How Do You Store Macarons? (Complete Guide)

If you enjoy baking macarons, chances are you're curious about the best way to store both filled macarons and unfilled shells.

With all the work that you put into baking the macarons, it's important to properly store them so they last and have a high-quality taste.

This guide will teach you the best way to store French, Italian, or Swiss method macarons with the most common types of fillings. The macaron filling you use will determine how long the macarons can last in the fridge, freezer, and at room temperature.

In order to test how long macarons last, I tried storing macarons with various fillings including buttercream, ganache, jam, marmalade, and curd.

During this experiment, I judged the macarons on the following freshness notes:

• Can I taste the almond flour flavor in the shell?
• Are the macaron shells dry?
• Are the macaron shells moist or soggy?
• Has the macaron shell softened or become too delicate?
• Have the flavors of the macaron shell and filling married together?
• Does the macaron shell still have a slightly crispy bite?

As a baseline, here are the qualities of a fresh macaron:

• The shell is still slightly crispy.
• The interior is full and slightly chewy.
• The flavors of the almond-based shell and filling have married together.

Most macaron fillings are not shelf stable, meaning most macarons will only last 1 - 2 hours outside of the refrigerator. This time may be cut shorter if you live in a very hot climate.

It's especially important not to store macarons at room temperature for long time periods if they have ingredients like heavy cream or other dairy products.

If you're looking for a macaron filling that doesn't require refrigeration, try a cottage law-approved buttercream recipe. This variety of buttercream typically doesn't have any heavy cream or other dairy products that require refrigeration.

Storing macarons in the refrigerator is a great option for short-term storage. However, not all macarons last the same amount of time in the fridge.

The type of filling you use will determine how long the macarons will last in the fridge. As you'll see, some macaron fillings are better if you want your macarons to last longer.

Buttercream: Most types of buttercream macaron fillings will last up to 7 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Here's what you can expect when storing buttercream-filled macarons:

• Day 1 - 2: The macarons are best on the first two days. The shell remains crispy and the flavors are very bold. It's best to allow the macaron to come to room temperature before eating.
• Day 3 - 4: The shell begins to soften and there's not much of a crispy exterior. The flavor of the shell and filling are married together. You can allow the macaron to come to room temperature before eating it or eat it directly from the fridge.
• Day 5 - 7: The shell continues to soften and it is best eaten directly from the fridge (rather than allowing it to come to room temperature). The almond flavor in the shell becomes harder to detect. In the last few days, the macarons can begin to lose their super fresh taste.

Ganache: Filling macarons with ganache is another great option. This variety of macarons will last up to 7 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Here's what you can expect when storing ganache-filled macarons:

• Day 1: The macaron shell is crispy. The almond-based shell and ganache blend together into a well-flavored bite. It's best to allow the macaron to come to room temperature before eating.
• Day 2 - 4: The shell turns a bit softer, but not soggy. The flavors are married together. You can allow the macaron to come to room temperature before eating it or eat it directly from the fridge.
• Day 5 - 6: The shell is noticeably softer. I prefer eating the macaron straight from the refrigerator.
• Day 7: This is the last day that the macarons are edible before they get too soft and soggy.

Jam/Marmalade: Macarons filled with jam and marmalade don't last as long as many other fillings. To extend the life of your macarons, I'd suggest piping a ring of buttercream around the exterior of the macaron shell, then filling just the center with jam or marmalade.

Macarons filled exclusively with jam or marmalade will last a maximum of 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Here's what you can expect when storing jam or marmalade-filled macarons:

• Day 1: Even just 24 hours after resting the macarons in the fridge the shell is noticeably softer. I prefer eating the macaron directly from the fridge.
• Day 2: The macaron shell is even softer. It can even seem a bit soggy if eaten at room temperature. It's hard to detect the almond-flavored shell.
• Day 3: The most noticeable difference from day one is how soft the shell has become. The macarons are really only edible without completely smashing the shells if they're eaten directly from the fridge.

If possible, I'd suggest only piping the number of macarons that you plan to eat since this variety of filling doesn't hold up well to storage in the refrigerator.

Curd: Macarons filled with curd last the fewest amount of days in the refrigerator. In fact, I'd suggest only piping the number of macarons that you plan to eat since this variety of filling doesn't hold up well to storage in the refrigerator.

If you want to extend the shelf life of curd-filled macarons, pipe a ring of buttercream along the exterior of the macaron shell, then fill just the center with curd.

Macarons filled only with curd will last a maximum of 24 hours in an airtight container in the refrigerator, if you don't mind a soft shell. Here's what you can expect when storing curd-filled macarons:

• Day 1: In just 24 hours the shell is already very soft (almost soggy), even when eaten directly from the fridge. You cannot taste the almond-flavored shell as the taste of the curd takes over.
• Day 2: In my opinion, the shell is completely inedible and soggy.

