French Almond Macarons

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
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Updated on 05/13/20
Almond macaron with cream and passion fruit
Philippe Desnerck/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 32 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
214 Calories
9g Fat
31g Carbs
5g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 214
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 15mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Protein 5g
Calcium 47mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This almond macaron recipe is a classic little biscuit, hugely popular in France. This biscuit, however, should not be confused with the French macaron,​ as the two are very different.

This almond macarons recipe is the most basic version of the classic biscuit. Crisp on the outside, and chewy-moist on the interior, these treats need no filling to be absolutely delicious as the melting middle from the almonds is sufficient. 

Cook’s note: Add a little flavor and flair to these macaroons with a few drops of food coloring and your favorite flavoring.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blanched almonds
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 egg whites, beaten lightly
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat an oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and very lightly grease with a little butter.

  2. Combine the almonds, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla extract in a food processor and pulse the mixture until it has taken on the texture of a very coarse paste. Turn the food processor on high speed and blend the paste for 2 minutes, until it is very smooth and thick.

  3. Spoon the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe the batter into uniform, 1-inch mounds on the parchment-lined baking sheet. You can draw a template onto the parchment paper if you want the biscuits to be precise, however, home-made biscuits do not want to look like they are made from a machine. 

  4. Allow the batter to rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

  5. Bake the macaroons for 12 minutes. Remove the hot macaroons to a wire rack and cool to room temperature and dust with the confectioners’ sugar before serving.

  6. The biscuits are best eaten as soon as possible if you have to store them place into an airtight box. 

This French macaroons recipe makes eight servings.

What is a Classic French Macaron?

The Larousse Gastronomique sited French origins for the almond macaron way back in 751 when they were made in a French abbey in Cormery. The macaron, more as we know it today, dates back to the 16th century when they were brought to France by Catherine de’ Medici when she married Henry II in 1533.

The correct name for the biscuit is a Macaron (mah-kah-ron) and originates back to the Italian roots, for maccherone or macaroni. In France, they are known only as Macarons; it is outside France where there is confusion as there are biscuits made with egg white and coconut known as macaroons.