Mastering the art of making macarons is an incredible and invaluable skill!
These treats are delicate and intricate, though we know a lot of us are intimidated by making them. Luckily, French macarons are surprisingly not as difficult to create as you might think. And once you get the hang of it, you’ll be baking macarons like a pro in no time.
We always like to note that macaroon cookies are different than French macarons (more like a small coconut biscuit, less like the small meringue-based confection we’ll cover in this article). If you’re wondering how to make macaroons of that sort, visit this article.
For all other macaron making, use this handy dandy guide filled with tips and recipes as your inspiration.
Common Pantry & Fridge Staples
- almond flour
- butter
- powdered sugar
- sugar
- food coloring (preferably a paste)
- extracts like vanilla, coconut, peppermint and lemon
- salt
- egg whites
- sprinkles
- cinnamon
- cocoa powder
Macaron Baking Tips
- Sift your almond flour and powdered sugar to remove clumps.
- Use egg whites at room temperature.
- Use food color paste instead of liquid coloring (so that the texture won’t be altered).
- Use a silicone baking mat with macaron templates (like this one).
- If you’re not using a silicone baking mat, you can also use parchment paper.
- After baking, wait until macaron shells are cool before handling them.
- Go slow and gentle when you’re whisking and mixing (don’t overdo it).
- Make sure to follow the recipe for baking temp and times (they will vary but are typically between 13-15 minutes and 300-400°F).
- Eat macarons when they’re fresh (luckily, eating them all the day of baking is pretty easy to do).
- For a good basic “no fail” recipe and preparation guideline, visit this article.
Macaron Note: for a comprehensive list of the best tips with detailed notes, this article from The Spruce is a great one to read before embarking on your baking adventure.
Magical Macaron Recipes
Okay, so, now you’re ready to get baking and create your macaron masterpieces! Here are some of our favorite recipes for macarons, from coconut cream pie macarons to peppermint hot chocolate macarons.
Vegan Raspberry Macarons
These beautiful Vegan Raspberry Macarons are perfectly light, crisp and vegan, too! The secret? Aquafaba, the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), which has a similar viscosity to egg whites. These pink hued beauties are made with Almond Flour, freeze-dried raspberries, vegan powdered sugar, vegan sugar, water and optional pink food coloring gel. As the recipe suggests, pipe the macarons into rounds or heart shapes with a large round tip, like the Wilton 1A.
Chamomile and Caramelized Honey Macarons
[caption id="attachment_1173205" align="aligncenter" width="770"]
Photo credit: Amanda Powell of Cookie Named Desire[/caption]
If you’re looking for a wonderful treat for springtime gatherings, look no further than these Chamomile and Caramelized Honey Macarons. The macaron shells are flavored with finely ground chamomile and filled with a lightly salted caramelized honey buttercream. This brilliant recipe comes from cookie master Amanda Powell of Cookie Named Desire and is reminiscent of sunshine and happiness (in honey macaron form). When your cookies are finished, decorate the tops with a bit of extra chamomile for an additional touch of whimsy.
Easter Bunny Macarons
[caption id="attachment_1173206" align="aligncenter" width="770"]
Photo credit: Vanessa Brady from Tried & True[/caption]
This fun and festive Easter Bunny Macaron recipe comes to Bob’s Red Mill courtesy of Vanessa Brady from Tried & True. If you find yourself baking macarons during this springtime holiday and are feeling slightly intimidated, Vanessa gives some excellent behind-the-scenes info. She shares hints like don’t overtax the batter (or the macarons won’t raise as high), use parchment paper and get to know your oven. She suggests, and we agree, that sometimes it might take a batch or two to get into the full swing of macaron making. Like with all baking, the art of experimentation is also a good way to go when you’re feeling nervous about trying out a recipe! And remember, even if something doesn’t look perfect the first time, it will still taste yummy.
Coconut Cream Pie Macarons
These Coconut Cream Pie Macarons will transport you to the island of your choosing (and leave you yearning to pair them with a piña colada). The macarons themselves are made with almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites, granulated sugar and a couple drops of ivory food coloring. The uniquely delicious custard filling comes to life with instant vanilla pudding mix, coconut milk, heavy cream and shredded coconut. As recipe creator extraordinaire Meriem Kouar of Culinary Couture points out, you’re welcome to use a bit of coconut extract if you want an extra kick of coconut flavor. Note that for her recipe, she uses a KitchenAid stand mixer (so the low, medium and high speeds correspond to speeds 4, 6, and 8 on the mixer). You’ll have leftover custard that you can store in the fridge for up to a week, and use when the inspiration for macaron-making strikes!