Unfilled Macaron Shells: Macaron shells without any filling can last up to 7+ days in the refrigerator while still maintaining their almond-flour flavor. Be sure to store them in an airtight container.

Placing macarons in the freezer is a great option for longer-term storage. Some varieties of macaron fillings last really well in the freezer, while other types are not recommended.

Buttercream: Buttercream-filled macarons are one of the best freezer-friendly options. These macarons can last up to 1 month when stored in an airtight container in the freezer.

After 1 month, the macarons will still have a somewhat crispy shell and fresh taste. After a month, the freshness notes will start to decline.

Ganache: Ganache-filled macarons are another great freezer-friendly option. Ganache macarons can last up to 1 month when stored in an airtight container in the freezer.

The shell will be a bit soft and possibly crumbly if stored for an entire month. However, the flavors are still very fresh.

Jam/Marmalade: Do not store jam or marmalade-filled macarons in the freezer. The shell will become too soggy and inedible.

Curd: Do not store curd-filled macarons in the freezer. The shell will become too soggy and inedible.

Unfilled Macaron Shells: Macaron shells without any filling can last up to 1 - 1 ½ months in the freezer while still maintaining their almond-flour flavor. Store them in an airtight container.

As noted above, unfilled macaron shells can be stored in the refrigerator for 7+ days and in the freezer for up to 1 ½ months.

Allow the shells to fully cool before placing them in an airtight container.

If you notice the bottom of the macaron shells seem sticky, cut a small piece of parchment paper and place it on the bottom of the shell before placing them in the storage container. This prevents the shells from sticking together.

When you’re ready to pipe the filling onto the shells, remove them from the fridge. Then, store them according to the refrigerator or freezer instructions listed below.

The type of filling you use will determine the length of time the macarons will last in the refrigerator. You can see a breakdown of this information above.

It’s best to store filled macarons in an airtight container in the back of the refrigerator (not in the door or at the front of the shelf). This will keep the macarons at a consistently cold temperature.

If you are selling macarons, it’s even better if you can store the macarons in a refrigerator that doesn’t get opened and closed consistently.

Normally, it’s not necessary to place parchment paper in between each macaron because the tops shouldn’t be sticky. However, if you’re worried about damage from the macarons touching, you can optionally cut a small piece of parchment paper and place it between each filled macaron.

Store only macarons with the same filling in the same container. This will prevent flavors from mixing together.

As noted above, I’d only recommend storing macarons in the freezer if they’re filled with a buttercream or ganache filling. Other types of filling, like jam, marmalade, or curd, do not hold up well in the freezer.

Store buttercream or ganache filled macarons in an airtight container in the back of the freezer for up to 1 month. Be sure you’re not constantly opening and closing the freezer door or this may cause the macarons to have a shorter shelf life.

Do not thaw then try to refreeze the macarons. This will affect the texture of the shell, as well as the flavor.

Normally it’s not necessary to place parchment paper in between each macaron because the tops shouldn’t be sticky. However, if you’re worried about damage from the macarons touching, you can optionally cut a small piece of parchment paper and place it between each filled macaron.

It’s important to only store macarons with the same filling in the same container. This will prevent flavors from mixing together.

Here are a few of my favorite macaron storage containers. The most important factor is ensuring your container is airtight.

24 Cup Rectangular Rubbermaid Container: This is a large container that's great if you're baking large quantities of macarons. Whether you sell macarons or bake large amounts for parties or events, this is a great storage container option for you.

16 Cup Rectangular Sterilite Container: If you're looking for a high-quality container, I'd recommend this option with a lock-in-place lid. This container should hold a large batch of macarons, making it a great option for high-production bakers.

9.6 Cup Rectangular Rubbermaid Container: These are the perfect-sized containers for small-batch macaron bakers. If you bake macarons as a hobby for family and friends, these are the containers I'd recommend.

These containers should hold a small batch of macarons. If you enjoy baking a variety of macaron flavors, these containers are great because you can separate out each filling in a different container.

Plastic Deli Containers (various sizes): If you only occasionally bake macarons, I'd suggest you purchase these deli containers. They come in 8 ounces, 16 ounces, and 32 ounces. They're great not only for storing macarons, but they can also be used for many other kitchen food storage needs.

I typically use one or two large 32 ounce containers for each flavor of macarons I bake.

• If you're looking for macaron fillings that last for longer time periods in the refrigerator or freezer, I'd suggest using a buttercream filling or chocolate ganache. These fillings will last the longest.
• If possible, store your macarons in a freezer that doesn't get opened or closed very often. This will help preserve your macarons for a longer time period.
• Do you sell macarons? I'd suggest freezing just the macaron shell, then fill the macarons right before selling.
• Always allow the macaron shells to completely cool before adding any type of filling.