Make a batch of 4th of July macarons with red, white, and blue shells. These macarons are filled with a bomb pop filling with lime, blueberry, and cherry.
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These may just be the perfect summer, 4th of July macarons. They're inspired by the classic Bomb Pop popsicles with a lime, cherry, and blueberry swirl filling.
One of my favorite parts about these macarons is the red, white, and blue shells. Don't worry, they're easier to make than you may think.
If at any point you need additional help with your macaron shells, be sure to check out my macaron baking course. It will teach you all the techniques needed to achieve perfect macarons, every single time!
For more 4th of July macarons, check out these strawberry Pop Rocks macarons.
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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- How to make red, white, and blue tie-dye macaron shells with a Bomb Pop filling.
- The most important steps to get correct in order to bake perfect macarons.
- Troubleshooting steps to try if your macarons aren't turning out correctly.
Enjoy learning tips about making macaron shells? Sign up for my free macaron template and email series. You'll learn my favorite tricks for achieving perfect macarons.
Ingredients You Need
- Egg whites: This ingredient is the base for the French meringue. Be sure to use fresh egg whites (not ones from the carton) and allow them to come to room temperature before whipping into a meringue.
- Almond flour: It's best to use blanched almond flour (without the skins) that is finely ground. Don't forget to sift the almond flour before making this recipe.
- Confectioners' sugar: You may also hear this called powdered sugar or icing sugar. This ingredient will also need to be sifted.
- Cream of tartar: This ingredient helps the meringue to whip up with proper texture. Don't be tempted to skip it!
- Granulated sugar: For French meringue, the granulated sugar is slowly added to the egg whites as they whip (no cooking required).
- Gel food coloring: Be sure to use gel food coloring (not liquid food coloring) to color the macaron shells. This will give the shells a very pigmented color.
Check out the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
How To Make This Recipe
Here's a step-by-step guide for making red, white, and blue macaron shells. Pay attention to the batter throughout the entire macaron baking process. It's crucial that your techniques are correct if you want to bake well-made macaron shells.
1. Whip room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until the eggs are very foamy.
2. Add a third of the granulated sugar at a time, allowing the mixer to beat in each batch of sugar for about 45 seconds before adding in another batch.
3. Once all the granulated sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed to medium-high and allow the egg whites to continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Ensure your meringue has whipped to stiff peaks by checking the following:
- You'll notice the meringue starts to ball up inside the whisk while it's mixing.
- Pull the whisk out of the mixer. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip).
- You can see pointy off-shoots of egg whites on the whisk when you pull it out of the mixer.
- You can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out.
- The meringue feels sturdy (not flimsy).
- The egg whites hold the indentation that the whisk makes as it's whipping.
4. Pour the sifted almond flour and confectioners' sugar into the meringue mixture and fold them together using a silicone spatula.
5. Evenly divide the batter into 3 medium-sized bowls. Add blue gel coloring to one bowl, red gel coloring to another bowl, and leave the last bowl white. Next, it's time to macaronage the batter to get it to the correct piping consistency.
Slowly spread the mixture along the side of the bowl, then wipe it back down. Repeat until the mixture has reached a smooth, shiny, flowing consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once the batter drops back into the bowl, it should take about 10-15 seconds for the ribbon that formed to "disappear" back into the rest of the batter.
6. Spoon each color of batter in a straight line on a piece of plastic wrap. Carefully roll the plastic wrap up so all the colors are enclosed. Cut off the tip of one end of the plastic wrap, and insert it open-side down into a prepared piping bag. Pipe the macaron shells, then bang the pan down on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
7. Pop any large air bubbles with a toothpick. Then, allow the batter to sit on the counter and dry for 60+ minutes until a thin "skin" develops, and you can touch the tops without ruining the macaron.
8. Finally, bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 19 - 23 minutes. I'd recommend testing your oven temperature if this is your first time baking macarons as slight variations in temperature can change how the macarons bake up.
9. Next let's make the Bomb Pop macaron filling. Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy
10. Add confectioners' sugar, followed by heavy cream and salt. Set the mixer to medium-high speed, and allow the buttercream to beat for an additional 2 - 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
11. Evenly divide the filling into 3 medium-sized mixing bowls. Add blueberry preserves to one bowl, cherry preserves to another bowl, and lime peel and juice to the last bowl. Stir until combined.