Peppermint Macarons with Chocolate Ganache
[caption id="attachment_1173209" align="aligncenter" width="769"]
Photo credit: Sharon Lachendro - What The Fork Food Blog[/caption]
These Peppermint Macarons with Chocolate Ganache from our friend Sharon of What the Fork are made with Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal and a ganache of semi-sweet chocolate, coconut cream, ghee, peppermint extract and crushed candy canes. If you’re looking to add macarons to your holiday baking traditions, these little bites are the way to go. They’re perfect to gift to dairy and gluten free friends and will look beautiful when set out on a holiday dessert table.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate French Macarons
While on the topic of Christmas-inspired macarons, these Peppermint Hot Chocolate French Macarons are another favorite for the holiday table. The recipe comes from Hannah of Maiden Mag and is simple to put together, but entirely elegant and festive. She suggests to eat them right away, store them in the fridge for 3-5 days, or keep them in the freezer for up to a month (just let them come to room temp before eating). The chocolate macaron shells are made with almond flour, powdered sugar, egg white, sugar and the superstar ingredient—cocoa powder. The peppermint buttercream for the center is made with softened butter, peppermint extract, powdered sugar and marshmallow fluff and is piped into the center before gently sandwiching the two macaron shells together. Roll the edges in candy cane for the final touch.
French Macarons
[caption id="attachment_1173210" align="aligncenter" width="770"]
Photo credit: Molly Yeh[/caption]
is article and its gorgeous photos of French Macarons on Kendall-Jackson’s website all day long. Molly Yeh from my name is yeh threw a macaron-making party for her friends complete with French music, French-inspired snacks, Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest Chardonnay and macarons made with magical mixes of food coloring, spices, buttercream and Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal. We love how Molly and her friends roll the edges of their macarons in sprinkles for a simple but fabulously colorful twist. Plus, the recipe serves 30-40, so that’s surely something to celebrate!
Malted Milk French Macarons
[caption id="attachment_1173211" align="aligncenter" width="769"]
Photo credit: Miranda Couse of Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt[/caption]
These Malted Milk French Macarons from Miranda Couse of Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt are made with a macaron shell, “speckles” and a malted milk frosting. Miranda suggests sifting the powdered sugar and almond flour to remove any clumps or large pieces of almonds and using room-temperature egg whites. She also notes that you’ll know your batter is ready when you pick it up onto your spatula, let it fall to the bowl and notice that it moves slowly. Though these are a nice macaron for the Easter holiday (because of their ode to the malted milk candy eggs), we think they’re a true treat any time of year.
Easter Cheesecake Macarons
[caption id="attachment_1173212" align="aligncenter" width="766"]
Photo credit: Jen Sobjack from Baked by an Introvert[/caption]
Though these macarons are referred to as Easter Cheesecake Macarons, making macarons with cheesecake filling is tasty all the time! The delectable cheesecake filling is made with softened cheesecake, lemon curd, strawberry jam, blueberry jam and colorful sugar sprinkles. You can customize these for Halloween, Christmas or any day when the idea for baking macarons takes hold. The recipe came to Bob’s Red Mill from Jen Sobjack of Baked by an Introvert, and we couldn’t get enough of the flavors of strawberry, blueberry and lemon. Bake a big batch of these for a springtime gathering with friends and enjoy them alongside good tunes and happy memories.
Whether you find yourself a macaron baking novice or an expert, we hope this article has inspired your confection making and encouraged you to experiment with the wide world of macaron creations.
Have any favorite recipes for making macarons? We’d love if you shared them with us in the comments below. Whether they’re seasonal or just special (or both) we look forward to hearing how you approach the art of macaron making in your own kitchen.
From all of us at Bob’s Red Mill, happy baking! And equally as important, happy eating! 
These beautiful Vegan Raspberry Macarons are perfectly light, crisp and vegan, too! The secret? Aquafaba, the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), which has a similar viscosity to egg whites. These pink hued beauties are made with Almond Flour, freeze-dried raspberries, vegan powdered sugar, vegan sugar, water and optional pink food coloring gel. As the recipe suggests, pipe the macarons into rounds or heart shapes with a large round tip, like the Wilton 1A.
Photo credit: Amanda Powell of Cookie Named Desire[/caption]
If you’re looking for a wonderful treat for springtime gatherings, look no further than these Chamomile and Caramelized Honey Macarons. The macaron shells are flavored with finely ground chamomile and filled with a lightly salted caramelized honey buttercream. This brilliant recipe comes from cookie master Amanda Powell of Cookie Named Desire and is reminiscent of sunshine and happiness (in honey macaron form). When your cookies are finished, decorate the tops with a bit of extra chamomile for an additional touch of whimsy.
