macarons

Macarons can have sticky bottom shells due to a number of issues. Macarons will turn out under baked, but there are a few changes you can make to prevent your next batch of macarons from having sticky bottom shells.

Using stainless steel baking pans vs aluminum for macarons

Stainless steel baking pans can get hot spots over time. The uneven distribution of heat in older stainless steel pans can make macarons have sticky bottom shells, and will come out of the oven undercooked.

Aluminum is the best metal for conducting heat over other baking sheets like stainless steel.

Aluminum baking pans conduct heat evenly throughout the pan.

Aluminum is a light colored baking sheet; it doesn’t absorb heat like other metals, such as stainless steel.

With a lighter colored pan, you can bake your macarons for a shorter amount of time than if you used a stainless steel baking sheet.

Using an oily baking pan for macarons

Macarons need to be baked on a baking sheet that is perfectly clean.

There can be no oily residue present on the baking sheet. If there is any presence of oil on the baking pan, the macarons will absorb the oil and will not turn out. The macarons will be sticky, under baked, or will not turn out at all.

If you’re having trouble removing the oily residue from your aluminum baking pan, pour very hot water on the pan, and this should remove the oil from the baking pan.

Using an oily silicone baking mat for macarons

If you’re using a silicone baking mat to line your baking sheet, make sure there is no oily residue left on the baking mat before piping your macarons.

Your macarons will absorb the oil, and will have sticky bottoms.

If you’re not able to get your silicone baking mat clean, try using a fresh sheet of parchment paper to line your baking sheet. Another option is having a separate silicone baking mat to only use for macarons.

Cut the parchment paper to fit to the pan. It’s much easier to pipe close to the edges of the baking pan if the parchment paper isn’t overhanging the edges.

Macarons are under baked

Use an oven thermometer to check the temperature of your oven before baking your macarons. Make adjustments as needed for your recipe.

If your first batch of macarons come out of the oven with sticky bottoms, try baking the macarons for 1-2 minutes more. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn very quickly. You can use a baking utensil to check the bottom of one of them while they are in the oven to check to see if they are done.

Meringue for macarons is mixed too long

If your egg whites are mixed too long for your meringue, your macarons can be hollow inside and have sticky bottoms. Try whipping your egg whites for less time to prevent this from happening. Your egg whites are finished when you can turn the mixing bowl upside down and the egg whites don’t move. Check periodically on them as you whip the meringue.

Painting on macarons with food coloring will give your macarons some color contrast and be more eye catching.

You can paint on macarons using either powdered food coloring or gel food coloring with a couple of drops of almond extract.

In order for you to apply the food coloring to paint your macarons, you will need to use a food safe paint brush.

Macarons have delicate shells that can be damaged if pressed too hard with a paint brush. Apply the food coloring to the macaron gently, as if you were painting a picture.

See video here.

When you’re making up your coloring for painting on macarons, you don’t want to use too much almond extract to make your coloring. If you pour too much, the food coloring will be more like watercolor paint. The color will not go on the macaron as strong, and it will be too runny to really show up on the macaron.

Just use a little almond extract for your coloring. The color will be strong and easily painted on the macaron. The color will not run if you only use a drop or two.

Sometimes the color will dry out in your bowl, just add another drop or two of almond extract to make it liquid again.

You can begin painting your macarons after you have filled them. They will be easier to hold onto, and you won’t have to worry about the color being disturbed if you’re kind of messy when you fill your macarons.

Lay all of the filled macarons on a plate, and pick up the macaron when you’re ready to fill it.

Hold the macaron steady and you apply paint with the other hand. If you lay the macaron on a plate to paint it, you’ll still have to hold onto the macaron because it will move away when you try to apply paint. Macarons are not heavy enough to stay in place as you paint them.

For each color you want to paint your macarons, you’ll need a new bowl. You don’t want any of your colors to mix together, so it’s best to keep the food colors separate from each other.

If you’re changing colors with your paint brush, wash it out with soap and water and rinse well. Dry the paint brush with a dark towel (just in case the color runs and ruins your towel) and then you can paint your next color on your macaron.

To write on macarons, you’ll need something that’s able to write on macarons.

One writing utensil you can use is an edible marker.

An edible marker has a sharp point on the end which makes writing words and on the macarons very easy.

The harder you press the edible marker, the wider the lines created.

For writing on macarons, you don’t want to use too much force when pressing your design into the cookie. Macarons have a delicate shell and can be easily damaged if pressed too hard.

Gently touch the edible marker to the macaron to create your design.

There are many different colors you can use to write on macarons. You can create a rainbow on your macarons if you wanted to.

You can only write a couple of words on a macaron since the macaron is quite a small cookie. It’s best to write only 1 or 2 words on the macarons to make sure your guests see the writing.

When writing on your macarons, try to stick to a theme.

Things to write on macarons for a baby shower

• “Oh Baby!”
• “Boy!”
• “Girl”
• “Baby”
• “Bundle”
• “Little On”

Things to write on macarons for a wedding shower

• “Love”
• “I do”
• “Yes!”
• “01/01/21” (Date of Wedding)
• “Groom”
• “Bride”

Things to write on macarons for a birthday party

• “Birthday”
• “21” – (# years old)
• “Celebrate”
• “Happy Birthday!”
• “Over the Hill” (40th birthday)

Using your edible marker you can write small details on macarons to create face shapes. In the above photo, you can see how we’ve used the marker to create eye lashes on a unicorn macaron.

Macarons can be one of the most special and thoughtful gifts you can give someone. They can be customized to represent a theme or special occasion.

Here are some ideas to make shaped macarons for your next macaron batch.

Heart Macarons

You can make some personalized macarons by creating heart shapes using your macaron batter. Use your piping tip made one diagonal line, then continue and make another diagonal line. Use a toothpick to manipulate the batter into the heart sharp you’re wanting. You can use the toothpick to make more of a point at the bottom of the heart, and to join the intersecting batter to mold the heart together.

Teddy Bear Macarons

To make the bear macaron design, make your initial circle the head. Be sure to have enough room above the head to create 2 smaller circles for the ears.

Next, put another circle below the head for the body. Add 2 more smaller circles beside it for the arms.

Add the feet by adding 2 more circles on the bottom of the body circle. Remove the air bubbles from the macaron.

Let the bear dry for 15 minutes. Add the final nose circle. Only add a small amount of batter for the nose. A little goes a long way.

Bake the macarons and let them come to room temperature.

To create the bear design, make 2 small circles for the eyes using an edible marker.

Add an upside down triangle onto the nose piece. Make 2 lines of opposing fish hooks underneath that.

This creates a cool macaron design of a teddy bear. You can use this design for kids or birthday celebrations.

Honey Bee Bear Macaron

To make the bear design, add 2 small circles onto your regular circular macaron.

Once the macaron has baked and cooled, you’re ready to add the 2 circles for the eyes using an edible marker. Above the circles add 2 semi circles for eye brows.

Add 1 nose circle a bit below the eyes in the center of the macaron.

You can continue the design by adding a sideways teardrop on its face. Add 2 smaller teardrops for wings.

Add a couple of lines on the body and a circle for the eye of the bee.

Finally, add small lines for the path of the bee.

Bee Macaron

To make the large bee macaron, make the macaron a teardrop shape.

Then add the wings of the bee overtop of the body.

Using a toothpick, make a point at the end of the bee macaron for a stinger.

Bake the macarons and let them cool.

Spread melted white chocolate over the wings in a sweeping motion. This creates the wings center that pushes the white chocolate into the center of the wing making it more eye catching.

Add 2 antennae to the bee macaron by adding 2 semi circles side by side. Add 2 circles on the end of the semicircles on the top.

Write 1 circle for the eye close to the edge of the macaron.

Add 2-3 stipes. One black stripe should be at the end of the macaron for the stinger.

Truck Macaron

Begin by making a box shape with your macaron batter. Add a small rectangle on top for the cab of the truck macaron.

Add 2 circles on top of the bottle rectangle for the wheels.

Sprinkle a bit of cookie crumbs on the edge of the larger rectangle. This gives the look of carrying dirt in the truck bed.

Bake the truck macarons and let them cool.

Add the final designs of the truck by coloring wheels, tracing the outside of the macaron, and making a window.

This unique macaron design is sure to impress your guests.

Macarons can be decorated in countless ways by:

• painting
• drawing
• buttercream frosting
• caramel drizzle
• chocolate drizzle
• sprinkles
• coffee granules
• cookie crumbs

Sprinkles

Macarons can be decorated with sprinkles right after piping the batter and removing the air bubbles.

Since the batter is sticky while it’s awaiting drying, the sprinkles will adhere to the macaron batter.

Only put a few sprinkles on the macaron, and they should be quite small. Large sprinkles have the risk of melting in the oven and ruining the macaron shells.

Coffee or Cookie Crumbs

You can decorate macarons with coffee or cookie crumbs by sprinkling a couple of granules on the macaron as soon as they are done piping and have had the air bubbles removed. The cookie crumbs and coffee will stick well to the macaron batter.

You can also put 1 tbsp of coffee or cookie crumbs directly into the dry ingredients when making macaron batter. This will give the macaron shells a hint of flavor.

Painting

To decorate macarons with paint, you can use:

• powdered food coloring
• gel food coloring

Once you have selected the type of coloring you want to decorate your macarons with, add only a couple of drops of almond extract.

Adding the almond extract thins out the coloring to be able to use it to paint on the macaron.

You’ll also need a food grade paint brush to paint the coloring on the macaron.

Dip the bristles into the paint and then gently put the paint on the macaron. The shells are prone to damaging easily, so don’t use too much force to put the pain on the macaron.

You can use a couple of colors to really decorate the macaron beautifully.

Edible Marker

To decorate macarons with a marker, you’ll want to use a marker that is food grade.

Use an edible marker to create cool macaron designs to really enhance the look of your macarons.

You can use different colors of markers to color coordinate a theme to your macarons. You can also use markers for color contrast against the color of your macaron.

Another way to draw on macarons is by writing special words on your macarons. You can write anything from “Happy Birthday” to “Baby” to give them a bit of a special look to them.

Buttercream or Royal Icing

To decorate your macarons with buttercream or royal icing, you’ll want to make sure your icing is fairly stiff. You want the icing to be able to hold its shape on the macaron.

Select the piping tip you want to use. If you want to do some writing or thin lines, you’ll want to select tip #2.

You can pipe the icing directly on the macaron. For buttercream icing, you’ll want to keep the macarons separated from each other. The icing will not harden like royal icing will.

You can pipe designs such as flowers, leaves, trees, etc. to add decoration to your macarons.

Caramel or Chocolate drizzle

To add caramel or chocolate drizzle, place your macarons on a large plate. Put the caramel or chocolate into a piping bag, fitted with #2 piping tip. The flow will come fast, you won’t even need to squish the bag for the flow to come out. Make one line on 1 half of the macaron. Continue making 2 more lines that criss cross a little to have an elastic band look to it.

You can add nuts or sprinkles to the drizzle to make it a little more special.