Fig and Honey French Macarons

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Delicately sweet honey and fig macarons are sure to impress anywhere you bring them. They’re the perfect addition to any fall brunch, or just enjoying on your own. The natural sweetness of figs and honey is perfectly balanced with cinnamon and cloves for the perfect fall treat.

Fig and honey macarons on a plate, one stacked on top with a bite taken out of it.

I love the mix of honey and fig. It paired really well together in these macarons. I got the idea for these macarons when my friend gave me a jar of fig jam. I had never tried it before, but when I did, I knew I wanted to make a macaron out of this flavor.

I knew honey would go well with this treat as fig and honey is a popular combination. And it did not disappoint. The color of the shells came out perfectly, and the filling is sweet without being overly so.

Did you know…. Fig trees do not have any blossoms, the blossoms are inside the figs. They are what make up the tiny, edible seeds inside the fig.

Ingredients

These are the basic ingredients for macarons. Any additions like spices, flavoring, or filling will be custom to whatever flavor you are making.

Egg Whites Whipped into a meringue, provides structure and the delicate texture macarons are known for.
Almond flour Provides structure to our cookies.
Powdered Sugar Adds sweetness, but also thickens the batter.
Granulated Sugar Helps build our meringue, making it thick and glossy.
Cream of tartar Extra assurance that the meringue will turn out perfectly.
Extracts and spices A little bit of flavoring.

As you can see from this list, the ingredient requirement is quite short. It’s amazing what you can do with just a few ingredients. Because it’s so short, using the highest quality ingredients you can, especially egg whites and almond flour, is very important.

Pro Tips

Only use metal or glass bowls for making the meringue. Plastic can hold onto fat residue. Fat is the enemy of a perfectly whipped meringue.
It’s best to weigh out the ingredients for the most accurate measurements. I only provide measurements in grams for this reason, apart from the cream of tartar, or any spices and extracts.
Be sure to only use gel or powdered food coloring. Liquid food coloring can make the batter too wet.
I prefer using a stand mixer to make the meringue. It is much easier on the arms, and hands (especially if you have arthritis), than using a hand held mixer. You can use a hand held mixer to make the meringue.

Let’s Make This!

The following is an overview of what it takes to make these fig and honey macarons. For complete instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can also check out my Beginner Tutorial for French Macarons.

Separate egg whites 24 hours ahead of time. Cover with plastic, poke a few holes on top. Refrigerate. Set on counter top before you start making macs.

Candace’s Tip

Wipe down the bowls you will be using to make the meringue with vinegar or lemon juice. This will help get rid of any residual fat. I also wipe down the whisk and the bowl that I separate the egg whites into.

Weigh ingredients out- powdered sugar, almond flour, granulated sugar.

Sift together powdered sugar, almond flour, and any additions such as spices or cocoa powder.

Make the meringue. Add food coloring to the meringue, but don’t fully mix in. You’ll do this as you make the macaronage.

Mix together the meringue and flour/sugar mixture.

Batter for the macaron shells being stirred.

Spatula being dragged through the batter for the macaron shells, showing how to mix it.

Macaronage is ready when it flows like honey off your spatula, you can make a figure 8 with the batter, and it sinks back into itself in 10 seconds.

A figure eight drizzled into the macaron batter, demonstrating the figure eight test.

Macaron shells piped onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.

Pipe onto prepared baking sheets. Let them rest at least 30 minutes, sometimes more, till they form their skin.

Bake each tray individually on the middle rack for 13 minutes at 315 F.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to cool down completely.

Fill macarons once they have cooled down.

A few dishes of fig and honey macarons placed around the table.

Let’s Make the Filling

The filling is a simple buttercream mixed with a bit of fig jam and honey. I started out using the Wilton 2D tip, but the jam kept getting jammed (lol!), so I switched to the round tip, which is a 2A. I also really like the 4B tip. Because I had to switch, the filling was a little softer than it would normally be. Other than that, it’s a great filling that tastes delicious.

Macaron shells paired up, one from each pair turned over with fig and honey filling piped onto the turned over shell.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store macarons?

For maximum flavor and freshness, store macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Layer them with parchment paper. Do not use wax paper as it will stick to the macarons. You don’t want to stack them too high as they are a delicate cookie.

To freeze the shells, first lay them in a single layer on a large baking sheet to freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Line the container with parchment paper, and put parchment paper on each layer of macarons. When you’re ready to use them, thaw the macarons in the fridge overnight and decorate them as normal. Freeze for up to one month.
You can also freeze filled macarons, but it depends on what they are filled with. Buttercream frosting would freeze well. Fillings such as jams or fruit curds would probably freeze ok, but they would not thaw out as well as buttercream.

What’s the secret to perfect macarons?

Start with making sure the meringue has stiff peaks. This helps make a strong shell that’s less prone to cracks. Let the macarons form their skin. Be sure not to overmix or undermix the batter. This takes practice. Remember the figure eight test, and that the batter should flow like honey off the spatula. Bang the trays of filled shells on the counter to remove air bubbles. Most importantly, practice makes perfect.

Should I use a silicone mat or parchment paper?

You can use either silicone mats or parchment paper to line the baking sheets. I prefer silicone mats with the macarons stenciled on them. This helps you get the batter in the right place and perfectly spaced apart. Silicone mats also distribute heat more evenly. They are also reusable, which I appreciate as someone who bakes a lot of macarons. Plus, I love how easily the macarons release from the silicone mats. You may find as you continue on in your macaron journey, you’ll want to purchase some silicone mats. They also work really well for baking scones.