My First Time Making Macaroons: Success or Failure? Plus Almond Macaroons Recipe

For Sunday’s dessert I decided to embark on being adventuresome in my kitchen, at least where dessert was concerned. As you’ve already guessed by the subject title, I decided to make “macaroons” and for the first time, temporarily switching my role from home cook to a French Pastry Chef. After all, your girl welcomes a challenge. 👩🏾‍🍳

To be honest, this Almond Macaroons recipe is super simple to follow. So how did I do at my first attempt at making these totally delightful and delicious macaroon cookies you may be wondering? Was it a a success or failure? And here is my honest answer.

I followed the macaroon recipe by Martha Stewart to a “T.” Though it’s one of the easiest macaroon recipes to follow, providing simple step by step instructions, I ran into a couple of problems. When it came to folding the flour into the beaten egg white mixture, I probably deflated the air from not being gentle enough.

The second and biggest challenge for me was the piping of the batter on to the baking sheet after drawing circles on parchment paper as recommended. As you may or may not know from other posts, I’m skillfully challenged in this particular area. So the result of my lack of piping skills, resulted in my macaroon tops being flatter and minus the signature “feet” of a macaroon (see photos below).

Although my first attempt at macaroons was not the success I had hoped for, it wasn’t a complete failure either. They were still very delicious. Plus, the half a dozen I baked were quickly gone. So I wouldn’t classify my macaroons as a total failure, just different and not like the classic macaroons—but in appearance more like that of a Whoopie Pie.

You’ve heard the saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, then try and try again” and I intend to. My advice is never fear failure whether in the kitchen with a recipe or in preparing foods or otherwise because without it, you would never know what success look like when it finally catches up with you, and it will if you never give up but rather try and try again.

Print

French Almond Macaroons

Elegant cookies with a crisp exterior and chewy center and found in pastry shops throughout Paris.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword dessert cookies, desserts, macaroon, macaroon recipe, macaroons

Servings 30

Ingredients

For the macaroons

• 1—1/4 cups Confectioners Sugar
• 1-1/2 cups Almond Flour
• 3 large Egg Whites
• Pinch of Salt
• 1/4 cup Granulated Allulose or sugar
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

For buttercream

• 8 tbsp Butter unsalted
• 1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening
• 3/4 cup Swerve Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Sift powdered sugar in a bowl. Whisk in almond flour and set aside.

3. Line two parchment paper and draw out circles using a 1-1/2 cookie cutter dipped in flour.

4. Whip the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed. Gradually add in the sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reach medium soft peaks.

5. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in half of the flour mixture into the egg whites until just incorporated.

6. Add in the vanilla and the remaining flour until just combined without deflating the batter. Tap bowl on counter to eliminate any air pockets.

7. Transfer mixture to a piping bag. Using a piping bag with a 1/2 inch plain tip, pipe out mixture into small circles on prepared parchment.

8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway between, until macaroons feel slightly firm to the touch and can be gently lifted off parchment.

9. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring parchment to a wire rack to completely cool.

10. Using an offset spatula, remove macaroons and spread 2 teaspoons of buttercream on flat sides of half the macaroons; sandwich with the other halves.

11. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes before serving.

For buttercream

1. Mix together the softened butter, shortening and powdered sugar and vanilla.