Heart Macarons with Lemon Buttercream (VIDEO)
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You can totally make these Heart Shaped Macarons! It’s easier than you think, especially when you use this print-friendly heart template that I created just for you.
These darling heart-shaped macarons are perfect for baby showers, bridal showers, birthday’s, princess parties, and especially as Valentines Macarons! And, macarons are naturally GLUTEN FREE!
They taste irresistibly good with the tangy-sweet lemon buttercream sandwiched between the sweet almond cookies. These look just like French bakery macarons and you’ll definitely impress your family and friends. Watch the video to learn exactly how to make homemade macarons!!
Watch How to Make Heart Macarons:
If you’ve never made macarons before, be sure to read through our tips for making perfect macarons and why it’s important not to skip steps like sifting!!
Here are all of the tools that I used in the video:
Heart Macaron Template (free printable)
Boos Cutting Board
Glass Mixing Bowls
KitchenAid Hand Mixer
Cuisinart Food Processor
Silicone Baking Liner
Citrus Juicer
Mesh Strainer/Sieve
OXO Food Scale
Silicone Spatula
Wilton #2A Round Decorating Tip
Silpat Macaron Kit (with piping bag, round tip & food coloring)
⬇️ Print Friendly for Heart Macarons:
Heart Macarons with Lemon Buttercream (VIDEO Recipe)
Ingredients
For the Heart Macarons:
- 70 grams about 2/3 cup almond meal/flour, room temp
- 120 grams about 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
- 2 large egg whites, about 65 grams, room temp
- 50 grams exactly 1/4 cup leveled granulated sugar
- 1 " strip Red or Pink GEL food coloring
- Sprinkles, optional
For the Lemon Buttercream:
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners, powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 small or 1/2 large lemon
Instructions
How to Make Heart Macarons:
- In the bowl of a food processor, add 70 gm almond flour and 120 gm powdered sugar. Pulse twice then process 1 1/2 min. Sift and discard any solids (should be less than 1 Tbsp solids in sieve).
- Put 2 egg whites in large clean/dry mixing bowl and beat until foamy, then gradually add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and beat on high speed about 2 1/2 minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form. Add 1" strip red gel food coloring and fold with spatula just until incorporated.
- Add all sifted almond flour/sugar mixture and fold with spatula using this method: scrape batter around the bowl, then press the flat side of the spatula firmly through the center. Repeat until batter flows like lava and thick ribbon forms as it flows off spatula (35-40 complete strokes).
- Print 4 copies of heart template and place on 2 baking sheets under silicone liners or parchment paper (AVOID WAX PAPER) - you'll be able to see the hearts through your liner to guide you as you pipe hearts. Transfer batter to large piping bag fitted with 3/8" round tip. For each heart, pipe at the top left and pull down towards the bottom center then pipe at the top right and pull down towards the bottom center and flick the end up if it gets long.
- Add sprinkles to as desired. Firmly tap baking sheets over counter 15-20 times to release air bubbles. Poke any remaining obvious bubbles with toothpick. Let cookies sit at room temp 30 min or until no longer sticky to the touch - they should form a thin film on top. Meanwhile preheat oven to 300˚F.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12-15 min at 300˚F. I usually do 15 minutes for the first batch and 12 minutes for the second batch - somehow my oven gets hotter the second batch. Let cookies cool to room temp before removing them from baking sheet. Once cool, they should slide off easily. Meanwhile make buttercream (see instructions below).
- To assemble, flip over half your cookies and pipe generous amounts of frosting onto the flat sides, piping in a heart shape. Find a well-matched unfrosted second half and sandwich cookies together.
How to Make Lemon Buttercream:
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream 6 Tbsp softened butter on high speed for 2 mins.
- Add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (1/2 cup at a time and beating to incorporate between additions), along with 1/8 tsp of salt and once sugar is incorporated, increase to high speed and beat 2 mins.
- Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice and beat another 1 minute or until whipped and fluffy. Transfer to the same clean piping bag fitted with the round 3/8" tip.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Love macarons? Make sure you try our well-loved raspberry macarons!
Q: Do you have any fun plans for Valentines Day? Whether you’re spending it with your best girl fran or your special someone, I want to know how you celebrate. I love hearing from you! I’m pretty certain we’ll be dining in with either filet mignon or lobstaaaa!! 🙂
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi those look amazing but unfortunately I don’t have butter or cream cheese do you have any substitute in mind that I can use? Thanks
Hi Yotam. You can use the search bar at the top of the page to look for some other frosting recipes but most of them require butter.
My kids don’t want lemon in the buttercream. Is there a way to leave it out completely or sub with something else like vanilla? 2 tbsp is quite a bit so maybe just 1/2 tsp vanilla? Thanks
Hi Jody! Yes, you can leave out the lemon and add vanilla to taste.
