Do I Need Cream of Tartar?

Name: French Macarons
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 1 cup super-fine almond flour; 3 egg whites, at room temperature; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 3 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Betty Crocker™ Gel Food Color, assorted colors; 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons butter, softened; 1 to 2 tablespoons milk; 1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Kitchen Tested

French Macarons

Ingredients:11
Servings:16

By Betty Crocker Kitchens(Opens in a new tab)Updated 07/15/2024

French Macarons

Ingredients:11
Servings:16

A French Macaron is more than just a cookie. It is a small, but sophisticated, delicate sweet treat, that brings together the contrasting textures of a light crisp shell and a soft and gooey filling. It dances on your palette from the first bite, which starts with the initial crunch, followed by a blissful melt-in-your-mouth experience, thanks to the luscious filling.

Today, we typically associate macarons with France, but as it turns out, we actually have the Italians to thank for the original cookies. In medieval times, there was a crunchy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside cookie made from almonds, egg whites, and sugar produced in Italian monasteries. It's thought that the confections were brought over to France in the 1500s and that the French macaron was likely derived from the Italian maccherone.

The addictive crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside texture comes from the combination of meringue and almond flour. Achieving that classic texture depends on how well the egg whites are whipped into a meringue. The egg whites have to be beaten just right; too much or too little and the cookies will end up flat. The almond flour and sugar must be incorporated correctly, or the cookie batter will be hard to pipe out.

While these techniques can be challenging, a good macaron recipe, like this one, will walk even a beginning baker through all the steps. Below you’ll find additional information and expert tips to help you achieve the best results possible.

While mastering French macarons can pose a challenge, the feeling of accomplishment when you achieve those perfect, airy shells and conquer a complex recipe will fill you with pride. We are here to help you embrace and enjoy this new learning opportunity!

These sweet treats are ideal for a baby or bridal shower, high tea, or birthday celebration. The elegance and touch of sophistication that comes with these two-bite cookies make them perfect for any special occasion and just right for times when you wish to impress friends and family.

How to Make Macarons

Making French macarons involves a few steps, but none of them are too difficult. Follow the macaron recipe steps for specific directions. Here are the basics on how you can whip up a batch.

Make a Template

Using a 2” diameter round cookie cutter as a guide, draw circles on pieces of parchment that will fit into 2 large baking sheets. They will provide a guideline for you when piping the meringue.

Whip Up the Batter

Sift together powdered sugar and almond flour to remove any clumps. Whip egg whites to stiff-peaked perfection and carefully fold the sugar-almond mixture into the meringue. Getting the batter the right consistency will help when it comes to piping it onto the parchment paper. Take a look at our tips for sifting the ingredients and folding them into the batter for success. Both are important when it comes to getting it just right.

Pipe out the Cookies

Pipe the batter onto to the parchment paper templates on the baking sheets. Gently tap the baking sheets to release any air bubbles in the batter. Allow the cookies to rest to form a light crust on the top before baking.

Fill the Meringues

Make a quick and easy filling by mixing powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla. Pipe the filling onto to half of the macaron cookies and top with the remaining half.

The Hardest Part, Waiting

The best macarons are allowed to rest over night before serving.

What is the Trick to Great Macarons?

The key to homemade macaron success is in the meringue itself. If the egg whites, the main ingredient in meringue, are overbeaten or under beaten, the cookies will likely turn out flat.

In this recipe, we explain not only what to look for in a good meringue, but what steps to take to achieve one. For instance, gradually adding granulated sugar to the egg whites, as they are being whipped. Doing this will help prevent the egg whites from collapsing.

Once you have the meringue properly beaten, the next step is to add in the almond flour and powdered sugar. But first, it’s important to sift these two ingredients together. This lightens them and removes any clumps.

The almond flour mixture is then carefully folded into the meringue in stages. This is called “macaronage” which is the French term for the technique of careful folding and mixing of the batter to make the right consistency for the macaron batter.

