French Macarons With Perfect Feet
Macarons crack and come out without feet because they were not dried before baking. They need to sit for 30–60 minutes until the surface is no longer tacky to the touch — that skin forces steam down instead of up, and that is what forms the foot.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 78 min
- Calories
- 110
Photo: Benoît Prieur — CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Macarons are the most precise French sweet and the one that most demands a scale. They are not difficult once you respect three details: sifting, macaronage, and drying.
Method
-
1
Double sift
Sift the almond flour and icing sugar twice through a fine sieve and discard any coarse grains. Those grains are what give you a rough rather than glassy top.
⏱ 10 min -
2
The meringue
Whip room-temperature whites with the salt to a foam, then add the caster sugar in three additions and whip to stiff, glossy peaks.
⏱ 10 min -
3
Colour
Add gel, not liquid colouring and whip for 10 seconds. Liquid colour adds water that wrecks the batter; gel is concentrated and leaves the consistency alone.
⏱ 2 min -
4
Macaronage
Fold the dry mix into the meringue, pressing against the sides of the bowl, until the batter falls from the spatula in a ribbon that disappears within 20 seconds. This is the most precise step in the recipe.
⏱ 8 min -
5
Piping
Fill a piping bag with a round tip and pipe 3 cm circles onto parchment, then rap the tray on the counter five times to release trapped bubbles.
⏱ 12 min -
6
Drying
Leave them 30–60 minutes somewhere dry until you can touch the surface without it sticking to your finger. This is the step that creates the foot and prevents cracking.
⏱ 50 min -
7
Bake
Bake at 145°C for 16 minutes. The low heat lets steam escape slowly from underneath, forming the foot; higher heat cracks the top instead.
⏱ 18 min -
8
Cool and fill
Let them cool completely on the tray before lifting them. Heat the cream over the chocolate for a ganache, fill, and rest them in the fridge overnight.
⏱ 25 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Drying before baking is not optional — it is what makes the foot.
- Weighing in grams is mandatory here; macarons do not forgive cup measures.
- Gel colour, never liquid — liquid adds water and ruins the batter.
- They taste better after a night in the fridge as the filling softens the shell from within.
People also ask
Why do my macarons crack?
They did not dry long enough before baking. They need 30–60 minutes until the surface is no longer tacky. Without that skin, steam escapes upwards and splits the top instead of lifting the shell.
Why are there no feet?
Same cause — insufficient drying. Or the oven was too hot, so the top set before steam could build. Dry them properly and bake at 145°C only.
How do I know macaronage is done?
Lift the spatula — the batter should fall in a continuous ribbon, and that ribbon should sink back into the surface within about 20 seconds. If it holds its shape it is under-mixed; if it runs off quickly it is over-mixed.
Cook mode
French Macarons With Perfect Feet
-
1
Double sift
Sift the almond flour and icing sugar twice through a fine sieve and discard any coarse grains. Those grains are what give you a rough rather than glassy top.
-
2
The meringue
Whip room-temperature whites with the salt to a foam, then add the caster sugar in three additions and whip to stiff, glossy peaks.
-
3
Colour
Add gel, not liquid colouring and whip for 10 seconds. Liquid colour adds water that wrecks the batter; gel is concentrated and leaves the consistency alone.
-
4
Macaronage
Fold the dry mix into the meringue, pressing against the sides of the bowl, until the batter falls from the spatula in a ribbon that disappears within 20 seconds. This is the most precise step in the recipe.
-
5
Piping
Fill a piping bag with a round tip and pipe 3 cm circles onto parchment, then rap the tray on the counter five times to release trapped bubbles.
-
6
Drying
Leave them 30–60 minutes somewhere dry until you can touch the surface without it sticking to your finger. This is the step that creates the foot and prevents cracking.
-
7
Bake
Bake at 145°C for 16 minutes. The low heat lets steam escape slowly from underneath, forming the foot; higher heat cracks the top instead.
-
8
Cool and fill
Let them cool completely on the tray before lifting them. Heat the cream over the chocolate for a ganache, fill, and rest them in the fridge overnight.
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