Strawberry French Macarons
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Naturally colored Strawberry French Macarons are the cutest pastel pink dessert you'll ever see. Learn how to make these adorable petite cookies in this post.
If you love making French macarons as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like my Chocolate French Macarons, Green Tea French Macarons, or my Raspberry French Macarons.
Table of Contents
You will love these Strawberry French Macarons as they are naturally colored pink French macarons! If you are new to making French macarons, they are a fun baking challenge with big reward! I love these organic cookies because they are light, sweet, and naturally gluten free!
French macarons are naturally gluten free because they are made with almond flour. So, you'll love these organic cookies if you are gluten free and even if you are not! This makes them a perfect cookie to bake when you have a mixed crowd as they are so insanely good!
I'm using organic food dye that's made with plants, so these pink French macarons are free of artificial colors. While I don't always color my desserts, it is super fun to add some color here and there. Especially if you are planning a party or theme party. These pink French macarons are perfect for Valentine's Day, Easter or any kind of pink inspired party!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Pastel Pink Dessert: Today I'm sharing the cutest pastel pink dessert — delicious French Macarons! I think if I had to choose the prettiest and most delicious macs – these Strawberry French Macarons would take the cake. This petite pastel pink dessert are even adorable on top of cakes! If you're looking for a pastel pink dessert for a themed party like a baby shower, wedding, or birthday, these are it!
Naturally Colored: These naturally colored Strawberry French Macarons are colored with a natural food dye made from beets! I made the shells and the filling both pink because they just look so cute and full of spring vibes. Even if you don't color your macarons at all, they will still be delicious. The color is totally optional and is just for looks if you want a pastel pink dessert.
Naturally Gluten Free: Not only are these naturally colored Strawberry French Macarons free of artificial colors, but they are also naturally gluten free. French macarons traditionally do not have gluten, so they are an amazing cookie to bake if you have both gluten and gluten free guests as they are insanely delicious!
Ingredients
- Eggs: Make sure to use large egg whites and separate them from the yolks completely. It's ideal to weigh your egg whites so you have exactly the amount needed.
- Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar.
- Almond Flour: I use store bought organic almond flour. If you're using homemade almond flour, that's okay too. Just be sure to sift your homemade almond flour and then weigh it as homemade almond flour can have little bits of almonds in it and you don't want that in your French macarons.
- Powdered Sugar: You'll need organic powdered sugar for the French macarons and for the filling.
- Vanilla Extract: Make sure to use a high quality vanilla extract, not imitation.
- Pink Dye: I use Suncore Foods Organic Pink Dye. You can also use beet powder or strawberry powder, both will work!
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter, as it's my favorite. You can use your top choice.
- Strawberry Extract: I use organic strawberry extract to get the most flavor in these little pink French macarons.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results. I cannot stress this enough when making French macarons.
- Stand Mixer: You'll need a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and paddle attachment.
- Baking Sheets: You'll need two half sheet pans to bake the French macarons.
- Parchment Paper: I always use nontoxic parchment paper as this is key for making French macarons. Some people will use a silpat mat and if you prefer, you can do that as well. But you want something underneath those macs so you can easily remove them as they are so incredibly delicate.
- Piping Bags: You'll need two large piping bags for the macs and for the filling.
- Decorating Tips: I use Ateco tip #804 to pipe the macs and the filling. If you don't have this tip, you can just cut a hole in your piping bag, that is similar.
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk, starting on low to avoid splattering, and slowly in creasing the speed to high, until stiff peaks form.
Step 3
Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together into the bowl of meringue and add the pink dye. Turn the mixer on low for 10 to 15 rotations until the dry ingredients start to blend into the meringue. Pulse the mixer on medium/high 4 to 5 times to incorporate the batter.
Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer, and gently stir the batter with a spatula just until there are no pockets of egg whites or dry bits of almond flour. Don’t overstir. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with Ateco tip #804.
Step 4
Pipe the macaron batter onto the prepared cookie sheets (30 should fit on each cookie sheet). Holding a cookie sheet firmly in both hands, and making sure the parchment paper doesn’t slide around, bang the cookie sheet on the counter a few times. Rotate the cookie sheet and bang it a few more times. Repeat with the other cookie sheet. This will smooth out the batter and will help form the macarons’ famous “feet.”
