Raspberry Macarons

With a raspberry cream filling and delicate crisp outer shell, these Raspberry Macarons are surprisingly easy to make. The recipe requires just 7 ingredients and a bit of patience. If you've never made French macarons before, this is a great recipe to start with!

See below the recipe card for step-by-step images.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Rest and Chill12 30

Total Time13 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: French macarons, macarons recipe, raspberry macaron recipe

Servings: cookies

Ingredients

For the Shell

90 grams egg whites
90 grams granulated sugar
95 grams powdered sugar
95 grams almond flour
5 grams freeze dried raspberry powder*

For the Raspberry Filling

20 grams cream cheese softened, whipped or block
35 grams raspberry jam or preserves
40 grams powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Shell

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
Place a small saucepan of water over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a simmer. Combine the egg whites and granulated sugar in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and set it over the simmering water.
Whisk the egg whites and granulated sugar together until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed (Kitchenaid #6-8) for 4-5 minutes, or until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
Use a fine mesh sieve to sift the powdered sugar and almond flour into the egg whites.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites by making a J shape while you mix. Make sure not to deflate the egg whites too much at this point.
When all of the dry ingredients have been fully mixed, smush the batter against the sides of the bowl and fold it back together. Repeat the smush-and-fold process 4-5 more times. Again, make sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl so you don’t end up with lopsided macarons.
The meringue is ready when you can draw a figure 8 without the stream breaking. If the mixture falls off in clumps, it’s not ready—give it a few more smush-and-folds before testing again.
When the mixture flows smoothly (some people say, “like lava”), transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (I like a Wilton #10-12).
Pipe 1.5” macarons onto the tray—make sure to leave about 2 inches in between each one. Holding the piping bag perpendicular to the tray will ensure you have even and round macarons.**
Once you’ve finished piping the first tray, hold it 6-8” off the counter and drop it straight down to release any air bubbles. Repeat 4-5 times, or until it looks like any large air bubbles have popped. Repeat the piping process with the second tray.
Set the macarons aside to dry for 25-30 minutes, or until they have developed a skin. The macarons are ready to bake when you can touch them gently without them sticking to your finger.
While the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 325°F. The proper temperature is critical. I recommend an oven thermometer for this.
Bake the dried macarons one tray at a time for 14 minutes, turning the tray halfway through baking.
Remove the macarons from the oven and immediately sprinkle them with the freeze dried raspberry powder.
Allow the macarons to cool fully on the tray. (Trying to remove the macarons while they are still warm may result in sticking.)

For the Filling

Whisk the cream cheese and raspberry jam together in a medium-sized bowl until they are fully incorporated and smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip.

Assemble the Macarons

Place the macarons in similar sized pairs and add a small dollop of filling to one of the macarons.
Place the second macaron on top and press them together gently—just until the filling reaches the edges. Repeat with the remaining macarons.
Place the macarons in an airtight container and transfer them to the refrigerator to age overnight. (This will help soften the macaron shells and give them the perfect chewiness.)
Bring the macarons to room temperature and enjoy.

Video

Notes

*You can find freeze dried raspberries with dried fruit and nuts in most grocery stores. I make the powder by pulsing the raspberries in the food processor until they are a fine powder.

**Holding the piping bag perpendicular to the tray will ensure you have even and round macarons. You can also draw equal circles on the parchment paper or buy a special macaron silicone mat that is made for making macarons with the circles spaced out.

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