Common Macaron Mistakes

These French macarons do have several steps, but each one is achievable for any level of baker. There are common mistakes though that even the most experienced bakers can make. The good news is they are easy to avoid! Here are a few things to look for as you work through your first batch of macaron cookies.

Too Much Liquid: Macaron batter can be a bit fussy, particularly when it comes to liquids. Adding too much liquid, in the form of food coloring and flavorings, can thin out the batter too much to pipe it out onto the parchment paper.

Substituting for Almond Flour: Because macaron batter is delicate, it can be difficult to just swap out one ingredient for another. Cashew flour can be used instead of almond with no conversion necessary, but most other flours, like coconut flour may require a change in the amount used.

Overmixing the Batter: Overmixing the batter can thin it out and make it difficult to pipe out, creating a flatter cookie.

Oven Temperature: If the oven temperature is too high, the macaron cookies may rise too quickly, creating an empty pocket of air in the middle.

Air Bubbles: If you don’t take the time to pop the air bubbles in the batter on the sheet pan, by tapping the pan on the counter and using a toothpick to pop any remaining bubbles, you will end up with holes on the top of your cookies.

Macaron Fillings

The beauty of making your own fresh macarons is that you can fill them with any filling you like.

Fruit Curd or Jam: Any kind of fruit curd or jam should work, as long as the texture is just right. If the jam is too runny, or too chunky, it may not give you the best results.

Frosting or Buttercream: Your favorite frosting or buttercream would be a good choice for a filling. The consistency typically works well inside a homemade macaron. Check out our Strawberry French Macarons and Strawberry Frosting.

Ganache: Ganache is equal amounts of chocolate and warm cream that’s been stirred until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, resulting in a thick, frosting-like texture that perfect for your French macarons.

Macaron Decorating

There is no limit to the possibilities when it comes to decorating your French macarons. Here are a few ideas, listed from easiest to more challenging.

Color: Adding food coloring gel to either your cookie batter or filling (or both!) to bring the wow-factor to your macarons. Just be careful not to add too much, or the texture of both the cookies or fillings might change. This can lead to flat or soggy macarons!

Drizzles: Add melted chocolate to a small piping bag or plastic bag and snip a tiny bit of the tip off. Zigzag the melted chocolate over the macarons in any pattern you like. Then just let the chocolate set before serving.

Dips and Sprinkles: Dip half of your filled macarons in melted chocolate and then add sprinkles for a delicious and colorful decoration.

Piped Patterns: Mixing your macaron batter with different colors of food coloring and using those to pipe intricate patterns onto your unbaked macarons is truly next level and the results can be stunning.

How To Store Macarons

Now that you have a platter full of gorgeous macarons that you’ve worked so hard to create, you want to make sure they taste just as good tomorrow as they do today, and that can be a little tricky. So how do you store them for the best results?

Storing French macarons correctly is important when it comes to maintaining their delicate texture, with a crispy crust and light and chewy interior.

Store, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. They can be served cold, straight out of the fridge, or let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before you serve them.

Macarons do not freeze well, we recommend making them no more than 3 days in advance of enjoying them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Think of it as an insurance policy when it comes to meringues.

The acidity in cream of tartar helps the egg whites hold onto air and makes them less prone to overbeating, helping to create a voluminous, airy foam that is more stable and less likely to collapse.

Cream of tartar will also help enhance the macaron's texture, resulting in a crisper outer shell and a chewy, melt-in-your-mouth interior. This is one of the hallmarks of well-made macarons.

The acidity in cream of tartar also adds a subtle tanginess to the meringues which contrasts nicely with the sweet filling.

French Macarons

Prep time:45 min
Total time:3 hr 20 min
Ingredients:11
Servings:16
Calories per serving:150

Ingredient

Cookies

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup super-fine almond flour
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Betty Crocker™ Gel Food Color, assorted colors

Filling

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Step 1
Trace 32 (2-inch) circles, about 1 1/2 inches apart, onto 2 sheets of cooking parchment paper for cookie templates (16 circles on each piece of cooking parchment paper). Place pencil-side down on 2 large cookie sheets.

