Mini Macarons

Ingredients

• 35 gsuperfine blanched almond flour
• 31 gpowdered sugar
• 30 gaged egg whites, about 1 large egg white
• a pinch, optionalcream of tartar
• 30 ggranulated sugar
• to taste, optionalpink gel food colouring
• 28 gunsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 gvanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• a pinchfine salt
• 60 gpowdered sugar
• 5 gheavy whipping cream, at room temperature

Instructions

1. 1

   Whip the whites

   Beat the 30 g of aged egg whites at medium speed until small bubbles cover the surface. Add a pinch of cream of tartar, if using, and continue beating until soft peaks form.

2. 2

   Make the meringue

   Add the 30 g granulated sugar and mix at medium speed for 30 seconds. Add pink gel colouring if you like, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy.

3. 3

   Fold the dry ingredients

   Sift the 35 g almond flour and 31 g powdered sugar into the meringue. Fold in a circular motion until the batter falls from the spatula in a thick ribbon.

4. 4

   Pipe the shells

   Transfer the batter to a small piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe 1.3 cm rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2.5 cm between them.

5. 5

   Release air bubbles

   Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter a few times. Use a toothpick to pop any bubbles that rise to the surface.

6. 6

   Rest and preheat

   Leave the piped shells for 15 minutes, or until a matte skin forms. While they rest, preheat the oven to 157°C.

7. 7

   Bake the shells

   Bake one tray at a time on the oven's middle rack for 12–14 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through for even baking.

8. 8

   Cool the shells

   Take the tray out of the oven and let the shells cool on it for about 10 minutes. Gently lift them from the mat.

9. 9

   Beat the butter

   Using a whisk attachment, beat the 28 g room-temperature butter at medium speed until smooth.

10. 10

    Add vanilla and salt

    Mix in the 2 g vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt on low speed.

11. 11

    Mix the buttercream

    Gradually mix in the 60 g powdered sugar and 5 g cream on low speed. Continue mixing for a couple of minutes, until fully combined and at the desired consistency.

12. 12

    Adjust the frosting

    If the frosting is too thick, add more cream or milk 2.5 ml at a time. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 teaspoon at a time.

13. 13

    Fill a piping bag

    Spoon the frosting into a small piping bag fitted with a small round tip and set it aside.

14. 14

    Sandwich the shells

    Match the shells into pairs. Pipe a small dollop of buttercream, or another frosting of your choice, onto one shell and gently press its partner on top.

15. 15

    Chill and serve

    Put the assembled macarons in an airtight container and chill them in the fridge overnight. Let them come to room temperature before serving.

What are mini macarons?

Macarons are French confections made from almond-based meringue shells, usually joined with a filling. This version keeps the familiar crisp outer shell and soft centre, but pipes the shells small for a dainty, bite-sized finish.

Almond flour and whipped egg whites give the shells their characteristic structure, while a simple vanilla buttercream provides a creamy contrast. Their small size also means careful piping and even baking matter.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 40 calories, 1g protein, 4g carbs, 2g fat.

The almond flour, powdered sugar and granulated sugar contribute most of the carbohydrates, while butter supplies much of the fat. Egg white contributes protein, with smaller amounts also coming from the almond flour. Pair a few macarons with fresh fruit or serve them after a meal with a protein-rich main for a more balanced plate.

The ingredients that matter

Almond flour: Fine, blanched flour helps create smooth shells. Sifting it with the powdered sugar breaks up lumps before folding.

Aged egg whites: The recipe uses 30 g, about one large egg white. Measure by weight for the amount specified, and whip until the foam develops the stages described in the method.

Buttercream: Room-temperature butter is easier to beat smoothly, and the small amount of cream helps bring the powdered sugar together into a pipeable filling.

Getting the meringue right

Soft peaks are the point to add the granulated sugar; after adding it, beat until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Gel colouring is optional and goes in before that final, faster beating.

Fold the sifted dry ingredients in gently, using a circular motion. Stop when the batter falls from the spatula in a thick ribbon, as specified, rather than continuing to mix once it reaches that stage.

Piping and resting

Small rounds: Pipe rounds about 1.3 cm across and leave roughly 2.5 cm between them. Keeping the size consistent helps the shells bake at the same rate.

Surface bubbles: Firmly tapping the trays helps release trapped air, and a toothpick can pop any bubbles that remain visible.

Skin: Rest the shells for 15 minutes, or until their surfaces look matte. This is the visual cue given in the recipe before baking.

Baking and doneness

Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack at 157°C for 12–14 minutes, turning the tray halfway through. Keep an eye on the shells as they approach the end of the stated baking time.

Let the shells cool on the tray for about 10 minutes before gently lifting them from the mat. Cooling first makes them easier to handle when you pair them for filling.

Filling and serving

Pipe a modest dollop of buttercream onto one shell, then press a matching shell gently on top to make a sandwich. Too much pressure can crack the delicate shells.

The assembled macarons chill overnight in an airtight container, then come back to room temperature before eating. Serve them on their own or alongside coffee or tea.

Recipe notes & tips

• Weigh the egg white and dry ingredients for more precise proportions.
• Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together before folding them into the meringue.
• Use the matte appearance of the rested shells as the cue that a skin has formed.
• Pipe evenly sized rounds so they bake at a similar rate.
• Rotate the tray halfway through baking, as directed, to help the shells bake evenly.
• Allow the shells to cool on the tray before lifting them from the mat.

Variations

• Pink shells: Add pink gel colouring to the meringue before beating it to stiff peaks.
• Different filling: Use another frosting of your choice in place of the vanilla buttercream.
• Vanilla paste: Choose vanilla bean paste instead of extract for the buttercream.
• Uncoloured shells: Leave out the optional gel colouring for plain almond shells.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding dry ingredients unsifted: Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar to break up lumps.
• Overmixing the batter: Stop folding when it falls from the spatula in a thick ribbon.
• Skipping the tray taps: Tap the sheets firmly and pop visible bubbles with a toothpick.
• Baking before a skin forms: Wait until the shells look matte after their 15-minute rest.
• Handling shells while hot: Cool them on the tray for about 10 minutes before removing.
• Pressing the sandwiches too firmly: Join the shells gently to avoid cracking them.

How to store

Keep the assembled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge, as directed, and chill overnight before serving. Let them return to room temperature before eating.

Frequently asked questions