Almond macaroons are a delicious and easy-to-make cookie that everyone will love! But they can be a little bit tricky to make if you’ve never tried before. My recipe for almond macaroons is foolproof, and only takes a few minutes to prepare. These cookies are perfect for any occasion, and can be customized with your favorite flavors and toppings.
Almond macaroons
Almond macaroons are a delicious and healthy treat, but they can be expensive to buy in the store. Making your own almond macaroon cookies is simple and affordable. My easy recipe will show you how to make these cookies with just a few ingredients. They’re perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without sacrificing your health and waist line.
This almond macaroons recipe is so simple and easy, you will want to make this your go to recipe for every occasion! These almond macaroon cookies are quick and so delicious!
Almond macaroons are my go to recipe at Christmas, when I’m running out of time and I feel stressed and panicked that my desserts are not ready. These ground almond macaroons are so easy, quick and simple to whip up, it gives me peace of mind knowing that even if I have no time left to prepare fancy desserts, I have an easy option to put on the table.
More cookie recipes you will love:
- Vegan meringue cookies
- Oreo macarons cookies
- Mini meringue cookies
- Ladyfinger cookies
- Mint magic cookie bars
- Chocolate crinkle cookies
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich cookies
- Donut shaped 4th of July cookies
- Watermelon sugar cookies
But because these yummy in my tummy almond cookies are so easy and quick, I make them pretty often, not only for Christmas. These are not only great holiday cookies but are the perfect afternoon snack too or a quick dessert on lazy Sundays with the family!
This recipe makes such awesome cookies in literally no time! These amazing almond macaroons are sweet, fragrant, crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, the perfect cookie for a 5 o’clock tea or next to a cup of coffee.
What are macaroons?
Macaroons are a type of cookie that is traditionally made with ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. This almond macaroon recipe is my take on the classic recipe.
Are macaroons the same as macarons?
No. Almond macaroons and almond macarons are completely different with regards to ingredients, as almond macaroons do not contain almond flour.
Macarons are typically made with almond flour, icing sugar and egg whites. They are known for being sweet cookies that have a crisp top and soft interior. They’re usually made into a sandwich with some sort of cream in between the two layers of macarons.
Are almond macaroons gluten free?
Almond macaroons are gluten free since no flour is used for this recipe. These cookies are also dairy free and quite low in calories as compared to most cookies.
Why are my almond macaroons flat?
It’s possible that you may have under-mixed the batter and this could be why your almond macaroons turned out flat. This is especially true if you used granulated sugar and didn’t incorporate the sugar completely into the egg whites.
Another reason might be that you added too much liquid to your recipe (like too much extract).
Another reason might be the oven temperature. If the oven is not hot enough, your macaroon cookies can turn out flat because they are being under-baked. This also happens if you open the oven mid baking.
How to diversify almond macaroons?
Almond macaroons are a great last minute solution for holidays baking or anytime you are short on time. You can put them together in less than 10 minutes and bake for about 20! And chances are you have all the ingredients on hand, especially if you like baking on a regular basis! Dip them in chocolate and add sprinkles for a more festive look!
If you want to get even fancier and enhance the flavors, you can add coconut for the most special coconut macaroons!
You can add cocoa powder for dark macaroons!
This recipe is not only simple but it will make your house smell wonderfully too! Light and chewy, with simple ingredients, these cookies take no special skills to make. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get baking!
What are the ingredients in almond macaroons?
You’ll be needing a handful of simple ingredients that you most likely have on hand:
- Egg whites
- Raw almonds
- Raw walnuts – these are optional but I love the almond walnut combination in these cookies!
- Icing sugar
- Vanilla extract and almond extract (or rum extract)
Notes: This is the first time when I used icing sugar for making macaroons and they turned out fine. However I’m still a big fan of using granulated sugar in macaroon recipes. When I made this recipe with granulated sugar instead of icing sugar the texture was more crunchier and crackled compared to using powdered sugar.
So if you want to make your macaroons with granulated sugar, feel free to do so. You’ll be preparing the egg white and sugar mixture much like regular meringue, then gently fold in the rest of the ingredients. Use the whisk on a stand mixer at medium speed.
Is there any substitute for almond extract?
Yes, you can use rum extract or vanilla extract in this recipe.
How to make almond macaroons?
