Vanilla Macarons from Scratch

I tested this batch of vanilla macarons from scratch last Tuesday after work and honestly they came out better than the first three times I tried. The meringue held up, the feet actually happened and the shells didn’t crack when I peeled them off the mat.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The double boiler method stabilizes the egg whites way better than just beating them cold
• You get actual feet on these — not those sad flat discs
• Cream cheese filling instead of buttercream means it’s tangy enough to cut through all that sugar
• The overnight rest in the fridge isn’t optional but it makes the shells go from crunchy to that chewy texture you want
• Tapping the pans really does get the air bubbles out, I counted and you hear them pop
• Room temperature before serving changes everything about how they taste

The Story Behind This Recipe

I kept seeing macarons at bakeries for like $3 each and thought how hard could it be. Turns out pretty hard but also not impossible once you stop overthinking the folding part. I failed twice before this — once the shells were hollow, once they never formed feet and just spread out flat. Last Tuesday I finally watched the batter close enough to see when it actually ribboned instead of just guessing. The almond flour has to be sifted three times or you get lumps, I learned that the annoying way. Now I’ve got a macarons recipe that works and I’m not changing a single thing about the measurements or the resting time.

What You Need

You need 4 large egg whites for this and they have to be measured separately because the weight matters more than you think. Then 1/4 cup granulated sugar for the meringue part, plus 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar that gets sifted with the almond flour. Speaking of which, 1 3/4 cups almond flour but it can’t be the coarse kind or you’ll get gritty shells that look homemade in the bad way.

Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract goes into the batter itself. I used 1/4 teaspoon of Wilton teal gel food coloring because I wanted half the batch colored but that’s totally optional if you just want plain ones.

For the cream cheese filling you need 4 ounces of cream cheese, another 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and one whole vanilla bean that you scrape out. Don’t skip the vanilla bean and use extract instead — the filling won’t have those little specks and it just tastes flatter. The cream cheese has to be the block kind, not the whipped stuff in a tub. That’s non-negotiable for this macarons recipe or the filling won’t hold up.

You’ll also need silicone mats or parchment paper for two large baking sheets and a piping bag with a small round tip like a Wilton #10 or #12. Smaller tips make neater circles.

How to Make Vanilla Macarons from Scratch

First thing is getting your oven to 325°F and lining those two baking sheets. Fit your piping bag with the small tip now so you’re not scrambling later when the batter’s ready.

Set up a double boiler with water that’s just simmering, not rolling. Put your measured egg whites and that 1/4 cup granulated sugar in the top bowl and whisk it constantly for 4 to 5 minutes. You’re checking if the sugar dissolved by rubbing a little between your fingers — if it feels grainy keep going.

Move the warm egg whites to your stand mixer with the whisk attachment on. Beat on medium-high until you get stiff peaks that look sharp and glossy but not dry or crumbly. When you stop the mixer the peaks should stand straight up.

Now sift your powdered sugar and almond flour together through a fine mesh sieve three times. Yeah three times. I know it’s annoying but lumps will ruin the smooth tops.

Start folding that almond flour macarons mixture into your meringue really gently. Scrape the bottom of the bowl a lot because stuff hides down there. Halfway through add the vanilla extract.

If you’re doing the color thing like I did, take half the batter out to another bowl and mix in that 1/4 teaspoon of gel. Then keep folding by pressing the batter against the sides of the bowl until it gets shiny and starts to flow like lava. Drag your spatula through it and the batter should fall in a ribbon that doesn’t break — you should be able to draw a figure 8 with it. If it breaks or clumps you’re not done folding yet.

Fill your piping bag and pipe 1-inch rounds about 2 inches apart on your lined sheets. Right away tap each pan hard on the counter 5 to 6 times. You’ll actually hear the air bubbles popping if you listen close and that sound is how you know you’re doing it right.

Add sprinkles now if you want them before the skin forms. Let the shells sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, maybe up to an hour if it’s humid where you are. They’re ready when you can touch the top and nothing sticks to your finger.

Bake one tray at a time for 14 minutes, rotating it halfway through. After 14 minutes turn off the oven and crack the door open for 5 minutes to let them cool slowly. Then do the second tray the same way.

Don’t try peeling them off until they’re completely cool or you’ll tear the bottoms. For the cream cheese filling whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and scraped vanilla bean really hard until there’s no lumps. Put it in a piping bag and stick it in the fridge.

