Although dramatically different aesthetically, both macarons are from the same batch but baked at different temperatures.
I wrote this post because I found that there wasn’t much information about how to use your home oven properly when baking macarons. Unlike spacious and sturdy commercial grade ovens with even heat distribution, home ovens can be temperamental and seem to need a lot of coddling. For any home baker, it’s very important to know their own oven well in order to achieve success with any recipe. You will need to experiment under different baking conditions like rack position, temperature and bake time to find the optimal conditions for successful baking. When you learn to trust your oven, it will love you back ♥
When I started making macarons, I was more concerned about feet development and just making sure that the macarons actually looked like macarons. Needless to say, I was not too picky back then. But as I baked more of them, I realized that all the faults like hollow shells, crispy over baked bodies etc. would actually manifest itself in its outer appearance. In other words, you are essentially showing the world all your macaron’s faults just by its visual presentation. I started to demand more perfection from these little sweet treats.
You won’t be good enough for everybunny but you’ll always be the best to the one who deserves you
Even when you follow a macaron recipe religiously, you can still end up with ugly or underdeveloped macarons just because you used your oven incorrectly. Almost all the recipes I’ve ever read would simply teach you to bake the shells in the oven for so and so minutes at so and so temperature. It drove me crazy when I ended up with overly brown or undercooked macarons. It really drove me to experiement with my oven in order to get my macarons just right.
I’m not saying which method will work the best since all ovens are different. Every baker should know their own oven well. This post highlights the different ways to adjust your oven to perfect the baking process. You may need to use a combination of these adjustments to acheive the results you want depending on your own situation.
All of the scenarios below are in reference to the average baking time, temperature and rack position of the two methods below:
♥ FRENCH Method: 320 F for 12-14 minutes on the middle rack ♥
♥ ITALIAN Method: 260 F for 20-22 minutes on the middle rack ♥
❤ Oven Adjustment Methods
♥ Bake Time and Temperature
Macarons can be over baked/under baked and feet development can be overdeveloped/underdeveloped if the baking time or temperature is not well aligned. For over baked shells or over developed feet, the temperature is probably too high causing it to bake too quickly. You will also find that feet which develop quickly and outwards are also victims of over folding and overly hot oven temperatures. The high heat forces the feet to develop much too quickly and it has nowhere to go except up and out. On the other hand, under baked shells and under developed feet (not a lack of feet due to wrong folding techniques, just underdeveloped), cannot fully reach their full potential when the oven temperature is not high enough.
Learn to adjust the temperatures in your oven. To compensate for adjusted temperatures, you will also need to readjust the baking time and vice versa. For temperature increases, baking time should be decreased. For temperature decreases, baking time should be increased. However, baking at lower temperatures may sometimes result in an undercooked shell and baking at higher temperatures may cause shells to brown. If that is the case, try adjusting the rack position as outlined in the next section.
Baking Time and Temperature Relationship
↑ Increase temperature – ↓ decrease time
↓ Decrease temperature – ↑ increase time
As a starting point, for every 25F, compensate with a 2-3 minutes change in the inverse direction.
Some Recommended Baking Temperature and Times:
350F for 10 minutes – suitable for spacious large ovens
325F for 12-14 minutes – standard starting point for my recipe
300F for 16-18 minutes
275F for 18-20 minutes – suitable for smaller ovens with small compartments
♥Rack Position
The middle rack is often the “default” position in any oven. It’s ideal for most foods since it allows the hot air to circulate evenly around the food, resulting in balanced heat distribution. Most recipes recommend that you bake your macarons on the middle shelf. However, you may need to adjust this depending on where your heat source is coming from and your own individual problems.
Browning of shell top due to broiler’s heat source from the TOP of the oven without convection fan:
If the tops of your macarons are browning too fast before the centre is fully cooked, try moving your macarons to a lower rack until the feets develop. Then, place an empty tray on the rack above the shells to shield them from the heat.
Shells browning on bottom due to heat source from the exposed bake element at the BOTTOM of the oven without convection fan:
If your macarons are browning on the bottom before the centre is fully cooked, try moving the macarons to a higher rack. If that alone doesn’t help, you can try adding an extra tray immediately below the current tray to prevent it from heating up too quickly.
♥ Convection vs. True Convection
A regular convection oven features a fan which helps to distributes the air around the oven. A “true convection” (a.k.a European convection or third-element convection) utilizes an additional heating element behind the fan to blow heated air to your dish. This method produces more even heat distribution and better baking results.
