Strawberry Macarons. French Method

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French macarons are delicate cookies that are often difficult to master. But, not with this recipe. These strawberry macarons are filled with strawberry jam and Swiss meringue buttercream. With my tips and troubleshooting, you got this!

A white plate with Strawberry French macarons. — Strawberry French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

Strawberry macarons will always have a special place in my heart—they were the very first macarons I ever tried baking. I was a teenager, curious (and maybe a little overconfident), but somehow… they turned out perfect on the first try. The shells had feet, the filling was delicious, and I made a few fun variations just to show off. I felt on top of the world.

But then life happened. I moved overseas, got busy, and didn’t bake macarons for years. Fast forward to my next attempt—disaster. Cracked shells, hollow insides, sticky bottoms—you name it, I messed it up. I dove deep into macaron blogs and tutorials, but the more I read, the worse things got.

That’s when I decided to stop overthinking and start experimenting. I stripped it all down and went back to trial and error. I made a lot of “learning batches” (and yes, a few failures), but every flop taught me something. A few tweaks, a couple stubborn sessions in the kitchen, and finally… success!

Now, my strawberry macarons are even better than my beginner’s luck batch—and I actually know how I got there this time.

Why is this the best recipe?

Balanced Flavors: The recipe combines the delicate almond flavor of the macaron shells with the sweet and fruity flavors of strawberry jam and buttercream, creating a perfectly balanced taste experience.
Texture: The macaron shells are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, while the buttercream and jam add a creamy and smooth texture to the filling, providing a delightful contrast.
Aesthetic Appeal: The pink color of the macaron shells, combined with the beautiful swirls of the buttercream and jam, creates a visually stunning treat that is perfect for special occasions or as a gift. I’ve used Strawberry filling, but you can use cream cheese filling or white chocolate too.
Versatility: This recipe can be easily customized by using different flavors of jam or extract to suit your preferences. You can also experiment with different food coloring to create a variety of colored macarons.

A white plate with French Strawberry Macarons — French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

Ingredients and substitutes

Egg whites – Always use egg whites by weight not measure. This is very important. Also, you can use fresh eggs but make sure they are at room temperature.
Almond meal – Whether you buy or make it yourself, ensure it’s finely ground and sifted. If you make it yourself use blanched almonds along with some of the powdered sugar from the recipe to prevent the almond flour from becoming too greasy.
Sugar – Use a fine grain sugar so it dissolves easily in the meringue.
Cream of tartar – prevents the separation of protein and water in the whites. It’s also flavorless, so it does not affect the flavor of your baked goods. The best substitute for cream of tartar is a pinch of salt, but lemon juice and vinegar are often used.
Extract – Always use an extract that’s not oil-based. If you are not sure, don’t add any extract at all. But do not use any oil-based extract in your whipped egg whites.
Food colors – Use gel food colors, not water-based colors. Water-based colors will change the consistency of your macaron mixture. Powdered colors actually work best with macarons but gel colors are easier to find.

Ingredients to make French Macarons. — Ingredients French Macarons

Step-by-step: French Strawberry Macarons

Macaron shells

Dry ingredients – Place almond meal and powdered sugar in a food processor. Sift it through a fine-mesh sieve and discard any remains that do not go thru. However, if you have a lot in the sifter – pulse some more and strain again.

Progress pictures collage making dry ingredients for macarons. — Easy French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

Whip egg whites – Place the egg whites with cream of tartar in a grease-free bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Start whisking on medium speed.
Sugar – After a minute start adding the granulated sugar one spoon at a time. Once all the sugar has been added, continue to whip on medium-high until stiff peaks.
Color – Add flavor extract and pink gel food coloring. Combine well.
Pro tip – it is important to use gel-based food coloring as water-based colors will thin the macaron batter causing the shells to spread thinly.

