Learn how to make French macarons! These macarons are filled with a salted caramel buttercream and homemade salted caramel. I love serving these delicious salted caramel macarons, and I promise making macarons isn't too tough! They take about 30 minutes in total to prep, and that includes making the salted caramel.
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Tell me about this recipe!
- These macarons are made using the Swiss method. This is just one extra step but makes a huge difference. All you'll have to do is whisk the egg whites and sugar over some boiling water.
- I love making my own homemade salted caramel! It only takes 10 minutes and you can use the caramel sauce in the buttercream and drizzle it over each macaron shell.
- The buttercream is a simple American buttercream with some added salted caramel. It is so creamy and delicious, and only takes 5 minutes to whip up!
Ingredients needed
The printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.
Ingredient Notes
- Almond Flour: not all ground almonds are equal! Some brands will have thicker ground almonds compared to others, which is why I like to sift mine twice. You can also grind it in a food processor but be sure to only do it for a few seconds, otherwise it will release oil.
- Butter: I love using European style butter like Kerry Gold. European style butter has a higher percentage of butterfat, giving you a creamier and richer taste.
- Egg Whites: you want your egg whites to be at room temperature, and you don't want any yolks at all to be present. This will stop your egg whites from whipping up into a meringue.
How to make this recipe
One 
Two
One: Sift together your powdered sugar and almond flour twice, then set aside.
Two: Place your egg whites and and sugar in a stand mixer bowl, and place over a small saucepan with an inch of simmering water. Whisk it constantly until the sugar granules have dissolved.
Three Four
Three: Place the bowl in your stand mixer and whisk on low for 30 seconds, until it begins to foam. Increase the speed to medium for 2 minutes, then medium-high speed for another 3-4 minutes. It will become really thick and glossy, continue beating until stiff peaks form. The peak should bend just a bit at the tip.
Four: Pour in your almond mixture, vanilla and a few drops of food coloring.
Five Six
Five: Gently fold the mixture together using a rubber spatula. Press the batter against the sides of the bowl until it flows like lava off of your spatula. You'll know it's ready when you can make a figure-8 in the air without the batter breaking off.
Six: Transfer the batter to a piping bag with a circular tip and pipe out 72 shells on a silicon mat or parchment paper. Tap the pan twice on the counter, then use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles. Let the trays rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, until a skin form. Bake them a tray at a time for 15-17 minutes at 325 degrees.
Seven Eight
Seven: Pour about a quarter cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Eight: Let the sugar dissolve completely before you add the rest of the sugar.
Nine Ten
Nine: Stir until the sugar turns a dark amber color, then take off the heat.
Ten: Add the butter a piece at a time, but be careful as it will sputter! Finally, add the cream, salt and vanilla.
Eleven Twelve
Eleven: Let your caramel cool completely before using.
Twelve: Cream your butter in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until it is smooth and creamy.
Thirteen:
Thirteen Fourteen
Thirteen: Add in 2 tablespoons of your salted caramel, vanilla and salt. Whip together for about 30 seconds.
Fourteen: Add in half of your powdered sugar while the mixer is running on low. Pour in your heavy cream, then the other half of powdered sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high for about 3 minutes, the frosting should be fluffy and light.
Fifteen
Fifteen: Pipe out a circle of frosting on half of the macaron shells, then spoon in salted caramel in the middle. Drizzle some caramel on top of the other half of the shells, then sandwich together. Chill overnight.
Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake
- Bake your macarons one tray at a time. This allows them to bake more evenly and you don't have any overly browned shells.
- Make your salted caramel in advance as you need it to cool down completely before using in your buttercream.
- Tap your pans on your counter once you've piped out your shells, this will smooth them out and get rid of any air bubbles. If you still have air bubbles after this, use a toothpick to get rid of them.
Frequently asked questions
It is always better to under mix rather than over mix, as once you over mix there isn't anything you can do to correct. When I'm in the macaronage stage, I know my batter is ready to use once the batter flows like lava and I can make a figure 8 with the batter without it breaking.
This is either because you over mixed the meringue batter, over mixed during the macaronage stage, or your oven temperature was too high. But guess what - they're still going to be delicious!
The best food coloring to use is gel, like Americolor food coloring. If you use oil or liquid food coloring, it will effect the batter more and make it too liquidy.
I recommend keeping them in a container in the fridge for up to one week
Other Macaron recipes to try:
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you've made these macarons! If you want more baking ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest
Recipe
Salted Caramel Macarons
Ingredients
Macarons
- 100 grams almond flour
- 105 grams powdered sugar
- 100 grams egg whites room temperature
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- drop warm brown food coloring
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 42 grams (3 tablespoon) unsalted butter room temperature
- 38 ml (2 tablespoon) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 56 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon heavy cream
- 126 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon salted caramel sauce
Instructions
Macarons
- Line three baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Sift together your powdered sugar and almond flour, twice. Set aside.
- Whisk together the egg whites and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl over a double boiler. Whisk for about 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. You can tell it is ready when you pull the whisk up and touch the mixture with your fingers, you shouldn't feel any granules. Do not let the bowl touch the water or it will cook the eggs
- Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whisk on low speed for 30 seconds, it should begin to foam. Increase the speed to medium for 2 minutes, until it becomes white and fluffy
- Increase the speed to medium-high, it should turn glossy and when you stop the mixer and pull the whisk out, you should have a stiff peak at the end of the whisk which only slightly bends at the end. This is how you know it is ready. This can take 4-5 minutes
- Pour in the powdered sugar/almond mixture as well as your vanilla and food coloring
- Gently fold them all together. Continue to fold and press the batter against the sides of the bowl. It is ready when it flows like lava from the rubber spatula, and you can make a figure 8 in the air without the batter breaking.
- Carefully transfer the batter into a piping bag with a medium circular tip
- Pipe out 72 macaron shells, piping at a 90 degree angle. Once they have all been piped out, bang each tray twice on your counter. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining air bubbles.
- Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes until they form a skin
- eat your oven to 325°F/162°C. Bake them one tray at a time for 15-17 minutes. Let them cool completely.
Caramel
- Take a small saucepan and place it on your stove over medium heat. Add the sugar ¼ cup at a time, letting the sugar dissolve completely until you add the next ¼ cup.
- Stir occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved and turns a dark amber colour. Turn the heat off.
- Add the butter in a piece at a time, be careful as it may sputter! Stir with a heatproof spatula as you add the butter. Stir in the cream, salt, and vanilla. Let cool until it is very thick.
Buttercream
- Sift your powdered sugar and set aside.
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the butter for 2 minutes, until smooth
- Add in the vanilla extract, caramel and salt. Beat together for 30 seconds
- While the mixer is running on a low speed, slowly pour in half of the powdered sugar. Then add in your heavy cream. Add the rest of the sugar.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes
- Transfer to a piping bag and pipe a dollop on half of the macaron shells. I made a ring around half of the shells, then piped out salted caramel in the middle.
- Let the macarons rest overnight in your fridge
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Katrina says
The salted caramel amd buttercream are perfection! Definitely my family's favorite flavor. I would like to know, is this freezer safe, once the shells are filled?
Thanks!
Ella says
Thanks so much for your review! I recommend freezing them in an airtight container for up to 1 month!
Laurel says
Is the x1 recipe for 36 finished macaron "sandwiches" (72 cookies)? Or for 36 individual macaron cookies?
Ella says
Hi! It makes 36 finished sandwiches (so 72 macaron cookies)