Step 2
Using a fine mesh strainer, press and sift together 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and the almond flour into a medium bowl; set aside. Discard any remaining large almond pieces left in the strainer, if any, after pressing firmly into strainer.

Step 3
In large bowl of stand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with whisk attachment on high speed just until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed 1 to 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and food color just until evenly colored. Continue to beat on high speed 1 to 2 minutes longer or until stiff peaks form. To check for stiff peaks, remove and turn the whisk upright and check to see if the egg white mixture can stand straight up in a tall stiff peak with defined edges; if not, continue to beat briefly, and recheck the peak.

Step 4
Using a large rubber spatula, fold half of the powdered sugar-almond mixture into the egg white mixture by going around the bowl with the spatula and cutting through the center of the mixture. Add the remaining powdered sugar-almond mixture, and continue to fold until completely incorporated. (This is called “macaronage” which is the French term for the technique of careful folding and mixing of the batter to make the right consistency for the macaron batter.)

Step 5
To test the batter’s consistency: Batter should flow off the spatula when lifted from the bowl like a ribbon of thick cake batter. As the batter flows into the bowl from the spatula, try drawing a figure 8 over the remaining batter in the bowl. The figure 8 pattern should rest on top of batter for about 10 seconds before becoming part of the batter again. If this does not happen, gently fold 1-2 additional times, and check again. (Don’t over or under mix.)

Step 6
Place a large decorating bag fitted with 1/2-inch round tip in a glass measuring cup or a large glass, and fold the opening down around the glass so it’s like a collar. Spoon or pour batter to fill the bag. Remove the bag, and bring ends together; twist and squeeze mixture toward tip. Pipe dollops of batter onto template within 1/4 inch of template line.

Step 7
Tap bottoms of cookie sheets on counter a few times to flatten cookies and remove air bubbles. If tops have a peak, wet fingertips lightly on damp paper towel, and press down to flatten. Using a toothpick, immediately pop any remaining bubbles that appear on surfaces. Let stand uncovered at room temperature 30 minutes to allow a light crust to form on tops.

Step 8
Heat oven to 300°F.

Step 9
Bake one pan at a time 17 to 18 minutes or until tops look set. Cool 10 minutes on pan; remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Step 10
Meanwhile, in another medium bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, the softened butter, 1 tablespoon of the milk and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and fluffy. If frosting is too stiff to pipe, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Step 11
Spoon filling into a decorating bag fitted with a round tip. For each sandwich cookie, pipe a dollop of about 2 teaspoons filling almost to the edge on flat side of 1 macaron. Top with second macaron, flat side down; gently press together so filling comes to the edge of sandwich cookie.

Step 12
Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before serving. This allows the macarons to “mature,” which softens and flavors the shells.

Step 13
Serve cold, or remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe Tips