12. Match up macaron shells so they are paired with a similar size/shaped shell. Spoon each color of filling in a straight line on a piece of plastic wrap. Carefully roll the plastic wrap up so all the fillings are enclosed. Cut off the tip of one end of the plastic wrap, and insert it into a piping bag. Pipe the filling then gently place the matching shell on top.
Expert Tips
- It's very important to ensure your meringue has reached stiff peaks. A strong meringue will ensure your macarons bake up properly.
- Don't over macaronage (mix) the batter. During this stage, we're looking for a lava-like consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once it drops off the spatula, the batter that was dripped should fade back into the batter within 10 - 15 seconds (not immediately). If the batter is too thin, you've over macaronaged (mixed) the batter, and you'll need to start over in order for the macarons to bake up properly.
- Your oven temperature may vary compared to the temperature that's written in the recipe below. It's best to test your oven temperature, as slight changes in temperature can prevent the macaron shells from becoming hollow.
Macaron FAQs
Are you having trouble with your macaron shells turning out correctly? Don't worry! Use this troubleshooting guide or check out the frequently asked questions below.
Store the macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 - 7 days. To serve, allow the macarons to come to room temperature.
Here are a few common causes of flat macarons:
1. The oven is too hot or too cold: If your oven is too low, you'll notice that the macarons won't properly rise. Not only will they be flatter than a normal macaron, but the feet will be short (under 2 millimeters), and the tops will likely be wrinkly or indented.
On the other hand, if your oven is too hot, the shells will be flat because proper feet will not form. The macarons will bake too quickly on the outside, leaving a moist interior that doesn't properly rise.
2. You under whipped the meringue: You didn't whip your meringue to stiff peaks. Under whipped meringue won't be strong enough to properly rise in the oven. It can lead to flat, wrinkled, or weak macaron tops.
3. You over macaronaged your batter: Another common issue that results in flat macarons is over macaronaged batter. Macaronage is a term that refers to folding the dry macaron ingredients (almond flour and confectioners' sugar) into the meringue. This process smooths the mixture and helps the macarons bake with proper structure.
When you over macaronage, you'll notice the batter is very thin and easily falls off the spatula. You'll also notice that the batter spreads really easily when piped. It might even fall out of your piping bag when transferring from one circle to the next on your piping template.
If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for flat macarons.
Here are a few common causes of cracked macarons:
1. Your oven is too hot: Most likely, cracked macarons are related to oven temperatures that are too hot. To fix this issue, you'll first want to purchase an oven thermometer.
This inexpensive cooking tool will allow you to see if your oven is heating to the temperature you're setting it to. Oftentimes, home ovens are known for heating hotter or colder than you set the temperature to.
2. Your meringue is under or over whipped: Both under-whipped and over-whipped meringue can result in cracked shells. This is because the meringue needs to have the proper structure in order to rise in the oven.
Weak meringue will not be strong enough to withstand the heat of the oven when baked, causing a cracked top. Alternatively, meringue that has been over-whipped won't have enough air incorporated to properly expand in the oven.
3. You didn't rest your macarons long enough: It's important to allow your macarons to rest on the counter until they've formed a skin.
Typically, you'll need to allow the shells to rest for about 45 - 60+ minutes on the counter until a skin has formed on top. If you live in a humid climate, this may take up to 90+ minutes.
4. You have air bubbles in the macarons: Did you put your macarons in the oven without banging them on the counter? Oftentimes, air bubbles are trapped in the macaron batter. Air bubbles occur naturally in the batter during the macaronage and piping process.
In order to avoid cracked macaron shells, you need to release and pop these air bubbles, otherwise, they will burst in the oven and ruin the shells.
If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for cracked macarons.
Here are a few common causes of wrinkled macaron shells:
1. You used too much cocoa powder: Using too much cocoa powder can cause your macarons to bake up wrinkled. Even 10 grams more can have a huge impact on the macaron shells. Be sure to follow the specific measurements listed in the recipe card below.
2. Your oven temperature is too low: To remedy this, you'll first need to purchase an oven thermometer, and place it in the center rack of your oven to double-check the temperature reading before baking the macarons.
