Italian macarons with smooth shells, neat feet, and a soft chewy center made with a stable Italian meringue method for reliable results at home.
Italian macarons use a cooked sugar syrup to create a stable meringue, which helps give you smooth shells, shiny tops, and consistent results.
This Italian macaron recipe is a reliable base if you want macarons that hold their shape well and bake with neat feet and a soft chewy center.
As a French baker, I use this method when I want more control and fewer surprises. It takes an extra step, but the texture is smoother and the results are much more consistent.
If you’re learning how to make macarons at home, this is a great starting point for a foolproof recipe you can use with any flavor, from chocolate to pistachio, lemon, raspberry, or salted caramel.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Stable Italian meringue for smoother shells
- Neat feet and glossy tops with a reliable method
- Perfect base recipe for all macaron flavors
Ingredients you need
- Almond flour – Use finely ground blanched almond flour for smooth macaron shells without bumps.
- Powdered sugar – Also called icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar, it blends with almond flour for a light, delicate texture.
- Egg whites – Use fresh egg whites at room temperature for a stable meringue. No need to age them with the Italian method.
- Granulated sugar – Used to make the sugar syrup that stabilizes the meringue and gives structure to the shells.
- Water – Mixed with sugar to cook the syrup to the right temperature for Italian meringue.
Italian Macarons Tips for Smooth Shells and Perfect Results
- Use a thermometer – Cook the sugar syrup to 244°F / 118°C for a stable Italian meringue and consistent results.
- Room temperature egg whites – Helps create a smooth, glossy meringue with better volume.
- Sift dry ingredients – Almond flour and powdered sugar must be very fine to get smooth macaron shells.
- Cool meringue – Whip until the bowl is no longer warm; a hot meringue will ruin the batter.
- Proper macaronage – Fold until the batter flows in a ribbon, not too thick and not runny.
- Tap the tray – Removes air bubbles and prevents cracked macaron shells.
- Stable oven temperature – Bake at a consistent temperature to get even rise and perfect feet.
How to Make Italian Macarons
These macarons are made using my Italian meringue for consistent, smooth shells.
Mix almond flour and powdered sugar, then sift or blend to get a very fine texture. Add egg whites and mix into a thick almond paste.
Whip the second egg whites until foamy. At the same time, cook sugar and water to 244°F / 118°C, then pour the hot syrup slowly into the egg whites while mixing.
Beat until a glossy meringue with stiff peaks forms and cools.
Add a small amount of meringue to the almond paste and mix to loosen, then fold in the rest gently until the batter flows in a ribbon.
Transfer to a piping bag and pipe small rounds on a lined baking sheet. Tap the tray to remove air bubbles.
Bake at 320°F / 160°C for 12–14 minutes, one tray at a time. Cool before removing from the baking sheet.
>> Download and print: Macaron template
Macaron Filling Ideas and Flavors
Use this Italian macaron base with different fillings like chocolate ganache, fruit fillings, buttercream, or caramel to create a variety of macaron flavors.
- Chocolate macarons – Rich chocolate ganache filling for a classic and intense flavor
- Raspberry macarons – Fresh raspberry ganache or filling for a fruity version
- Lemon macarons – Lemon curd or lemon ganache for a tangy balance
- Pistachio macarons – Pistachio ganache or pistachio buttercream for a nutty taste
- Salted caramel macarons – Caramel ganache with a soft caramel center
Storage
Store filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. For best texture, let them rest 24 hours before eating.
You can also freeze macarons (filled or shells only) for up to 1 month, then thaw in the fridge.
Macarons FAQ – Tips for Perfect Italian Macarons
Why are my macarons cracking?
Oven too hot or air bubbles not removed. Tap the tray well and check your oven temperature.
Why don’t my macarons have feet?
The batter may be too runny or the oven not hot enough at the start.
Why are my shells hollow?
Over-whipped meringue or underbaked shells can cause hollow macarons.
Why is my batter too runny?
Overmixing during macaronage. Stop when it flows slowly like a ribbon.
Can I make macarons ahead?
Yes, they taste better after 24 hours in the fridge once filled.
More Macaron Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe. If you try it, feel free to leave a comment. Happy baking!
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Italian Macaron Recipe
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 20 macarons
Description
Recipe for Italian macarons with Italian meringue for smooth and perfect shells (for about 20 macarons 40 shells)
Ingredients
- 100 g (1 cup) Almond flour - ground almond
- 100 g (1 cup) Powdered sugar - icing sugar
- 2 Egg whites - room temperature approx. 2 x 35 g
- 100 g (½ cup) Sugar - granulated
- 25 ml (1 ½ tbsp) Water
Instructions
- Blend the almond flour and powdered sugar together in a food processor for a few moments to get a smooth mixture, then place in a large bowl.
- Add a room temperature egg white and mix with a tablespoon or spatula until you have a compact mixture.
- Place the granulated sugar with the water in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat and control the temperature which should reach 118°C
- Meanwhile, place the other room-temperature egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix at medium slow speed until the whites are frothy.
- When the syrup is ready, lower the speed of the mixer and drizzle the cooked sugar syrup over the edge of the bowl.
- Resume mixing at high speed and beat for about 10 minutes until the meringue is white, glossy and forms a stiff peak.
- Add a small amount of Italian meringue to the first almond and powdered sugar mixture and mix quickly to loosen the mixture.
- Add the rest of the meringue and mix this time with a spatula until the mixture is smooth and flexible, forming a long ribbon of batter.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper or a silicone mat.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a 10 round tip with all the macaron batter.
- Pipe mounds of batter onto the baking sheet covered with parchment paper, leaving about 5 cm between each ball (use the macaron template available for download in the post).
- Tap with one hand on the bottom of the baking sheet to release air bubbles.
- Bake the macaron shells in the oven on medium-high for about 12-14 minutes until lightly browned.
- Let the shells cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before gently peeling them off.
Notes
Storage: Place the shells in a storage box with a tight-fitting lid and keep them for 1 week in a dry place and up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: macarons,cookies,
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 68
- Sugar: 10.1 g
- Sodium: 3.1 mg
- Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.9 g
- Protein: 0.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Wattoote
ahh the macarons I missed some before succeeding for sure
Fanny
They're perfect ❤️ it's also the only recipe I use when I make macarons, thanks for the recipe.
suzie
Love your recipe and would like to try it. One question, it there a formula for how much cocoa powder to exchange for the almond flour and the same question for freeze dried fruit powders. Thank you, I want to get this right. suzie