Salted Caramel French Macarons
Sweet, salty, and utterly irresistible, these salted caramel macarons are a little bite of indulgence in every shell. Crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and filled with a rich, buttery caramel, they’re perfect for treating yourself, sharing with friends, or adding a touch of ‘casual fancy’ to brunch or special occasions.
There’s something undeniably irresistible about salted caramel macarons. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside, and filled with buttery caramel, they’re the perfect treat for fall gatherings or holiday cookie boxes. With flavors that capture the season, they’re a little bite of indulgence that’s ideal for celebrating autumn and the holidays. Whether you’re baking for friends, family, or a festive brunch, these macarons add a little extra sparkle to any occasion.
If you want even more seasonal inspiration, try some of my other fall- and holiday-inspired macarons, like Pumpkin Spice, Maple Bacon, or S’mores– each one brings a unique twist to classic macarons and is perfect for sharing or gifting this season.
Ingredients
The ingredients for macarons are few and simple- you probably have most of them in your fridge and pantry right now.
- Almond flour
- Eggs
- Powdered sugar
- Granulated or castor sugar
- Cream of tartar
- and a little bit of cinnamon and vanilla extract
Making Salted Caramel French Macarons
Step 1- Making the macaron shells
Macarons are intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of them, they become easier and easier to make. At the core, you’re just whipping egg whites into stiff peaks (the meringue), then mixing the meringue with sifted almond flour and powdered sugar to form the macaron batter, known as macaronage.
- The batter should be the consistency of honey
- Use the ‘figure eight’ test to check readiness before piping
- Be sure to only use glass or metal bowls to whip egg whites, plastic harbors fat residue which will prevent your egg whites from whipping into stiff peaks.
Pro Tip: Do not use liquid egg whites or meringue powder. Liquid egg whites are pasteurized, which is not ideal for making meringue. Meringue powder is not strong enough to form and hold stiff peaks.
Step 2-Pipe and dry the shells
Once it’s ready, pipe the batter onto two baking sheets lined with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- I love silicone mats with printed circles- they’re reusable and help ensure even sizing and spacing.
- Let the macarons rest until a skin forms before baking.
Pro Tip: Macarons struggle to dry properly in humid weather. Use a fan or dehumidifier to speed up the process if needed, though you don’t want the fan blowing directly onto the shells.
Step 3- Bake the macarons
Bake at 300°F for 14 minutes (adjust as needed for your oven). The shells should feel dry to the touch and not be wiggly. Let them cool for 10 minutes at least before attempting to remove them from the pans or the tops may separate.
Step 4- Fill the macarons
Once the shells are cooled, it’s time to fill and decorate.
Filling and decorating the macarons
The filling for these guys is a simple vanilla buttercream surrounding soft caramel, then sprinkled with a bit of Maldon sea salt for that most delicious salted caramel flavor. Just a tiny pinch is all you need to get the perfect sweet/salty and caramely flavor. I did a simple vanilla glaze drizzle to spruce them up, and these guys are done!
Other recipes to try
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Start with making sure the meringue has stiff peaks. This helps make a strong shell that’s less prone to cracks. 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.
Macarons aren’t meant to be crunchy-they should have a delicate, crisp shell that yields to a soft, chewy center. When you bite in, you’ll feel a light crack on the outside before sinking into that signature chewy middle. That contrast is what makes macarons so irresistible.
Salted Caramel French Macarons
Ingredients
Vanilla Cinnamon Shells
- 130 grams almond flour
- 130 grams powdered sugar
- 75 grams granulated or caster sugar
- 105 grams egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla Buttercream Filling
- 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Caramel Filling
- 1/4 cup caramel bits
- 2 teaspoons milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
Vanilla Honey Drizzle
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Vanilla Shells
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside. Weigh out the almond flour (120 grams), the powdered sugar (130 grams) and the granulated sugar (75 grams). I also set up the piping bag for when I'm done mixing the batter. I use a Wilton reusable bag and the Wilton 12 tip, which provides for greater control when piping the shells. Add the bag, with the tip, into a large cup, folding the tip up before adding it in, and fold the top down around the cup. This makes it much easier to add the batter to the bag.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, sift almond flour and powdered sugar together in a large glass or metal bowl along with the 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Add the egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a hand mixer, but it can be tough on your hands and arms. Beat the egg whites on medium speed until they are foamy and no longer liquid. The whisk should leave track marks in the foam. Turn the speed down and add the granulated sugar in three batches, waiting a few seconds in between each addition.