Hi Natasha! I was wondering if we could use a substitute for the almond flower. I really want tk try this recipe but can’t get ahold of almond flour. Thank you, and love you and your recipes
Hi Yasmine, I haven’t tested a substitute like all-purpose flour or another flour to advise. If you decide to do an experiment please let us know how it goes.
I think I’m missing something..
are you supposed to print the template directly on parchment paper?? and them flip it, ink side down to bake it? or print on regular paper and place under the parchment paper and bake with both sheets in the oven? Or remove the regular printed paper before baking?? Can you clarify?
Hi Gaby, I printed the template on regular white printer paper and then placed the paper underneath the parchment paper while I piped the macarons. I then removed the paper from underneath the parchment paper before baking. I hope this helps.
Hey there!
I’m going to be making these using your printable hearts. If I put it under parchment paper won’t the paper catch fire in the oven?
Hi Shannon, we haven’t had that issue. I would read your parchment paper packaging notice, but most parchment paper is safe in the oven up to 450 degrees. I hope this helps!
Thank you!
I just use the Kirkland parchment paper. So I can leave the printables under the parchment and be fine.
I think she said the paper template has to be removed from under the parchment before baking. That’s how I understood it but I’m a bit confused by that too 🤔
Hi Jody, that’s correct; we remove the template before baking! I hope that helps!
These were super good!! The lemon buttercream is SOOO delicious!! My shells came out pretty well, they tasted great and I got the “feet” on the bottom edges, but some of my shells cracked on top. I think it might be air bubbles (I did tap the trays very hard 20 times each). All that being said, this is the BEST macaron recipe I have made BY FAR!!!!! Thank you Natasha!!!
That’s wonderful! So glad you loved this recipe.
Hey I’ve made these before but I was wondering how long they stay fresh and how do you store them?
Hi Avery, I haven’t tried storing them for longer than 4 days. But it was still good after a few days, just bring them to room temperature from the fridge before serving.
Can these be made nut free? Can’t use almond flour due to allergy..
Hi Simi, I haven’t tested a substitute like all-purpose flour or another flour to advise. If you decide to do an experiment please let us know how it goes.
Made these the other day! Absolutely awesome! I found it took a while for the frosting to set/firm, was a bit liquidy when piping. I also did a light blue instead of the pink for a trial run! Thanks for the recipe!!! I will definitely be making these again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!
I cooked it yesterday, they were a little bit cracked, but amazing!!! Do you know why it can be cracked?
Hi Kateryna, it could be due to several reasons, commonly due to air bubbles. I did a quick google search and found this: “The piped macarons weren’t dried out for long enough before being baked. The drying out process allows a skin to form on the top of the macarons which prevents the expanding air from escaping. If the skin isn’t thick enough the expanding air will burst through it, causing the macarons to be cracked”
My mix came out a little runny, making it hard to shape the hearts. Can you please explain what may have gone wrong? Thank you
Hi Miranda, it sounds like the egg whites are under beaten and that is likely the culprit if you have a runny batter. Make sure to use egg whites from eggs (some egg white cartons have additives) and beat until you have stiff whites. Also it could have to do with a high humidity area or if your bowl had any oil in it, the whites will have a harder time beating to the right consistency. Lastly, make sure to use a high powered mixer (a handheld whisk would be difficult to achieve the right consistency).
Hello, before baking these macarons, how long in advance do you heat the oven?
and next top and bottom use heat or only under heat thank you very much
Hi Marjan, each oven preheats at a different pace. I preheat mine at the start of step #5, when the cookies rest before baking.
hi natasha ,
i have tried many of your recipes ,it turned out great Tonight i am planning o make your heart macaron recipe, can you please tell the name of the food color gel that you used in this recipe.
thank you
Hi Rifa, in this video, I used the gel food coloring that cake with my Silpat macaron kit and the brand is “Spectrum” but I would recommend using any gel food coloring such as this one (Amazon affiliate link)
Thank you for this recipe, my macarons turned out amazing! I’ve wanted to try making macarons for years, and I purchased an electric mixer recently, so I finally decided to make them. After looking at several recipes, your’s was the easiest to follow, and your video surely helped a lot! Will definitely be making more soon!
I’m so happy to hear that, Norma! Thank you!
These were absolutely delicious! They did not rise as much as I hoped or hold the heart shape – I don’t believe I mixed the batter long enough- so I piped circles instead. Nonetheless, they were delicious!!
I’m glad you liked it, Kristi. Thanks for your good review!
I made your heart shaped macarons yesterday but a lot of them turned out to be hollow. Where did I go wrong please?
My 3 star rating is only because mine went wrong somewhere. Every other recipe of yours that I have done has been fantastic.
