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Heart Shaped Macarons

These heart shaped macarons are surprisingly easy to make and are the perfect way to show someone you care!

Whether you make these for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary, they’re sure to be hit.

image of pink heart shaped macarons filled with buttercream

Making These Heart Shaped Macarons with the French Method

There are a few different ways macarons are made. French macarons are considered easier to make while the Italian and Swiss methods use a few more steps but are more structurally sound.

French macarons also require less equipment. While I love Italian macarons, I like to keep things simple and used the French method for this recipe.

Equipment You’ll Need to Make These Heart Shaped Macarons

I’ve made quite a few batches of macarons, and they definitely turn out best when the ingredients are weighed, and the macarons are baked on a silpat mat.

These are the tools I like to use when I make these macarons:

Making Heart Shaped Macarons – Step by Step Process

While the recipe below is quite detailed, I find visual cues to be super helpful!

Below are some photos and a video tutorial of the process to help guide you through this recipe for heart shaped macarons.

Step #1: Prep Your Ingredients and Equipment

After weighing your ingredients, wipe down your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice to remove any residual grease.

This helps the meringue whip up better!

Step #2: Make the French Meringue

Next, it’s time to make the French meringue! Whisk the room temperature egg whites on a medium-low speed until the surface is covered in small bubbles.

image of egg whites that have been whipped to make small bubbles on the top before adding in the sugar to make french meringue

Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to mix until the whisk begins to leave tracks.

Gradually add the granulated sugar and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds. Increase the mixing speed to a medium high speed.

Mix until stiff peaks form like in the photo below. Keep a close eye on your mixer to avoid over mixing the meringue.

image of meringue that's shiny and has reached stiff peak stage for making macarons

Add in the pink gel food coloring at this point. It will get mixed in as you fold in the dry ingredients during the next step.

Step #3: Sift and Fold the Dry Ingredients into the Meringue

Sift the superfine almond flour and powdered sugar into the meringue, then fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula.

image of dry ingredients being sifted into meringue to make macaron batter

Use a circular motion that sweeps around the edge of the bowl and then pull through the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed together.

Fold until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted.

You should be able to draw a few figure 8’s with the batter running off your spatula in a continuous stream once it is the right consistency.

If the stream of batter breaks before you’re able to this, you may need to stir it a bit more.

image of pink macaron batter that's been mixed perfectly and is ready to be piped

Step #4: Pipe the Heart-Shaped Macaron Shells

Streak your piping bag with lines of red gel food coloring, then fill it with the macaron batter.

Pipe heart shaped macarons onto the prepared baking sheets using a template to ensure they all turn out the same size.

Firmly bang or drop your pans on the counter a few times.

This brings any trapped air bubbles to the surface, which can then be popped with a toothpick or scribe.

Popping these little bubbles can help you avoid hollow or cracked shells.

image of heart shaped macaron shells that have been piped and are resting

Step #5: Rest the Piped Macarons

Let the macarons rest for about 30 minutes, or until they form a skin. On rainy days this can take up to an hour where I live!

They should be mostly dry to the touch and look matte once they’re ready to be baked. While the shells rest, preheat your oven.

Step #6: Bake the Macaron Shells

Bake one tray of macarons at a time and place the tray on the middle rack of your oven.

Bake time can vary based on the size of macarons you pipe and your oven, so adjust the bake time as needed.

Let the macarons cool fully on the pan then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

image of pretty pink heart shaped macarons that have been baked are are ready to be filled

Step #7: Assembling the Heart Macarons

The final step is to pair up the shells, then pipe an even layer of buttercream on one macaron shell and top it with a second shell.

Place the finished macarons in the fridge to mature overnight and bring them to room temperature the next day then enjoy.

Letting the filled macarons rest overnight softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavor to develop.

Troubleshooting These Heart Shaped Macarons

While I’d love to think everyone’s first batch of these heart shaped macarons will turn out perfectly, my own experience has taught me that’s not how things usually go.

Macarons are incredibly temperamental, and it might take a few tries to get them just right.

If you run into any issues, check out my macaron troubleshooting guide!

image of french macaron shells that have been properly baked are are full

Choosing The Right Filling for Your Heart Shaped Macarons

Almost all of the flavor in a macaron comes from its filling.

The shell gives the macarons an incredible texture, but the filling is what determines its flavor.

I have a big sweet tooth, so I like to fill them with my American buttercream.

