff enough? I did let it sit for about 30 minutes before rather than after I piped to allow it to stiffen up a bit. I will try your recipe again!

    Reply

    • So glad you found us! — My guess is that your whites were either under or over-whipped. Also… the mix should be very thick until you fold it enough to mix it and it thins out. If this wasn’t the case, I would revisit the whites. You want just stiff whites. Did you weigh your ingredients? This is quite important as well.

      Hollow macs can be a result of a number of issues, but mostly go back to the whites, folding, and oven temp. I would recommend weighing everything, working mostly on the folding (this is where 90% of issues source), and consider dropping your oven temp 5-10 degrees. If you aren’t using an oven thermometer, I strongly recommend one. Most home ovens aren’t the correct temperatures. This is what I use (It’s like $7). Good luck! Keep it up.

      Reply

  221. Hi Phillip,
    Ran across your post today. I am determined to get these cookies right and have had moderate success. I definitely need piping practice, lol. I have tried french meringue twice and Italian meringue four times. My biggest problem is that my shells are coming out hollow. On my last try, I tried to deflate the batter more and press it against the side of the bowl and make sure I could make a figure 8. I think the consistency of the batter is close. I have read all the comments and so maybe I am not “beating the daylights” out of the pans enough? Or my oven is too hot?
    Anyway….I am going to try your recipe this weekend and see how it goes. I will also try using your template, it will be helpful.

    I did have one question (if I ever get these perfected!). For different flavor combinations, is the batter ever flavored? Or does all the flavor come from the filling? I was just wondering.

    Thanks for taking time to read this. Appreciate it! :o)

    Reply

    • Persistent! I like your style. — Hollow macs can be the result of a few things… over or under whipping the whites, improperly folding of the batter, oven temp. The folding is where 99% of macaron failures go wrong. It’s less and less about the ingredients being this or that way, and almost all about getting the perfect viscosity. Are you using an oven thermometer to verify the temp? I would highly recommend grabbing one. This is what I use (It’s like $7), and it’s a staple that I check with every single bake.

      I would certainly check that, maybe reduce your temp by 5-10 degrees, and focus mostly on picking one bac base recipe and perfecting the folding.

      As for the flavoring, SOME flavors can be added to the cookie, but I would highly recommend not doing that until you are quite comfortable with being able to produce great macs every time. Typically, you will only see cookie variations with regard to flavors like chocolate and maybe some infusions of rose or orange, etc. Adding chocolate or other flavors will alter the fat content, liquid content, and basic ratio of the cookie and will work best with a strong understanding of how the cookies will react. — Once you get a couple batches of good cookies out, try for swapping 20g or so of the flour out for Dutch processed cocoa powder.

      Good luck! Let me know how it goes. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  223. We used your recipe for pour first attempt tonight and we did pretty good! I think maybe the batter was a little too thick because we couldn’t really make figure 8s while folding. Or did we not fold enough? Also the tops crack a little of touched too hard. Ideas? Other than rust we were successful! The template was a huge help. Thank you!

    Reply

    • If you couldn’t make the ribbon properly, you probably needed to do two things — 1) fold more (possibly…. see #2) & 2) review the folding technique explanation in the post above. Most people forget to press the batter a bit onto the bowl sides. This will actually reduce the number of folds you will probably need. It seems like you wouldn’t want to, but it will deflate the mixture a bit while also mixing it well. This folding technique is really critical to getting the perfect macs, and is where almost everyone goes wrong. If you do that, my guess is that you will have a better overall texture. Be sure you aren’t baking them so much that they brown on the bottoms. The macs will continue to bake a bit out of the oven.

      Keep it up! Glad you are off to a pretty good start. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

      • Thanks so much for the reply. I”m glad you were able to decipher the typos in my first post! We are going to try again for Valentine’s Day and work on our folding technique as well as our coloring. Thanks again for such great tips!

        Reply

  224. Thanks for all of the advice!
    I tried to make some macarons some weeks ago and they ended up being hollow, chunky and weird monsters. But, today I am going to give it a try again with your guide at hand. Wish me luck!

    Reply

  225. I just tried to make macarons with another recipe before seeing your page! Your tips look amazing and I can’t wait to get home and try again. Thanks for all the tips!!

    Reply

  226. You’re so awesome!! I love how into detail you went! And tha my you thank you thank you for the template! How sweet of you to share with all of us! My second attempt at macarons turned out ok, the major downfall being ugly shapes!! So I thank you again!

    Reply

  227. We (my 11 son and I who looove to bake) have never even tried a macaron I know… I know… shameful! But that is how we ended up here we saw them on a baking show we where watching (Zumbos Just Dessert) and had to give them a try. We loved your post thank you so much for taking the time to share your tips and tricks with us, we are going to attempt these this weekend whoohoo!

    Reply

  228. Enjoyed reading your directions for making macarons. I read through the directions several times and decided I was ready to attempt to make these wonderful little treat my oldest daughter loves so much (and wants on her 18th birthday cake). Bought the scale and measured out all the ingredients and started the process. Our first mistake came in trying to use our Kitchen Aide mixer, it just didn’t seem to be mixing it correctly so we transferred to another bowl and used my handheld mixer. Added the almond flour and sugar mixture and mixed and mixed but never did seem to get to that lava consistency and was afraid of over mixing it. Piped the macarons and they didn’t look too bad. Let them sit and then baked for the 16 minutes. The foot of the macaron just spilled out the sides and it was like it rose up too much. They were hollow. They tasted great! lol What could cause them to be hollow? I took pictures but don’t see where to upload them. Thanks so much! I know it’s the baker cause your directions were great!

