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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Macarons

    Salted Caramel Buttercream Macarons

    Published: Oct 22, 2021 ยท Modified: Jan 13, 2024 by Emily Laurae ยท This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Caramel buttercream macarons.
    Caramel buttercream macarons.
    Caramel buttercream macarons.

    Salted caramel buttercream macarons are a classic French cookie you'll find in bakeries all over the world! With this recipe, you can create your own decorated salted caramel macarons at home.

    Salted Caramel Buttercream Macarons.
    Jump to:
    • โญ Why Youโ€™ll Love This Caramel Macaron Recipeย 
    • ๐ŸŽจ Adding Paint to Macaron Shells
    • ๐Ÿ“–ย Step by Step Instructions
    • โฒ๏ธ Adding Flavoring to Swiss Meringue Buttercream
    • ๐ŸŒŸ Piping Buttercream with a Large French Star Tip
    • ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿปโ€๐Ÿณ Expert Tips for Making Macarons
    • โ„๏ธ How to store French Macarons
    • ๐Ÿ’ญย  Recipe FAQs
    • Here are some other Macaron Recipes to try!
    • Salted Caramel Buttercream Macarons
    • ๐Ÿ’ฌ Comments

    โญ Why Youโ€™ll Love This Caramel Macaron Recipe 

    • Classic Meets Caramel: Pairing the classic French macaron shell with a luscious caramel filling means every bite is a burst of flavor.
    • Ideal for Bakers: Even if it's your first time, this recipe provides detailed guidance to help you ace the art of macaron-making.
    • Quality Ingredients: Using almond flour and real caramel sauce, every bite feels gourmet.
    • Great for Special Occasions: Whether it's a dinner party or just a weekend treat, these macarons are sure to impress.

    ๐ŸŽจ Adding Paint to Macaron Shells

    Adding a swipe of color to the tops of your macaron shells is a fun and simple way to decorate these little French cookies. To do this, you only need a few tools and ingredientsโ€ฆ

    Ingredients and Tools you need to Paint French Macarons

    • French Macaron Shells
    • Gel food coloring
    • Vodka or Vanilla Extract
    • Fine tip paint brushes (reserved for decorating food!)

    How to paint French Macarons

    1. First off, you'll want to create the color you'd like to use for painting! Mix together your gel food coloring until you have the color of your choice.
    2. Then, in a small cup or container, add a drop or two of vodka along with your desired paint color. You'll want to use alcohol because it evaporates really fast, whereas water or another liquid can make the shells soggy.
    3. Add the paint to your cooled macaron shells then allow them to dry for the next ten minutes or so before filling the macarons!

    For more tips on making homemade foolproof macarons, check out my complete guide here!

    Piping Salted Caramel Buttercream onto macaron shells.
    Painted Salted Caramel Buttercream Macaron shells.

    ๐Ÿ“– Step by Step Instructions

    When it comes to buttercream, I am a die-hard fan of using swiss meringue. I find that the texture is incredibly smooth and velvety while the flavor is not overly sweet allowing the flavoring of your choosing to shine. In this case, weโ€™ll be making Salted Caramel Buttercream โ€“ letโ€™s jump into how itโ€™s made!

    Swiss Meringue Buttercream Process

    To make salted caramel buttercream, we start with making a basic swiss meringue buttercream. This tends to be composed of a 3-2-1 ratio of butter-sugar-egg whites.

    First, add your sugar and egg whites to the bowl of your stand mixer and place it over a saucepan of boiling water. Make sure that your bowl is not touching the hot water! Your goal is to simply whisk the egg whites and sugar together until the sugar has completely dissolved, then attach your bowl back to the standing mixer. The temperature should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Start whisking the mixture at a low speed and gradually increase speed until medium peaks form. Continue mixing until the meringue has cooled, then switch to using the paddle attachment and start adding your softened butter bit by bit. When youโ€™ve reached the point where the buttercream is glossy and smooth, turn the mixer speed back to low. Add the cooled salted, caramel continuing to mix until completely combined.

    Salted Caramel

    In this recipe, we're mixing salted and buttercream together before piping onto macaron shells as pictured above! The process of making homemade caramel is incredibly simple with only a few steps... here's how it's made!

    1. Pour the sugar into a saucepan, and over medium-high heat allow the sugar to slowly melt and eventually shift in color to a deep amber-brown color. Make sure you continue to stir the sugar every minute or so in order to prevent it from burning!
    2. Add the cream and butter to the sugar - expect the ingredients to bubble and foam for about 30  seconds or so. Then, over low heat, continue to melt down any large bits of caramel. Do this until the mixture is completely fluid and smooth before removing it from heat.
    3. Pour caramel into a glass container and allow to cool completely before adding to buttercream. You can also use this caramel to make my Rosemary Salted Caramel Macarons as well!
    Salted Caramel Buttercream Macarons.