- Once you've added in all of the sugar, turn the speed up to medium-high, which is between 4 and 5 on my KitchenAid stand mixer. You'll see the egg whites begin to build in volume and turn a glossy white color. The whisk will also start to leave track marks in the whites and will look thick. After a few minutes, you can stop the mixer and check for stiff peaks. If the meringue runs off the whisk, it's not ready. Keep going for another few minutes and then check for stiff peaks. If it's almost ready at this point, I'll turn the mixer up a little bit higher and let it run for 30 seconds before checking again. When the meringue is done, it will form a stiff peak when you pull the whisk out. It may have a slight curve to it, but it should not flop over. If it does, continue mixing the meringue in 30-second bursts at the higher speed and checking for stiff peaks.
- Using a rubber spatula, add the meringue to the flour/sugar mixture in three batches. It won't mix together completely until you have added all of the meringue. Continue mixing until there are no dry ingredients. We are essentially deflating the meringue and making a cohesive batter. Once the dry ingredients are completely mixed in, use a circular motion with the spatula against the side of the bowl to continue mixing the batter. Do a few circles around the bowl, then bring the spatula through the batter. Do this process a few times, then check for the 'honey-like' stage. The batter should flow off the spatula like honey without breaking. You should be able to draw a figure eight with the batter that will sink into itself in 10 seconds when done. You don't want to overmix the batter, so check for doneness after every few passes.
- Once the batter is done, add it to the piping bag. Take the cup over to the lined baking sheets. Take the bag out and, holding the top closed just above the batter, squeeze the batter down gently so it just starts coming out. Hold it a bit sideways until you get over the baking sheets. Holding the bag upright, pipe the shells onto the baking sheets. If you are using the silicone mats with the stencils, you can aim for the dot in the middle of the circle. Count to 4 while piping, then move on to the next circle. Continue this process until you have filled the sheet pans or run out of batter. If you don't have the preprinted circles, just start from the top, going across before moving down. Leave about 3 inches in between each piped circle to leave room for it to spread out.
- Now that all the shells are piped, it's on to removing the air bubbles. Bang the trays firmly on your countertop a few times. This helps to dislodge the air bubbles in the shells. I also like to go through with a toothpick and pop any remaining air bubbles I find.
- Let the shells rest so they form their skin. This should take from 30-40 minutes. In humid weather, this can take longer. If the weather is really dry, it could take less time. When the skin is formed, you'll be able to touch the tops of the macarons without getting any batter on your finger. Preheat the oven to 300 F about halfway into the shells resting.
- Now that the shells have formed their skin, it's time to bake them. Bake the sheets individually in the oven on the middle rack at 300 F for 14 minutes. The tops will be matte and they will not jiggle on their feet when they are done. Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to continue cooling down. The shells must be completely cooled down before adding the filling.For the filling, we'll be using caramel sauce in the middle surrounded by a vanilla buttercream. We'll sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt on the caramel.
- When the shells are cooled, it's time to fill them. Match the shells by size. Flip one over of each pair.
- For these macarons, I like to use the small Wilton 12 tip. We are basically piping a dam of vanilla butter cream around the perimeter of the shell to keep the caramel from squeezing out since it is so soft.
- Once you've added frosting and caramel to each pair of shells and sprinkled the salt on the caramel, it's time to sandwich them together. Sandwich the macarons gently so you don't crack the tops. I use a circular motion with the flat of my fingers to gently sandwich the macarons together.
- Using a spoon, or a small squeeze bottle with a tiny tip, drizzle the honey vanilla glaze over the macs if desired. I prefer the free-form look of using the spoon, but if you want more precision and cleaner lines, use the squeeze bottle.
- Yay! You've completed a batch of macarons! Be proud of yourself. Not everyone is willing to try their hand at baking delicate cookies.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the 1/2 cup softened butter until it's smooth, about 30 seconds or so.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat together. Start slow so the sugar doesn't fly everywhere. Add in the 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add in the last 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.
Salted Caramel Filling
- Add 1/4 cup caramel melts and 2 teaspoons milk to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 10-15 second bursts, stirring in between. You don't want to burn the caramel so it's very important to microwave in short bursts to prevent this.
Vanilla Honey Drizzle
- Add the 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 teaspoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract into a small mixing bowl. Mix everything together until smooth.
Notes
- Beat egg whites just until stiff peaks form, then stop.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Once it flows like honey and passes the figure eight test, stop mixing.
- Store macarons in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week for maximum freshness.
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