    Reply

    • Hollow macs can be the result of a few things… over or under whipping the whites (just to stiff peaks). The next important thing is proper folding of the batter. Am I understanding correctly that you used a mixer for mixing the almond flour into the whites? If so, I would almost certainly point to that as your issue. You need to do this by hand. Not only will you be able to feel the proper technique, but you have to fold, which a mixer fails to do. Folding here is important for a couple reasons… it allows the ingredients to be gently mixed, while also allows for you to properly deflate the mixture juuuuust enough to get a perfect consistency. The folding is where 99% of macaron failures go wrong. It’s less and less about the ingredients being this or that way, and almost all about getting the perfect viscosity.

      I would give them a go again but try by hand if you didn’t do that before. Certainly, whip the whites in a mixer, but after that, it’s all by feel and senses that unfortunately just take some time to learn. BE sure to give the figure 8 test a try that I explain in the post above.

      If you want to try uploading pictures, you should see a “Choose File” button just above the comment box.

      Thanks for sharing. Hope you had fun!

      Best,
      Phillip

      Reply

  229. Read all the way through and I agree wholeheartedly that these take time and love. I did extensive research before I tried these for the first time. AND I have to say that I had great success the first time through! I found that it was just as you said. They folding in technique is the key. Love your template. Thanks.

    Reply

  230. Read the post all the way through. You are so right about all the conflicting directions you can find on the internet. Your method seems straight forward enough, so I am making them with my 5 year old tomorrow. I love the fact that you have a printable template. I can’t wait to do this!!!!

    Reply

  232. My husband and I took a trip to Paris and the macarons were amazing!! I am a keen baker and always wanted to make these scrumptious treats but was terrified they would be a disaster. A few months ago I found your blog and your instructions were so clear and concise, I jumped in a gave it a try. They were absolutely perfect on my first attempt with your guidance! My husband loved them so much I’ve already made two more batches filled with chocolate ganache. We are loving them every evening as an after dinner treat! I can’t thank you enough not only for your recipe and instructions but for instilling the confidence in me to take the challenge!

    Reply

    • I love it! — My interest peeked with macarons after taking some classes on a visit to Paris several years ago. I really wanted to create something that could translate from the discouraging stigma that macarons have into a manageable, and even fun experience for a home cook with a bit of motivation.

      I’m so glad that they worked out the first time! That’s certainly something to celebrate.

      Cheers,
      Phillip

      Reply

  233. in your raspberry buttercream filling you said to use 650 ounces of confectioners sugar, that is over 40.62 lbs of sugar, is that a typo or correct please let me know because I am going to make these for my granddaugthers wedding. thank you,

    Reply

    • Oops! Ya… I like things to be sweet, but certainly not that sweet! Fixed. — One tip, since you are making these for an event. You can make the shells, bake, cool completely, and freeze them filled or unfilled with great success. This allows you to make them very far ahead of time. Keep them stored in an airtight container and allow them to thaw in open air so that the condensation doesn’t soften them. Works like a charm. Good luck!

      Reply

  234. This Christmas my daughter suggested to make macarons to honor the memory of my mother (she past away in july) this was our 1st Christmas without her. My mother wanted to make these macarons with my daughter, but due to my mom’s severe illness they couldn’t get them done. Macarons yes are time consuming and my mom didn’t have the strength to be in the kitchen that long. So as a home baked I took on the task to make them 2 attempts and failure. But the 3rd time was a charm. I used the cream of tartar and BAM I had the batter right and my daughter and I created the ultimate Christmas decorated macarons, that impressed everyone. I wish I had found this post to aide in my 1st batch attempt. Now I have it saved to refer to each time we make these yummy cookies.

    Reply

    • What a beautiful experience. I honestly think that baking is one of the best ways for a family to come together, in person or in spirit. I’m honored to have been a small part of that, and am so happy that they worked out well.

      Happy Holidays —
      Phillip

      Reply

  235. I really appreciate your in depth recipe!!..I totally love how you explain things..you make it very easy to relate!..some people complicate things..not you , I HAVE BEEN AFRAID tO ATTEMPT MAKING MACRONS..MY KIDS AND I LOVE THEM..THEY ARE GROWN BUT I WANT TO SURPRISE THEM..THIS IS THE FIRST RECIPE TO GET MY UNDIVIDED ATTENTION AND GIVE ME THE TOTAL DESIRE TO MAKE THEM..THANK YOU SO MUCH!!..AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS IN EXPLAINING THE HISTORY AND ALSO FOR THE PRINTABLE PATTERNS!..you rock!!

    Reply

  236. mine were perfect, if I would have taken them out a few minutes before. I forgot to set the timer so they baked for 15 minutes. slightly browned and a bit chewy, by much easier than I was lead to believe. I would like for them to be a bit larger perhaps 2 inches to sit on their sides on a wedding cake stand.

    Reply

  237. Thank you very much for the recipe and the technique. I have two daughters who love macarons, and I tried a couple of recipes before, with not much success. My cooking skill are limited to “putting the meat on the grill”! Yesterday, I tried your recipe, for our Christmas meal tomorrow. I followed your instructions carefully and they came out right the first time, with the foot and the hard shell and the lightness. In comparison, the one I made before without your technique were flat and grainy. I made a second batch today, and they came even better, almost like the ones you purchase in a bakery. The only thing wrong is the shape, how do you pipe them to ensure they are round? I have followed your template, but if you can provide a bit of instruction on how to pipe the macarons (from center to periphery, how high…), that would be very helpful.