Photo credit: Vanessa Brady from Tried & True[/caption]
This fun and festive Easter Bunny Macaron recipe comes to Bob’s Red Mill courtesy of Vanessa Brady from Tried & True. If you find yourself baking macarons during this springtime holiday and are feeling slightly intimidated, Vanessa gives some excellent behind-the-scenes info. She shares hints like don’t overtax the batter (or the macarons won’t raise as high), use parchment paper and get to know your oven. She suggests, and we agree, that sometimes it might take a batch or two to get into the full swing of macaron making. Like with all baking, the art of experimentation is also a good way to go when you’re feeling nervous about trying out a recipe! And remember, even if something doesn’t look perfect the first time, it will still taste yummy.
These Coconut Cream Pie Macarons will transport you to the island of your choosing (and leave you yearning to pair them with a piña colada). The macarons themselves are made with almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites, granulated sugar and a couple drops of ivory food coloring. The uniquely delicious custard filling comes to life with instant vanilla pudding mix, coconut milk, heavy cream and shredded coconut. As recipe creator extraordinaire Meriem Kouar of Culinary Couture points out, you’re welcome to use a bit of coconut extract if you want an extra kick of coconut flavor. Note that for her recipe, she uses a KitchenAid stand mixer (so the low, medium and high speeds correspond to speeds 4, 6, and 8 on the mixer). You’ll have leftover custard that you can store in the fridge for up to a week, and use when the inspiration for macaron-making strikes!
Photo credit: Sharon Lachendro - What The Fork Food Blog[/caption]
These Peppermint Macarons with Chocolate Ganache from our friend Sharon of What the Fork are made with Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal and a ganache of semi-sweet chocolate, coconut cream, ghee, peppermint extract and crushed candy canes. If you’re looking to add macarons to your holiday baking traditions, these little bites are the way to go. They’re perfect to gift to dairy and gluten free friends and will look beautiful when set out on a holiday dessert table.
While on the topic of Christmas-inspired macarons, these Peppermint Hot Chocolate French Macarons are another favorite for the holiday table. The recipe comes from Hannah of Maiden Mag and is simple to put together, but entirely elegant and festive. She suggests to eat them right away, store them in the fridge for 3-5 days, or keep them in the freezer for up to a month (just let them come to room temp before eating). The chocolate macaron shells are made with almond flour, powdered sugar, egg white, sugar and the superstar ingredient—cocoa powder. The peppermint buttercream for the center is made with softened butter, peppermint extract, powdered sugar and marshmallow fluff and is piped into the center before gently sandwiching the two macaron shells together. Roll the edges in candy cane for the final touch.
Photo credit: Molly Yeh[/caption]
is article and its gorgeous photos of French Macarons on Kendall-Jackson’s website all day long. Molly Yeh from my name is yeh threw a macaron-making party for her friends complete with French music, French-inspired snacks, Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest Chardonnay and macarons made with magical mixes of food coloring, spices, buttercream and Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal. We love how Molly and her friends roll the edges of their macarons in sprinkles for a simple but fabulously colorful twist. Plus, the recipe serves 30-40, so that’s surely something to celebrate!
Photo credit: Miranda Couse of Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt[/caption]
These Malted Milk French Macarons from Miranda Couse of Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt are made with a macaron shell, “speckles” and a malted milk frosting. Miranda suggests sifting the powdered sugar and almond flour to remove any clumps or large pieces of almonds and using room-temperature egg whites. She also notes that you’ll know your batter is ready when you pick it up onto your spatula, let it fall to the bowl and notice that it moves slowly. Though these are a nice macaron for the Easter holiday (because of their ode to the malted milk candy eggs), we think they’re a true treat any time of year.
Photo credit: Jen Sobjack from Baked by an Introvert[/caption]
Though these macarons are referred to as Easter Cheesecake Macarons, making macarons with cheesecake filling is tasty all the time! The delectable cheesecake filling is made with softened cheesecake, lemon curd, strawberry jam, blueberry jam and colorful sugar sprinkles. You can customize these for Halloween, Christmas or any day when the idea for baking macarons takes hold. The recipe came to Bob’s Red Mill from Jen Sobjack of Baked by an Introvert, and we couldn’t get enough of the flavors of strawberry, blueberry and lemon. Bake a big batch of these for a springtime gathering with friends and enjoy them alongside good tunes and happy memories.
Whether you find yourself a macaron baking novice or an expert, we hope this article has inspired your confection making and encouraged you to experiment with the wide world of macaron creations.
Have any favorite recipes for making macarons? We’d love if you shared them with us in the comments below. Whether they’re seasonal or just special (or both) we look forward to hearing how you approach the art of macaron making in your own kitchen.
From all of us at Bob’s Red Mill, happy baking! And equally as important, happy eating! 