Thanks
Vivienne
Hi Vivienne, Overbeating the meringue is often the culprit to hollow shells. Also, the oven may be the problem. I would double-check the oven temperature is accurate with an oven thermometer.
Hey girlie, I was wondering if I could use lime juice or just a complete buttercream.
Hi Amber, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how that goes.
Hi Natasha I’m a 11 year old Baker and I’m really keen on trying your macrons all your recipes turn on great but I need some help . Can we add a fine purée in the macron mixture
Hi Zahra, without testing that I can’t make that recommendation.
So easy, very detailed directions made it possible for a first timer to make gorgeous, delicious macarons! Will 100% make again. Tips: make sure you have the right equipment and ingredients, and don’t skip ANY steps.
Great tips, Emily! Thanks for sharing your comments and great review with us.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel?
Hi Anna, gel is a safer bet and will give you better color without adding excess liquid. I always make this with gel, but I think it could still work with liquid.
Great recipe. Didn’t use food coloring, came out great. Used liquid food coloring, not so great too runny. Recommend sticking with gel
We recommend gel also! I hope you loved this recipe, Nadia!
If you do not have almond flour/meal, is there a substitute?
Hi Angel, I haven’t really tried using all-purpose flour or another to advise. If you decide to experiment, please let us know how it goes.
They were delicious according to my boyfriend & family! The texture when eating it was good too, but it remained too thick even though I did the macronage thing as often as you advised, so my macarons just didn’t look as smooth… I’m not sure where it went wrong. Do you have any advice? Did I over- or undermix the entire mix? Or could it be that I overmixed the merengue? They did get feetsies in the oven at least. 😀
Hi Katharina, did you make sure to sift with a fine-mesh sieve? It sounds like possibly your almond flour granules were too large which can make it look rough.
Do I have to use a food processor? I dont have one are there any other options? Thanks!
Hi Melany, for macarons, it really is necessary to get the mixture to the correct consistency. A high powered blender (Vitamix or Blendtec) might work but you will have the best control of the finished product in a food processor.
I love baking, but was always a little intimidated by macarons. Today was the first time I made them and I used your recipe. It was so easy to follow and I’m so happy with how they turned out. Thank you!! I love all of your recipes!! Every one I try turns out amazing!!
Yay, I’m happy to hear that you loved these macarons. Great job and good decision to finally try these out, Andi!
How long do these keep?
Hi Clare, I haven’t tried storing them for longer than 4 days. But it was still good after a few days, just bring them to room temperature from the fridge before serving.
Hi can I ask. I have a silicone hearts baking tray. Can I use that rather than using grease proof paper. Just pipe them in there
Hi Louise, I imagine this will work on a silicon mat & I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I am not a baker or a cook at all. I’ve actually struggled my entire adult life with any cooking. This recipe is AMAZING! I tried it for the first time today and it turned out wonderful! I followed your instructions and they turned out delicious. I love how you make all of your recipes super easy to follow along with the explanations! So far I’ve been successful in making your no bake cheesecake, the mini strawberry cheesecakes, baked salmon with garlic dijon, these french macarons, and my son’s all time fave – beef broccoli. Thank you so much!!! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Wow! I’m so glad you tried all those recipes and enjoyed them! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Hi Natasha! I tried these cookies out and they were wonderful! I also loved how detailed and easy to follow this recipe is. How could I make these chocolate flavored?Thanks in advance! 😃
Hi Anna, I’m glad you loved them! I honestly haven’t tried making a chocolate version of this recipe yet. If you do an experiment, please share with us here how it goes.
Hello Natasha. I made these cookies and they were wonderful! The recipe was super detailed and easy to follow. How could I make these chocolate flavored? If I were to add a tablespoon of cocoa powder, would the dough turn out too thick? Thanks in advance! 😃
Hello Anna! Nice, thank you for your good comments and feedback! I haven’t personally tried that yet but I saw someone else shared and commented this “To make chocolate macs, I add 1 tbsp of cocoa powder after combining the almond flour and confectioners sugar.” I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha! I love your recipes 🙂 Can I use flour or cake flour vs. almond flour/meal? My children are allergic to nuts.
Thank you!
Hi Melissa, I haven’t really tried using an all-purpose flour or another flour to advise. If you decide to do an experiment please let us know how it goes.
Hello I need heart temper paper can send me pls pls thanks
I love watch your cooking
Hi, I have a link to it in the post above.
Do I leave the paper template underneath my parchment paper?will it not burn in the oven?
Hi Marie, I haven’t had any issues with turning the paper upside down (so the marking isn’t touching your food).
Do you leave the paper template underneath?won’t it burn in the oven?
Hi Marie, the parchment paper should not burn. Make sure it is parchment paper and note regular paper.