Using the convection fan:
I have become a recent convert to the convection fan since I have found that the temperature remains consistent throughout the baking process with only a 5 degree variance. The fan helps to distribute heat more evenly throughout the oven cavity so you may even be able to bake several trays at once. The heat reaching your macarons may be increased and you may need to decrease the temperature or baking time.
On the flip side, some bakers may find that their convection fan is a little too strong and causes the macaron shells to become lopsided. You can consider turning on convection cooking during the latter part of the baking period since your shells will already be stronger at that point than when they were wet. If that doesn’t help, you may need to skip using the fan altogether.
♥ Hot-Preheat Method
If you’re still having trouble using a slow and consistent temperature method, try the hot-preheat method. Increase the oven temperature 50 degrees more than the usual baking temperature during the preheat. Once it has reached that temperature and you’re ready to bake, turn it down to the regular baking temperature once you place your trays inside. You will need to compensate for this increase in temperature by baking it a shorter amount of time.
This method allows your shells to develop feet from the exposure to the initial high heat but lets them finish off at a lower temperature to avoid browning and over baking. You’ll need to be careful of this though as home ovens can cycle hot and cold before it ever reaches your desired temperature so adjusting the temperature mid-way in the baking process may not really change the temperature as you’d hope it would. Read this post on finding a consistent oven temperature.
♥ Reduce Oven Moisture
In Pierre Herme’s Macarons book, he advises to open the oven door near the end of the baking time after the feet have developed to let out the steam. If this is an area of concern for you, you can keep the oven door ajar for the whole or a duration of the baking time by propping a wooden spoon in between the door. You will need to compensate for the loss in heat by increasing the oven temperature.
❤ Good Oven Practices for Baking Macarons
♥ Always Pre-Heat Oven and Use an Oven Thermometer
Always Pre-heat your oven to the correct temperature before placing your trays inside. Place an oven thermometer inside the oven to ensure that the temperature is correct. Many bakers assume that their ovens are at the correct temperature when in fact, it has increased or decreased during the baking process without their knowledge. Did you know that the temperature during the initial period of pre-heating is the most unstable? Read my other post on Maintaining a Consistent Oven Temperature.
♥ Identify Hot Spots in Your Oven:
If you are getting uneven results from the same tray of macarons – some are browner than others or some are under baked – you may be facing an issue of hot spots in your oven. You’ll need to avoid placing macarons in those areas and rotate your tray throughout the baking time to achieve more even heat distribution.
A great way to identify the hot spots in your oven is to bake several slices of white bread on a tray until it turns brown. You can then see if they have all browned at the same pace or if some are browner than the others.
♥ Bake One Batch at a Time:
I do not recommend baking several trays at once until you have already found the optimal conditions in your oven to bake a perfect batch. Until then, it would be difficult for you to determine why your macarons did not bake successfully. When you bake several batches at once in a small home oven, sometimes heat cannot be evenly distributed to all the shells at the same time. Also, if you are baking on different racks, you would be forcing your macarons to be closer to or further away from a heat source than you’d like.Although not advised for new macaron bakers, if baking several batches at once, try to: alternate the trays midway into the baking time or bake 2 trays on the same rack instead of on different racks. If you have a true convection oven, baking several trays may be easier with the convection setting.
♥ Avoid Hollows ♥
Same batter but 2 different results! If your folding technique is correct and your meringue is strong, you can still end up with hollows if your temperature is not high enough or your cooking time is not long enough. The fully set shell was baked with oven cyclying between 300-325 F for 14 min. The hollow one didn’t reach its full potential as the temp. hovered between 275-300 for the same amount of time. Readers often ask what temperature to use for macarons, I’d say start with 320 and adjust from there according to what works for you.
❤ Summary of Macaron Troubleshoots Due to Oven Conditions
(full macaron troubleshoot here):
Macaron shell is browning due to high heat or proximity to heat source
• Shell top is browning:
– move further away from heat source
– decrease temperature, increase time
– shield macarons with empty tray on rack above
Macaron shells browning on the bottom
• Shell bottom is browning:
– move further away from heat source
– decrease temperature, increase time
– add double pan on bottom
Macaron Shell is Undercooked
• Shell is undercooked or feet is under-developed:
– move closer to heat source
– increase baking time
– increase temperature
Dry Overcooked Macaron
• Shell is overcooked/dry or feet is over-developed:
– let macaron mature 24 hours or more after filling
– brush same flavoured syrup or milk on bottom of shells
– next time, turn down heat or move away from heat source
– stop whipping egg whites once it reaches stiff peaks
Lopsided macarons
• Shell is lopsided:
– avoid using convection fan if thats the culprit
– avoid using fans the blow directly onto macarons while waiting for skin to develop
-use the range hood fan instead to dry out piped macarons
– consider using a silpat mat instead of parchment paper
– incorrect piping techniques
Baking too many trays at once can yield inconsistent results
• Inconsistency in the same batch:
– identify hot spots in your oven
– bake only one tray at a time until you find the optimal baking time/temperature
– for trays baked on different racks, alternate the trays midway into the baking time
– ensure batter is fully incorporated before piping
Let me know how yours went. Happy Baking to You!