Step 5
Let rest for 45 minutes, or until the rounds of batter have formed shells.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 6
Bake for 10 minutes or until the macs look dry and the shells look shiny. Let cool completely on the cookie sheets. (Be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe if you are baking at high altitude).
Step 7
To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, water, strawberry flavor and pink dye. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag with no tip.
Step 8
Turn over every other macaron and pair them together. Pipe a dollop of filling onto each turned over macaron and sandwich together.
Baker's Tips
- Use a scale! French Macarons are temperamental (to say the least) you don't want to make a mistake measuring. Find my favorite scale here.
- When separating your egg whites, do not get any part of the yolk in the egg whites. If you do, set them aside and start over. Yolks are fat, and we don't want any fat in our egg whites so it will whip up into perfect meringue.
- Make sure to whisk your egg whites until stiff peaks form. The egg whites should not droop, should not fall off the whisk, or should not really even move. It will be thick, shiny, and bright white.
- Do not overstir the batter. It should be thick and barely fall off your spatula. If your batter is too runny, your macarons will spread out too much and you will probably not have the iconic feet form correctly, they will most likely be flat and on the sides of the macarons as opposed to underneath, how they should be.
- Pipe your macarons evenly, I know this can be challenging. But, they all need to be the same size so they bake properly and you don't have ones that are burned or not done. I like to count to 2 while piping, that's all it should take to pipe the size of macaron you need.
- Make sure you bang your cookie sheets. This is super important to remove air bubbles and smooth out the tops. It also helps create the iconic feet.
- Resting time is super important – as important as weighing ingredients. Because if you don't let the macarons rest for the right amount of time (even if you made them perfectly) they will not come out. So it's important to find the resting time that is right for you and your climate. This can vary. I say to start with 45 minutes because it should take at least that long. It can definitely take longer, so do not be afraid to let them sit longer if need be.
- When filling them, be sure to pick up each macaron and sandwich them together very carefully. Don't smash them on top of one another like you might a typical sandwich cookies. These are so fragile and can break so easily.
- Eat them all the same day you bake them! I have no storage tips for you as they should not be stored.
FAQ's
No, if you don't need a pastel pink dessert, feel free to leave the coloring out! They will still be just as delicious.
You don't! As stated in my tips above, I really do not believe French macarons can be stored and saved. They are a bake and enjoy the same day kind of treat! So, enjoy them and share with friends!
Craving More?
Strawberry French Macarons
Ingredients
Macs
- 102 grams egg whites
- 71 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 198 grams powdered sugar
- 113 grams almond flour
- ½ teaspoon Suncore Foods Pink Dye
Filling
- 85 grams salted butter (softened)
- 170 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water
- ⅛ teaspoon strawberry extract
- pinch of Suncore Foods Pink Dye
Instructions
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk, starting on low to avoid splattering, and slowly in creasing the speed to high, until stiff peaks form.
- Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together into the bowl of meringue and add the pink dye. Turn the mixer on low for 10 to 15 rotations until the dry ingredients start to blend into the meringue. Pulse the mixer on medium/high 4 to 5 times to incorporate the batter.
- Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer, and gently stir the batter with a spatula just until there are no pockets of egg whites or dry bits of almond flour. Don’t overstir. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with Ateco tip #804.
- Pipe the macaron batter onto the prepared cookie sheets (30 should fit on each cookie sheet).
- Holding a cookie sheet firmly in both hands, and making sure the parchment paper doesn’t slide around, bang the cookie sheet on the counter a few times. Rotate the cookie sheet and bang it a few more times. Repeat with the other cookie sheet. This will smooth out the batter and will help form the macarons’ famous “feet.”
- Let rest for 45 minutes, or until the rounds of batter have formed shells.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the macs look dry and the shells look shiny. Let cool completely on the cookie sheets.
- To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, water, strawberry extract, and pink dye. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag with no tip.
- Turn over every other macaron and pair them together. Pipe a dollop of filling onto each turned over macaron and sandwich together.
- Serve or eat immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
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