Next, you'll need to play around with your temperature settings. I usually recommend heating your oven to 300°F (150°C) and adjusting from there. Pipe a set of 4 - 6 macarons on a baking sheet and test just a few macarons at a time (so you don't ruin a whole batch).
3. You over or under whipped the meringue: One of the most important techniques to learn, especially when making macarons, is how to whip egg whites to stiff peaks.
Egg whites that are under whipped or over whipped can result in wrinkled shells, weak tops, and macarons that will not properly rise.
4. You over macaronaged the batter: Another common issue related to wrinkly macaron shells is over macaronaging.
Macaronage is a term that refers to folding the dry macaron ingredients (almond flour and confectioners' sugar) into the meringue. This process smooths the mixture and helps the macarons bake with proper structure.
To properly macaronage, you should fold the batter until it reaches a lava-like consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once it drops off the spatula, the batter that was dripped should fade back into the batter within 10 - 15 seconds.
If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for wrinkly macarons.
Here are a few common causes of weak/soft macaron shells:
1. Your meringue is under whipped. French meringue needs to be properly beaten in order to form a strong macaron. Make sure that you're beating the meringue to stiff peaks.
To test the meringue stiffness, pull the whisk out. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip). Signs that you're ready to test the stiffness include seeing lines left from the beaters in your eggs. In addition, the meringue starts to almost ball up inside the whisk attachment. You'll also know it's ready because you can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out.
2. The macaron shells are underbaked. If you don't give your macaron shells enough time to bake in the oven, a sturdy outside will never develop. Make sure to check that the macarons are done before pulling them out of the oven. If you touch the shell and it wiggles or is still sticky/wet, you know they need to bake longer.
Chocolate macarons in particular need to be baked for a longer time in the oven compared to regular macarons. If you notice your chocolate macarons are fragile or have speckled tops after they cool, you likely need to bake them longer.
Here are a few common causes of small feet, no feet, or feet that have ruffled/spread too far:
1. Your oven temperature is too high or too low: Work on dialing in your oven temperature. You may have to try a few different oven temperatures in order to find the perfect temperature for your home oven. You can read more about my experiments with oven temperature if you're curious to learn more.
2. You didn't rest the macarons long enough: Typically, you'll need to allow the shells to rest for about 45 - 60+ minutes on the counter until a skin has formed on top. If you live in a humid climate, this may take up to 90+ minutes.
3. You over or under macaronaged the batter: If you've over macaronaged your batter, it will be too thin and runny. This will cause your macarons to fall flat with small feet or even no feet. An overworked batter can also cause the macarons to spread out horizontally, rather than rising up vertically.
If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for macaron feet.
Here are a few common causes of hollow macaron shells:
This is the last troubleshooting problem you should worry about. Before perfecting your macarons so they don't have hollows, make sure all the other properties are correct:
1. The meringue is over and under whipped: In order to prevent hollows, you need the perfect consistency of meringue before starting the macaronage process. Oftentimes, adding in acid, like cream of tartar, can help stabilize your meringue and allow more time for the air to get incorporated.
2. The batter was over or under macaronaged: The macaronage stage, which refers to working your batter to the proper consistency, is a technique that takes a while to master. If you've worked the batter to a lava-like consistency and you're still getting hollow shells, try working it a tad less.
3. Your oven temperature is too high or low: Oven temperature plays a big role in hollow macarons. Unfortunately, due to the capabilities of home conventional ovens, you have to test and play around with the temperature to get your macaron shells perfect. Most recipes suggest baking macarons anywhere from 275°F (135°C) - 325°F (163°C). Test these temperature ranges out with your home oven and an oven thermometer to see what works best.
If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for hollow macarons.
More Macaron Recipes
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Bomb Pop Macarons
Equipment
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- light colored baking sheets
- silicone mat or parchment paper
- pastry bag with ½ inch (1.3 cm) round tip
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 112 grams egg whites
- 140 grams super fine almond flour
- 140 grams confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 126 grams granulated sugar
- 5 drops blue gel food coloring
- 5 drops red gel food coloring
Bomb Pop Buttercream
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar measured then sifted
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons blueberry preserves
- 2 tablespoons cherry preserves
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lime peel
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
For Macaron Shells
- Separate egg whites from yolks and allow egg whites to come to room temperature.
