Mix-and-Match French Macarons

3287 Ratings
  • 5 665
  • 4 797
  • 3 1062
  • 2 561
  • 1 202

Macarons are light-as-a-feather French cookies that can be assembled using any sweet fillings and bases that you please. Our best, step-by-step recipe for this sophisticated French dessert offers variations for vanilla bean, chocolate, peanut buttter, coconut, raspberry, and pistachio macarons.

Martha Stewart Living, January 2009

Gallery

Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

Yield:
Makes 35 macarons
Advertisement

Ingredients

For the Macarons
Suggested Fillings for Macarons

Directions

  • Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2 times.

    Advertisement

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.

  • Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.

  • Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.)

  • Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon filling. Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

Piping the perfect macaron takes a little practice. Treat it as you would a rosette, bringing the pastry tip to the side of the circle, rather than forming a peak, to finish. Macarons will keep for up to 3 months if stacked between layers of parchment, wrapped in plastic, and frozen.

Variations

  • Chocolate: Substitute 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder for 1/4 cup of the almond flour.
  • Coconut: Substitute 2 tablespoons desiccated unsweetened coconut for 2 tablespoons of the almond flour, and add 1/2 teaspoon rum; sprinkle with additional coconut before baking.
  • Peanut: Substitute an equal amount finely ground unsalted peanuts (peanut flour) for the almond flour.
  • Pistachio: Substitute 1/2 cup finely ground unsalted pistachios (pistachio flour) for 1/2 cup of the almond flour, and add 2 to 3 drops forest-green gel-paste food coloring.
  • Raspberry: Add 1 tablespoon fresh raspberry puree, strained, plus 3 to 4 drops dusty-rose gel-paste food coloring.
  • Vanilla Bean: Add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved for another use. For filling you can use our Pineapple Buttercream from the Pineapple Dacquoise.
Advertisement

Reviews (46)