XOXO,
Mimi
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Annie says
HI Mimi, I baked my macarons on silpats and at preheated oven at 300degrees, first tray cracked after 3, 4 minutes…then I lowered the temperature to 285 degrees, and the macarons came out with concave bottom. What went wrong, it seems at recipe temperature the macarons cracks, and if i lower the temperature, it concaves? What should I do? I’ve been baking these macarons for few years, trial and erred, only few times then came out ok, feet and nice outside looking, but hollow insides…I’ve used parchment paper then. Since switch to silpats, now this is what I’m encountering. Thanks,
Mimi says
Hi Annie,
There is probably something wrong with your batter if they cannot bake at either temperature. Especially when they are concave, there is something wrong with them. Either beat the meringue stiffer or watch out for your folding, don’t over fold.
xoxo,
Mimi
Cat says
Hi Mimi! Thanks for all your advice on macaron baking. Just out of curiosity, what kind of oven do YOU use to bake? Is there a particular kind of home oven you would recommend for baking macarons? For instance, I’ve found that some convection fans are too powerful causing some issues like browning vivid colors. Would love to hear your opinions on brands/models.
Mimi says
Hi Cat,
I was seriously stalking home ovens for quite a while a few years ago when I had to get a new oven. I’m not sure what new models they have now. My particular model is no longer in production but I’m sure there are similar and better ones out there now. Mine is a dual oven from Fridigaire Gallery. It has equal sized compartments and they have True Convection / European convections fan in both compartments. Watch out for this as some dual ovens only provide the true convection feature in one compartment instead of both. As long as your temperature is stable, that is the most important part. That’s where I think gas ovens have issues. I don’t have a gas oven but from what I hear, the temperature can fluctuate quite a bit. I wouldn’t worry too much on the convection issue if it’s not a possibility (it’s definitely a bonus!), just make sure the oven you are getting provides a stable and consistent temperature 🙂 XOXO, Mimi
Cat says
Thank you for the detailed reply, Mimi! ❤️
Ja says
How come the technique doesn’t include turning the tray halfway through the being process? Wouldn’t that help to evenly bake them? Or does it suffer a loss of temperature control?
Mimi says
Hi,
Thanks for your note. That’s a great observation. You can turn it if your oven can handle the temperature fluctuations from opening and closing the door. If you have an electric convection oven, it should not suffer as much heat loss.
XOXO,
Mimi
Kevin says
This page saved my sanity and my macarons!! Thank you!
Mimi says
How amazing! Thank you so much for leaving me a note!
Xoxo,
Mimi
Wei Ping says
Hi Mimi. I tried your recipe few times n I got very nice feet n no hollow shells. The only problem I facing is the shell look oily( patches on the skin). Do u know how to overcome this problem? Thanks
Mimi says
It may be due to overbeating your meringue or your almond flour may be oily.
I find some brands of almond flour can cause this because they grind the almonds too much and too much oils are released from the nut. I always grind my own flour to control the quality. here’s how to grind your own almond flour
xoxo
mimi
Anna says
Hi, thank you so much for the detailed post! My doubt is so we need to use both top and bottom coil while baking. What I do is, while preheating I leave both on and when I put the macrons or cake in , I turn it to bottom only. Is this the correct method? I am self taught so please excuse if it is a silly doubt. Thanks!
Mimi says
ahh, I miss my old oven. It could do that! Yes, if possible, turn the upper element off to prevent the tops from browning. You want nice vibrant colors! You need to play with the temperature a bit since you’re only getting heat from the bottom but I prefer just heating from the bottom for macarons in a home oven.
xoxo,
Mimi
Vicki says
Hi Mimi, your instructions are soooo detail. I love it!
I have followed the technich you post in writing and video, but I always have problems with chocolate macorons, the always turned out wrinkle, I used to bake 300F, and I did try 320’F, they turned out to be the same, hollow on the top, does that mean I have problem with my oven? If I use gel color, they turned out smooth but still bit hollow. I am so frustrating! Can you please help? ??
Mimi says
thank you for the feedback Vicki.
You may have overbeaten your meringue. Its hard to say where your problems are coming from since I can’t see what you’re doing. You can test one more temperature to see if it’s a temperature issue. Go up to 350. I don’t think the 20 degrees difference is enough for you to gauge if your problems are coming from your temperature. If you’re still having problems are 350, then try to work on your techniques a bit more.
Xo Mimi
Vicki says
Thanks Mimi. I tried green tea macaron with 320F, they turned out brown ?
Vicki
Karen says
Hi Mimi,
Okay, it seems since so many different hues make turquoise, even after I shook the bottle and only added 1 drop, it is spotty before it even goes in the oven. I’ll be calling the company on Monday to see why. I just wanted to let you know. 🙂
Mimi says
Thank you for keeping me informed. Let me know what happens. I never had that problem yet with my colors 🙂
xo
Mimi
Karen says
I didn’t compensate the large drop for the small test batch I was making. Not enough meringue so I should of used just a dot on a tooth pick. Silly me. LOL!
Karen says
Hi Mimi! Your blog, tutorials and troubleshooting has helped me so much! I’ve finally gotten the shells/macronage down to a system after 5-6 months of testing of doing the French method. I recently got a true convection oven (Woohoo! Thank goodness for mega sales and looking in the right place at the right time! LOL!) Anywho, my convection setting won’t go lower than 275F. They bake perfectly inside and out at that temperature but the color starts to dull/fade around the 11 minute mark even though the shells are still slightly soft. 15 minutes is the perfect baking time I’ve found for my oven. I tried the regular baking mode this morning at 250F for 30 minutes but I noticed that the Americolor (turquoise) started to get splotchy around the 16-18 minute mark. Now, in the oven, I use the lowest shelf and that works the best. The fan is in the back and the top heating element doesn’t come on since the convection has it’s own heating element. If I leave the door slightly open, the heat on either setting does not come back on. I have to manually open the door for about 30 seconds 2 minutes before baking is complete which is after I turn the tray around. So I finally decided to bother you with this and see if you have any ideas on what I can do to keep it from fading (in the convection mode) and getting blotchy (in the regular oven mode). Thanks !!!!!!!!
Mimi says
Hmm… very hard to say since I can’t see exactly what is happening inside your oven. I think a bit of fading is very normal for any oven. Actually, I find when it’s too vibrant, the shell is often undercooked. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having to open your oven near the end. Home ovens can be temperamental and we have to adjust accordingly:)
xo
Mimi
Karen says
I agree. Home ovens are temperamental. I’m still getting used to this new one. But the slight tan color drives me batty since it happens at 275F when they are about 90% baked and that is after I turned the tray around. Hmm.
Chris Christou says
This is so so so so so helpful, thank you so much.
I struggle with light coloured macarons as they go brown, this page has been a big help.
Thanks Mimi
Mimi says
Thank you so much for your feedback Chris. I’m so happy to hear that!
Xo
Mimi
Flor says
Hello Mimi, your website is beautiful! I’ve made macarons 3 different times, and I’ve been correcting some mistakes ( was over-mixed, over-whisked, browned), I just made the 3rd batch and something weird happened. I use a true convection oven (didnt use the convection function though) and only applied heat from the bottom, one tray in the middle) at 300F for 14 minutes. The feet began to form beautifully, and the macarons were rising, yet mid-bake the shells began to wrinkle (and deflated). I finished baking them and the shells were indeed, wrinkled and the macarons felt chewy, soft and sticked a little bit to the paper. I let them dry 40 minutes before putting them in the oven, however I cant tell if they were dry enough. Can you help me? Xoxo
Mimi says
Thanks so much Flor
you may have overbeaten your meringue
xoxo
Mimi
Lana says
Hi Mimi,
Thanks a lot for the information and your kind answers. Do you pipe all your macarons at once and then wait for them to bake one-by-one? I wonder if the second sheet, waiting 15-20 minutes longer, will turn out differently… would be happy if you could share your experiences!
Mimi says
Hi Lana,
I bake them one tray at a time after piping all of them. The tops do come out blotchy if you wait too long but I find a one to two hour wait is okay for me.
XOXO
Mimi
Aya says
Hi Mimi! My macarons look fine but turn out hollow on top! I tried your method of turning it to about 320 degrees for 11 minutes, and that made a perfect macaron on the inside, but the outside was browned! I then tried to lower the temperature to around 305 and baked for 12 minutes, but they still turned out hollow. I put a pan above the one I was baking, and the colors lighter than the batter color. I know that’s normal, but the bottoms are still browning more than I want them to. My only solution is to overbake them for 20 minutes at 275, make them hard and chewy, and let them mature for 2 days. Any advice?
Mimi says
it sounds like your first temperature at 320 is good for the inside of the macaron. you can try using that temperature but placing the tray lower or higher so it’s farther away from the heating element. the last method of maturing them longer is fine as well.
Xoxo
Mimi
Elena says
Hi Mimi! First of all, I want to say thank you so much for sharing your macaron’s experience. I found a lot of information and troubleshooting. I fixed all problems, but my range is died, and I use my friend’s range.
I have to buy new one, but I don’t know wich one(((( Could you recommended me wich range is good? What model do you use? Thank you so much for your help!
XOXO Elena
Mimi says
Hi Elena,
Thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry to hear about your range. At the same time, it must be nice to have an opportunity to purchase a new oven. I am using a Fridigaire Gallery Dual oven with “True”/European Convection.
XOXO,
Mimi
Jules says
Hi Mimi!! Love your blog and IG! I’ve been making macs for like two years for fun and you were the first blog I ever read! My macs look pretty and all but for some reason I’m still struggling with hollows. I recently realized it could be my oven temperature but I have never tried baking lower than 280 f on convection (Italian method). I’ve been following step by step with whipping the meringue til it’s stiff and folding to the proper consistency. I have been baking them at 295-300 but I find that it’s too hot and the tops are browning too fast. Is there a reason you bake them at a low temperature? Should I whip my meringues less? Thanks for the help :):)
Mimi says
I would try your current batter at all different temps before adjusting your meringue so you know where to pinpoint your problem first. you might want to put them on a lower rack first and see from there. If your batter is good, a higher temp always helps or bake them longer at lower heat.
XOXO
Mimi
Daffodileifa says
Hi Mimi
Thank you for giving us some pointer with the oven though I still found a bit difficulty using my oven to bake the macaron since the majority of my macaron come out hollow even though it look really good on the outside.
My oven is deck oven with top and bottom heat with no fan, can I still use the temp you say or do I need to lower the heat or take it higher? I use italian meringue method. The first time I bake the macaron in 325 F, some become hollow but it was a bit brown 🙁 I try to lower the heat and it still become hollow even though it is not really brown anymore. So can u suggest what should I do with it? Should I lower the heat and bake longer? Anyway I use silpat, and it is kinda hard to determine whether the shell is completely baked or not, though I try the method some blogger using by try to push the shell a bit and if the feet is not moving then it is set. Unfortunately it still come out hollow so I dont know anymore 🙁
Mimi says
It would be best to take up this issue with the original recipe writer of your Italian recipe to make sure you are using his/her recipe correctly. Good Luck!
XOXO,
Mimi
Nina F says
Hi Mimi!
I’ve read this post several times (so grateful for it!) as I consistently get frustrated with my inconsistent oven. I have an oven that likes to go +/- 50F degrees set temperature. It drives me nuts having to open and close the door. Ex: 325F would keep it’s temp until I opened it to put the macs in, then it would drop to less than 300F. I’d increase it to 330F to give it more heat, then it’ll jump right to 350F or more. Another batch, I would also set the temp to 340F and once I put the macs in, the temp would go down to 310F, then somehow go above 350F within 20 seconds without me changing the setting. It’s driving me insane! It does not have a fan by the way. So, I bought a countertop oven (Black and Decker Extra Wide Digital Toaster Convection Oven) and it only varied -10F degrees and never exceeded it’s set temperature. This was the first time I’ve ever had completely full macs with a hard shell (hooray!). Unfortunately, every single mac of the same batch came out differently. Only 1 looked perfect (back left corner); the front corners erupted and cracked from the top with no feet and not full, majority were lopsided and full , and a few had awkwardly cracked feet, instead of the delicate bubbles, but still full. I’m assuming it’s the countertop oven’s fan? Please help! Any suggestions on a really good countertop oven? I know the Waring Pros are great, but that’s just way to expensive for me at the moment :\ I’d buy that next oven in a heart beat! Thank you so much in advance! This would put an end to my miserable macs!
<3
Nina
Mimi says
Hi, I’m glad you found yourself a new oven that’s a bit more consistent. I’m not quite sure which counter top oven would work well for you. If you want to keep trying with your smaller oven, you might need to adjust your heat level a bit since the heat reaching your macs might be a bit more intense in a smaller space. Hope you find a solution to this 🙂
XOXO,
Mimi
marilyn sachitano says
Please help me figure out why my macarons baked on silpat have no bottom. I like using parchment paper, but the macaron is usually “wrinkled” a little. Is there a “good” parchment paper to use?
Thank you for all the tips.
Marilyn
Mimi says
Macaron Troubleshooting
This guide will really help you. It addresses those issues
XOXO
Mimi
Glenda says
I just want to say ‘Thank you’ so much for for making a dedicated website mainly on how to make macarons along with how to learn to achieve the perfect texture of the cookie. This helps out someone like me so much who loves macarons. Thank you again. I appreciate all the work you did in posting them because when I would comment on different pages on IG that make macarons, they simply just ignore or do not want to give any advise as well as recipes they use.
Mimi says
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me this message Glenda. After spending hours on writing these posts, I’m happy you found them useful. It really makes my day 🙂
XOXO,
Mimi
Jm says
Hi Mimi, thanks a lot for sharing these to us! <3
My problem: I keep having brown shells. 🙁
I just want to ask the best method to test what temp works for my oven. I have thought of one. Like put a batch of 4 shells only on each varied temp and time until I get the right result. Is this ok? Any other idea to get to know my oven more? Cos I've been wasting the ingredients. :/ Thanks!
Andrea says
Hi, I’m learning to make macaroon using italian method now. But the problem I’m having is my macaroon are always hollow. I’m using convection oven.. baking temp is 125 degrees Celsius for 24 min. I open the oven door for a few seconds at 12 min. And how to see if the meringue is already stiff peak?
Mimi says
Hi Andrea,
It’s best to ask these very specific questions to the original recipe writer. They will be the best source to help you pinpoint what exactly you should do to make their recipe a success 🙂
XoXo
Mimi
Connie says
Dear Mimi, can’t wait to share more pictures of my macarons made with your recipe! I just wanted to ask you one quick question- do you think the bottoms browning too quickly has anything to do with the color of the baking sheets? (mine are black) I think I read somewhere that dark baking sheets radiates more heat and therefore cooks food quicker.
Jess says
Hey Mimi, where is the best place to store macarons?
Mimi says
I would always store them in the fridge in an airtight container.
XOXO
Mimi
Ninie says
Hello mimi !
I have been using your recipe and try to master it but keep failed ;(
I have few question for u please please reply to me as soon as u have time 🙁 Thank you so much.
1) If the meringue is not stiff peak, you will end up hollow macarons right ?
2) If the meringue is soft peak, you will still end up hollow too ?
3) The higher the temp you will have hollow macarons ?
Mimi says
Hi Ninie,
You will need to get your meringue to just the right stiffness. Not too hard, not too soft. Stop as soon as you reach stiff.
I think macarons tend to be more hollow at lower temperatures than the other way around.
XOXO
Mimi
Connie says
Hi Mimi, first of all, thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us! I tried your macaron recipe and found that if i baked it at the temperature you recommended (320 F for 14 mins) there was no more hollows! However, my macarons started to turn really brown. I read online that sometimes it has to do with using dark baking sheets (mine are black!) so i tried changing my baking sheets to a lighter color, switched down the temp. and increased the time (280 F for 16 mins). I just wanted to ask you, the insides are still a bit moist and sticky, and there’s an air pocket on top (http://imgur.com/snsfIhr). Is this considered “hollow”? I’d love to hear any suggestions or thoughts you might have! thanks! xoxo
Mimi says
Hi Connie,
For the photo you sent, I think you’re almost there. In fact, most bakers would be thrilled for that result. It’s just a small gap between the body and shell. I’ve seen this a lot at most bakeries Ive been to and there is nothing wrong with it. I wouldn’t say its hollow. I know home bakers get a lot of visual cues from social media and lot of #nohollow photos I’ve posted do show that they fill out to the very top. I’d have to say that it took a long time of playing with my oven to get just the right temperature to prevent browning and a full full shell. Try some more with the oven guide I provided. perhaps you just need to move down your tray a bit from the heat source.
