Martha Stewart vanilla bean macarons made easy: she counts every fold stroke so you know when the batter flows like lava. Ground almonds, confectioners’ sugar, stiff meringue, and real vanilla bean seeds make crisp French cookies for holiday baking.
Almond shells get sandwiched with Swiss meringue buttercream for a cookie exchange, bridal shower, or tea party. The fold is everything: stop at 35 strokes, when the batter ribbons off the spatula.
Martha Stewart Vanilla Bean Macarons
Course: DessertCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Hard25
servings30
minutes26
minutes70
kcalThin, crackled shells with a light almond chew that give way to creamy vanilla buttercream in the center.
Ingredients
2/3 cup sliced blanched almonds (71 grams)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar (117 grams)
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar (53 grams)
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
1 drop copper gel-paste food coloring
2/3 cup Swiss meringue buttercream
Directions
- Grind the almonds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third. Place almonds in a food processor; process until as fine as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners’ sugar; process until combined, about 1 minute.
- Sift the mixture: Pass almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor; grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve.
- Beat the whites: Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 minutes more.
- Check for peaks: The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add vanilla bean seeds and food coloring, and beat on highest speed 30 seconds.
- Fold the batter: Add dry ingredients all at once. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.
- Fill the piping bag: Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.
- Pipe the rounds: With piping tip 1/2 inch above sheet, pipe batter into a 3/4-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.
- Bake and fill: Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 minutes. Let cool. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
FAQs
Can I use almond flour instead of grinding whole almonds?
Yes, but use a very fine almond flour like Bob’s Red Mill superfine, not almond meal. You still need to sift it with the confectioners’ sugar and discard anything coarse. Pre-ground flour saves about 5 minutes, though grinding your own blanched almonds gives you more control over how fine the texture gets.
How long do homemade vanilla bean macarons last?
Martha’s note says these taste best after 3 to 5 days in the fridge, when the buttercream softens the shells to that classic chewy center. They keep up to a week in an airtight container. You can also freeze assembled macarons for up to 3 months and thaw them at room temperature in about 20 minutes.
What causes hollow macaron shells?
Overmixing past the lava stage is the most common cause, since the meringue collapses and the shells puff up with no structure inside. Count your folds: the recipe says 35 to 40 strokes, and stopping at the right moment is the difference between chewy and hollow. If the batter runs off the spatula in a thin stream, you have already gone too far.
What can I use instead of Swiss meringue buttercream for the filling?
Ganache works well, especially a dark or white chocolate ganache flavored with vanilla. A simple American buttercream made with butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and a splash of cream is faster, though it will taste sweeter. Use about 1 teaspoon of filling per macaron sandwich to keep the ratio balanced.
Why do my macarons crack on top during baking?
Cracking usually means trapped air bubbles expanded too fast in the oven. Tap each sheet firmly against the counter 2 or 3 times after piping, then pop any visible bubbles with a toothpick before baking. Baking at 350 degrees in the lower third of the oven, as the recipe specifies, also matters because too high a rack exposes the tops to direct heat.
