French Macarons
Almond macaron shells tinted green and yellow and sandwiched with vanilla buttercream for a crisp, chewy party cookie.
Updated: Nov 9, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 2 hours.
- Serves 20 — easy to halve or double.
- Hard level — everyday equipment only.
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
This French Macarons recipe takes 2 hours, with 1 hour of prep and about 1 hour of baking in batches, and makes roughly 20 filled cookies. The shells are almond flour, powdered sugar, and a French meringue of egg whites and granulated sugar, so the method depends on careful folding rather than special equipment.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Line two baking sheets with parchment and fit a piping bag with a 1/2-inch round tip. Sift the almond flour and 1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar together twice, discarding the coarse bits left in the sieve so the shells stay smooth.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy, then add the granulated sugar a tablespoon at a time and beat to stiff, glossy peaks that hold a straight tip. A firm meringue gives the shells their structure.
Fold the dry mixture into the meringue in three additions with a spatula, then press and fold the batter against the bowl until it flows in a thick ribbon and settles back on itself within about 15 seconds. That consistency is what pipes into round, even shells.
Divide the batter between two bowls, tint one green and one yellow with gel coloring, and fold the color through with two or three strokes. Gel color adds no liquid, so the batter stays at the right consistency.
Pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds about 1 inch apart, tap the sheet twice on the counter to release air bubbles, and let the rounds sit 30 to 45 minutes until the tops feel dry and do not stick to a finger. The skin that forms keeps the shells from cracking.
Bake one sheet at a time at 300 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes, until the shells lift cleanly from the parchment and the tops are set. Rotate the sheet halfway through if your oven heats unevenly.
Cool the shells completely on the parchment, then beat the butter with 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, the vanilla, and the cream until light and pipeable. Pipe onto half the shells, sandwich them, and refrigerate 24 hours so the filling matures and the centers turn chewy.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the shells crack, the batter was too stiff or the rounds did not rest long enough. Fold to a thick ribbon and leave the piped shells until the surface feels dry before they go in the oven.
- If the shells have hollow centers, the meringue was overbeaten or the oven ran hot. Beat to stiff but glossy peaks, bake at 300 degrees F, and check the oven with a thermometer.
- If the feet spread outward instead of rising, the batter was too loose or the sheet was tapped too hard. Fold gently, tap only twice, and pipe with the tip held close to the parchment.
- If the shells stick to the parchment, they were underbaked or cooled in a draft. Bake until a shell slides when nudged, then cool the sheet on the counter before peeling them away.
Make it your way
- Old Dhaka style: Keep the double sifting, the folding, and the resting step in every version, because they decide whether the shells rise straight.
- For a chocolate version, replace 2 tablespoons of the almond flour with cocoa powder and sift them together.
- A pistachio batch swaps 1/4 cup of the almond flour for finely ground pistachios.
- For a lemon filling, beat 1 teaspoon of zest and 1 tablespoon of juice into the buttercream with 1/2 cup more powdered sugar.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Unfilled shells keep 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature or 1 month in the freezer.
Freeze filled macarons up to 2 months and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
FAQ
Why do macarons need to rest before baking?
Resting dries the surface into a thin skin so steam escapes through the feet instead of splitting the top. It takes 30 to 45 minutes in a dry kitchen and longer in humid weather. Pipe, rest, and then bake one sheet at a time.
Can I make macarons without almond flour?
Not with the same result, because almond flour supplies both the structure and the chew. Finely ground pistachio or hazelnut flour works as a partial swap. Other flours absorb liquid differently and usually collapse.
How do I know the batter is ready to pipe?
Lift the spatula and let the batter fall; it should ribbon back into the bowl and smooth out in about 15 seconds. Too stiff and the shells keep peaks, too loose and they spread flat. Fold in short strokes and check after every few turns.