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Strawberry Macaron Recipe

These tasty little cookies never go out of style! Light and crisp on the outside, soft and chewy in the center. Color them, flavor them and fill them! I decorated my cookies with some sprinkles before baking for some extra color.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
resting time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Servings 18 cookies
Calories 50kcal

Equipment

  • Medium round piping tip and piping bag
  • silicone macaron baking mat
  • Stand Mixer
  • Candy Thermometer optional, for Italian buttercream

Ingredients

  • 57 grams almond flour
  • 113 grams powdered sugar
  • 57 grams egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 28 grams sugar
  • 1 teaspoon strawberry emulsion

Italian Meringue Buttercream

  • 16 ounces granulated sugar
  • 8 ounces water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 8 large egg whites (8 ounces)
  • 24 ounces unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon non peril sprinkles optional

Instructions

Strawberry Macarons

  • Sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour, twice if not blended. You can also use a food processor if you'd like.
  • Whip the egg whites to frothy consistency and slowly add the sugar and cream of tartar, whipping until soft glossy peaks form.
  • Add the strawberry emulsion to the meringue. 
  • Fold meringue into batter. Fold your spatula under the batter and around the edges and then cut through the center. Your meringue is ready when it forms a ribbon off the spatula and the batter that settles almost dissolves all the way back into the rest of the batter but still leave a bit of a line. 
  • Place parchment paper onto your sheet pan. Pipe small rounds about 1" in diameter. Use a template if needed. I pipe about 1 tablespoon at a time. Add sprinkles on top if desired.
  • Allow the cookies to dry uncovered until a crust forms on the surface. About 30 minutes - 60 minutes or until a dry film develops over the surface of the cookie. This will help the macarons rise and develop feet. Preheat the oven.
  • Bake at 300ºF for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on the pan for a few minutes. If they are sticking, try putting the cookies back into the oven for 1-2 minutes more.
  • Pipe frosting onto the bottom cookie, and sandwich it with another on top. Refrigerate macarons in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
    I love the silky texture of Italian buttercream with strawberry macarons, but if you want an easier filling, try my easy buttercream frosting.

Italian Meringue Buttercream

  • On a stovetop, mix together the water and sugar, cover with a lid and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
  • Keep the lid on the pot for 3-4 minutes and bring to ensure all the sugar granules are dissolved, otherwise, your sugar can get gritty and crystalize.
  • Remove the lid, insert the candy thermometer carefully and continue cooking on medium-high until the syrup reaches 240° F.
  • When the sugar solution is at about 235° F, begin whipping the egg whites on high speed. Add the salt to the egg whites.
  • When the egg whites reach soft peaks, pour the sugar solution in a steady stream on to the whipping whites while mixing on low speed.
  • Continue whipping the egg/sugar mixture until it reaches stiff peaks. I wrapped an apron around my bowl with an ice pack to help the meringue cool down faster. You can also cool the meringue by scooping it out of the bowl and placing it into the fridge for 15 minutes.
  • Once the meringue is cooled, whip in soft butter and vanilla until the buttercream is light and fluffy and no longer has a butter taste.

Video

Notes

To test for doneness, sacrifice one cookie and try to remove it from the silicone mat. If it removes easily, they are done. If it sticks, they need another minute. 
For the best possible results, read through the blog post and recipe to avoid common mistakes.
Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 
Metric measurements (grams) are available by clicking the small box under the ingredients in the recipe card labeled “metric”
Practice Mise en Place (everything in it's place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
Try to use the same ingredients as the recipe calls for. If you must make a substitution, be aware that the recipe may not come out the same. I try to list substitutions where possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 12mg | Sugar: 7g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg