These light, sweet vanilla macarons have a crisp shell and soft, chewy centre — filled with a creamy vanilla buttercream.
What You’ll Need to make vanilla macarons
For the shells:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 egg whites (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Optional: gel food colouring
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk or cream
- A pinch of salt
How to Make these easy vanilla macarons
1. Get Ready
- Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Sift together almond flour and powdered sugar, then set aside.
2. Whip the Egg Whites
- Beat egg whites until foamy.
- Slowly add the white sugar while mixing.
- Keep beating until stiff peaks form (it should look glossy).
- Add vanilla and food colouring if using.
3. Mix It All Together
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites.
- Keep folding until the batter flows like thick lava. (Test: It should fall off the spoon in ribbons and settle in about 10 seconds.)
4. Pipe the Shells
- Spoon the batter into a piping bag and pipe small circles (about 1.5 inches wide) onto your trays.
- Tap the trays on the counter to pop air bubbles.
- Let them sit for 30–60 minutes until the tops are dry to the touch.
5. Bake
- Bake at 150°C for 14–16 minutes.
- Let them cool completely before removing.
6. Make the Filling
- Beat butter until soft.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt.
- Mix until smooth and fluffy.
7. Put Them Together
- Match up similar-sized shells.
- Pipe buttercream onto one, then sandwich with another.
- For best flavour, chill in the fridge for a day before eating.