Macaroons vs Macarons: Macaroons are snowball-shaped confections made of shredded coconut held together with egg whites and sugar. Macarons are delicate French meringue-based sandwich cookies that are chewy and crisp. Classic macarons have slightly domed tops with a crinkled “foot” around the bottom edge of the cookie that forms as it bakes. Macarons can be filled with a variety of fillings like chocolate ganache, fruit curd, jam or buttercream frosting.
This is a more challenging recipe, so we recommend reading the recipe thoroughly to be sure you understand the steps. Measure all your ingredients, and gather your tools before you begin. Macarons are delicious and well worth the effort. Practice makes perfect!
Egg whites whip best at room temperature; for food safety reasons, limit to 30 minutes at room temperature. Make sure egg whites are yolk-free, or your meringue may deflate. A clean glass, metal or copper bowl is best for whipping meringue. Wipe bowls and utensils with vinegar or lemon juice on a clean cloth to make sure there is no grease or fat which prevents egg whites from whipping fully.
We like to use super-fine almond flour for classic macarons for its fine texture and how easily it sifts with the powdered sugar. Using a fine mesh strainer to sift ensures the almond flour and powdered sugar will have no lumps.
Macaronage is the French term for the technique used to incorporate the dry ingredients (almond flour and powdered sugar) into the meringue (egg white mixture) which becomes the batter for macarons. Check often to see if the batter is the right consistency for piping as you are folding the batter. Overmixing can make the batter thin and hard to pipe and will become a thin, flat cookie. Undermixing the batter can make the cookies lumpy or hollow inside.
Before sandwiching the 2 macaron cookies together, it helps to pair the macarons by size. Sometimes the shapes are slightly different, even when piping with a template.
In a rush? Skip the template and invest in a silicone macaron baking mat.
It’s best to make macarons when the humidity is below 50%, so that they will stay light and fluffy when baked. Macarons bake best one sheet at a time on middle oven rack.
Do you want to have more than one color of macarons? To get multicolored macarons, skip adding the gel food color with the vanilla. After the egg white mixture has tall stiff peaks, split the mixture between two bowls. Add a different gel food color to each bowl and carefully stir in just until evenly colored. Be sure to only stir just until the egg white mixture is tinted so not to overmix before folding in the powdered sugar-almond mixture. Another option is to make 2 separate batches of macarons and tint each one a different color.
We tested this recipe with an electric stand mixer. An electric hand mixer may also be used, but the beating time may take a little longer for the egg mixture to reach a tall stiff peak.

Nutrition Facts

Calories
150
Total Fat
5g
Protein
2g
Total Carbohydrate
24g
Sugars
23g

Servings: 16

Serving Size: 1 Sandwich Cookie

Amount Per Serving Calories : 150

Nutrition Facts
Food Component / Nutrient	Amount	% , Daily Value*
Total Fat	5g	8%
Saturated Fat	1g	6%
Trans Fat	0g	% Value Not Available
Monounsaturated Fat	2&½g	% Value Not Available
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	% Value Not Available
Omega-3	0g	% Value Not Available
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	25mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate	24g	8%
Dietary Fiber	0g	0%
Soluble Fiber	0g	% Value Not Available
Insoluble Fiber	0g	% Value Not Available
Sugars	23g	% Value Not Available
Protein	2g	% Value Not Available
Vitamin D	Value Not Available	0%
Calcium	Value Not Available	0%
Iron	Value Not Available	0%
Potassium	70mg	2%
Vitamin A	Value Not Available	0%
Vitamin C	Value Not Available	0%
Vitamin E	Value Not Available	8%
Thiamin	Value Not Available	0%
Riboflavin	Value Not Available	6%
Niacin	Value Not Available	0%
Vitamin B6	Value Not Available	0%
Folic Acid	Value Not Available	0%
Vitamin B12	Value Not Available	0%
Pantothenic Acid	Value Not Available	0%
Phosphorus	Value Not Available	4%
Magnesium	Value Not Available	4%
Zinc	Value Not Available	0%
Manganese	Value Not Available	6%
Selenium	Value Not Available	2%
Copper	Value Not Available	4%
Beta-Carotene	Value Not Available	% Value Not Available
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Exchanges

Starch ½,
Fruit 0,
Other Carbohydrate 1,
Skim Milk 0,
Low-Fat Milk 0,
Milk 0,
Vegetable 0,
Very Lean Meat 0,
Lean Meat 0,
Medium-Fat Meat 0,
High-Fat Meat 0,
Fat 1,
Fruits 0c,
Vegetables 0c,
Grains 0oz-eq,
Meat & Beans 0oz-eq,
Dairy 0c,
Fats & Oils 0tsp

Carbohydrate Choice

Carbohydrate Choice1&½

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How to Make Macarons

Making French macarons involves a few steps, but none of them are too difficult. Follow the macaron recipe steps for specific directions. Here are the basics on how you can whip up a batch.