Hi Natasha, I love watching your videos! To me you are an inspiration and are so optimistic! I adore that. My macarons did not turn out like they thought they would. When I took them out of the oven, they were still sticky and stuck to the pan. So, I stuck them in the oven for 5 more minutes and they still were sticky. I tried to get them off of the parchment paper. I don’t know if I did something wrong or if I over or under mixed something, but I tried my best to follow the recipe exactly and made sure that my mixtures and other things look very close to the ones in the video. Again, I love watching your videos and I hope you can help me with my problem.
Hi Molly, check out the troubleshooting section that we shared in our raspberry macarons post which may help.
Thank you so much!
Hi Natasha! We’ve had a couple of failures with our macarons, so I went to look for your troubleshooting section in the raspberry macarons post but didn’t see it?
Love your recipes!!
Hi Terry, here is our Raspberry Macaron Recipe and scroll down to the section titled: “How to Make Great Macarons (Tips for Success)” – also watching that video on raspberry macarons will help.
Hi Natasha!
This is my first time making macaroons. I do not want to use food coloring, but at the same time, I do not want them completely white. That is why I ask if I could use cocoa instead. Would that work or will it have a big impact on the macaroons?
Than you so much!
Hi Ann, I bet this could work with cocoa. I haven’t tested this myself to advise on incorporating that. If you experiment – I would love to know how you like that.
Hi! I use natashas recipe. To make chocolate macs, I add 1 tbsp of cocoa powder after combining the almond flour and confectioners sugar.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Is there an alternative I could use instead of Almond flour?
Hi Tharushi, I haven’t really tried using an all-purpose flour or another flour to advise. If you decide to do an experiment please let us know how it goes.
Hey Natasha,
So I decided to give you good news. I finally succeeded!! They look inviting and taste heavenly. I am speechless and I can’t thank you enough for this amazing recipe.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Hey Natasha, today was my third attempt for macarons. They didn’t have feet and were runny. The first two times I did them I faced the same problems, in addition to them being burned from the bottom. How can I fix the problems? The recipe was great though, so thanks.
Hi Sofia, we are more than happy to troubleshoot, it is hard to say without being there. It sounds like they are being over-mixed or ingredients not measured properly. Was anything altered in the recipe? Please see our tips section in the recipe. This post on measuring is highly recommended as well.
I read the tips and saw the measuring video more than once. Nothing was altered in the recipe. When I mix the ingredients then don’t come out as thick ribbons of lava it’s just runny..and I have no idea how to fix that. And the egg whites aren’t quite stiff… the peaks just fall over.
Hi Sofia, it sounds like the egg whites are under beaten and that is likely the culprit if you have a runny batter. Make sure to use egg whites from eggs (some egg white cartons have additives) and beat until you have stiff whites. Also it could have to do with a high humidity area or if your bowl had any oil in it, the whites will have a harder time beating to the right consistency. Lastly, make sure to use a high powered mixer (a handheld whisk would be difficult to achieve the right consistency).
Okay, I will give it another try and take these tips into consideration. Hopefully, I get it right this time. Thank you for the amazing recipe and for your help.
Hi Sofia, that could be the culprit! I would recommend beating the eggs slightly longer to get the correct consistency.
Hi Natasha,
I have never made macaroons before. Yours look so yummy! Is it possible to substitute almond flour with all purpose flour. My kid is allergic to nut and I’m looking for an alternative way to make these yummy macaroons. Thanks so much!
Hi Tracy, I haven’t really tried using an all-purpose floor to advise. If you decide to do an experiment please let us know how it goes.
Hi I attempted to make these but failed in the process and I’m really sad about that it’s my first time making Macarons and sadly I failed I really wanted to make these for my classroom but again they didn’t turn out as good as I saw your video sad……
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that! Was anything altered in the recipe? I recommend reading through all of the tips. Have you looked at our post on measuring?
Hello,
Do you leave the heart shape template in while baking? Is it safe, not going to cause a fire? Thank you!
I have the same question. Hope somebody answers.
She’s wrong 70 grams = 1/2 cup
oh yeah. good eye
Hi Taylor, make sure it isn’t compacted. We weighed with a digital scale to confirm our measurements.
I’d love to make these but my mom isn’t fond of buttercream. I’d like to make a cream cheese frosting. Do you think I could replace the butter with cream cheese or should I do equal parts of both?
Hi Luba, you could do a different frosting. Equal parts of butter and cream cheese would work but I would suggest extra powdered sugar in the frosting. It would be similar to this lemon cream frosting.
I’m considering trying this. I noticed that I don’t have a pastry bag/piping bag. Would a plastic bag work do you think? Thanks, I’m really into cooking and love your website by the way. 👍
Hi, a plastic piping bag would still work but try to avoid handling it in warm hands too long since heat will transfer a little faster in a clear plastic piping bag.