    Merci beaucoup

    Reply

    • Hey Andre —

      I’m so glad to hear that! I think a lot of recipe simply don’t explain the whys and hows of the dreaded macarons. They aren’t that difficult, really. You just need to know what the techniques really do to master them.

      As for piping, I hope to add videos of every step to this tutorial post soon. Until then, I would recommend THIS style of piping. You want to pipe directly down to the center of the template, about an inch above the paper. Pipe directly without worrying about the batter hitting the tip. Without lifting at all, pipe until the batter reaches the outer edge of the inner circle on the template I made here. Stop piping and quickly swirl/flick the tip of the piping back so you aren’t left with a point. If the batter is the correct viscosity, the small edge left will sink into the batter and be unnoticeable when ready to bake.

      I use a Wilton 1A tip, as found here. Using the correct size tip also plays a role in the degassing of the batter. I try to stay consistent when I make all of the macaron recipes on the blog with the same tips, etc. since some can constrict and cause more air to come out of the batter, etc. Consistency is key!

      Hope that helps. Have a great holiday and new year.

      Best,
      Phillip

      Reply

      • I love this history and advice, but when I tried to download the template, it
        1. didn’t download
        2. downloaded a malware bug to my computer.
        The IT staff at my office is working now to get rid of this.

        There are easy ways to put a pdf on your website without using download software that could corrupt someone’s computer. I recommend that.

        Reply

        • Sorry to hear that. I believe you may have clicked the wrong link, as I have had this file downloaded nearly 100,000 times without any complaints or issues. I just verified the file hosting and it immediately sends the PDF. No extra steps or relays that would cause any malware.

          I have seen some ads with a “download” image near this file that I have now emailed my provider about removing. I think that may have been your problem here.

          The button you want looks like the attached image. I will work on getting those pesky ads out of here. Thanks for sharing.

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  238. I have tried making these damned things at least 10 times, all to no avail. The last time I tried was in April of this year; they *almost* turned out, but we know what close only counts in. I can’t wait to try these over Christmas break – my co-worker made these for a cookie exchange and I swooned. This is an excellent post, and I will write again once I have my new results. Wish me luck!

    Reply

  239. Thanks for these tips. I have an former co-worker who is obsessed with macrons. I am sharing this with her.

    Yesterday, at the office Christmas party, I presented a Christmas tree covered in Suess-colored Cake pop ornaments and a pile of brownie petifors decorated like presents at the based of the tree. The tree and skirt lit up. It was a masterpiece. So, of course I lost to the assistant to the president who restricts access to anyone who does not vote for her. Sigh. I am on the prowl for the next great baking achievement. I think the Macron Bar with Holiday inspired cream flavors might be the way to go!

    I fully expect to lose again next year; I have accepted I will be the Susan Lucci of our bake-off. But, with an amazing presentation and taste, it will be my macrons they will be talking about, not her normal concoction.

    Reply

  240. Thank you so much for this detailed tutorial! I was commissioned to make ~300 macarons for a friend’s wedding, and agreed to do it before I really knew what I was getting myself into.

    Here’s a photo of the batch that I just finished… not too shabby! https://imgur.com/IlivoSR

    My only question is that you can see some of the cookies are a little bit brown at the bottom of the foot (or top, depending on which side of the shell we’re talking about)… the batch I did just prior to this one was much, much more brown, so I reduced the baking time from 14 minutes to 12 minutes. Should I maybe also move the rack up a level, away from the heating element? Or take them out of the oven even sooner than 12 minutes? I have an oven thermometer and it was at about 305 degrees. I could kick it down five degrees or so, just wondered what you would suggest.

    Thanks again for providing such an amazing and informative post.

    Reply

  241. LITERALLY BEST BLOG POST EVER. I spontaneously bought a kitchenaid bc of this post. First time making macarons. Literally all 4 batches of my came out perfectly. I used your guidlines as a base and did 4 flavors. Raspberry, pistachio, vanilla bean, and hazelnut. I felt like measuring the ingredients by scale was the most impactful, outside of just following instructions in general. I did wipe my bowl with lemon juice to ensure meringue success each time. Thanks for helping us all not be macaron miserable.

    Reply

  242. I am dancing on the moon right now!! I followed your recipe and instructions to the T and none of them failed! Such a big accomplished for a self taught baker like me. This is also my first trial making macarons. Thank you thank you so much!! Now let me continue my victory dance..

    Reply

  244. So, I love this blog. I love this recipe. My first and second attempts at macarons were a success (aside from me not being the best at piping).
    I decided to get crazy and tweak your recipe to make pumpkin spice flavored ones (I’m basic like that.). I piped the first sheet pan, they were lovely. Baked well and were pretty near perfect. Second pan, not so much. I did everything the same, but for some reason they collapsed! Do you have any idea where I went wrong? It was the same batch of batter, I let them both rest the same amount of time and baked the same.

    Reply

    • Glad it (sorta) worked out for you! Did you happen to use an oven thermometer? My guess is that you may not have given the oven enough time to fully recover to temp before putting the second batch in. I also recommend letting them bake without opening or disturbing them once you have an idea how much time they will need for the batch. Good luck!