If you don’t want your macarons to be super sweet, I recommend using hybrid buttercream or Swiss meringue frosting as your frosting base.

image of the side of a heart shaped macaron showing its buttercream filling and perfect feet

Recipe Yield

This recipe makes about 36 small heart macaron shells, which can be used to make 18 macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.

The yield and bake time can vary based on how large you pipe your hearts.

Tips for Making the Best Heart Shaped Macarons

  • Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it’s good to know your game plan before you start!
  • Wipe your mixing bowl and whisk with lemon juice or vinegar to remove any traces of grease before making your meringue. It will help your egg whites whip up better!
  • Separate your own eggs and age them if possible. Do not use egg whites from a carton.
  • Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale! You really need to be precise with this recipe and your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
  • Let your macarons mature! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
  • If your first batch of macarons doesn’t turn out, please check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.

Making These Heart Shaped Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

  • You need to let French macarons mature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before eating them. This gives them their best texture and taste.
  • Store macarons at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
  • Refrigerate macarons for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  • Freeze filled macarons for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Make your filling ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
image of pink heart shaped macarons filled with buttercream

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for heart shaped macarons, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

You can also tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 18 macarons

Heart Shaped Macarons

image of pink heart shaped macarons filled with buttercream

Learn how to make perfect heart shaped macarons! My step by step tutorial & detailed recipe will help you master these delicious little cookies.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 7 minutes

Ingredients

Heart Shaped Macarons

Buttercream Frosting

  • 56g unsalted butter, room temperature (1/4 cup)
  • 4g vanilla extract (1 tsp)
  • 1g fine salt (1/8 tsp)
  • 125g powdered sugar (1 cup)
  • 10g heavy cream (2 tsp)

Equipment

Instructions

Heart Macarons

  1. Pour 55g of aged egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to mix until it reaches the soft peak stage.
  2. Add 55g of granulated sugar into the eggs and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds. If desired, add in pink gel food coloring at this point, then increase the mixing speed to a medium high speed. Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  3. Sift 70g superfine almond flour and 63g powdered sugar into the meringue.
  4. Fold until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted. You should be able to draw a couple figure 8's with the batter running off your spatula when it is the right consistency. If the stream of batter breaks before you're able to this, you may need to stir it a bit more.
  5. Streak your piping bag with lines of red gel food coloring, then fill it with the macaron batter. Pipe heart shaped macarons onto the prepared baking sheets using a template to ensure they all turn out the same size.
  6. Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.
  7. Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed. While the macarons rest, preheat the oven to 315 F / 157 C.
  8. Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 16-19 minutes and rotate your pan halfway through.
  9. Remove from oven and let the macarons cool on the pan (about 15 minutes), then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

Buttercream Frosting

  1. Beat 56g of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes with a whisk attachment until it becomes lighter in color and smooth.
  2. Mix in 4g vanilla extract and 1g salt on a low speed.
  3. Slowly mix in 125g of powdered sugar and 10g heavy cream on a low speed.
  4. Continue to mix on low for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. 
  5. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional heavy cream or milk (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1 Tbsp at a time).
  6. Place in a piping bag with a small round tip and set aside.

Assembling These Heart Macarons

  1. Pair up the macaron shells then pipe an even layer of buttercream on one macaron shell then top it with a second shell.
  2. Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight, then let them warm to room temperature and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe Yield:

This recipe makes about 36 small heart macaron shells, which can be used to make 18 macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.

The yield and bake time can vary based on how large you pipe your hearts.

Tips for Making the Best Heart Shaped Macarons

  • Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale! You really need to be precise with this recipe. Your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
  • Separate your own eggs and age them if possible! Do not use egg whites from a carton.
  • Use gel food coloring. If you try to use liquid food coloring it can throw off the consistency of the batter.
  • Use a heart-shaped template to pipe your heart shaped macarons! It will help ensure your macarons are all the same size and line up properly.
  • Pipe a small number of macarons on a mat to test your oven for hot spots and see if it bakes accurately. This way you won't waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
  • Let your macarons mature in the fridge overnight! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.

Making These Heart Shaped Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

  • French macarons need to mature overnight (or ideally 24 hours) in the fridge before being eaten! They taste best 24 hours after being made.
  • Filled Macarons can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
  • Macarons can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  • Filled macarons can be frozen for up to a month, but the length can vary based on the filling.
  • Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Your filling can be made ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.

Nutrition Information

Yield

18

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 123Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 28mgSodium 35mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 1gSugar 14gProtein 2g

Juliana

Thursday 3rd of February 2022

I am going to make this for my friends, I love all your recipes! <3 You are so creative!!

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