This lemon buttercream is AMAZING! It’s my go to lemon buttercream recipe. You definitely need to follow the directions and whip for the time specified. It’s so fluffy and flavorful! Thank you so much for the recipe Natasha!
You’re so welcome Holly! Macarons can be tricky I’m so happy you enjoyed our recipe!
They came out so flat. What I have possibly done wrong?;(
Hi Ryna, read our “Tips for Success” Section on our original macarons which covers most macaron troubleshooting issues. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha, I have two questions. Do we grease the parchment paper?
And I got 2 baking sheets and don’t know should I bake them at the same time in upper and lower level or bake them separately letting the second sheet more dry? Thank you!
Hi Svetlana! Thank you for that great review! No, do not grease the parchment paper! If you can fit both pans side by side great, otherwise I do recommend one at a time since the bottom tray can block the heat from getting to the top tray properly.
They came out perfect! Just for some reason started cracking which made me panic. I covered them with parchment paper and put towel on top. Cracking stopped. I thought I should share it. Thank you again Natasha! Your recipes the most trustworthy. And yummy!
I made 2 batches and I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong the bottoms keep coming out flat but the heart keeps shape on top. Please help
Hi Melissa, I hope I am understanding your question correctly, but a macaron is supposed to be flat on the underside (the part that touches the baking sheet as it bakes) so when you sandwich the two sides together, the flat portions are facing each other. I hope that answers your question!
I made these last night, only I used a cream cheese filling and they were divine. Thank you so much for the video. It really made this project easy for a first timer.
You’re so welcome! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Going to try this. But can you recommend a good heavy duty baking pan? Which one do you use?
Hi Oksana, I’ve recently started using the gold tinted line of baking sheets from Williams Sonoma and like them very much but I also like the 2 aluminum ones that I get from Costco which are heavy duty.
Can I just use regular vanilla buttercream??
Hi Isabella, absolutely you can change up the filling to your liking. 🙂
Hi! I was wondering if you can add the food coloring at a different time so that you can make multiple colors with one batch. Is that possible?
Hi Laurel, I have not tested that but that sounds super creative! If you experiment, please let me know how you like that.
I think I printed the hearts way small so my macarons came out tiny but oh so delicious!! I made it for my daughter, it almost didn’t make it to her. I kept eating it! I definitely will make it again. Thanks for the video. I was always afraid to try it but with your video it made it so much easier.
They are addicting aren’t they, Ami?? I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for that awesome review!
Wow!!! I have tried so many recipes—this is THE BEST. The feet!!!! None of my other recipes gave such tall feet!!! I wish I knew how to post a picture, I am so proud of how they turned out. Thank you for all your hard work and trial and error in perfecting this recipe. I checked my most recent recipe, which was pretty good, but didn’t give me these feet and a lot of the tops were cracked. That recipe was almost identical, except it called for 1/2 cup almond flour instead of 2/3 (and it didn’t stress WEIGHING the flour like you did, which I actually did for the first time ever—thank you!!) The only other difference between my previous recipe and yours is that it called for vanilla extract. Have you ever tried adding that, and if so, was it problematic?
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Sarah :). I’m all smiles! I have not added it to this recipe specifically great idea, however! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I made another batch today and added vanilla this time. I added it when I added the food coloring. They came out PERFECTLY. AGAIN. Seriously, this is the Holy Grail of recipes 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing that with us!! 🙂
Hi! the batter was more running than I expected and as you can imagine I was not able to form the heart shape. What did I do wrong? The flavor was excellent
Hi Maya, check out the tips for success that I shared in our original macarons recipe which addresses most frequently asked questions for macarons
Hi Natasha,
I’ve made these 3 times now and I keep getting a hollow shell. They look beautiful otherwise except the hollow shell. Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong? I’ve followed your directions to the letter.
Hi Maria, Overbeating the meringue is often the culprit. Also, the oven may be the problem, I would double check the oven temperature is accurate with an oven thermometer.
Hi Natasha ! Thank you for all your recipes . You bake the macarons on regular bake option or convection? Thank you !
Hi Irena, we used the regular bake option.
Thank you !
Hi Natasha! I’m making your macarons and turns out I don’t have unsalted butter for the buttercream frosting. Would I be able to substitute for salted butter and just remove the added salt called for in the recipe? Thanks so much for your creative ideas! (:
Hi Megan, I haven’t tried it that way but I think it should still work to use salted butter and omit the salt in the recipe.
Macarons have always intimidated me. But I actually just took some out of the oven and although they are not perfect I think I can do it better next time. Nothing like conquering your fear!