      Reply

  245. Ok, now after reading your blog, I think I’m ready to make my first attempt. Thank you for sharing a very detailed instruction so it’s just up to me now if my first French macaron will turn out good! Keeping my fingers crossed. Will keep you posted!

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  246. Phillip, please reply! Thank you so much for your wonderful recipe and instructions. Mine turned out kind of chewy and gooey. First batch ever. I think I may have gotten overzealous with the food coloring. I put like half the bottle in. Can you tell me how many drops you would put in for your recipe. Also I waited 30 minutes to put them in the oven, but I did the dropping them on a flat surface right before I put them in the oven instead of right after I piped them. Would love your input. Thank yo so much!

    Reply

    • Soooo with food coloring, it can DEFINITELY have an impact on the bake. I would highly recommend powdered food coloring (I use these…) if you want intense color. If you don’t have that, you are usually kind of stuck with using 3-4 drops of good gel coloring.

      Reply

  249. Thank you thank you for this detailed post! I studied it like the Old Testament and gave macarons my first attempt this evening. The flavor is perfect, the consistency is perfect but… they got brown and crisp after only 10 minutes in the oven! I turned the temperature down to 275, and the oven thermometer read 300* on the button. Any idea why this could be?? I also subbed 1/4 cup coconut flour for the 1 cup almond flour with no issues (due to an allergy). Could this have contributed to the baking issue? The procedure was perfect up until the baking…
    Thanks! 🙂

    Reply

    • I haven’t tried swapping coconut flour out with these yet, but it could be possible. You have the correct ratio of coconut flour to swap with almond flour. I do know from experience that coconut flour varieties make a big difference. Did you make your own from dried shredded coconut or a commercial product? That makes a huge difference when baking. 300F is a correct temp for baking coconut flour. Did they pipe easily?

      Reply

  250. Thank you for sharing this. I’m excited to give this a try with my daughter. The one thing that wasn’t clear is how do I strain my egg whites? Do I drop the whites through a colander or some other way? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hope it goes well! — To strain the egg whites, you can use a sieve (like THESE). Just put the whites in and press around with a silicone spatula. Be sure to do this before getting your final weight, as you will lose a bit of mass from straining.

      Let me know how it goes!

      Best,
      Phillip

      Reply

      • Thank you for the reply. I followed the recipe exactly (except the buttercream recipe calls for 650 ounces of powdered sugar). I piped the macarons onto two baking sheets and cooked them both at the same time. The oven was exactly 300 degrees. I rotated both sheets 180 degrees after 8 minutes and cooked for 8 more minutes. The pan on top came out perfect and the bottom sheet were all undercooked. Now that I recognize this it should go better next time. Do you recommend cooking one sheet at a time or just adjusting the cooking time if cooking more than one sheet? I think the oven temperature dropped too much with the door open. I’d love to attach a picture of the final result but can’t figure out how to do that.

        Reply

        • Thank for catching that mistake in the recipe. I’m shocked it hasn’t been noticed yet.
          I definitely recommend baking one sheet at a time for an even bake. I’ve tried multiples, and unless you are running a convection oven, it seems to fail nearly every time.

          If you want to give it a go, click “Choose File” above the comment box and attach a photo.

          Glad it seemed to mostly work out for you!

          Reply

  252. Thank you so much for writing this. I have been wanting to make macarons for a long time. After reading this I will be maiing them.

    thanks

    Reply

  253. Just a quick question…. what size piping nozzle is best for piping the batter?
    Great explanation…Thank you from Israel!

    Reply

      • Thanks… I made these the first time today and used a 1/4 tip where you pipe. They came out beautiful even though a few have a few tiny cracks, They are nice and plump, but not sure why there were a few cracks. I turned the oven down to 150 and put a wooden spoon in the door a bit…. would appreciate any ideas for next time…. Thanks again…

        Reply

        • Glad they turned out mostly well! — My advice for cracked shells is to first verify your oven temperature with a thermometer. I can’t stress this enough. If you have done that already, try lowering 5-10 degrees from what you previously baked at (which is sounds like you are already trying). Resting the macarons for a longer period can also help form a more sturdy shell that isn’t as prone to cracks. If you rested for 30 minutes, try an hour if you can. The last thing may be under-mixing the batter. You actually want to knock some of the air out when folding, so consider pressing some of the batter against the side of the bowl during your folding next round.

          Cheers!
          Phillip

          Reply

  254. Awesome blog and very thorough…do you by any chance have a good nut-free recipe? I have come across a few and tried the pumpkin seed one -following the recipe i used which had turned out perfectly before, but I got no feet. I am pretty sure i over folded but in comparison it must take less time to reach piping stage with pumpkin seeds than almond flour… also i tried adding colour while piping (galaxy look LOL) well that may have also made it too liquidy… anyway sorry for rambling – if you have some thoughts or maybe I should not mess with tradition. I mean it is a French dessert after all.

    p.s. Thank you for the Templates… but do you have ones for 2.5 inch as well? I am making ice cream macarons 😀

    Reply

  255. Thank you so much for your detailed instructions! I found your blog when searching for a macaron template. I will be always grateful for the time and effort you put into creating this!

