How to make French buttercream macarons

Looking for a perfect French buttercream macaron recipe that’s easy, delicious, and guaranteed to impress? Whether you’re new to macaron baking or looking to improve your technique, this complete guide will walk you through how to make French macarons filled with rich, creamy buttercream, including tips, tricks, and troubleshooting for best results.

What Are French Buttercream Macarons?

French macarons are delicate almond meringue cookies with crisp exteriors and chewy centers. They’re often filled with a variety of creams or ganache, but one of the most luxurious and flavorful fillings is French buttercream a silky, custard-like frosting made from egg yolks, hot sugar syrup, and butter.

Why French Buttercream Is the Best Filling for Macarons?

• When compared to Swiss or American buttercream, French buttercream stands out for these reasons:
• Ultra-smooth texture that melts in your mouth.
• Less sugary and more buttery, perfect for pairing with sweet macaron shells.
• Easily customizable with chocolate, fruit, coffee, or caramel flavors.
• Ideal consistency for piping and filling delicate shells.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Macaron Shells:

• 100g almond flour (finely ground)
• 100g powdered sugar
• 75g egg whites (aged at room temperature)
• 75g granulated sugar
• Gel food coloring (optional)

French Buttercream:

• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or flavor of your choice)
• A pinch of salt

How to Make French Buttercream Macarons (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Prepare Macaron Shells

1. Sift almond flour & powdered sugar
   Sift together 100g almond flour and 100g powdered sugar at least twice to remove clumps.
2. Make a stiff meringue
   Whip 75g aged egg whites until foamy. Slowly add 75g granulated sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
3. Macaronage (folding)
   Gently fold the dry mixture into the meringue. The batter should flow slowly and form a ribbon when dropped from a spatula.
4. Pipe and rest
   Pipe 1.5-inch circles onto a baking tray lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Tap the tray to remove air bubbles and let them rest for 30–60 minutes until dry to the touch.
5. Bake the shells
   Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 12–14 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from tray.

Step 2: Make French Buttercream

1. Heat sugar syrup
   In a saucepan, heat ½ cup sugar with 2 tbsp water over medium heat until it reaches 240°F (115°C) (soft ball stage).
2. Whisk egg yolks
   While heating the syrup, whip 4 egg yolks until thick and pale. Slowly drizzle in the hot syrup while mixing on low, then beat on high until cool and fluffy.
3. Add butter
   Gradually add 1 cup softened butter, one piece at a time. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt.

Step 3: Assemble the Macarons

• Pair similar sized shells.
• Pipe a small amount of buttercream onto one shell.
• Gently press a matching shell on top.
• Refrigerate for 12–24 hours to let flavors mature.

Flavor Ideas for French Buttercream Macarons

• Vanilla Bean Buttercream
• Chocolate French Buttercream
• Espresso Buttercream
• Raspberry or Strawberry Puree Buttercream
• Salted Caramel Buttercream
• You can also add citrus zest, extracts, or even matcha powder for a unique twist.

Troubleshooting French Macarons

Final Thoughts

Making French buttercream macarons at home is easier than it seems. With this step by step recipe, pro tips, and troubleshooting help, you’ll be on your way to baking bakery quality macarons with rich, creamy fillings. Whether it’s for a party, gift, or sweet indulgence you’ve got the recipe that works.

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French Buttercream Macarons

Recipe by Erick RolfsanCuisine: Dessert, FrenchDifficulty: Difficult

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

400

kcal

Ingredients

• Buttercream Filling

• 2 Cups confectioners’ sugar

• 6 oz Raspberries

• 1 Tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 Tsp. coconut extract (optional)

• 2 Tablespoons coconut milk

• 2 sticks salted butter, softened

• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

• Macarons

• 1 3/4 Cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1 1/4 Cups almond flour

• 1/4 Cup coconut flour

• 2/3 Cup egg whites

• 3 T granulated sugar

• 1-3 drops red or pink food coloring (optional)

Directions

• For the Macarons
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F using the convection setting. Line 3 baking sheets with silicone mats. Measure the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour by spooning them into measuring cups and leveling with a knife. Transfer to a bowl; whisk to combine.
• Sift the sugar-almond flour mixture, a little at a time, through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing with a rubber spatula to pass through as much as possible. It will take a while, and up to 2 tablespoons of coarse almond flour may be left; just toss it
• Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium high; gradually add the superfine sugar and beat until stiff and shiny, about 5 more minutes.
• Bake the first batch until the cookies are shiny and rise 1/8 inch to form a “foot,” about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat, using a double sheet for each batch. Peel the cookies off the mats and sandwich with a thin layer of filling (see below).
• For the Filling
• Tint the batter with 2 drops neon pink gel food coloring; flavor with almond extract. Fill with seedless raspberry jam (you’ll need about 3/4 cup).
• Use a clean piping bag to pipe the filling on top of the bottom cookie. Now place another cookie on top. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.