Progress pictures collage whipping the egg whites to still peaks. — PP French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

Fold in – Next, fold the almond mixture into the whipped egg whites in three batches.
Macronage – Continue to fold the mixture until you have a dropping consistency or the mixture falls in a figure 8 ribbon.
My method – Spread the mixture around in the bowl with a spatula then bring it back to the center. Do it again and again until you have the right consistency.

Progress pictures combine dry ingredients and macronage. — French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

Pipe – Transfer batter into a piping bag with a round tip (No.12). Pipe similar size macarons onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and a macaron template.
Pro tip– templates ensure all shells are similar in size. This is helpful when we make the finished macarons. You can print free templates found on google or make your own with a cookie cutter.
Air pockets – Tap the baking tray on the counter several times to remove any air bubbles or air pockets.
Pro tip – Tapping helps the air pockets rise to the top and release. That way you won’t have big holes in your shells. If necessary use a toothpick to pop these air bubbles.

Progress pictures piping and baking the macaron shells. — PP French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

Dry – Leave the baking sheets with macaron shells on the counter in a cool dry place for about 30 to 40 minutes until it forms a skin on the top. If you touch the shell it should not stick to your finger.
Pro tip – In places, with high humidity, this can take up to 60 minutes. As long as it does not stick to your finger when you touch it – you are good to go.
Oven – Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F / Gas Mark 2.
Bake the macarons for 12 to 15 minutes depending on your oven.
Pro tip – some ovens can take up to 18 minutes. The tops will look set but the bottom should not be wet. The top shell should be shiny and the bottom crusty also called macaron feet.
Cool on the baking tray for at least 10 minutes before you remove and transfer them to a cooling rack.
Pro tip – trying to remove the macarons from the hot tray can cause the tops to separate from the bottom feet. Once you let them cool they will come off easily. So, be patient.

A jar of jam made with fresh strawberries — Jam – Homemade Jam in the Microwave with Strawberries

Filling

You can use store-bought or make your own using the classic jam recipe or microwave jam recipe. Alternatively, you can also use strawberry filling which is less sweet than jam.

Swiss meringue buttercream

Watch my video and step-by-step progress for Swiss Meringue Buttercream. You can add 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree to make a strawberry buttercream.
Temper eggs – In the bowl of a stand mixer add the egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, and sugar. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk the egg whites over the simmering water until all the sugar has melted.
Whip – Place the mixer bowl on the stand and start to whip at medium to low speed with a whisk attachment increasing the speed gradually. Whisk to firm peaks, shiny meringue.
Continue to whip on low until the bowl feels cool to the touch.
Butter – Once the bowl feels cool to the touch, start adding the butter one cube at a time. Then, add the vanilla extract and whip on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until you have a light and fluffy buttercream.

Filling French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

Assemble – Fill & Store

Pair – Pair similar size macaron shells so you have similar size macarons. Add the filling in one piping bag and the buttercream in another bag. You can use a round piping tip but it’s not necessary.
Fill – Pipe a ring of buttercream on one macaron shell, then pipe the filling in the center of that buttercream ring. Place the second shell on top. Continue until you have filled all macarons.
Storage – Macarons must be stored in the refrigerator and are best eaten one or two days later. (if you can wait)
Pro tip – these can be frozen in the freezer for months.
Enjoy.

A stack of Pink colored French Macarons. — French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

A stack of pink macarons filling with strawberry filling. — Easy French Macarons – Strawberry Filling with Swiss Meringue

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Frequently asked questions

How long will these macarons keep?

Macarons can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for 2 days. Wrap them in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
The shells will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months while the fill macarons will freeze for up to a month.

Should macarons be crispy or chewy?

Macarons are delicate French cookies known for their soft, chewy interiors. But when they’re just right, they should be crispy on the outside with a soft chewy center on the inside.

How do you make macaron shells shiny?

A finely ground almond flour mixture usually helps make beautifully shiny macaron shells.

What do you pipe macarons on?

I prefer to use parchment-lined baking sheets. But you can also use silicone baking mats. You can also buy a macaron silicone mat which usually has the template to help pipe.

Veena Azmanov