    โฒ๏ธ Adding Flavoring to Swiss Meringue Buttercream

    The flavoring for buttercream can be modified and adapted easily! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

    • Various Alcohols or Liquors
    • JuiceJam/Marmelade
    • Brown Butter
    • Citrus Zest
    • Spices
    • Chocolate
    • Cookie Butter
    • Herbs
    • Fruit
    • Powders
    • Ground Nuts (for texture and crunch)
    • Nut Butter
    • Mascarpone
    • Coconut Cream

    Check out my eggnog macarons, bailey's macarons, london fog or birthday cake macarons for other filling options!

    ๐ŸŒŸ Piping Buttercream with a Large French Star Tip

    My favorite piping tip has to be the large French star tip - that's the piping tip I've used to add the filling into the macarons you see pictured! It provides such a lovely pattern and texture to the profile of your macarons, and all you have to do is fit your piping bag with the French Star piping tip and add the salted caramel buttercream! Then pipe your buttercream onto the macaron shells - it's that easy!

    Drizzling caramel onto filled macarons.
    Side view of Salted Caramel Buttercream Macaron.

    ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿปโ€๐Ÿณ Expert Tips for Making Macarons

    How to Make Perfectly Circular Macarons

    Want to make sure that you have perfectly circular macarons? Use a template! Before I pipe my macaron batter, I like to draw identical circles onto a piece of parchment paper that I will then flip over before piping. You can use a cookie cutter, small lid, salt shaker โ€“ anything that is about 1 inch in diameter that you can then trace onto your parchment.

    Do I need an Oven Thermometer?

    After renting various apartments throughout the west coast, I have experienced my fair share ofโ€ฆletโ€™s say quirky ovens. Without an oven thermometer, I would not have known that a couple of my ovens were running 50 degrees hotter than what I had actually set my oven temperature to. If you donโ€™t have an over thermometer already, I would highly recommend grabbing one to make these delicate macarons.ย Hereโ€™s the one I use!

    The Importance of Precise Measurements

    Since macarons require such precise measurements, I would encourage those that do not own a kitchen scale to invest in one!ย Hereโ€™s a linkย to the scale I used throughout pastry school, and to this day. When working with pastry and confection recipes such as macarons, even a slight over-measurement of say, egg whites, will alter and potentially ruin your recipe. Macarons only require four ingredients โ€“ if one of those ingredients is not measured correctly, your odds for macaron success are considerably decreased.3

    What is Mise En Place?

    The French term โ€œMise En Placeโ€ means to set up your working space in preparation for an activity. With macarons, itโ€™s extremely important to make sure that set yourself up for success before starting. The meringue and batter you will be making are quite sensitive โ€“ if you take too much time in-between each step, you wonโ€™t see quality results. Take that extra bit of prep to measure your ingredients and prepare the tools you need before starting these macarons.

    Closeup profile view of Salted Caramel Buttercream Macarons.

    โ„๏ธ How to store French Macarons

    Technically, allowing your completed macarons to sit overnight in the fridge allows for the best texture for consuming! If you have the patience, place your macarons in the fridge overnight and enjoy the following day. In the fridge, filled macarons should be stored in an airtight container for no more than 3 days.

    Can I Freeze Macarons?

    You sure can! Macaron shells or filled macarons can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for a month and still taste as good as new! Take the frozen macarons out of the freezer and let them sit for 10-15 minutes before enjoying.

    collection of Salted Caramel Buttercream Macarons.

    ๐Ÿ’ญ  Recipe FAQs

    What's the importance of room temperature ingredients?

    Using room temperature ingredients, especially the egg whites, ensures even mixing. Cold ingredients don't combine as seamlessly, which could lead to inconsistencies in your batter.

    How do I ensure the right consistency in my macaron batter?

    After combining the almond mixture with the white mixture (french meringue), mix till you achieve a lava-like consistency. Test this by lifting your spatula; the batter should flow smoothly. This process, known as macaronage, is crucial to forming the perfect macarons.

    Can I use store-bought caramel sauce?

    While store-bought caramel sauce can be convenient, making your own salted caramel sauce adds a personal touch and lets you control the flavor. Plus, homemade always tastes better!

    What's the secret to achieving stiff peaks with egg whites?

