This week I’m sharing my vanilla macaron recipe! They’re baked to perfection and filled with the most delicious vanilla bean buttercream frosting.

To top it off, we splatter the shells with edible gold paint to really take them to the next level!

Making Macarons with the French Method

There are quite a few different ways to make macarons, including the Italian, Swiss, and French Method.

I’m a fan of the French method, mostly because of its simplicity! The French method whisks egg whites together with a bit of sugar to create a French meringue with stiff peaks.

This meringue is then folded into a mixture of finely ground almonds and powdered sugar. This process of folding the meringue into the dry ingredients is called macaronage.

No matter what method you use, macarons require expertise to mix the batter the perfect amount to achieve that elusive, lava-like consistency.

Equipment You’ll Need to Make this Vanilla Macaron Recipe

Like I mentioned above, these vanilla macarons don’t require a ton of equipment!

However, I find they turn out best when the ingredients are weighed and the macarons are baked on a silpat mat. As macarons bake, they usually spread less on silpat mats than parchment paper.

Below is a list of tools and equipment I like to use when I make macarons:

• Kitchen scale
• Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
• 2 piping bags (one for the macaron batter, one for the frosting)
• Round piping tip
• Large, flat baking sheets
• Silpat Mats (or parchment paper)
• Scribe or toothpick

Making Vanilla Macarons – Step by Step Process

While the recipe below is quite detailed, I find visual cues to be super helpful!

Below are some photos and a video tutorial of the process to help guide you through this vanilla macaron recipe.

Step #1: Prep Your Ingredients and Equipment to Make These Vanilla Macarons

After weighing your ingredients, wipe down your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice. This removes any traces of grease and helps the meringue whip up properly.

Step #2: Sift Your Dry Ingredients

Sift your superfine almond flour and powdered sugar. This ensures your macaron shells turn out nice and smooth.

Step #3: Make French Meringue

Next it’s time to make the French meringue! Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar on a medium speed until the surface is covered with small bubbles.

Next, add in the granulated sugar and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds to help the sugar incorporate into the egg whites.

Once the sugar is incorporated, mix on a medium high speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid mixer) until stiff peaks form. This can be done with a stand mixer or hand mixer.

Keep a close eye on your mixer to avoid over mixing the meringue. Stop the mixer once you notice the meringue begins to gather in the whisk.

Step #4: Mix the Dry Ingredients Into The Meringue

Mix until the batter forms a thick ribbon that flows off your spatula when it’s lifted.

A great way to test the consistency of your batter is the figure 8 test.

This is when you lift your spatula and see if you can draw a figure 8 with the batter running off your spatula in one consistent stream.

You should be able to draw a couple figure 8s once your macaron batter is the right consistency.

Step #5: Pipe the Macaron Shells

Fill a large piping bag with the macaron batter and pipe circular macaron shells that are about 1 1/4 inches in diameter.

Firmly bang or drop your pans on the counter a few times to bring any trapped air bubbles to the surface and pop them with a toothpick. This can help you avoid hollow or cracked shells.

Step #6: Rest Your Piped Macaron Shells

Next let the macarons rest for about 30 minutes, or until they form a skin.

They should be mostly dry to the touch and look matte once they’re ready to be baked! While the shells rest preheat your oven.

Step #7: Bake The White Macaron Shells

Bake one tray of macarons at a time, and rotate the pan half way through to help them bake evenly. After you rotate the pan, place a foil tent over the macarons to prevent any browning.

Let the macarons cool fully on the pan then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

Step #8: Decorate the Macaron Shells with Edible Gold Paint

This step is optional, but I like to splatter a bit of edible gold paint over these macaron shells! I love the way it looks, and think it gives these vanilla macarons such a pretty finished look.

Step #9: Assembling These Vanilla Macarons

Pipe a dollop of vanilla bean frosting on the bottom shell, then top it with another shell. Repeat with the remaining shells.

Place the finished macarons in the fridge in an airtight container or ZipLoc bag to mature overnight then enjoy!

Vanilla Macaron Troubleshooting

I’d love to think everyone’s first batch of this vanilla macaron recipe will turn out perfectly but my own experience has taught me that’s not always the case.

Macarons can be incredibly temperamental and it might take a few tries to get them just right.

If you run into any issues please check out my detailed French macaron troubleshooting guide.

Choosing The Right Filling for Your Vanilla Macarons

While we put tons of energy into the shell of a macaron, almost all of the flavor in a macaron comes from its filling.

The shell gives the macarons an incredible texture, but the filling is what determines its flavor. You can use just about any type of frosting or ganache to fill macarons.

I have a big sweet tooth, so I love filling these macarons with vanilla bean buttercream.

If you don’t want your macarons to be super sweet, I recommend using Italian buttercream or Swiss meringue frosting base instead!

Vanilla Macaron Recipe Yield

This recipe makes about 32 small macaron shells, which can be used to make 16 macarons. I like to pipe my macarons with a diameter of about 1 1/4 inches, which is smaller than most bakery style macarons.

You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.

Tips for Making the Best Vanilla Macarons

• Wipe your mixing bowl and whisk with lemon juice or vinegar to remove any traces of grease before making your meringue. It will help your egg whites whip up better!
• Separate your own eggs and age them if possible. Do not use egg whites from a carton.
• Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale. You really need to be precise with this recipe and your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
• Use superfine almond flour rather than trying to make your own! It more consistently yields great macarons.
• Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it’s good to know your game plan before you start!
• Use a macaron mat or print out a template to help you pipe consistently sized macarons.
• FIRMLY bang/drop your pans on your counter after piping your macarons. This helps release any air bubbles that may be trapped and prevent cracked or hollow shells.
• Rest the macarons for 30 minutes (or until they develop a skin) before baking them. This will help the feet develop properly!
• If you’re not super familiar with your oven, pipe a small number of macarons on a few sheets to test your oven for hot spots and to see if it bakes accurately. This way you won’t waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
• Let your macarons mature! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
• If you run into any issues making these macarons, please check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.

Making these Vanilla Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

• You need to let French macarons mature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before eating them. This gives them their best texture and taste.
• Store macarons at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
• Refrigerate macarons for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• Freeze filled macarons for up to a month in an airtight container.
• Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
• Make your filling ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this vanilla macaron recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!

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