- Preheat the oven at 300 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Ground almonds and walnuts in a food processor until fine.
- With a hand mixer, beat egg whites until firm.
- Gradually add sugar, almond and walnuts, folding in with a spatula until smooth.
- Add vanilla and rum or almond extract.
- Drop batter by spoon onto a baking sheet.
- Dust with some icing sugar (optional)
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden brown and have a crisp top.
If you want chewy almond macaroons, bake them for about 15 minutes. For less chewy macaroons, bake for about 20 minutes.
How do you store almond macaroons?
Almond macaroons are best when consumed within 4 days of being baked. Store in an airtight container at room temperature to retain freshness and crispiness.
Can I freeze almond macaroons?
I don’t recommend freezing almond macaroons as they loose their crispiness after thawing.
Hope you liked the almond macaroon recipe. These cookies are a real treat for your taste buds and also a great last minute solution for an unexpected party guest! The almond flavor of these cookies is light but delicious, so don’t hesitate to give it a try! Bon appétit!
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Easy almond macaroons
Ingredients
- egg whites from 3 medium eggs
- 1 2/3 cups almonds raw
- handful walnuts raw and optional
- 1 2/3 cups icing sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract or rum extract
- icing sugar for powdering optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 300 F
- Ground almonds and walnuts until fine
- With a hand mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Slowly add icing sugar, almond and walnuts, one tablespoon at a time and mix with a spatula until smooth.
- Add vanilla and rum or almond extract.
- Drop batter with a tablespoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches in between cookies. Alternatively you can use a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" plain tip.
- Dust with some icing sugar (optional)
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
Gabe says
This is my new fav cookie recipe – easy to put together and outstanding flavour , texture is perfect!
Kathy H says
I have been looking for this recipe for a long time. I am surprised that a double and triple recipe still call for the single 3 egg whites. Is this correct?
petro says
Hi Kathy. It looks like an error in the recipe card plugin, it should double or triple the eggs.
Rita says
Hi, would it be too overpowering if I substituted a tablespoon of Almond extract for the tablespoon of vanilla extract? I really like the taste of almond amaretti and don’t know if 1/2 tsp of almond would be enough. Or May 1/2 tablespoon of almond. Thanks, Rita
petro says
Just a personal opinion, I find almond extract super strong so I wouldn’t use that much. But that’s just a matter of taste.
Lynda Ratliff says
I made the mistake of grinding all my nuts up before measuring. Do you know how much ground nuts to use?
petro says
Hi Lynda. I’m not sure of the exact measirement for already grounded nuts. I would say about 1 cup and you could always add a bit more if you’re not happy with the consistency.
Mary says
In the first part of the recipe you explicitly say to use hand held beater. Later you refer to a standard mixer using whisk. This is confusing. Why medium speed rather than high which I normally use to beat egg whites. It is really helpful to give approximate time for beating especially since you specify medium. And is 1 2/3 cups of sugar accurate?
petro says
Beating the eggs for this recipe can put a lot of strain on our hands so you can use both options if you know your hand gets tired easily. I do recommend hand beating though as it incorporates more air but if using a mixer, medium speed is best for the same reason. As for the exact time, this depends on a couple of factors I have no control over: the size of the eggs give the amount of egg whites which can be different for each person so beating them can be slightly shorter or longer than mine. Second, electric and stand mixers have different speeds for the medium level which give variations in beating time.
Kathleen says
Can I use ground almond flour in this recipe instead of grinding the almonds myself?
petro says
I don’t have any input, Kathleen, I never tried it with almond flour.
Kay says
Do you know if humidity/rain affects these cookies?
petro says
Hi, Kay. Not an expert opinion but in my experience high humidity plays a small part in baking and storing these cookies. Keep an eye on them while baking and adjust the time as needed.
Lynda Morgan says
Have you tried using almond paste in this recipe?
Is that a possible alternative to grinding almonds?
petro says
I haven’t, Lynda.
Nancy says
What do you think of using cocoa instead of the almond and a pecan on top? My bakery at home makes chocolate macarons and they look similar to yours.
Rosanna says
Usually a household buys large eggs…any recommendations to adjusting your ingredients for 3 large egg whites?
petro says
Using large egg whites shouldn’t affect the batter too much. Maybe add just a pinch more of all ingredients if you feel the consistency is too soft.