Exactly!That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
This is by far the easiest macaron recipe that I have found, and it’s a success!!! Thanks for making it so simple for a newbie baker like me!
My pleasure Renee! I’m happy you find the recipe so helpful! Thanks for following and sharing your encouraging comments!
Spot on. This is the perfect recipe for macarons. I have made this without the food processor and you end up with more almond flour leftover, but still turned out perfect! I have tried many of your recipes and they have been great so far. Thank you so much for sharing.
My pleasure Samantha! I’m happy to hear how much you love the recipe. Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Thank you so much for the great recipe. Your fun tutorial gave me the confidence to try making macarons and they turned out great! My oven was a little hotter and I had to adjust the time on my second sheet – but they were delicious and you made them easy to make! Thanks
You’re welcome Krista! I’m glad to hear the recipe was a success. Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
I tried this twice. And my dough seems to runny. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Any suggestions? Also its my first time making these types of cookies.
Hi Stephanie, check out the tips for success that I shared in our original macarons recipe which addresses most frequently asked questions for macarons.
Hey Natasha, I was wondering if we have to use a food processor.
Hi Scarlet, for macarons, it really is necessary to get the mixture to the correct consistency. A high powered blender (Vitamix or Blendtec) might work but you will have the best control of the finished product in a food processor.
What brand of food coloring do you use?
Hi Quentin, in this video, I used the gel food coloring that cake with my silpat macaron kit and the brand is “Spectrum” but I would recommend using any gel food coloring such as this one (Amazon affiliate link)
Hi Do You leave the template on the baking sheet while baking,
Or do You remove once You piped the cookie on the sheet.
Thank you
Hi Jackie, I pull the template out after piping 🙂 I once forgot it under there and it was still ok, but I do remove it.
Hi Natasha, Is there any substitute for almond flour?
Hi Elsa, I have seen others make pistachio macarons but I haven’t tried them myself. It does need to be a nut flour to work properly for macarons. You might google pistachio macarons to get more ideas. Sorry I can’t be more helpful with that!
Hello Natasha,
I love your blog and follow your recipe often. I was wondering if it would work with a chocolate ganache? also any recipe for chocolate ganache?
Hi Ameerah, I think this would work well with ganache. Great idea! Here is our ganache recipe.
I love your lemon buttercream! I also added lemon zest of one whole lemon….. I love lemons. Yum!
I’m happy to hear that Hannah! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Hey!
Thankyou so much for the recipe =) They taste wonderful! I made only half the batch of buttercream but I still have 1/2 of that left.Anyways,I printed out the heart templates and piped them on and baked them after 30 mins.They puffed out so much and didn’t really look like hearts ;P except a few.But I also tried the classic rounds and they came out absolutely perfect with feet.This was my first attempt at making macarons.Do you have any tips to get the hearts right next time? I’m surely keeping the recipe cuz it tastes wonderful
=)
Hi Shyma, it may be due to baking for 30 minutes – that is a really long time to bake macarons. I usually bake 15 minutes for the first batch and 12 minutes on the second batch.
Hello, may I know what type of egg white peaks are needed for this and how can you tell whether it is over beated or just nice? Thank you so much!
Hi Phoebe, I have that in step #2. Once you add the sugar, you should beat until stiff glossy peaks form.
Hi Natasha! Which do you get almond flour? Or do you make it at home?
Hi Natasha, I do buy almond flour and have tested both Bob’s Red Mill and the big bag at Costco (can’t remember that brand name), but make sure it is finely ground and white (without the brown flecks of almond skin)
Hi Natasha! I have made these mararoons a few times and they turn out so yummy and overall look great, except they always turn color in the oven. Using an electric oven, and started baking them on temp as low as 265 and they turn color and start to brown everytime. I only bake them for about 12 min, (until they come off the parchment paper) and by then the cookies have gotten a little brown shade on them. I don’t know how you baked yours on 300 for a longer time and yours turned out so beautiful. Any suggestions? I already put my oven rack low, and have been putting a pan on a top rack to shield from direct heat and i don’t see it making a difference.
Hi Julie, it sounds like your oven runs hot – mine don’t discolor at all at 300. I wonder, are you possibly using the convection setting on your oven? Using the convection setting circulates the air around the oven and bakes things faster. The only other thing is to maybe use an internal oven thermometer to gauge how hot your oven is actually getting. I hope that helps!
HI natasha! What blade did u use on the food processor i just bought one and i am not sure which one to use for this
Hi Alina, I used the multi-purpose medium slicing disk. It’s just the standard chopping/ pureeing blade.
Do you take the template out before baking and when so you don’t disturb cookies?
It is safe to bake with the paper template underneath the liner. You can remove it or leave it there. It doesn’t really make a difference.
These macaron turned out amazing. They looked great with the sprinkles that i added and they tasted delicious. I am going to give them out tomorrow for valentines day!