Match up shells that are the same size. Pipe a little dollop of filling on the flat side of one shell and press its partner on top gently until the filling just reaches the edges. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge overnight — this step isn’t optional, it’s what makes the shells go from crunchy to chewy. Before you eat them let them come to room temperature for maybe 20 minutes.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t tap the pans hard enough because I was scared of deflating them and I ended up with shells that had huge air pockets under the tops. They looked fine from the outside but when you bit in there was just nothing there. The tapping has to be aggressive — like you’re mad at the pan. Also I tried to peel them off the mat when they were still warm and half of them ripped their bottoms off and stuck to the silicone. Just wait, even if you’re impatient like me and want to see if the feet happened. They’re not going anywhere.

Vanilla Macarons from Scratch

By Emma

Prep:

20 min

Cook:

30 min

Total:

50 min

Servings:

24 servings

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites, measured separately
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 3/4 cups almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Gel food coloring (optional), 1/4 teaspoon Wilton teal gel used
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 vanilla bean

Method

1. 1 Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two large baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a small round tip such as Wilton #10 or #12.
2. 2 Set up a double boiler with simmering water. Combine measured egg whites and granulated sugar in the top bowl. Whisk continuously for 4 to 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely, detecting no graininess between fingers.
3. 3 Transfer the warm egg white mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, sharp and glossy but not dry, with the mixer pauses showing stable peaks.
4. 4 Sift powdered sugar and almond flour together through a fine mesh sieve three times, removing any lumps or coarse almond bits for a fine flour consistency.
5. 5 Gently fold the powdered sugar and almond flour blend into the meringue. Scrape the bowl’s bottom frequently, folding carefully to avoid deflating the foam. When halfway folded, add vanilla extract.
6. 6 If coloring the batter, remove half of it to a separate bowl and mix in gel food coloring—quarter teaspoon usually suffices for teal color. Return to folding by pressing batter against the bowl’s sides until the mixture becomes shiny and flows.
7. 7 Check batter readiness by dragging a spatula through it. The batter should fall in a continuous ribbon without breaking, allowing you to trace a figure 8. If it breaks or clumps, keep folding and pressing until smooth and elastic.
8. 8 Fill the piping bag with batter. Pipe 1-inch rounds spaced about 2 inches apart onto the lined baking sheets. Immediately tap the pans firmly 5 to 6 times on the countertop to release any trapped air bubbles, watching for bubbles to rise and pop.
9. 9 If desired, add sprinkles quickly before the shells form a skin. Let the shells rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes or up to an hour on humid days, until the surface firms to the touch and does not stick to your finger.
10. 10 Bake one tray at a time for 14 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through to promote even browning. After baking, turn off the oven and crack the door open for 5 minutes to cool gently. Repeat with the second tray.
11. 11 Allow the macarons to cool completely on the baking sheet before attempting removal to prevent cracked or sticky bottoms.
12. 12 For the filling, vigorously whisk together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and scraped vanilla bean until fully combined with no sugary lumps. Transfer this mixture into a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
13. 13 Pair shells of similar size. Pipe a small dollop of cream cheese filling on the flat side of one shell and sandwich with its partner, pressing gently until the filling reaches the edges without spilling out.
14. 14 Store the assembled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. This aging time softens the shells slightly and develops flavor.
15. 15 Before serving, bring macarons to room temperature—this enhances their creamy texture and flavor clarity.

Nutritional information

Calories

110

Protein

3g

Carbs

15g

Fat

5g

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Tips for the Best Vanilla Macarons from Scratch

If your kitchen is humid the shells might take closer to 50 minutes to form that skin and if you rush it they’ll crack in the oven. I learned to run my air conditioner on low while they rest even though it feels wasteful because dry air makes everything easier with this macarons recipe.

Weigh your egg whites on a scale instead of counting eggs because one large egg white can be anywhere from 30 to 40 grams and that variance messes with the meringue ratio. I shoot for exactly 120 grams total for four whites.

When you’re folding watch the batter start to lose its matte finish and turn shiny — that’s when you’re getting close to the ribbon stage. I used to count folds like recipes told me to but every batch is different based on how stiff your meringue got.

If you’re making half colored and half plain like I did put the plain batter in the piping bag first, pipe those, then add the colored batch without washing the bag. Saves time and a little mixing at the tip won’t show.

The vanilla bean seeds in the filling will sink to the bottom of your piping bag if you let it sit too long so I give the bag a squeeze and shake before I pipe each shell.

Serving Ideas

Stack three or four on a small plate with espresso because the bitterness cuts through the sweetness better than regular coffee does. I tried it both ways last week.

Crumble one over vanilla ice cream and it’s basically deconstructed macarons but people think you did something fancy. The shell pieces stay a little crunchy even when they get cold from the ice cream.

Put them in a clear jar as a gift but make sure whoever gets them knows to leave them at room temperature for 20 minutes before eating or they’ll think your macarons are hard. I almost ruined a batch that way when I brought some to my sister.