    First, ensure your mixing bowl is grease-free. You can wipe it down with lemon juice. Using a whisk attachment, beat your egg whites on medium speed. Gradually add granulated sugar, and once combined, increase to high speed. When you can turn your bowl upside down without the whites moving, you've achieved stiff peaks!

    Here are some other Macaron Recipes to try!

    • Strawberry macarons on the counter near fresh strawberries.
      How to Make Strawberry Macarons with Buttercream and Jam Filling
    • Lemon macarons on the counter filled with lemon buttercream and curd.
      Lemon Macarons โ€“ Filled with Lemon Swiss Meringue & Curd
    • Cinnamon macarons on the counter.
      Cinnamon Macarons with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling
    • Blueberry macarons on a plate on the counter.
      Blueberry Macarons with Blueberry Cream Cheese Filling

    If you try the recipe for Salted Caramel Buttercream Macarons, please leave a ๐ŸŒŸ review and share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter! ๐Ÿ“ง 

    Salted Caramel Macarons

    Salted Caramel Buttercream Macarons

    Salted caramel buttercream macarons are a classic French cookie you'll find in bakeries all over the world! With this recipe, you can create your own decorated salted caramel macarons at home.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 11 minutes minutes
    Resting Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 26 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16 Macarons (32 Shells)
    Calories: 261kcal
    Author: Emily Laurae

    Equipment

    • Food Processor
    • Fine Mesh Strainer
    • Mixer with Whisk & Paddle Attachment
    • Spatula
    • Bowls
    • Parchment Paper
    • Baking Tray
    • Piping Bags & Piping Tips
    • Saucepan
    • Small Painting Brushes (For food only)

    Ingredients

    Macarons

    • 76 g (โ…“ cup + 1 teaspoon ) Granulated Sugar
    • 90 ml (About 3 egg whites) Room Temperature Egg Whites
    • 80 g (ยพ Cup + 1 Tbsp) Almond Flour, Blanched
    • 150 g (1 ยผ Cup ) Powdered Sugar
    • Gel Food Coloring, optional

    Salted Caramel

    • 250 g (1 ยฝ cups) Granulated Sugar
    • 200 g (ยพ cups) Heavy Cream
    • 42 g (3 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
    • 3 g (ยฝ teaspoon) Sea Salt

    Salted Caramel Buttercreamย 

    • 75 g (โ…“ Cup) Egg Whites
    • 150 g (ยพ Cup ) Granulated Sugar
    • 225 g (1 Cup) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
    • 100 g (ยฝ Cup) Salted Caramel, cooled

    Painting Macaron Shells

    • 1 teaspoon Vodka
    • Gel Food Coloring

    Instructions

    Macarons

    • Line each baking sheet with your prepared parchment templates and prepare your piping bags along with your piping tips.ย I like to use a small, round piping tips for piping.
    • Pour your egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and start whisking on medium speed. Once they start to foam, slowly add your sugar and bring up your speed to medium for about three to four minutes.ย 
      76 g Granulated Sugar, 90 ml Room Temperature Egg Whites
    • While your meringue is whisking away, grind together your measured powdered sugar and almond flour using a food processor for one minute. Sift these dry ingredients into a large bowl with a fine sieve and set aside.ย 
      80 g Almond Flour, 150 g Powdered Sugar
    • Your meringue is complete when it holds stiff peaks - add desired food coloring and gently whisk for a few additional seconds to incorporate,
      Gel Food Coloring
    • Now itโ€™s time for the ever so important Macaronage! This is the act of mixing your dry ingredients into your french meringue and folding these ingredients enough to allow for the perfect desired consistency. To start, pour your dry mixture onto the meringue and slowly start to fold with a spatula. While rotating the bowl, continue to fold ingredients together. Press mixture on the side of your bowl until the mixture of the batter flows off your spatula rather slowly and smoothly. You should see that the batter will drip off the spatula back into the bowl, and rest on top for a moment. Then, the batter from your spatula will slowly sink back into the mixture. One too many folds and your batter could be over mixed leading to it being impossible to work with, so be careful not to overmix!
    • ย Pour your macaron batter into your prepared piping bag and pipe in circles onto your templated parchment paper. In order to get rid of any air bubbles within your piped shells and to even out your tops, tap your baking sheet firmly on a flat surface. You can always use a toothpick to gently pop any extra air bubbles that you see hovering on top of your shells.
    • Allow the shells to rest for approximately 30 minutes. Once the top of your shells are dry to the touch they are ready to bake!ย 
    • Place your macarons in your oven that has been preheated to 310 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 9 minutes, then rotate the baking tray and bake for an additional 2 minutes.ย 
    • You will know that your macarons are ready to remove from the oven when you gently touch the upper shell, and it barely moves, while the developed foot of the macaron stays set to the parchment paper. Remove from the oven to cool completely before removing shells from the parchment paper.

