Who’s ready to make some delicious strawberry cheesecake macarons? This strawberry macarons recipe is made using the Swiss method. My easy macarons recipe is the perfect macarons for beginners! You’re left with an airy and chewy shell with a delicate strawberry macaron filling. How to make macarons tips and detailed steps are included!
About Macarons
There are three different types of macaron recipes: French, Italian and Swiss. The meringue is what varies from method to method. This strawberry macarons recipe is for the Swiss Style macarons.
Swiss Macarons Recipes
This is the least common route, but is easier to master than the French or Italian style. The egg whites and sugar and heated together over a double broiler.
French Macarons Recipes
Most popular method. The egg whites are whipped with sugar until stiff peaks appear. French macarons tend to be flatter, less sweet and chewier with a hint of almond flavoring due to the use of almond flour. It’s also the hardest method due to the instability of the meringue.
Italian Macarons Recipes
Boiled sugar syrup is poured directly into the egg whites, cooking them as they make contact and are whipped. This style is popular at the bakery level due to the final stability of the meringue.
Macaron Ingredients
There aren’t a ton of ingredients required for these strawberry cheesecake macarons, but a few ingredients do need to be highly specific. For the full list, check out the recipe card below.
Egg Whites – note, the recipe calls for measuring egg whites by weight not count.
Almond Flour – stick to superfine almond flour for this recipe.
Powdered Sugar – stick with a brand that uses cornstarch. This is the ideal anti-caking agent for macarons.
Gel Food Coloring – do not use liquid food coloring. Go without any food coloring if you only have liquid on hand. It will throw off the batter and it won’t puff properly. Macarons do fade when cooked, so go a bit darker to land at the perfect color you’re aiming for.
How To Make Strawberry Macarons
Are macarons hard to make? They absolutely can be. They’re finicky and demand close to perfection. As such, I’m giving a bit more “in depth” details than you usually find here on FoodieandWine.com. Skip ahead to the recipe card if you’ve already mastered the art of the macarons.
Tips For Step #4
Once you’ve beaten the egg and sugar mixture with the stand mixture, until stiff peaks form, this is what the filling should look like.
Tips For Step #5
Sift your dry ingredients! You do not want grainy or uneven shells.
Tips For Step #5
As detailed above, you MUST use gel food coloring. Go 1-2 shades darker than you want the final product, as the shells fade when baked. I used 1/4 tsp. of the pink neon to get the final color.
Tips For Step #8
Newbies may find it useful to use a slipmat already marked with circle guides to ensure uniform shells.
Tips for Step #1 (Filling Section)
Place the macarons in similar sized pairs BEFORE you add the filling to ensure you have matching sets!
How Do You Add Flavor to Macarons?
The best thing about Macarons is their flexibility. Don’t care for our strawberry and cream cheese filling? Mix it up! But you gotta know what you’re doing first.
There are two ways to add flavor to a macaron – by adding a flavorful element to the shell and/or by adding flavor to the filling, such as with Strawberry Compote.
Adding flavoring to the shell can be difficult. The balance will be thrown off by too much liquid or if too much dry ingredients are added, the shell won’t puff up. The best way to incorporate flavor into the shell is by adding a hint of dry elements – think lemon zests, freeze-dried fruit or even a bit of ground nuts. Even adding flavored powder would work.
The interior is where a ton of flavor additions can be made. Think jams, jellies, extracts, etc. We’ve had success with thick lemon curd (results will vary by brand), cookie butter and extracts. We’re sticking with a classic Strawberry cheesecake filling for our easy Macarons Recipe.
Can I Make Macarons In Advance?
Finished macarons can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Shells – The shells can be made up to 3 days in advance, when kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You will need to separate the shells with parchment paper for them to keep their shape.
Filling – the filling can be made up to 1 day in advance, when kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You will need to bring the filling to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Recipe Tips and Troubleshooting:
This is one of those times where you need to dust off your food scale. Macarons have a very little margin for error, hence the use of weights in this recipe. If you don’t have one, grab an inexpensive one on Online first.
The surface of the cookie should be very smooth while the inside of the shell is a bit chewy and light. Use a toothpick to break up any air bubbles that may form on the shell before baking.