Variations

Swap the vanilla bean in the cream cheese filling for lemon zest and a tablespoon of lemon juice — makes it taste brighter and less heavy. The acidity works really well with almond flour macarons because it balances out how sweet the shells are.

Use freeze-dried strawberries ground into powder instead of food coloring for pink shells and add a tablespoon of the powder to the filling too. It works because the powder doesn’t add moisture like fresh fruit would but you get actual flavor not just color.

Coffee macarons happen if you dissolve a tablespoon of instant espresso powder in the warm egg whites during the double boiler step. The flavor gets into the meringue early and it’s strong enough to taste through all that sugar.

Chocolate shells need you to replace 1/4 cup of the almond flour with Dutch process cocoa powder but you have to sift it like six times because cocoa clumps worse than anything. I tried it once and the shells came out fine but the feet were darker and less noticeable.

FAQ

Can I use regular almond meal instead of almond flour for this recipe? No, almond meal is too coarse and has the skins still on. Your shells will look grainy and brown-flecked instead of smooth and the texture won’t be right no matter how much you sift it.

Why didn’t my macarons develop feet? Either your oven temperature was too low, you didn’t let them rest long enough to form a skin, or you underbeat the meringue. The feet form when the batter under the skin pushes out from steam so all three of those things have to work together.

How do I know when the batter is folded enough? When you lift your spatula the batter should fall in a continuous ribbon that takes about 10 seconds to sink back into itself. If you can draw a figure 8 and the ribbon doesn’t break you’re there.

Can I make these without a stand mixer? Technically yes with a hand mixer but your arm will hate you because you need to beat those egg whites for like 8 minutes on high speed. The stand mixer is worth it if you’re making macarons more than once.

Do I really need to sift the almond flour three times? Yeah you do because even one small lump will show up as a bump on your shell tops and you can’t fix it after they’re baked. I tried sifting twice and still got a couple lumpy ones in the batch.

What if my shells are hollow inside? You didn’t tap the pans hard enough to get the air bubbles out or your oven temp was too high and they rose too fast. The tapping isn’t optional and honestly you should tap harder than feels comfortable.

Can I use liquid food coloring instead of gel? Don’t do it because liquid adds moisture that throws off the batter consistency and your macarons won’t set up right. Gel is concentrated so a tiny amount gives you color without messing up the ratio.

How long do these last in the fridge? They’re good for 5 days in an airtight container but honestly they’re best on day 2 or 3 after the filling has had time to soften the shells. By day 5 they start tasting a little stale.

Can I freeze macarons? Yeah freeze them assembled in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a freezer bag once they’re solid. They keep for a month and thaw in the fridge overnight before bringing to room temperature.

Why are my shells cracked on top? Your oven was too hot, you didn’t rest them long enough, or there were still air bubbles trapped inside because you didn’t tap the pans enough. Sometimes it’s a combination of two of those things.

Can I substitute the cream cheese filling with buttercream? You can but I like the cream cheese because it’s tangy and less sweet. If you do buttercream use a Swiss or Italian one that’s stable enough to hold up because American buttercream is too soft for cream cheese filling standards.

Do the egg whites need to be room temperature? Not for this method because you’re warming them over the double boiler anyway. I’ve used them straight from the fridge and it works fine since the heat takes care of it.

What’s the white ring around the bottom of my shells? That means your oven temp was too low and they baked too slowly. The batter spread out at the bottom before the shells set which creates that ring.

Can I add extract flavors to the shells? A half teaspoon of almond extract works but don’t use more than that or the shells will taste artificial. Stronger extracts like peppermint need even less, maybe an eighth of a teaspoon.

Why do they need to rest overnight in the fridge? The moisture from the filling migrates into the shells and makes them go from crispy to chewy. If you eat them right after filling they’re crunchy and the texture is wrong.

My shells stuck to the silicone mat, what happened? You tried to peel them off before they cooled completely. Even if they look done you have to wait until the mat is cool to the touch or you’ll rip the bottoms off every single one.

Can I pipe the shells freehand without a template? You can but they’ll be uneven sizes and you’ll have a harder time matching them up for sandwiching. I just draw circles on paper, stick it under the parchment and pipe over it.

What size piping tip works best for macarons? A Wilton #10 or #12 gives you neat 1-inch rounds that are easy to control. Bigger tips make huge macarons that don’t cook evenly and smaller ones are too fiddly.

How do I store them before serving? Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge stacked between layers of parchment paper so they don’t stick together or absorb fridge smells. Then pull them out 20 minutes before eating.

Can I make the shells one day and fill them the next? Yeah store the unfilled shells in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days before filling. After you fill them they need to go in the fridge for that overnight rest though.

Why are my feet ruffled instead of straight? Usually means your oven temp was uneven or you opened the door during baking. The feet form best when the heat is consistent from the start so don’t peek until the timer goes off.