Hello sweet friends!
We have put together one of the easiest macaroon recipes ever, and because it’s so easy, I have been getting all excited about whipping up these pretty little cookies lately. It hasn’t always been that way, however. Honestly, I hate to sound impolite but I have always thought of macaroons as being a bit snobby. Their ingredients differ ever-so-slightly from those in a fortune cookie, but God forbid you over mix, under mix, over heat, or don’t combine with the highest level of finesse, you end up with the R.B.F. of cookies. No need to stress however, because when it comes to baking macaroons at home, my kids and I have certainly learned a thing or two over the years! And in the spirit of helping you bake these pretty little cookies successfully every time, we have compiled our easiest macaroon recipe along with an FAQ Guide to help you along the way. You can do this!
Begin with our easy macaroon recipe:
How to make traditional Macaroons with a few simple ingredients.
https://www.piecrustandpixiedust.com
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- food coloring
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Note: We used this macaron kit, and it made a huge difference. Game changer, y'all.
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees
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In a large bowl:
Sift 1 cup of confectioner's sugar into the bowl.
Sift 3/4 cup of almond flour into the same large bowl.
Gently whisk together and set aside.
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In the mixer:
Pour two room temperature egg whites into the mixer bowl.
Add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar (a little at a time).
Whisk on high until the mixture is the texture of shaving cream. You may want to switch to the paddle attachment if you aren't getting that glorious whippiness.
Add food coloring of your choice and whip until you have stiff peaks.
With a silicone or plastic spatula like this one, fold dry ingredients from your large bowl into the mixer with your "shaving cream" egg white mixture.
Continue to fold until the mixture slowly drips and sinks back into the bowl when lifted up with the spatula.
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Preparing for baking:
Pour the batter into piping bags (excellent bags and tips come with the kit). Pipe onto the silicon baking mat from the macaron kit.
Once placed in the circle macaron shapes, bang the pan on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles within the batter.
Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Let cool before transferring and filling. You can use any filling you wish. The kids around your kitchen are very helpful at coming up with creative filling ideas including whipped cream, ganache, Nutella, Marshmallow Puff and so much more. Don't forget your sprinkles! Macarooning shouldn't be taken too seriously, so HAVE FUN! 🙂
FAQ Guide for Baking Macaroons –
Is powdered food coloring best for macaroons?
Yes. I use liquid food coloring most of the time, but powdered food coloring is by far the best when baking macaroons. Because the consistency of macaroon batter is so important, using a liquid coloring can create problems. Powdered food coloring is delicate yet concentrated in it’s color and is truly the best choice for baking macaroons.
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Does humidity matter when baking macaroons?
I live in Charleston, South Carolina where the summer air is about as sticky and hot as a fresh batch of caramel. A few years ago I met with the owners of the famous Macaroon Boutique downtown, and they said that humidity in the air can create big problems when baking macaroons. If you live in a humid climate like us, keep your windows shut and your porch doors closed!
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Why are my macaroons exploding in the oven?
If your oven is too hot, your macaroons can over expand when baked. Our easy macaroon recipe calls for a preheated oven at 300 degrees, but I have also baked them at 275 and been very happy with the results.
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Why don’t my macaroons have feet?
If your oven is too hot, your macaroons can expand too quickly and fail to get that frilly little bottom, also known as “feet.” Another important factor when baking macaroons is to allow the batter to sit for about 30-45 minutes prior to baking. This allows the tops to firm up and hold their rounded shape once they go in the oven.
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Why are my macaroons flat?
Why are my macaroons hollow?
Macaroons can become hollow upon baking if the batter is over-whipped. When macaroon batter is overly mixed, it lacks the strength and density to form proper shells.
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Why are my macaroons cracking?
Often times macaroons will crack when the batter is under-whipped. To test the consistency, lift the batter with a spatula and it should slowly fold back into your mixing bowl.
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Have you baked macaroons and discovered any good tips for success? If so, please email and let me know. I would love to add your ideas to this list. For more information about baking macaroons, check out our other posts, here, here and here!
Happy macarooning, y’all!
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