To maximize the flavor of the cookie, experts recommend keeping the final cookies in the fridge for at least 24 hours. It’s not required, but if you’re a macaron connoisseur, this is the way to go.
If your macarons are sticking to the paper, it means they’re not done baking. Let them continue baking for another 3-4 minutes and re-test to see if they’re ready to “slide” off.
Oven temps are oftentimes off. I highly recommend using an oven thermometer to make sure it truly is the right temperature called for below. If the temperature is too high you may be left with cracked, brown or hollowed out shells. Too low and they won’t bake properly.
Are your macarons missing their feet…AKA the little ridges at the bottom of the cookie? More than likely they weren’t left of the counter long enough to dry out and stick to the parchment paper.
Are your cookies cracking? More than likely they weren’t left on the counter long enough to dry out (don’t rush this step!) or they’re over baked. Weather DOES play a huge roll unfortunately. If you live in a very humid environment you will probably see more issues than those in a drier climate.
Are Macarons Gluten Free? This is very common question so felt the need to let y’all know – yes!! As these gluten free macarons are made with almond flour, they are naturally gluten free! No edits required.
How to Store Macarons
Store macarons in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Macaron shells can stay in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. After this time the quality and flavor start to suffer.
What Wine Pairs With Macarons
Wine- Champagne, Moscato, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
Cocktails- French 75
I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a recipe rating, snap a pic and use the hashtag #foodieandwine, after you’ve made the recipe, and post to social media!
Ingredients
COOKIE SHELL:
- 90 grams Egg White
- 90 grams Granulated Sugar
- 95 grams Powdered Sugar
- 95 grams Superfine Almond Flour
- Gel Food Coloring, Optional
FILLING:
- 40 grams Whipped Cream Cheese
- 40 grams Powdered Sugar
- 1 gram Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Strawberry Jam
Instructions
MAKE THE SHELL:
- Line two large baking sheet pans with silpat mats or parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a small round tip (Recommendation: Wilton #10).
- Set a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl isn’t touching the water.
- Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl. Whisk constantly until the sugar has fully dissolved (approx. 3-4 minutes). Transfer the egg white mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Beat the egg whites on medium-high speed (Kitchenaid #8) until stiff peaks form.
- Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour into the beaten egg whites. Fold the mixture gently to incorporate the dry ingredients into the egg whites. (See Note 3 for proper folding technique). When half of the dry ingredients have been incorporated, add the food coloring, if using, and continue folding.
- Gently deflate the meringue by smashing it against the sides of the bowl and folding it back together. Repeat the smashing process 3-4 times and then test the meringue to see if it’s at the “figure 8 stage”. If you can draw an 8 with the batter while it flows smoothly, it’s ready. If the meringue falls off in clumps or breaks during the “8”, smush it 1-2 more times and fold it back together. Then repeat the figure 8 test.
- When the batter flows smoothly, transfer the mixture to the piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Pipe 1.5” circles about 2” apart on the silpat lined baking sheet. Make sure to hold the piping bag perpendicular to the baking sheet so you don’t end up with uneven macarons.
- Immediately after you’ve finished piping the tray, hold it 6” off the counter and drop it straight down to release any air bubbles. Repeat the dropping process 5-6 times, or until it looks like any large air bubbles have popped.
- Set the baking sheet aside to rest for 20-25 minutes, or until the macarons have developed a skin. The macarons are ready to bake when they can be gently touched without sticking to your finger.
- While the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 325F (see notes). Bake the macarons one tray at a time for 14-16 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through baking. The macarons are finished when they peel easily off the silpat.
- Allow the macarons to cool on the tray. Once they are fully cooled, they can be filled and aged.
MAKE THE FILLING & AGE THE MACARONS
- In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag.
- Place the macarons in similar sized pairs. Pipe a ring of cream cheese icing around the center of one shell. Fill the inside with strawberry jam and then place the second shell on top, pressing down lightly until the filling touches the edges. Repeat with the remaining macarons.
- (Optional) Place the macarons in an airtight container in the fridge to rest overnight. Bring the macarons to room temperature before serving. Store in an airtight container.