3287 Ratings
  • 5 665
  • 4 797
  • 3 1062
  • 2 561
  • 1 202
Martha Stewart Member
07/24/2018
First time and they are perfect! Thank you Martha! The only sidetone is that my meringues took longer than 2 minutes to for soft peaks.
Martha Stewart Member
04/22/2018
This is the second time i made it and i will make more. They are so yummy. I love it
Martha Stewart Member
05/25/2015
Mine came out hollow. i really wanted to love this since they came out not so sweet, but hollow.
Advertisement
Martha Stewart Member
05/18/2015
Does anyone remember the adaptation for the chocolate macaron?! It is no longer under the cooks note!
Martha Stewart Member
03/27/2015
I have a question, does anyone know if I can make them ahead without the filling? How should I store them? I want my daughters friends to spread the filling as an activity on her French theme birthday party. Please help! Thanks Cuca
Martha Stewart Member
03/27/2015
To see pictures of my macaroons look me up on fb or Instagram @photography by Gema. They were sooo yummy
Advertisement
Martha Stewart Member
03/25/2015
Love it! They turned out great! One thing though, you need to bang the pan to remove any air bubbles and let it rest for 30 mins before baking.
Martha Stewart Member
03/06/2015
I love making meringue cookies & macrons. But I saw a lot of people talking about having a gooey cookie. Sometimes it's hard to get a crisp cookie when it's humid, when using a meringue. That may have been the issue.
Martha Stewart Member
03/02/2015
Back before I " knew" that macaroons were "hard" to make, I used this recipe. Perfect the first time I tried it. I've since tried the ones requiring precise measurements, "aged" egg whites, days of flout drying, etc and had utter failure. I come back to this one and ... PERFECT! Don't mess with Martha. She knows her stuff.
Martha Stewart Member
02/13/2015
I find that these are so easy to make. I started making them a while back and enjoy the crispy outer shell. I really admired the fillings suggested. I never knew what to fill them with. I just experimented. Thanks for sharing ways to fill them.
Martha Stewart Member
01/04/2015
I tried this recipe a few days ago, and it was GREAT. I had always wanted to make macarons, but heard how hard it was-- but if you follow the instructions, you will definitely nail it too. The only thing I screwed up on was not mixing the batter enough at the end. As others had said, watch a video to figure out the consistency you need, and they will be perfect.
Martha Stewart Member
12/14/2014
This is by far the worst macaron recipe. I wasted 5 batches on this and the "basic macaron" recipe thinking it was me, tried two others and they were perfect. Save time and Google "Beth's foolproof macaron recipe" it never fails you!
Martha Stewart Member
10/24/2014
This is a great recipe. I made about 300 of these for my wedding favors. Keep in mind if you add food coloring that they make take slightly longer to cook! I'm always happy with this recipe! Next I want to try more complicated flavors!!
Martha Stewart Member
04/06/2014
I have made the basic macarons using only one eggwhite. It came out good, it has to be mixed well, not under or overmixed and definitely let it stand out for at least thirty minutes before baking.
Martha Stewart Member
04/06/2014
This recipe is definitely better than the Parisian macaron recipe also on this site. Sifting everything really helps out a lot. I've tried it twice now, one replacing some of the almond flour with ground pistachios and it came out great. (Pictures here of the pistachio macarons and plain pink ones laughlovelivedance.blogspot.com/2014/04/pink-and-green-macarons.html )
Martha Stewart Member
04/05/2014
Just made this using the recipe from Martha Stewart Magazine - sure wish some one spent the time to edit it as it was missing the cream of tarter. I find that many Martha Stewart recipes - especially from the magazine are missing things.
Martha Stewart Member
03/13/2014
i made these, using a few basic tweaks based on past experience with macarons. they came out amazing! here's a link: http://retrolillies.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/coffee-cream-macarons/ i recommend this recipe! the trick is beating your whites until they are stiff and glossy, but not overbeaten
Martha Stewart Member
03/07/2014
Eliandmarcio2!!!! Please post the lavender recipe!!!
Martha Stewart Member
02/28/2014
Hi. I just want to ask. What can I substitute for the almond flour? Thank you.
Martha Stewart Member
01/31/2014
I love reading about macarons! If you need more inspiration on what kind of filling to add to your macarons, I actually have my own blog about macarons: en.1001makron.com. Feel free to check it out :)
Martha Stewart Member
11/25/2013
Just made this recipe and I nailed it. Me and my hubby got together and got it right. The secret is on the folding. Watch some videos for the consistency otherwise you may ruin it easily. Thanks Martha, I loved my Lavender Macaroons.
Martha Stewart Member
11/13/2013
awesome whole life insurance
Martha Stewart Member
08/29/2013
Delicious! I followed this recipe very precisely and it turned out beautifully. It only made 12 macarons, though. I made these for a France reunion party (my daughter and I went with a group to France over the summer) and several people said they were better than the ones we had in France. Thank you for a great recipe.
Martha Stewart Member
08/28/2013
Perfect macarons. I used one kind of sugar for both parts. It made about 12-13 macarons. Used the chocolate ganache recipe by the same. I have never tasted anything like it before. Be careful with timing of oven - it's very precise. Hold macarons carefully. Yum!
Martha Stewart Member
08/01/2013
This is a great recipe. It never makes 35 macaroons. Maybe I just make them a little bigger than instructed. If followed it produces perfect macaroons. I live in the desert and have found that using the eggs right out of the fridge works best.
Martha Stewart Member
06/01/2013
This recipe is foolproof. I don't know why it got such a low rating, because it has never failed me.
Martha Stewart Member
05/21/2013
replica celine replica prada replica givenchy
Martha Stewart Member
05/21/2013
replica celine replica prada replica givenchy
Martha Stewart Member
04/14/2013
Not sure why people are giving this recipe such a low rating. I'm a pastry chef and have a successful catering business. These macarons are one of my best sellers! They come out perfect every time, and I follow the recipe to a T. You must raise the temp of the oven and then lower it, just like it says. You also need to use *blanched* almond flour to get the smoothest surfaces. Most importantly, French macarons take patience. Don't plan anything else that day, and they'll come out perfect!
Martha Stewart Member
02/02/2013
The yield was totally off... Instead of make 35 sandwiches it gave me ten. I followed the recipe to the T and it didn't work... They taste great but I don't understand why the yield was so low. Be careful...
Martha Stewart Member
01/20/2013
First time making macarons and I used this recipe. They came out perfectly!! It's such a simple recipe. Made them twice in a row (second time adding some flavor after the eggs) and they were perfect both times.
Martha Stewart Member
10/20/2012
Is there a metric weight version of this recipe? That would help with the complaints of "too sweet" in the reviews --and also any other measuring issues. And it's easier to weigh it all, then sift it all at one time. Help please?
Martha Stewart Member
09/07/2012
