Almond Meal Macarons (French Method)
The coarser, unblanched almond meal you probably already have in the pantry stands in for the finely milled blanched almond flour most macaron recipes call for — that’s the swap behind these almond meal macarons. The shells come out a shade darker and slightly more rustic-looking than the glassy, pastel kind from a French bakery window, but the technique — and the crisp shell over a chewy center — is the same.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) almond meal
- 1 3/4 cups (200g) powdered sugar
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature (ideally aged uncovered in the fridge overnight)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- Gel food coloring (optional)
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened, for the filling
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for the filling
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, for the filling
Instructions
- Sift the almond meal and 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar together into a bowl, twice, discarding any coarse bits that won’t pass through the sieve.
- In a clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue whipping to stiff, glossy peaks.
- Add gel food coloring if using, and whip briefly just to combine.
- Fold the almond meal mixture into the meringue in three additions (this is the macaronage step) until the batter flows off the spatula in a slow, thick ribbon and the ribbon disappears back into the batter within about 20 seconds.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe 1.5-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about an inch apart.
- Tap each tray firmly against the counter 4-5 times to release trapped air bubbles, then let the shells rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, until a skin forms and they no longer stick to a light touch.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 14-16 minutes, one tray at a time, until the shells have risen on “feet” and don’t wobble when nudged. Cool completely on the tray.
- Beat the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth for the filling, then pipe or spread onto half the shells and sandwich with the remaining shells.
Why This Works
A true macaron shell depends on a stable meringue that can support the weight of the almond and sugar mixture without collapsing, which is why room-temperature (or aged) egg whites and a careful macaronage step matter more here than in most cookie recipes. Undermixing leaves lumpy, uneven shells; overmixing deflates the meringue and the shells spread flat.
Tips for the Best Almond Meal Macarons
Weigh the almond meal and sugar rather than measuring by cup if you have a kitchen scale — macarons are sensitive enough to ratio that small measuring differences show up in the final shells. If your almond meal is coarser than almond flour, pulse it briefly in a food processor with the powdered sugar before sifting, which helps break up larger pieces.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping the resting step is the most common reason shells crack in the oven — that skin needs to fully form before baking so steam escapes upward through the “feet” instead of through the top. Opening the oven door partway through baking can also cause cracking from the temperature swing, so resist checking until close to the minimum bake time. If shells come out hollow, the meringue was likely slightly undermixed or the oven ran a bit cool.
Storage
Filled almond meal macarons actually improve after resting in the refrigerator for 24 hours, which lets the filling soften the shells slightly for the classic chewy center. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze unfilled shells for up to a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use almond flour instead of almond meal? Yes — finely milled blanched almond flour is what most macaron recipes actually call for, and it will give you a smoother, paler shell. This recipe is written for almond meal specifically because that’s what many home bakers already have on hand.
Why did my macaron shells come out cracked? For almond meal macarons, cracking is almost always a resting-time or oven-temperature issue. Make sure the piped shells rest until they’re dry to a light touch before they go in the oven, and check that your oven temperature is accurate with a separate oven thermometer.
Do I really need to age the egg whites? It helps but isn’t strictly required. Aging (letting egg whites sit uncovered in the fridge for a day) evaporates a little moisture and makes the meringue slightly more stable, but plenty of home bakers get good results with fresh, room-temperature whites too.
