I didn’t wake up one day in Queens and think, Today feels like a French macaron day.
This started the way all questionable baking decisions start—scrolling on my phone at 11:47 p.m., half-asleep, seeing a photo of pastel-perfect French macarons stacked like they belonged in a museum instead of someone’s kitchen.
You know the ones. Smooth tops. Ruffled feet. Fillings lined up like they’re posing for a magazine shoot.
I laughed out loud.
Me? Making those?
Why French Macarons Feel So Intimidating (But Also Kind of Fun?)
Let’s get this out of the way: French macarons are dramatic.
They crack and spread.
They come out hollow like they’ve given up on life.
And the internet? The internet will make you feel like if you don’t weigh your ingredients to the molecular level, you don’t deserve joy.
But here’s the thing no one told me at first: everyone messes them up. Even the people who swear they don’t.
Macarons are like cats. They sense fear. They respond poorly to chaos. And they absolutely do whatever they want if the humidity is wrong.
Is it annoying? Yes.
Is it weirdly addictive? Also yes.
My First French Macaron Failure (There Were Many)
The shells spread into one giant cookie.
No feet.
No structure.
Just vibes.
I stared at the tray and said, out loud, “What are you.”
My friend texted: How’s it going?
I sent a photo.
She replied: Oh.
What French Macarons Actually Are
They’re made from:
- Almond flour
- Powdered sugar
- Egg whites
- Granulated sugar
No flour and No baking powder. No forgiveness.
They rely on technique, timing, and vibes. Mostly vibes.
Let’s Talk Ingredients (Because Macarons Are Picky)
Almond Flour
Fine. Blanched. Not almond meal. If it’s gritty, your macarons will look like they exfoliate.
Egg Whites
Aged egg whites. Which sounds fake but isn’t.
I separate them, cover them loosely, and leave them in the fridge overnight. Does it help? Yes. Do I understand why? Not fully. I don’t question it anymore.
Sugar
Regular granulated sugar for the meringue. Powdered sugar for the dry mix. Don’t swap them. I tried. It was a bad time.
My Go-To French Macaron Recipe (After Much Chaos)
This is the recipe that finally worked for me. Not perfect. But good. And repeatable.
Ingredients (Shells)
- 100g almond flour
- 100g powdered sugar
- 70g egg whites (room temp, aged)
- 90g granulated sugar
- Food coloring (gel only, please)
Yes, grams. I fought it. I lost. Use a scale.
Step 1: Sift Like You Mean It
Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together.
Then sift again.
Then look at the leftover bits and throw them away even though it feels wasteful.
This step matters more than it should.
Step 2: Make the Meringue (This Is Where Feelings Happen)
Whip egg whites until foamy.
Slowly add granulated sugar.
Keep whipping.
You’re looking for stiff peaks. Not dry. Not glossy-soft. Somewhere in between where the meringue holds its shape and doesn’t look sad.
I once overwhipped and it turned grainy. I cried a little. Then started over.
Step 3: Macaronage (A Fancy Word for “Don’t Overmix”)
Add dry ingredients to the meringue.
Fold gently. Then a little less gently. Then stop.
The batter should flow like lava. Thick lava. Slow lava. If you lift the spatula, the ribbon should disappear back into the batter in about 10 seconds.
Is that scientific? No.
Is it accurate? Weirdly yes.
Step 4: Pipe, Tap, Breathe
Pipe circles onto parchment or a silicone mat.
Tap the tray on the counter. Harder than feels polite.
Pop air bubbles with a toothpick. Feel powerful.
Let them rest until a skin forms on top. Usually 30–60 minutes. Depends on humidity. Queens humidity is a whole personality.
Baking French Macarons Without Losing Your Mind
Bake at 300°F for about 15–18 minutes.
Don’t open the oven and Don’t check every minute.
Fillings: Where You Can Relax a Little
Once the shells are done, the pressure eases.
Buttercream.
Ganache.
Jam.
Lemon curd.
I usually go classic vanilla buttercream because I’m tired by this point.
Pro tip: Let filled macarons mature in the fridge overnight. The texture improves. Magic happens. Trust me.
Common French Macaron Problems (AKA My Greatest Hits)
- Cracked tops: No rest time or oven too hot
- No feet: Under-mixed or too humid
- Hollow shells: Overwhipped meringue (my nemesis)
- Spread too much: Overmixed batter
If this happens, congratulations—you’re officially making macarons.
Why I Keep Making French Macarons Anyway
They’re fussy.
They test your patience.
They make you question your self-worth at 2 a.m.
But then—then—you bite into one that worked.
Crisp shell.
Soft center.
Balanced sweetness.
Rabbit Holes Worth Falling Into
If you want deep technique (and emotional validation), BraveTart is incredible.
And if you want to feel better about failure, search “macaron fails” and enjoy the chaos.
Not a Conclusion, Just a Real Ending
French macarons aren’t easy.
They’re not relaxing.
They are absolutely not a “quick bake.”
But they taught me patience. And humility. And that failure can still taste pretty good.
If yours crack? Eat them.
If they’re hollow? Fill them anyway.
If they’re ugly but delicious? That’s still a win.
And if you nail them on the first try?
Honestly? I don’t trust you. But I’m happy for you.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to check the weather before attempting another batch.