    I first made Macarons with my “daughter” from France (former immersion student that came to our home 6 years ago.) She had brought me a mix as a gift one of the first times she came. We hadn’t made them in all the times she had come, until this summer. She said basically that her mother could do it blindfolded in her sleep, so we were trying to match that skill.
    We traced a bottle cap onto the parchment paper to get the size consistency. The cookies turned out wonderfully (albeit not exactly as beautiful as they should). They tasted incredible and our family could not get enough of the cloud-like lemon and chocolate treats.
    I have made them once since, without the mix, but following the Laduree macaron recipe book that she had also brought. Nothing compared to the amazing little treat we sampled last March from the actual Laduree in Paris, but it inspired me to do everything I could to perfect this dainty delight. I intend to use them as treats at our fund-raising events for the Haley’s Heroes organization that raises money for Easter baskets given to children at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. I think they will be a huge hit. I am certain your tips and template will be a God send!

    Reply

  256. Hey Phillip. Quick question. Does it matter if you’re using fresh farm eggs or store bought eggs? I used fresh eggs and my shells were completely hollow and the insides spilled out. It was awful.

    Reply

  258. This is the first time I’ve ever made Macarons, and they turned not too bad! I mean, all the things that went wrong were clearly my own fault (not paying attention to the kind of almond flour I bought, piping them unevenly), but I did have a problem that I couldn’t figure out what went wrong. Well, two things. First, they were hollow. Second, they were sticky on the inside. I follow the directions, but maybe I missed something? I wanted to post a pic but my computer is refusing to let me, so boo.

    Reply

    • Glad it was a decent start. Hollow macs may be from several reasons.
      Generally, either under-whipping the whites, or too high of an oven temperature (are you using a thermometer for your oven?) is the cause. I would drop the oven 5 or 10 degrees first, and then address the whites if that doesn’t work.

      Reply

  260. HI from Perth, Western Australia – I came to download the template as I want to have a quick crack at a macaron recipe given to me by a friend using my Thermomix. But LOVED reading through your recipe/format and techniques, so will be back to try them this in the conventional method.

    Cheers Ruth

    Reply

  261. I’d love to know what food coloring yiu are using. I’ve never gotten vivid color like you have here. Beautiful!

    Reply

  262. I just made my first batch of macarons today! They turned out delicious but the tops were very delicate and either cracked in the oven or from just a little bit of pressure. I was using a different recipe than the one you gave (interestingly it didn’t use cream of tartar which I thought was a little odd since most of the recipes I’ve read called for it) but wanted to know what could’ve possibly caused it and your article and the comments were really helpful! Thank you!! 😀
    I figure it’ll take me at least a few more times before I can actually manage to make them well (just like with Angel Food cake ugh).

    Reply

    • There are 3 reasons for cracking that I have found.

      1. Not rested enough to dry on the top

      2. The tops dried too fast (don’t leave them under an A/C vent or by a fan).

      3. If you have piped them on parchment, but not on a pan (I was trying to pipe and dry more than I had baking pans for), when you slide the parchment off onto the baking pan, make sure the dried macaron doesn’t bend. If it does, it will crack where the bend is.

      Reply

  263. I’m so glad I found your blog! I’ve only tried once and most of my cookies fell apart once they were being eaten. I left my eggs out the majority of the day and I think the heat from a hot summer day may have ruined me eggs? I printed your template and am eager to try again. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Hope it works out for you! — Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about leaving the eggs out forever. It does help a bit to dry them out, but those tiny details are all secondary to great technique and mixing to the perfect consistency. That’s the key. You want to fold it in until you can make a figure 8 in the batter and it slowly sinks back in over 15 seconds or so.

      Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

  264. Hey man, just wanted to thank you for this amazing recipe (great tutorial as well), I recently switched from italian to french method, had really hard time with both until I decided to try your recipe. They came out perfect, from 200+ shells I’ve made yesterday only two of them cracked. Definitely the best recipe I’ve used so far. Regards
    p.s whoever is making macarons using italian method I tell you switch it to this recipe, it’s a lot quicker and easier and the results are better.

    Reply

  265. I made chocolate with a peanut butter frosting for the filling for an office party. It was the first time making these and I was so happy with the results. They looked perfect and tasted even better! I had three coworkers tell me these were the best they ever had. I told them I found your recipe and followed your step by step instructions. All kudos belong to you!

    Reply

  266. Hello Phillip,
    This is Eva from Spain. I did macarons yesterday using the Italian meringue. So far so good. I think everything was as it should be. But my macaroons keep going out of the oven solpsided, like tilted, and I have tried turning the fan on and off, rising tem or lowering it, but I cant still figure out what the problem is… my guess is it is the oven, but how could I fix it?
    Thank you so much in advance,

    Reply

    • Hey Eva,

      Glad you are giving it a go! The only things that I can think of that would cause that would be:
      1) Piping issues. Make sure you are piping directly down onto the paper/mat that you are using. At the end of each macaron piping, twist the bag away to leave a nice point that should fall back into the batter.
      2) Oven issues. I’ve seen plenty of ovens that are not perfectly flat. If your rack has a bad enough slant issue, or the oven itself, you would have to place a level inside it to find out. Most ovens will allow you to adjust at the bottom of each leg to correct for this.
      3) Pan issues. Pans that are used a lot or have been taken from hot to cold too quickly will warp a bit. Make sure your baking sheet isn’t the issue.

      I really don’t expect that anything in the recipe or how you are making them is causing the result to be off. Check the above first.