XOXO
Mimi
Ally says
Hi Mimi. I recently went to purchase a convectional gas range thinking that was my solution to avoid hollow macarons. Prior to my new oven, I would reach nice smooth tops and hollow from the inside. Last night, I had 3 batches. 1st/2nd batch were smooth, feet, but hollow. 3rd batch was lifted from the top with a crack. All baked at 300F for 13min. Unless my egg whites are not reaching a nice stiff peak or I am not folding properly, I don’t know what else to do. Help me!!!!!
Mimi says
You’ll need consistent heat throughout your baking time. I don’t think a fancy oven is necessarily required but one with a consistent heat level is important. try cranking up the heat a bit. macaron shells develop better with a higher heat.
XOXO Mimi
Patricia Morria says
I have been trying to perfect macarons for a while now, and I must say, your instructions are fantastic! I have two ovens, one fan, and the other conventional. I tried the fan oven first, with not bad results, and tried the conventional oven today, using your tips for putting a tray above so they don’t brown, and they turned out beautiful.
Thank you for your tips!
Mimi says
Wow. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how it worked for you! I am so happy to hear that! I hope you’ll keep making many more creations like bears and other cute shapes now that you have mastered it 🙂
XOXO,
Mimi
Daniela Gomez says
OMG you’ve made me see light at the end of the tunnel! I just lost 4 batches of macarons when most of the time I get them right. It’s sooooo frustrating! But I’m taking note of all your advice and will try again tomorrow!
I do have a question and it is about the drying stage. I live in Bogota, Colombia and out weather is pretty unpredictable. Sometimes it’s warm but sometimes it’s pretty cold and rainy. Have you got the chance to test out different drying techniques? Do you find using a fan is better or has humidity ruin your drying stage?
Will appreciate your advice! ❤️
Mimi says
Hi Daniela,
Nice to hear from you and really cool to hear you are writing from all the way in Columbia. As I outlined in my recipe, I like to use a rangehood fan since the air flow won’t blow on the shells from a sideway angle causing lopsided macarons. I have not encountered so much humidity before since I live in a climate that is not too humid, although it does rain almost everyday. Pls. see some of the tips I’ve outlined in the recipe again on how to eliminate humidity in the kitchen before baking.
XOXO
Mimi
Carole says
Hello!
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
I am planning on trying the recipe out! I’ve never done maccaron before.
I would like to ask you. Is it better to try baking the maccaron on baking mat or parchment paper? Would I get the same result?
Do you recommend any mat?
Thanks
Mimi says
Hi Carole,
If you’re baking for the first time, I recommend parchment paper. It’s much easier for the shells to develop feet. You’ll be able to pinpoint areas of concern for you as well as you go along. Once you get the hang of it, then move to silpats. They are excellent for keeping the shapes round and nice 🙂
XOXO,
Mimi
Cecilia says
Hi Mi Mi!
After reading and searching through your blog, I still don’t really understand the purpose of oven thermometer and how to use it (I might have misread some information). I mean, what do I do when the oven thermometer reads the temperature of the oven below or above the “moderate” temp to bake macarons? (ex: initially bake at 300F, then the temperature falls to 290F, do I just increase the temperature back to 300F?)
Also, my macarons were a little bit brown on the bottom, I am not sure whether it was because of the heat source or the food coloring that I used. (I baked my macarons at 325F, middle rack, and I used wilton gel food coloring).
Thank you in advance 🙂 <3
ps; I love your blog, instagram and youtube channel :). You are very very talented <3
Mimi says
Thank you Cecilia! That is so sweet of you.
If you find your temperatures are fluctuating, I would not keep adjusting it because it takes a while for home ovens to stabilize in temperature. You should actually try to find out how much time it takes your oven to reach a consistent heat level then put your trays in then. Read this other post I wrote:
https://www.indulgewithmimi.com/lamb-macarons-finding-the-correct-oven-temperature/
As for the brown bottoms, I’m not sure if a colouring can actually CAUSE browning but I have heard from other bakers that Wilton is not as good for baking/heat. I use Americolour and it works for me everytime.
XOXO,
Mimi
Samantha says
By the way, I bake without convection at 300 degrees, 10 minutes, rotate pans and then another 10 minutes. I see your suggestion above is to decrease to 260 degrees for Italian method?
Mimi says
Yes, I prefer to bake my Italians at lower temps at 260 🙂
XOXO,
Mimi
Samantha says
Hello! I LOVE that you’ve written about controlling home oven temperatures. I am certain my (Italian method) batter is strong, but am having inconsistent results. Because I need to make many many macaron at once, I am baking two trays at a time and I really like your suggestion of baking two at once on the same rack.