I was wondering if anyone had tried to freeze these with the filling as well?? I would like to make these for my dessert reception and didn't know if anyone has tried that.
Martha Stewart Member
08/04/2012
Delicious! I put these on my website for everyone to enjoi!
Martha Stewart Member
08/02/2012
The very BEST way to bake these little gems is to use the silpat created JUST for macarons....there is a perfect little pattern to use for perfect sized treats and is completely nonstick. Baked on the perforated baking sheet this is a no fuss and little clean up fool proof technique. Check out my website for pics and description of the product made by the French company Demarle...the maker of the silpat! www.demarleathome.com/janissowell
Martha Stewart Member
07/14/2012
I have made both ths recipe and the parisan recipe on this site. Both times they turned out amazing! perfect! The recipe is so easy to follow! I will say to the person that posted before regarding the allegedly "offensive" misspellings of the word Macaron - there are two different desserts - one being a coconut macaroon and one being the french almond macaron. Please - learn about the difference and use that knowledge to post things that make sense. Thats all we ask of you.
Martha Stewart Member
06/22/2012
i tried this recipe, they came put good, feet and all, but oh , they were very very sweet!! =/ cant eat them, have never have anything that sweet!! =(
Martha Stewart Member
06/08/2012
love the bozo who doesn't know there is indeed a difference between macaroon and macaron! this recipe is good--will take a bit of practice but that is because one baking pan was insulated --a flat normal baking tray works best
Martha Stewart Member
05/18/2012
I have tried thei recipe twice. I do know what I am doing wrong. it is soooooooo think that it cannot really be piped and when I try I get snakes.
Martha Stewart Member
05/17/2012
I have made this recipe in both the "plain" and chocolate variation. The original recipe is too sweet. I'll try reducing the sugar next time. The chocolate is delicious! I froze a batch and they thawed perfectly.For those with goopey cookies, I wonder if your meringue whipped properly. If you have any oil at all on any of your tools, the eggs will never get the volume you need. if you want to add coloring to the original cookie, add it to the whipped egg whites just before the sugar.
Martha Stewart Member
05/15/2012
I would cut the sugar. The macaroons come out quite sweet with the cup of confectioners' and the 1/4 cup of superfine sugar. Add a butter cream filling, and it's so sweet I can't have more than 1 or two without feeling sick. I also find that they come out looking prettier if I only whip the eggs to soft peak rather than stiff. They do taste good, and are very light and cloud like.
Martha Stewart Member
05/15/2012
i have no comment for the french macaron recipe posted here. however, i do need to point out the spelling of french macaron was misspelled several places. please, check your article/ recipe carefully before post it - that's the least you could do.
Martha Stewart Member
04/11/2012
I want to make these colored? When should I add the color?
Martha Stewart Member
03/07/2012
What can be used in place of the almond flour? I'm allergic. :( Thanks!
Martha Stewart Member
02/07/2012
I have just returned from Paris and hope to be able to replicate this wonderful delicacy. Hoping to lower the sugar, and wondering if powdered Splenda could be substituted for the sugar?
Martha Stewart Member
01/25/2012
Karolync : I hope you come back to see this! What it means is you start the oven at 375 but right before you put the tray of cookies into the oven you reduce the temp to 325 and bake.. So when you put the next tray of cookies into the oven you need to bring the temp of the oven back up to 375 before you can reduce the temp again to 325 so you get the proper oven temp. They want you to start iwth the oven temp high and then reduce it not bake it just at 325 the whole time. Good luck!
Martha Stewart Member
01/18/2012
This is a great recipe. I found I had to really sift out the big chunks of almond flour to get it just right.
Martha Stewart Member
12/19/2011
Jews in Spain ate the original macaroons, made with crushed almonds, egg whites and sugar. The dessert was so closely tied to the Jewish community that during the Inquisition, people purchasing the dessert were accused of being Jewish. Ultimately the cookies spread to France, where they were dubbed “macaroons” in the 16th century, according to Gil Marks in the “Encyclopedia of Jewish Food,” and then made their way to Eastern Europe. It wasn’t until Ashkenazi Jews brought them to the US.
Martha Stewart Member
12/05/2011
HELP!! what does "After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees" mean in step 3?
Martha Stewart Member
11/06/2011
This is THE recipe for Macarons. I have made this over and over again. It takes time, patience and a dry day-weatherwise. I jump for joy when it comes out 'perfect' and eat the ones that are not so perfect. I follow the steps exactly. You MUST sift and sift. This is the most tedious part. You need to rest the tray so that a 'skin' forms and whack it on the counter-just as the recipe states. It is the most perfect and the easiest (honest) of all the macaron recipes.
Martha Stewart Member
10/30/2011
QUESTION Has any one tried both this recipe and MS's other recipe titled "Parisian Macarons" http://www.marthastewart.com/319525/parisian-macaroons? If so, how did they compare in ease and taste? MERCI!
Martha Stewart Member
10/17/2011
@sarahkSD I also had a not so successful experience the first 3 times I attempted to make this. Finally, I put the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar all together and then whipped. It was much easier, less time consuming, and my macaroons look and taste great now! I hope this was helpful!
Martha Stewart Member
09/23/2011
OK, not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I just attempted this recipe for the second time and my macaroons come out flat and gooey, not at all like they're supposed to be. I'm not exactly a novice baker, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong! I want to make these macaroons so bad! Please help Martha!
Martha Stewart Member
09/13/2011
@meaghanek I believe it is an espresso set. Each cup only holds about 1 oz of coffee.
Martha Stewart Member
09/10/2011
My friend brought a box back from Paris. Oh la la! Worth the Time to prepare.Tasted so good.One bite~Hunny Ate Them from under my nose. Definitely for me and not Him this Time.As vibrant Colours as what We received from France.
Martha Stewart Member
09/07/2011
Great flavor, but I found the cooking time had to increase significantly.
Martha Stewart Member
08/15/2011
I followed this recipes exactly for chocolate macaroons and ganache filling with one exception...3/4' are too small. I piped mine about 1 1/4" round. My husband, who is a chocolate connoisseuer, loved them. We recently returned from Paris where he developed an addiction to macarons and we both were quite bummed when we realized finding fresh macarons was nearly impossible in the U.S. These turned out delicious! His words were "better than Lauderee"! Can't wait to try another flavor...
Martha Stewart Member
08/08/2011
I give this a half of a star out of five. Flavor of the uncooked dough was good (nice almond flavor), however, the finished results were extremely disappointing. I love both eating and baking French macaroons, so this was a big let down for me (especially considering all of the hard work that goes into baking macaroons).
Load More Reviews
© Copyright 2023 Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com 03/20/2023