A lot of people are going to scare you and tell you how hard they are to make. Or they're going to assume they're hard to make. Well, they're not. Just because bakeries charge $3 per cookie does not mean you can't make them at home. In fact, you should make them at home because they charge so much! You do have to have a scale though because the measurements must be precise (hence the reason that the recipe is all by weight below instead of volume). So, I beg of you...try to make these yourself. They're not as daunting as they seem, and even if they may not look the prettiest on your first try, they'll still taste good. Practice makes perfect, which gives you a great excuse to make and eat more cookies!
To help you with your journey, I took a few pictures of the process. If you read this and are still scratching your head (hopefully that's not many of you), I found this post helpful, too.
Vanilla Bean Strawberry Macarons Recipe
Makes about two dozen sandwiches
Print this recipe
*Note: If you're like me and don't always plan ahead, you can microwave your egg whites to age them. Just place them in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 10 seconds.
For the macarons:
110 grams almonds (blanched or slivered)
200 grams powdered sugar
100 grams egg whites (about 3 egg whites), aged at room temperature for 12-24 hours*
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
50 grams granulated sugar
For the strawberry filling:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
3 strawberries, hulled
1 cup powdered sugar
To make the macarons, line two large sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.
Next, combine the almonds and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely ground and blended.
To make the filling, add the butter, vanilla, salt, and strawberries in a food processor. Pulse until everything is combined. Add in the powdered sugar and pulse until mixed and thick enough to pipe onto cookies. If needed, add more powdered sugar.
To assemble the cookies, match the cookie shells together based on shape and size. Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe a dollop of the strawberry filling on the flat side of one cookie and press the other cookie on top until the filling shows on the edges.
Store cookies in a covered container.
Cookie recipe from Annie's Eats
Filling a She Makes and Bakes recipe