      Good luck!
      Phillip

      Reply

  267. blood … sweat .. tears … more tears … heavy drinking … despair … surrender … this explains my macaron experience for the past month. It started with my wonderful wife asking for them for her birthday, and they were so well received that i decided that i should include them in my cake business inventory. From that day forward … sliding caps .. exploding tops … no feet … giant bulging feet … i was ready to give up .. i tried every troubleshooting thought in the book i had purchased … tried those i found on line… too much whipping of the eggs, not enough, raise the temp of the oven, lower the temp of the oven … each time i tried i watched cash cascading into my garbage. I’d be lucky to get 5-10 passable but not pretty shells … and let’s be honest .. it’s not a macaron if it’s not PRETTY!
    Then … I found YOU … thought … ok … SouthernFatty … a person with this handle HAS to be an expert on French Macarons right?? haha.
    From the first batch, I have had nothing but perfect shells!!! instead of 10 out of 60 shells on a good batch, i’m now getting 55-60 perfect shells per batch .. (not 60 out of 60 because i may have gotten a little excited and tried to lift them too soon.
    I cannot thank you enough for your recipe, your pointers within the recipe .. and you amusing story and understanding of the pain of a macaron baker.

    Thank you SO much I am now a HUGE fan

    Reply

  268. Hello! After 56473855648 batches I came across your recipe! My macarons look beautiful! But, of course looks can be deceiving, They are the dreaded HOLLOW. Every batch Ive made, hollow. I weigh all my ingredients, strain my egg whites and bring to room temp. I have a oven thermometer and it says 300 degrees on the dot. They are also sticky, I let them rest until they have developed a nice skin and bake on the middle rack in a non convection oven, Don’t know where to go from here…

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    • They certainly look nice! Generally under-whipping the whites or too high of an oven temperature is the cause of a hollow mac. I could drop the oven 5 or 10 degrees (USE a thermometer for the oven – this is a must!) first, and then address the whites if that doesn’t work. You can also bake them with a wooden spoon in the oven door to let some steam escape as well. Try one thing at a time, though.

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  269. Thank you for the AWESOME post with all the cool background info, and the macaron template 😀 😀 I have been reading all over the place to try to get a handle on these things. It was suggested somewhere that you open the oven half way through to fan away the steam. Seeing as you seem to really know what you’re talking about, is this something you would recommend or is it just a new way to steam up my glasses? Thanks a million!

    Reply

    • I usually like to open and turn the sheets halfway through baking. If I find that the batch of macs have a tendency to be hollow, I will stick a wooden spoon in the oven door and leave it cracked as they finish baking. It shouldn’t ruin them, and may help slightly, but I haven’t found it to be the golden rule. Spinning the trays does help with an even bake. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.

      Reply

  270. I can’t wait to go get the ingredients and try this recipe! You made it look so easy, I’ve read it 3 times to ensure I have all the steps down. I’ll follow up with pictures when I bake them. Can you email me other recipes? I printed the Oreo & Rice Krispie ones also and printed 4 templates. I’m wondering which cookie sheet is the best to use, the “air” cookie pans (double insulated kind) or a half sheet pan???? THANK YOU

    Reply

    • Woooo! Just don’t let it intimidate you too much. Have fun with it. — I would not recommend the air pans. I have them and always get mixed results. A good old very thick half pan works beautifully. I would try to bake them all on the same type of pan when you are first starting out.

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  271. Thanks so much for the thorough tips! While my first batch turned out a little off I think they would have been far worse without this blog. Some of my macarons turned out a little hollow and I need to work on my piping, but I’m counting this one as a success. Still super tasty!

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  273. Hello!

    I love this post and I’ve made this recipe twice now – the first time I ended up with stiff batter and the second time I ended up with runny batter. I am using a scale to weight the ingredients. It did take me quite some time both times to make the cookies, so the batter could have warmed. I think I over folded the batter the first time and I think I likely over beat the egg whites the second time – does that cause thin cookies? They rose a little bit – they still have feet, but not much. I also used silicon mats the second time – which I feel like left the insides chewier than the first time.

    Any thoughts are appreciated – thanks for the recipe and the advice!!!

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  274. Hi,
    I start cooking macarons (I’m French living in US… so I’m limited in English..)
    I love it. I have 2 questions :
    – can I use white eggs and how (from boxes) ? because I don’t know what to do with the yellow of the egg..
    il I want to make more quantity, I don’t want to be stuck with the other part of the eggs…

    – Can I cook in a counter oven like the brand “Osters” ? because I would like to buy an oven only for the macarons… do you have any advise ?

    Thank you so much

    Patricia

    thank you,

    Reply

    • Salut —

      Les blancs secs ou liquides? Vous pourriez utiliser un petit four, mais je voudrais mettre un thermomètre pour s’assurer qu’il ne change pas trop le tempaerature.

      (Désolé pour le français. Cela fait un moment!)

      -Phillip

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  275. Hey, Phillip: My 11 yr. old daughter and I made macarons for the first time tonight! They looked beautiful but were a little hollow inside. We’re going to try some of your tips on our next batch. They tasted so good — we’re smitten! Can’t wait to make them again! My daughter dusted them with powdered sugar and even garnished the plate on her own. Her cooking teacher will be so proud — I know I am!

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  276. Hi there! I love your page. How would I go about making different colored macarons with the same batter(if I doubled or tripled it to make more)? I wasn’t sure how to do this.

