Funfetti Birthday Macarons Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you put sprinkles on macarons before or after baking? ›

Once you have used your scribe to pop the bubbles, this is when you will add in your food safe sprinkles to the top BEFORE the drying step. The sprinkles need to cling to a moistened surface, which is why we add them before our macs are dry.

The key to a good macaron is a good meringue, with smooth, shiny, stiff peaks. You can tell it's done when you can flip the bowl upside down and nothing comes out. The peak will be stiff yet still droop slightly. Start with aged or fresh egg whites and whip them on medium for a few minutes until bubbles form.

Can macarons be made ahead of time? Yes, macarons can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container until ready to serve. However, it's important to note that the texture may change slightly after a day or two.

When to add sprinkles to your macarons: After you've piped your batter on your baking sheet, and popped all the air bubbles, add a few sprinkles. Tip: Don't wait too long after piping the batter as the batter tends to dry out. You want the sprinkles to stick to the batter while it's still wet!

Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick. Sprinkle nonpareil sprinkles over the piped macarons while they're still wet. Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin.

Hollow shells: One of the most frustrating problems is when the macaron shells turn out hollow. This is usually caused by overmixing the batter, which can cause too much air to be incorporated into the mixture. To avoid this, be sure to fold the batter gently and stop as soon as it reaches the desired consistency.

Dry The Shells

There's one more crucial step before you bake the shells. Let the piped circles sit out until they are dry and no longer tacky on top, usually 30-60 minutes. This time allows the top to firm up and form a skin, which helps the macarons rise UP and form their trademark ruffly “feet.”

The base of macarons is made from whipped egg whites, which you then fold a mixture of powdered sugar and almond flour into. This batter tends to be unstable and unpredictable, which can be pretty disheartening to even professionally trained bakers.

There are basically three methods you can use to make macarons: French, Italian, and Swiss.

Macaron Ingredients Are Expensive

Unlike most bakery treats, macarons are not made with all-purpose wheat flour, which even a home cook can pick up at the supermarket for less than 50 cents a pound. Instead, they're made with almond flour, which costs more than nine times as much—and that's at Costco.

Can you let macaron batter sit before piping? ›

This is a big myth! I've even heard people saying to not let the batter sit for an hour in the piping bag. This is far from the truth! You can absolutely let the batter sit for hours in the piping bag.

Aged egg whites are ones which have been separated and left in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours so that the proteins inside can relax, making it easier to whip to volume. It's very important to use aged egg whites for baking macarons because a lot of problems derive from a poorly prepared meringue.

After baking you need icing or a glaze before adding sprinkles or they won't stick. Enjoy! If the cookies are going to be frosted you put them on after they're baked & frosted. If you're don't plan on frosting them you can apply small Nonpareils or colored sugar crystals before you bake them.

You can also try adding sprinkles to your cookies before baking, but depending on the recipe, they may melt in the oven. Try it out with one cookie before committing to an entire batch.

You have to put the sprinkles on before baking cookies, so they will stick, unless you're going to frost them, in which case the sprinkles go after the frosting.