Macaron Tools I Love

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know how much I love to make macarons. (Weirdly, they aren’t my top choice when it comes to eating pastries, but I do love making them!) Macarons can be difficult to master, but good tools and supplies will make the learning process easier. Below are a few of my favorites. I’ve included some fun options for painting and decorating, too!

If you want to complete your macaron toolkit, I recommend the following products:

Silicone mats with guides

Because I’ve made so many macarons, I’m pretty good at piping freehand and will often just pipe my shells on a plain silicone mat. If you’re new to macaron-making, I suggest purchasing silicone mats with guides. These will allow you to pipe round, even shells; pairing and filling become much easier when all of your shells are the same size! I don’t recommend using parchment—it tends to shift around on the tray, and can also cause wrinkles in your shells.

Fine mesh strainer (and bench scraper!)

Before adding the dry ingredients, it is important to sift the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar to remove any lumps or debris. To do this, I use a bench scraper to push the dry ingredients through a mesh strainer and into clean bowls.

Thermometer (for Italian method)

If you’re planning to make macaron shells using the Italian method, which requires cooking the sugar, you’ll need a good thermometer. My go-to is this Taylor Instant-Read Digital Thermometer.

Gel food coloring

For adding color to your shells and buttercream fillings. It is important to use gel (rather than water-based food colorings from the grocery store) because you can achieve bright, vibrant shades with just a few drops, without adding too much liquid to the batter. I also use gel coloring to paint designs on my baked macaron shells. I love the Chefmaster brand.

Piping bags

Disposable piping bags are a must-have. While reusable bags work for some pastry applications, I prefer to use the disposable kind for macarons. Macaron batter is finicky, and a little bit of butter or oily residue left in the reusable bag from another baking project can easily ruin an entire batch of macarons. Disposable piping bags are worth it for the peace of mind!

Round piping tips

You’ll want to purchase a good set of round piping tips in an assortment of sizes. This way, you can choose different tips to vary the sizes of your finished shells. If piping pretty buttercream fillings, it can also be helpful to have a set of star piping tips on hand.

Tiny paint brushes

I use teeny tiny paint brushes and gel food coloring to paint designs on my shells.  Artist paint brushes work nicely; just be sure to purchase a clean set to set aside for macaron/cookie decoration only. Don’t use brushes which have previously been used for painting or art projects.

Large metal mixing bowl

If using a hand mixer, you’ll need a bowl large enough to prepare your meringue and properly deflate the batter during macaronage. (If using a stand mixer, you can macaronage directly in the bowl.) I use the largest bowl from a set of metal mixing bowls; I’ll often use the smaller bowls for my almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, and caster sugar, or for making buttercream and other macaron fillings.

Fondant

I’ll sometimes use white fondant (tinted with gel food coloring) to add small decorative details to my macarons. It’s especially useful when making food-themed designs, like these cheeseburger macarons.

Edible Glitter

A dusting of edible glitter really makes your macarons sparkle! After baking, use a clean paintbrush to “flick” or dust the glitter over the shells. Just be sure to put down a sheet of parchment first, or you’ll find glitter everywhere for weeks afterward.

Colored cocoa butter

Like fondant and edible glitter, I use colored or metallic cocoa butter to paint decorative details on my macaron shells. I prefer the Chef Rubber and Roxy and Rich brands.

Lustre Dust

When applied with a cotton ball or paintbrush, metallic lustre dust adds an elegant finishing touch. (It’s especially nice if you’re making macarons for a bridal shower, wedding, or engagement party.) I prefer the Roxy and Rich brand of lustre dust.

Edible gold and silver leaf

A few tiny specks of edible gold leaf or edible silver leaf can instantly elevate the look of your finished macs! Just be forewarned that edible leaf is kind of a pain to work with, and has a tendency to stick to everything. Use tweezers or a small paring knife to apply leaf to the shells; do not attempt to use your fingertips!

Rubbermaid spatula

While we all own our share of novelty spatulas, a good-quality rubber spatula is a must for macaronage. This red-handled Rubbermaid spatula is standard in many culinary schools and professional kitchens, and is the one I have in my own kit as well.

Kitchen scale

Macarons are all about precision, and it’s difficult to accurately measure ingredients like egg whites, almond flour, and confectioner’s sugar when using volume alone.  A kitchen scale is an absolute must for making macarons. You don’t need to spend much money (there are options on Amazon for as little as $8) and a scale will make a world of difference in your bakes.

Paper boxes

If you’re planning to sell or gift your macarons, clear-windowed paper boxes offer a professional finishing touch, and keep your macarons safe in transit. It also makes them stackable, which is immensely helpful if storing finished macarons in the fridge or transporting your macs.

Toothpicks

Always keep a couple of wooden toothpicks (cocktail sticks, if you’re in the UK!) nearby. After piping, use these to gently pop any bubbles in the shells, and touch up small mistakes. If you’re planning to paint decorations on the shells, toothpicks are also an easy way to add tiny dots (or very teeny tiny details) with gel coloring.

Powdered freeze-dried fruits

A natural way to add color and flavor to macaron shells. Unless you’re an experienced baker, I recommend finding a recipe which specifically calls for powdered freeze dried fruit. Otherwise, you want to be careful about adding extra dry ingredients to a macaron recipe—extra ingredients can easily throw off your macaron batter.

Flavor oils

For flavoring buttercream fillings. I prefer the LorAnn brand, which comes in countless flavors, so you can make everything from cheesecake to cotton candy to mint chocolate chip fillings for your macarons.

Macaron Books

There are plenty of fantastic books on the topic. These include:

Les Petit Macarons by Kathryn Gordon
Macaron School by Camila Hurst
French Macarons for Beginners by Natalie Wong
Macarons by Pierre Hermé

If you’re in London, Le Cordon Bleu also offers a hands-on macaron making course.

If you’re inspired by this post, buy any of these kitchen tools, or make any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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About Rebecca:
Rebecca earned the Diplôme de Pâtisserie from Le Cordon Bleu London in 2020. She also holds an MSc in Culinary Innovation from Le Cordon Bleu and Birkbeck, University of London, and a Professional Chocolatier’s Certificate from Ecole Chocolate. She currently works as a recipe developer, food stylist, food photographer, writer, and pastry chef. Feel free to make one of her original recipes, or to follow her on Instagram @bastecutfold for more baking and pastry inspiration!