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    • The biggest thing to watch with this is over-mixing. You’ll want to make the base, mix it about halfway through, and then split it into batched and color before you finish folding. You really just have to get a feel for how far to mix to do this well without making a bunch of individual batches. I would highly recommend doing a batch of a single color to practice first. Good luck!

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    • The BEST place to add flavor for macarons is definitely in the filling. The shells are very much ill-effected by additions. You can add flavors to them, but I would only suggest doing so after getting pretty good at making basic shells first. If you try it out, you cannot add any liquid. I’ve used cocoa powder successfully, freeze-dried fruits that are blitzed into powder, etc. Any liquid addition will result in a disaster. This is also true for coloring. I use only gel or powder based colors for the same reason. Good luck!

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      • Thank you! I’ve been wanting to experiment but I hate wasting any batter, another quick question what should I do about hollow macaroons? do you have a picture of how they should look on the inside? The ones I’ve made usually break so easily and I’ve been reading that it could be due to them being hollow.

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        • They should be full inside, chewy. If you are getting hollow shells at all, it could be from several issues. Generally, either under-whipping the whites, or too high of an oven temperature is the cause. I could drop the oven 5 or 10 degrees first, and then address the whites if that doesn’t work.

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    • I forgot to add a picture, these were my first macaroons I think I added way to much butter cream 🙂 other than that they came out pretty good, I was really surprised,

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  279. This is the best recipe. I made my first batch of Macarons and they came out pretty good. I can’t seen to quite get them completely smooth though. I think I under mixed them because the tips didn’t smooth out completely. I made a salted caramel filing and they were yummy. But I had a lot of trouble with the chocolate ones. They ended up more like brownie tops rather than smooth Macaron tops. Any y suggestions on how I can fix this? Thanks so much. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2a62020afaa7d6a3516fc199d85d155fbe39f088f84b57b6f6125375afbf0ac2.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f07e6ac17c15189245f42aca6235efa36f2361dd465d90d1b2ec26c819914cd9.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6b595c1328cbb0798eb8132a779bf7213c0c541f5da1955a437e4a2de0b696b9.jpg

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    • Looks great! Thanks for sharing the pictures.
      As for the chocolate, adding cocoa into the mix does a lot of weird things to the cookie. I typically use 15g of cocoa powder for the above recipe. Getting the ratio correct with balancing the liquid has a lot to do with how the shell turns out. I also rest chocolate macarons for a longer period (usually even like 2 hours) to create a great shell.

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  281. I want to learn to make these to serve at my daughter’s wedding reception. Are they freezable so that I can make them ahead of time?

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    • Absolutely. It actually improves the texture and flavor. Make the shells (be sure they are baked well so they don’t get broken), let them cool completely for a couple hours, line them up on their sides in rows in an airtight container. Freeze.

      If you have to store for a long period, that may be your best bet. I prefer to make the completed macaron (with filling) and place it in a container in the fridge for 2-3 days. It will absorb some of the moisture form the filling and gives you a perfect texture. This is standard practice for how the fancy pastry shops always do it.

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  282. Hi Phillip! Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge in this awesome post 😀
    (||) (||) (||) <- these are meant to be macarons

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  283. Hello!

    Thank you so much for all of this wonderful information! I tried making macarons the first time, and they were not too bad. The main problem I had was that my macarons had big feet and they seem to have exploded uncontrollably. I forgot to take some pictures, but they are very similar to the image below that I found on google. Any idea what went wrong? Oddly enough, the first batch that went into the oven turned out pretty decent, but each subsequent batch that went in ended up getting worse and worse (and they all used the same exact batter)!

    Thanks a lot 🙂

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c9d538bdd589fa33bf389b60ac316dbd14561e4e1ac3512fca85cea8d4bceb6d.png

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    • Oh my! Soooo this type of problem is tough to identify. My recommendation would be to just try and repeat it and see what happens. Are you in a humid place? Liquid/moisture would be my first guess. If you are already weighing your ingredients (and you should be), try this:

      – Add a few grams more of the almond flour to the base (5-10g)
      – Reduce your oven temp by 5-10 degree (use an oven thermometer to verify the temp!)… your temp may be way off on the oven

      When resting, are they macarons expanding much or just forming shells as expected?
      Be sure you bake one sheet at a time.

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  286. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/537cc92e2552f4339f15578529e5bd0db0e5273aa1f5dff4d28a93ef5e97514d.jpg First time! My only complaint is that my nice shiny tops came out less flat/ even than I would have liked. I think in my strenuous quest to avoid over-folding I actually under-mixed. That, and I unfortunately lack a sifter, so that probably didn’t help the texture issue. BUT, they taste amazing and I am told that for a first try, these issues are pretty darn minor. Thanks for such an awesome blog post that eliminated so much of the guess work! Cheers!