- Measure dry ingredients using a kitchen scale. Double-sift the almond flour and confectioners' sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
- Wipe down the mixer bowl and whisk attachment with a little white vinegar on a paper towel to remove any leftover oils.
- Print off the macaron template. Place them on a light colored sheet pan underneath a piece of parchment paper.
- Prepare your piping bag with a ½ inch (1.3 cm) round tip. Push part of the side of the piping bag into the piping tip to ensure nothing leaks out. Set the bag inside a tall glass, and pull the remaining top of the piping bag out over the outside of the glass to make pouring the batter easy and clean.
- Add room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar to a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-low speed until the eggs are very foamy, about 3 minutes. Add a third of the granulated sugar at a time, allowing the mixer to beat in each batch of sugar for about 45 seconds before adding in another batch.
- Once all the granulated sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed to medium-high and allow the egg whites to continue to whip until stiff peaks form, about 10 - 11 minutes. Once at stiff peaks, you'll notice the meringue starts to ball up inside the whisk and is glossy. To test the meringue stiffness, pull the whisk out. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip). You'll also know it's ready because you can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out. Make sure not to overbeat the meringue at this stage (this is when the egg whites look dull or curdled).
- Pour the sifted almond flour and confectioners' sugar into the meringue mixture and fold them together using a silicone spatula. Continue until all the meringue is fully incorporated and no dry bits of almond flour remain on the bottom of the bowl.
- Evenly divide the batter into 3 medium-sized mixing bowls. Add blue gel coloring to one bowl, red gel coloring to another bowl, and leave the last bowl white. Then, begin working the batter until everything is fully incorporated (this is called the macaronage process). Slowly, spread the mixture along the side of the bowl, then wipe it back down. Be sure to do this gently. Repeat, until the mixtures have reached a smooth, shiny, flowing consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once the batter drops back into the bowl, it should take about 10-15 seconds for the ribbon that formed to "disappear" back into the rest of the batter.
- Spoon each color of batter in a straight line on a piece of plastic wrap. Carefully roll the plastic wrap up so all the colors are enclosed. Cut off the tip of one end of the plastic wrap, and insert it open side down into a prepared piping bag. Hold the bag vertically and pipe 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) circles. Once you have reached the desired size, release the pressure on the bag and twist your wrist without lifting up. Continue until no batter remains.
- Bang the sheet pan down on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Pop the air bubbles with a toothpick. Allow the batter to sit on the counter and dry for 60+ minutes until a thin "skin" develops, and you can touch the tops without ruining the macaron. This resting time will vary depending on the humidity (they may take up to 90+ minutes to dry if you live in a humid or rainy environment). While the macarons are drying, place the oven thermometer in the center rack of the oven. Heat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 19 - 23 minutes. You can test that the macarons are done by gently touching the edge and the feet of the macarons. If the shell wiggles, is sticky, or wet, the macarons need to bake longer. Remove macarons from the oven and allow the pan to rest on a wire cooling rack until completely cooled.
Bomb Pop Buttercream
- Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the mixer as needed.
- Add confectioners' sugar; mix on medium-low speed until combined.
- Add heavy cream and fine sea salt; mix until fully combined.
- Set the mixer to medium-high speed, and allow the buttercream to beat for an additional 2 - 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Evenly divide the filling (about 85 grams per bowl) into 3 medium-sized mixing bowls. Add blueberry preserves to one bowl, cherry preserves to another bowl, and lime peel and juice to the last bowl. Stir until combined.
- Match up macaron shells so they are paired with a similar size/shaped shell. Spoon each color of filling in a straight line on a piece of plastic wrap. Carefully roll the plastic wrap up so all the fillings are enclosed. Cut off the tip of one end of the plastic wrap, and insert it open side down into a piping bag fitted with a ½ inch (1.3 cm) round piping tip. Pipe the filling then gently place the matching shell on top.
- Mature the macarons with the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow the macarons to slightly soften and develop a deeper flavor.
- Store the macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 - 7 days. To serve, allow the macarons to come to room temperature.
Notes
- You'll notice the meringue starts to ball up inside the whisk while it's mixing.
- Pull the whisk out of the mixer. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip).
- You can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out.
- The meringue feels sturdy (not flimsy).
Benni
My kids loved this flavor! Thanks for the recipe!
Jessica Mode
Hi Benni! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed these! 🙂