My macaron are either browned and hollow OR undercooked, sticking to the parchment paper and not hollow. If I understand your pages properly, I guess the problem for the first is too high heat and the latter is too low heat/not cooked long enough?
This is the most helpful site I have found. Thank you for posting.
Mimi says
There could be many variances with macarons. It could be the batter itself. It really depends if the situation you are describing is actually from the same batter. Test your batter at different temperatures and see what happens.
XOXO,
Mimi
wache says
Hey Mimi, I want to say that your post saved me! I’ve tried to make this so many times with various methods, and I finally stumbled upon this page and realized – I can’t bake my macaron at the middle rack!! Not saying I am making perfect macarons at the moment but let’s say the end product is… resembling what a macaron looks like with feet!
Mimi says
Hi! That is sooo sweet of you to leave me a message about your success! I’m so happy for you! Now that you got it down, try some of my #macaronart tutorials too 🙂
XOXO,
Mimi
Samantha @mykitchenlove says
So informative! I’m working up the guts to make some macs and this post was very helpful! My oven is dual heated (electric and gas) do you have much experience with that type of oven? Love all your photos as well.
Mimi says
Sorry for the delay! I took some time out to find out about dual ovens. First of all, lucky you! Second, from my what I’ve read, it seems that the oven itself is usually electric and the stove top is gas. If that’s the case with yours, then I assume you can use my guide Oven Guide as per usual since I think it should behave like a normal electrical oven. Correct me if I’m wrong. Are you having any issues with fluctuating temperatures in yours?
Ninie says
Hello Mimi !
Thanks for writing this great and so detail post ! Everytime I bake macarons they always come out perfect except HOLLOW that drive me crazy. Since you said about the Convection Oven and True Convection oven but my oven doesn’t have a fan, so do I still bake at 320F ? Usually I baked at 300F for 10mins. But after read your post I think I have to buy the oven ther. Hopefully you will answer and help me master those Macarons like you 🙂 Thanks
Mimi says
Hi Ninie,
I find that when I turn on the fan, the heat is much more even, consistent and a bit higher than without. What temperature you use will depend on your oven. It really depends what kind of results you are already getting with 320F. Look at the appearance of your macs and go from there. Hollows most likely come from weak meringue, overfolding and low oven heat. Don’t worry too much about the convection fan, you can still get great results without. I used to bake without even turning on the fan.
Gabrielle Russell says
I have found that adding 5 grams of powdered egg whites for every 50 grams of fresh egg whites guarantees I will not have hollows. It’s a miracle!
Mimi says
I’m glad you found something that works for you 🙂
thanks for sharing
xo
Mimi
Hana says
Thanks for writing this article. What does it mean when my macarons pop like a volcano? I’m guessing it’s high heat so I’d lower it but then the macarons shell isn’t quite crunchy enough even with lengthened baking time. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Mimi says
Hi Hana,
Can you clarify what you mean about the volcano? Does it crack and the insides spill out of it? If so, you will need to make sure that your batter is not too wet (could be overfolding or unaged egg whites etc…) and remember to tap the tray hard against the counter to release any air bubbles inside the batter.
Olivia @ livforcake says
Another great post! Thank you Mimi! My oven is definitely a culprit and I am starting to hate it. It’s a gas oven and a HUGE pain in the butt. I got an oven thermometer for Christmas and have been using it religiously. The temperature can sometimes span a 50 degree difference during ONE baking session, so I need to keep an eye on it at all times.
I think the issues with my last batch were probably too high heat and lopsidedness due to the convection setting which I *thought* would help them cook more evenly. No more convection for me!
indulgewithmimi says
Yes! I also do not use convection for my macs. I get pretty good results without it. It must be much harder to control the temperature in a gas oven. (I’m only guessing from what you’re saying). I had been doing a lot of research lately for ovens because I had to buy a new one. It seems the best performing ones will control the temperature more evenly. My mom bakes her small cakes in a small counter-top convection oven. I thought it was pretty ingenious. I’m not sure if it would work for finnicky macs but I guess it might be worth investigating if you’re having way too much trouble controlling your gas oven and don’t want to replace such a big appliance.
Maryam says
Thank you very much for all very useful information. I’ve been addicted to making macarons, but every time I make them I have different results ))) I love your site.
indulgewithmimi says
Thank you for leaving me a message! I will be working on more posts soon, maybe some more macaron art and my Macaron Surprise! cake. Let me know how your macaron adventures go! XOXO, Mimi