That’s awesome!!! Those are the best kinds of Valentines “cards” 🙂
Hi, Natasha!
I would like to make these the night before and bring them in the next day. Should I leave them out or refrigerate them?
Hi Lindsay, If it’s just for a day, you can leave them at room temp. You can also refrigerate if you wish and then bring them to room temp before serving. 🙂
Thank you so much! I can’t wait to make these!
Hello, I tried to make the macaroons in my gas oven and was successful. I doubled the cookie sheets so the cookies are a bit protected from the direct heat. However, you probably need to cook them for at least 18min. Also, for the person who said their cookies change color and don’t want to unstick ..they are probably not cooked enough and/or the egg whites are not beat/stiff enough before folding into the almond flour ..that happened to me and experimented with a few batches.hope this helps..ive been trying to make these for a while and finally getting close to having it perfect.
I tried making it in heart shaped but i guess one of my batters ended up too runny so not all of them were hearts 🙁
Thank you so much for sharing your insight with a gas oven!! I’m sure that will be really helpful for others.
Hi. Can you say exactly what temperature you used and how lond you baked. Thank you!!!! Today I baked with double parchment paper at 265F during 23minut. Result also was bad!!! I experimented so many time. Some days I did that 3 times…..Crazy…
i tried 300 and 290 for 18 min/20min . i doubled the sheet pans not the paper . check how you beat the eggs..if they are too beaten and aren’t smooth and shiny the cookies will not come out
Hi Natasha,
I’m getting ready to make these today for my sisters birthday tomorrow But I do not have a scale or a food processor. Can I still make these and have them turn out just as good without these two items? Thanks for your help.
Diana
Hi Diana, everything I’ve read says you have to weigh the ingredients and the food processor is important to get a really fine almond flour mixture. If your almond flour is too coarse, the cookies won’t form properly or look smooth. I wish it weren’t the case, but these steps are important in macarons.
Dear Natasha. I have tried many times to make Macarons, but each time the result is the same. I do everything strictly according to your recipe. I do not know what happened ….. dough became exactly like yours. When I bake, they crack the top, burst inside remains moist and do not depart from the parchment paper. I bake at the same temperature, just like you. I have a gas stove. What is most interesting, my sister-in-low is doing well according to your recipe uses the same flour as me – it all turns out, and I do not. She has electric stove. Prompt, what is wrong. I’d like to learn how to do them. Thank you!!!
Hi Maria, my oven is an electric oven as well. You might google/research about baking macarons in a gas oven. It may be a simple temperature or baking time adjustment, or both, but without testing it myself, I can’t really give you advice on making macarons in a gas oven. Keep me posted on what you figure out! I suspect the oven is the culprit. You might also consider getting an oven thermometer to check the true temperature of your oven.
Zdravstvuite Natasha. Ea segodnea 2 raza probovala ih prigitiviti. S testom problem ne bilo – oba raza ono polucealosi odinakovo. Vipekala ea na silekonovom kovrike v protivne razmerom 15×21 inch. Reshetka duhovki staeala na srednem urovne. Pecenia ne prilipali k rukam!
1. Perviy raz ea vipekala pri temperature 285 F 15 minut. Posle togo, kak ih dostala s duhovki, ea ostavila ih ostivati preamo v protivne.
Moi nabliudenia – pecenia vse bili tselie….no sverhu dostatocino silino podrumeanenie iiii prakticeski vse ne smogli iloiti ot silikonovogo kovrika…..
2. Vtoroi raz ea vipekala pri temperature 275F 20 minut. Posle togo, kak ea ih dostala iz duhovki, ea reshila srazu otlepiti ih ot silikonovogo kovrika – prishlosi prilojito nemnogo usiliy s pomoshiu kuhonnogo noja.
Moi nabliudenia – pecenia sverhu vse bili tselie….no opeati tsvet pomenealsea. Vmesto belogo tsveta oni preobreli koricnevatiy ottenok, iiiiiprishlosi nojom it “otkovirivati” ot kovrika, poka oni eshe goreacie.
Cito mogu skazati….progres hoti i ciuti, no esti – pecenia uje ne treskaiutsea, no vse ravno ne ideal. Nado dobitisea togo, citob ih tsvet ne menealsea tak silino i, cito bi oni legko ostavali ot kovrika.
Eshe ea zametila, cito te pecenia, kotorie nahodilisi s samogo kraia pravoi i levoi storoni protivnea podrumeanilisi osobenno silino, cem seredina protivnea. U menea protiveni idet na vsiu shirinu duhovki.
Posovetuite pojaluista, kakoi varian mne eshe poprobovati. Budu jdati. Spasibo bolishoe!!!
