Strawberry Macarons – An easy macaron recipe! Classic macaron shells filled with a strawberry buttercream. This is a classic French dessert that tastes incredible!
Strawberry Macarons
I love macarons. Whether they are my ever popular lemon lavender macarons or new favorites like blood orange macarons, they are always such a wonderful treat. With it being strawberry season, I knew that I just had to make a batch of strawberry macarons with a bit of my homemade strawberry jam. These macarons are made with classic shells and filled with a strawberry buttercream made with strawberry jam.
These macarons are perfect for spring parties, Easter, or just as a special dessert. I like to decorate them with a drizzle of white chocolate and some fun pink sprinkles but it’s totally up to you how you want to decorate them.
Now we all know that macarons are not the easiest dessert to make so to help you get through the process smoothly, I have pictures in the recipe card down below of the major steps so that you know that you are on the right track. Just take a deep breath, you’ve got this!
Common Questions About Making Strawberry Macarons
Why did my macaron shells crack?
Don’t forget to let the shells dry out for 20-30 minutes before baking them! This step is necessary to help prevent cracking.
What is the difference between a macaroon and a macaron?
Macaroons are a coconut based cookie while macarons are an almond flour and meringue based dessert that typically has a frosting filling in the middle of two macarons, like a cookie sandwich.
Are macarons hard to make?
Macarons are a difficult dessert to master but if you closely follow the instructions and are careful, they can be wonderfully rewarding to make!
What other types of macarons can I make?
Some of my personal favorite macarons include –
- Lavender Lemon Macarons
- Chai Macarons
- Earl Grey Macarons
- Blood Orange Macarons
- Lemon Macarons
- Tiramisu Macarons
What do I need to make macarons?
So you can get as fancy or as basic as you want with your macaron supplies. I suggest having these items –
- Silicon mat or parchment paper – One of these are a must if you don’t want your macarons to get stuck to a pan and either will work perfectly fine. I usually use a plain silicon mat without any of the circles specifically for macarons because that’s just what I have but parchment paper will work well too. If you are new to making macarons and you want a guide, you can always draw circles that are 1.5″ across on parchment paper and place that right under your silicon mat so that you get the size right. Totally optional, I used to do it and it was helpful.
- Piping bags – These are a few dollars to pick up but I think they are super helpful for a wide variety of baked goods and decorating. Any type will do, just make sure that they are decently sized so that you can just put all of the frosting or batter in without having to refill it (because that just makes a mess). Worst case, use a gallon sized ziploc bag.
- Piping tips – So when I make macarons, I use a Wilton 2A or #10 as they are both pretty basic round tips that are about the same size across. I really suggest that you get one of those from your local craft or grocery store, they are a few dollars. Worst case, snip the end of a ziploc or piping bag so that there is a 3/8″ hole on one corner. For the filling, use any piping tip you want.
Do you need almond flour to make macarons?
Yes, almond flour is the key ingredient in a macaron. While some recipes use alternative flours instead of almond flour, it can be tricky to get right with how finicky macarons can be.
Do you eat macarons cold?
Yes, macarons should be stored in a refrigerator and only removed immediately before serving to keep them at their best.
Can I use homemade strawberry jam?
Yes! Either store bought or homemade will work, I like to use THIS homemade strawberry jam recipe
Can I make these macarons with any other jams?
Of course! Some that would work well would be –
What else can I make with strawberries?
So many great things! Some of my favorites include –
- Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies
- Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes
- Strawberry Milkshake
- Strawberry Cake Truffles
- Strawberry White Hot Chocolate
- Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino
Strawberry Macarons
Strawberry Macarons – An easy macaron recipe! Classic macaron shells filled with a strawberry buttercream. This is a classic French dessert that tastes incredible!
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 90 grams egg whites *(see notes for imperial measurements)
- 90 grams granulated sugar
- 95 grams powdered sugar
- 95 grams almond flour
Filling
- 1 stick butter (softened)
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam or preserves
Instructions
For the Shells
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
- Heat a small pot of simmering water over medium-low heat. Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to a heatproof bowl and set it over the simmering water.
- Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved - about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the powdered sugar and almond flour into the egg white mixture. Discard any large lumps - don't force them through the sieve.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites, making sure not to deflate them too much.
- Once all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated, continue to fold the meringue but this time, gently smush the batter against the sides of the bowl before folding it back together.
- Continue to smush and fold the meringue a few times before testing to see if it has reached the Figure 8 stage. If you can draw a figure 8 with the meringue without the stream breaking, it's ready to pipe.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (I like a Wilton 2A or #10). Pipe 1" macaron shells onto the tray, making sure to pipe them at least 2" apart. Once you've finished piping the first try, hold it a few inches off the counter and drop it straight down. Drop the tray another 5-6 times, or until it looks like any large air bubbles have popped. Repeat with the second tray.
- Set the trays aside to rest for 25 minutes. They're ready to bake when you can touch them gently without the meringue sticking to your finger.
- While the macarons rest, preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Bake the macarons, one tray at a time, for 13 minutes. Make sure to turn the tray halfway through baking so the feet rise evenly.
- Allow the macarons to cool to room temperature before trying to remove them from the pan.
For the Filling
- Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until it becomes airy. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar slowly followed by the strawberry jam. If the filling is too dry, add a tablespoon of milk or cream.
- Turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the buttercream becomes light and fluffy - about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and set aside until ready to rise.
Assemble and Age
- Place the macarons in similar sized pairs. Pipe a small dollop of filling onto one of the macaron shells and place another shell on top. Press down gently, just until the filling reaches the edges.
- (Optional) Decorate with a drizzle of white chocolate and sprinkles.
- Transfer the macarons to an airtight container and place them in the fridge to age overnight. Bring to room temperature before enjoying.
Notes
* Don't have a kitchen scale? Don't worry, I translated the metric measurements to the imperial system (i.e. cups, tablespoons, etc).
- Egg whites - Just a touch over 1/3 cup (fluid measurement)
- Granulated sugar - Just under 1/2 cup (dry)
- Powdered sugar - 3/4 cup (dry)
- Almond flour - 1 cup
I've tested the recipe using these exact measurements and found that it worked perfectly. Obviously, it's ideal if you have a kitchen scale but this will work.
* Aging the macarons overnight is not necessary but it does help bring out the flavors.
* Piping around the edge of the macarons and then filling the center with strawberry jam or white chocolate sauce is really good!
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