How to Use a Macaron Mat

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  1. Obtain your large, clean aluminum baking pans. Make sure there isn’t residue, oil on the baking pan. To make sure it’s free of any oil, pour hot water on the pans.
  2. Place the silicone baking mat onto the aluminum baking pan.
  3. Pipe macarons onto the silicone baking mat. Space them out. Pipe 1.2” macarons.
  4. Bang the bottom of the aluminum pan to get out all of the air bubbles from the macarons.
  5. Let the macarons sit for 30 minutes until a skin has formed.
  6. Bake the macarons for the required time in your recipe.
  7. Let the macarons sit on the silicone mat until completely cooled.
  8. Pop off the macarons by peeling the mat away from them if they are a bit sticky. 
  9. Fill macarons.

See video here.

How long to bake macarons on silicone mat

Macarons can be baked at 300 degrees F for 13 minutes if baking them on a silicone mat.

how to use macaron mat

How to clean a silicone baking macaron mat?

  • Hand wash your silicone baking mat and let it air dry
  • Store in a dry, oil free area

Can you use parchment paper instead of a silicone mat?

Yes. You can use parchment paper instead of a silicone mat. You know it’s clean, therefore there is no risk of having oil droplets on it. It browns the bottom of the macaron, making it crispy. The macarons are easy to fill once they’re baked and cooled. 

Parchment paper is difficult to make it perfectly shaped for your pans. Sometimes this can cause macarons on the edge of the pan to be deformed. It’s also difficult to hold the parchment paper in place while banging the pan to get all of the air bubbles out.

Parchment paper is eco friendly. Place it in your green bin when you’re finished using it. 

Silicone baking mats (Silpat) are reusable and you can order them perfectly according to your baking sheet size. They come in all different sizes so they will line up when you’re piping. There is no risk of deformed macarons at the edge of the baking sheet. Silicone baking mats have a bit of a grip to them, so they will stay in place when you are bang out the air bubbles of the macarons. Silicone can make macarons a bit sticky, so they can be difficult to remove them from the mat. Silicone mats produce a flatter, rounder macaron cookie than parchment paper.

how to add sprinkles to macarons

Why are my macarons sticking to the silicone mat?

Your macarons will stick to the silicone mat if they are undercooked or if they haven’t fully cooled on the silicone mat before trying to remove them. Bake your macarons for 1-2 minutes longer than when using parchment paper.

best macaron mat

What is the purpose of the silicone baking mat?

  • Reusable
  • Easy to clean
  • Food safe
  • Prevents burning on the bottom
  • Sticky – easier to bang out the macarons to get the air bubbles out
  • No greasing needed
  • Easy release

How long do silicone baking mats last?

Silpat baking mats will last you 2000-3000 times of baking macarons.

Do you need to flour a silicone pastry mat?

No. You do not need to flour or grease a silicone pastry mat. 

What is the Best Macaron Mat?

The best macaron mat is the Silpat. The Silpat is made to last  you 2000-3000 batches of macarons. The mats are made for easy release of macarons. Silpat macaron mats are easy to clean by hand washing them and letting them air dry. Silpat mats allow your macaron to spread out making them flatter and rounder. They are the professional standard for macaron baking shops worldwide.

Macarons Silpat vs Parchment Paper

SilpatParchment Paper
ReusableEco-friendly
2000-3000 Batches1 Time Use Only
Spreads the Macaron Flatter and RounderMore likely to Wrinkle/become Deformed
Easy ReleaseComes off Easily
Prevents burning on the bottom of the cookieBrowns the bottom of the macaron
Professional Grade. Mat is made perfectly to size for the baking panDifficult to cut the parchment paper to size - some macarons can become deformed close to the edges of the pan