Hi Maria, I’m having a really hard time reading through your comment. If you could post it in english, that would be very helpful! Are you using a gas oven? I don’t have a gas oven so I can’t really experiment that way.
Hi Natasha. I tried to bake them 2 times on the silicone mat and in gas oven. I do not have electric oven.
1. I Bake 15 minutes at 285F. Cookies are not cracked on top, but changed color and unstick from the pan. I gave them to cool in the pan.
2. I Bake 20 minutes at 275 Cookies also not cracked on top, but again changed color. I decided immediately unstick them from the silicone mat – it was necessary to make a little effort. But almost all were whole.
In both cases, they are not cracked, but changed the color and was difficult unstick them from the mat. Which another option should I try? Thank you!
Hi Maria, thank you for replying. I haven’t tested this in a gas oven so I can’t really say for sure about the temp and time but if they are changing color, that means they are baking either too long or at too high of heat. I have done some reading, and it is suggested that you preheat the oven for 30 minutes to allow the temperature to stabilize in a gas oven before putting the cookies in to bake. I would also suggest using a digital oven thermometer so you can see the real temperature of your oven. Gas ovens tend to vary in temperatures and unfortunately macarons are sensitive when the heat gets too high.
Hi Maria, make sure that macarons’ top is not sticky (form film) before putting them in the oven – during cold season it might take longer than 30 min. to form film. I have noticed that my macarons are always better in summer time, when the temperature in the house is warmer than in winter or fall.
Natasha! My dear Natasha! Your website desperately needs a Raffello Cake recipe! I keep checking and wishfully hoping that you will post the recipe one day! How much I wish I had a recipe for Valentine’s Day! Lol! This is my greatest request! Love your work and everything you do. Blessings.
Hi Oksana, I don’t have one of those yet and I haven another dessert coming before V-day but I won’t have a chance to get that out before V-Day. I’ll add it to my list.
These are just gorgeous! I love the little sprinkles you used on them as well. I’ve never tried making macarons before but now I really want to!
Thank you Shelby! hey are just as good as they look!! If you try the recipe, let me know what you think!
What a cute little treat! It is a perfect recipe for the Valentine’s Day, thanks for inspiration!
It is so cute AND delicious!! Let me know what you think if you decide to make the recipe!
These look irresistible! Is there a different filling that I can use without butter? Maybe cream cheese with lemon juice? Or heavy whip cream? Anything but butter lol.
Hi Natalie! Thank you for the compliment! I do think my cupcake frosting would work well, but you’ll want to cut it down at least in half or you’ll end up with alot of frosting 🙂
These look so delicious and so pretty!
Thank you so much for that nice compliment! 🙂
Thank you so much for the recipe! These are super good! I’ve tried to make those last night and my husband loved it!
I wonder how can i make a different buttercream that taste almost the same but without butter?
p.s. My only mistake was that i didn’t got rid of all the bubbles throughly, and my hears were not as perfect lol but for the first time i think its good enough:)
You’re awesome!!!
Thank you again!
Awesome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I you wanted a non-buttercream frosting, I do think my cupcake frosting would work well, but you’ll want to cut it down at least by half or more, otherwise it will be too much frosting 🙂
Perhaps cupcake frosting with raspberry or strawberry jam mixed in would be nice!
It does work well and I have tested it with raspberry jam but the color didn’t match the shells – it was a completely different kind of pink – almost a purplish color – so maybe strawberry would work better.
Natasha, these look sooo cute!! nice job!
cant wait to make these with my daughter.
Thank you Olga! You two will love them! Let me know what you think 🙂
I love your raspberry ones and I know I will love these! Thank you sooo much for making a new recipe! I asked in some other one. Look like my wish came true just in time for my birthday!
Perfect timing then hUh!?! Let me know what you think of these heart macarons!
The yummiest thing I have ate in my life! Totally the best! I have made others but they wernt as good. Totally a keeper!! I was thinking of putting the macaroons on lollipop sticks and giving them as gifts, what do you think?
Oh my goodness that would be cute!! I think it would work to sandwich a lollypop stick between the cookies inside the cream but the only way it would stay put is if you refrigerated them and served them chilled. The buttercream firms up when refrigerated and would hold the stick steady. I’m not sure the actual cookie is thick enough to contain a stick inside without falling apart. Let me know if you try it! I’m so glad you enjoyed the macarons! 🙂
Hi Natasha, a big thumbs up about your video great job on it!! These macarons look really good I want to try making these! And it does look fun!
Thank you Katya! They are SO good!
Hi Natasha! I absolutely love your cooking, I have done few of the recipes you posted. I have a question: is it possible to substitute almond flour to any other flour?
Hi Elena, I haven’t really tried using an all-purpose floor to advise. If you decide to do an experiment please let us know how it goes.