Few bakes deliver the way almond macaroons do: short list, honest method, and a tray that disappears before it cools. This tested version of almond macaroons walks through everything — the ingredients above, the steps below, and the small habits that make the difference between good batches and great ones.

Why This Recipe Works

Home bakers keep coming back to almond macaroons for good reason. Pull the pan when the edges set and the centres still look a minute underdone; the residual heat finishes the bake. Follow the steps as written and almond macaroons will bake evenly edge to edge, with no spreading surprises and no burnt bottoms.

Before You Begin

Heat the oven, line two sheets, and measure everything before you mix. Almond Macaroons come together quickly once you start, so having it all within reach keeps the dough from waiting around.

How to Make It, Step by Step

Grease cookie sheet. Break almond paste into small pieces in large bowl. Stir in flour, powdered sugar and almond extract. Add egg whites. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until smooth. Place dough in decorating bag fitted with #9 rosette tip. Pipe 1 1/2-inch cookies about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Top each with almond. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat oven to 325º. Bake about 12 minutes or until edges are light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Tips for the Best Results

  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking — almond macaroons hold their shape far better cold.
  • Space the dough two inches apart; most spreading happens in the first three minutes of the bake.
  • Pull almond macaroons when the edges brown but the centres still look soft; they finish as they cool.

Storage

Store almond macaroons in an airtight tin for up to a week, or freeze the baked cookies for up to three months and refresh them five minutes in a warm oven when you want them.

More Baking to Try

When the last tray is down, take a look at all of our tested recipes or settle in with our baking guides. A natural next bake is our Brownie Crinkles followed by Caramel-Pecan Cookies. For the background behind this one, the story of the wiki on gingerbread is worth a read.

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