Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 3/4 c. (226 g.) powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
1 c. (98 g.) super-fine almond flour, spooned and leveled
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Kosher salt
1/4 c. (40 g.) superfine sugar
8 drops pink food coloring
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 300°. Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray and line with parchment.Step 2Make macarons: Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and sift 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar with almond flour. Use a rubber spatula to help push larger pieces through. Keep pressing until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remain. Discard solids.Step 3In a mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and slowly add superfine sugar. Continue to beat on medium-high until egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes.Step 4Beat in food coloring until combined, about 30 seconds more. Fold dry ingredients into beaten egg whites with a spatula until it flows like thick lava, about 2 minutes. Step 5Fit a pastry bag with a a 1/4-inch round tip and transfer batter into bag. Dab some remaining batter in bowl onto the corners of two baking sheets and line sheets with parchment. Pipe batter into 1-inch circles, spacing each circle about 1 inch apart. Tap baking sheet against counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Let piped batter to sit out for 45 minutes before baking.Step 6Bake one sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 to 14. Step 7Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before gently peeling parchment away to transfer to a rack to cool completely. Step 8Using a mixer, beat butter with remaining ¾ cup powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy and smooth. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Step 9Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Do I need a kitchen scale? Technically no, but we’d highly recommend one here. When it comes to making perfect, classic macarons, you want to make sure your measurements are extremely precise. Room temperature is best. When it comes to baking, using room temperature eggs is usually the way to go. For macarons, it’s imperative. Let your eggs sit on the counter until room temperature, usually a few hours. Pro tip: Cold eggs are easier to separate, while room temperature ones are easier to whip. So we recommend separating your eggs when you first take them out and then letting them come to room temperature before beating the egg whites. Save the yolks for another use, like our creme brulee cheesecake! Choose the right almond flour. For these cookies, not just any almond flour will do. Be sure to choose one that is labeled “finely ground” for the very best results. You’ll be grinding it even further in the food processor, combined with powdered sugar, for a light and airy base. This is how you get that ideal texture. Be slow and steady. Remember to slowly and gently fold the almond flour mixture into your whipped egg whites with a rubber spatula. You want to fully combine without deflating the mixture. Once incorporated, the batter will be thick, glossy, and smooth–not too runny, but not completely stiff. Precise piping. Transfer your batter to a piping bag fitted with a round, medium-sized tip. You want 1” rounds, so pipe slowly, knowing they will spread a bit, spacing them about 2" apart. Try your best to make them all as even as possible. Then, pat the pan against your surface to flatten. Give it time. Before baking, you want the piped batter to sit out for 45 minutes. The air will help them set and begin to form that amazing crunchy shell. This may seem like a long time, but it’s worth it! Plus, they only take 10 minutes to bake. Look for the feet. When you bake your macarons, what you really want to see are “feet.” These are the thin, crackly layer that pops out at the base of your macarons. If your macarons have feet, you’re golden! Let the cookies cool completely, then add the filling. Be light-handed as it will spread once you sandwich the cookies together. With this trusty guide, macarons no longer have to sound so intimidating. Once you’ve nailed the classic version, you can start to play around and get creative with different flavors, colors, and fillings. Have you made these yet? Tell us how it went in the comments below!