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  287. I too had my ingredients for a while and was a bit hesitant since there are so many sites stating the difficulty and care that must be taken. I went ahead and followed this recipe and I am pleased for a first time. My small fails: 3 of my discs deflated and crusted on the the chewy surface and my dics on the egg shell surfaces were super fragile one touch and it would make a dent or collapse. I read I may have whipped too much or the oven was too hot since I do not have a convection my heat may vary but I did let my oven preheat longer than the preheat time. Still I may need to lower the heat as I read here. Nonetheless I am happy for a beginner and first time https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/505334b2688d74292b612d7f7d1896ce842f266692063b42153383e03af579d7.jpg

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  288. I too had my ingredients for a while and was a bit hesitant since there are so many sites staring the difficulty and care that mustn’t be taken. I went ahead and followed this recipe and I am pleased for a first time. My small fails: 3 of my discs deflated als crusted on the the chewy surface and my dics on the egg shell surfaces were super fragile one touch and it would collapse. I read I may have whipped too much or the oven was too hot since I do not have a convection my heat may vary but I did let my oven preheat longer than the preheat time. Still I may need to lower the heat as I read here. Nonetheless I am happy for a beginner and fist time 🙂 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/46f139877d18bbd5551b472b00d437fb304c853fd7343e70b93180b4190929c9.jpg

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  289. I used your guide to make my very first macarons and I am surprised they came out decent! I’ve been intimidated to start the process even though I bought all the ingredients and supplies a month ago. I just jumped in tonight and made one with An Oreo Buttercream.

    I eyeballed the piping which was my first time also, I was lazy to trace circles on the parchment. I kinda got the hang of getting them rounder toward the end of the batch, and I made them quite large but I do like a large macaron. I am also working on fining the sweet spot of baking time for my oven. Some were undercooked a tad. I also did forget to drop them… so I have some hallows….whoops! I will remember for sure next time. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/037b6e3d4765733f91e30f4538d2579bd25af278606dcf586b12ac134cb4f853.jpg

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    • By the way I did use a digital scale and an oven thermometer. Does baking time change if I pipearger versus smaller macarons?

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    • Great first go at it! Love the Oreo buttercream filling.

      I find that convectional ovens (not fan/convection) will vary quite a bit. If you found some underdone but the bottoms starting to brown, drop your oven temp 5 degrees or so and give them a minute longer.

      Piping looks good overall. I would just try to be sure you are piping straight down. Don’t angle the piping bag at all. Give it a lift and a quick swirl to finish it smoothly. Dropping the pan definitely helps, but I’m doubting you have hollow shells by the photo you posted.

      If you opt for smaller macs, your baking time will change a bit, but not by much. My best advise it to pipe a tester line or 2-3 and try those before piping the rest.

      Thanks for sharing! Glad they turned out well.

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  290. Thanks for the wonderfully detailed post! I tried my hand at them today and feel very successful 🙂
    My only issue was that the tops were a little hollow, I guess I didn’t get enough air out of them / drop them hard enough. Good to know that I gotta be rough with them next time!

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  291. Thanks for the wonderfully detailed post! I tried my hand at them today and feel very successful 🙂
    My only issue was that the tops were a little hollow, I guess I didn’t get enough air out of them / drop them hard enough. Good to know that I gotta be rough with them next time!

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  292. Thanks for the wonderfully detailed post! I tried my hand at them today and feel very successful 🙂
    My only issue was that the tops were a little hollow, I guess I didn’t get enough air out of them / drop them hard enough. Good to know that I gotta be rough with them next time!

    Reply

    • Hollow shells can be from a few things:

      – Oven temp too high (double check with an over thermometer and consider dropping the temp 5-10 degrees or so)
      – Whites beaten too much initially.
      – Didn’t deflate enough when folding batter. You may need to mix a bit more. You actually want to deflate the batter slightly.
      – Drop, drop, drop! I drop the entire sheet from several inches multiple times.

      My guess is this the folding and maybe a bit too hot of an oven is where your issue is.

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      • Thanks so much for responding! These were just my test batch. I will be making them again next week as party favors for my neice’s first birthday. I’ll try out your suggestions then!

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  293. Thanks for this! I have invited my granddaughter (she’s 7) over to make macarons today– I shared one with her from a gift box a friend gave me–she loved them! I have made them, without knowing it, for years. Sara Bernhardts. The recipe I use is a Scandinavian one, has cornstarch in it. I attempted to make regular macarons from an all-macaron baking book, but the ingredients were simply mixed together. Very runny and hard to work with. Not bad results but a mess. So here I go again. Thanks for the template, it will help immensely when I have her pipe the batter. And now I don’t have to make one:)

    Love your blog~

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  294. my goodness FINALLY!!!! made these last night and they were absolute perfection!!! thank you. just a quick question – if i wanted to do a batch of different colours, how would you suggest i do this if the colour is added prior to the flour mixture going in?

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  295. Hi! Me again. lol. Lets say I was going to make half/double a batch. I would also have to half/double the mixing folds right?

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    • Not necessarily… It really all depends on the technique with this. That’s why you’ll see that it takes a different number of folds for different people. Aim for the texture of lava and the ability to stream the mixture from the spatula in a long, continued ribbon. You should be able to stream it from the spatula and make a “figure 8”.

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  296. I’m so happy I found this recipe because this weekend I’m going to give it a try. Thanks to all the readers below that have posted pictures, now I know for sure this recipe will work and be a keeper for me. As soon as I make this recipe I’m going to post a picture of my result.
    Kind regards from Tirana, Albania 🙂

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  297. I have just made some using the sugar water boiling method and it took forever, yours looks so much easier, will give it a try. Thanks for template too

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    • The method here is the French meringue method. The one you used is the Italian. Pros and cons to each. French requires a bit of a better feel for the consistency when folding the macaron batter, but I think ends up with a better result (if you can nail it). Italian with the cooked syrup is a bit more forgiving, but a bit dull in its finish to me. Good luck!

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  298. Do you have any pointers for high altitude versions? I’m going to try this out but live around 4500 ft above sea level and don’t want to waste ingredients.