    Salted Caramel

    • Pour the sugar into a saucepan, and over medium-high heat allow the sugar to slowly melt and eventually shift in color to a deep amber-brown color. Make sure you continue to stir the sugar every minute or so in order to prevent it from burning!
      250 g Granulated Sugar
    • Add the cream and butter to the sugar โ€“ expect the ingredients to bubble and foam for about 30ย  seconds or so. Then, over low heat, continue to melt down any large bits of caramel. Do this until the mixture is completely fluid and smooth before removing it from heat and adding salt.
      42 g Unsalted Butter, 3 g Sea Salt, 200 g Heavy Cream
    • Pour caramel into a glass container and allow to cool before adding to buttercream.

    Salted Caramel Buttercream

    • Add your sugar and egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer and place over a saucepan of boiling water. Make sure that your bowl is not touching the hot water! Your goal is to simply whisk the egg whites and sugar together over a gentle heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, then attach your bowl back to the standing mixer. The temperature of your egg whites and sugar should reach 170ยฐF
      75 g Egg Whites, 150 g Granulated Sugar
    • Whisk mixture starting at a low speed and gradually increase until soft peaks form and the mixture has cooled. Switch to using your paddle attachment, then start adding your butter bit by bit.
      225 g Unsalted Butter
    • When youโ€™ve reached the point where the buttercream is glossy and smooth, turn the mixer speed back to low.
    • Add cooled salted caramel, and mix on low until combined to complete.ย 
      100 g Salted Caramel

    Painting Macaron Shells

    • First off, you'll want to create the color you'd like to use for painting! Mix together your gel food coloring until you have the color of your choice.
      Gel Food Coloring
    • Then, in a small cup or container, add a drop or two of vodka along with your desired paint color. You'll want to use alcohol because it evaporates really fast, whereas water or another liquid can make the shells soggy.
      1 teaspoon Vodka
    • Add the paint to your cooled macaron shells then allow them to dry for the next ten minutes or so before filling the macarons!

    Assemblyย 

    • Once cooled, the shells will peel easily off of your parchment paper. Find each shellโ€™s matching half and pipe approximately two teaspoons of buttercream to the bottom shell, topping with the matching half.ย Place in the fridge overnight for the perfect texture and taste before enjoying!

    Notes

    Tips to make the best macarons
    • Mise en place - Macarons are time-sensitive! Prepare your mise en place (meaning to set up your working space in preparation for an activity) before you get started so your ingredients and equipment are ready to go.ย 
    • Use a piping template - A foolproof way of making perfect macaron shells every time is to trace identical 1-inch diameter circles onto the parchment paper to use as your piping template.ย 
    • Use an oven thermometer - Baking the shells at the right temperature is important, so I highly recommend using an oven thermometer.ย 
    • Weigh the ingredients - While macarons only use 4 ingredients, if one isnโ€™t measured correctly, your odds of macaron success are considerably lower. I highly recommend investing in a kitchen scale so everything is precise!ย 
    • Storing your macarons -ย Technically, allowing your completed macarons to sit overnight in the fridge allows for the best texture for consuming! If you have the patience, place your macarons in the fridge overnight and enjoy the following day. Macaron shells can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for a month and still taste as good as new! Take the frozen macarons out of the freezer and let them sit for 10-15 minutes before enjoying, In the fridge, filled macarons should be stored in an airtight container for no more than 3 days.
    • Practice makes perfect - Itโ€™s no secret that making macarons can be tricky. Just keep practicing and experimenting with different macaron flavors, and youโ€™ll be a pro in no time!
    ย 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 351IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
    Enjoyed this recipe?Mention @emilylaurae or tag #emilylaurae!

    More French Macaron Recipes

    • Eggnog macarons closeup with eggnog buttercream.
      Delicious Eggnog Macaron Recipe for the Holidays (With Video)
    • Stacked vanilla macarons with vanilla bean ganache.
      How to Make Perfect Vanilla Macarons at Home
    • Coffee Macarons with Coffee Ganache on the counter.
      How to Make Coffee Macarons with Silky Coffee Ganache
    • Pumpkin Spice Macarons with Dark Chocolate Ganache.
      Pumpkin Spice Macarons with Dark Chocolate Ganache

    About Emily Laurae

    Emily is the recipe developer, writer, and food photographer behind Emily Laurae. After finishing Pastry School and working as a chef in the restaurant industry, she created this blog to share those skills with home bakers and creators all over the world!

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