Perfect Strawberry Macarons: A Step-by-Step Guide

Name: Strawberry Macaron Shells
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Ingredients: 100 grams egg whites; 100 grams white granulated sugar; 105 grams almond flour; 100 grams powdered sugar; 2-4 grams freeze dried strawberry powder; Deep pink, fuchsia, or red gel food coloring; ⅓ cup cream cheese, softened; 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened; 1½ cups powdered sugar; ½ cup freeze dried strawberry powder; ½ tsp vanilla extract; milk; strawberry jam or strawberry sauce; melted white chocolate; powdered freeze dried strawberries

By:

Josie Baker

Published:

October 5, 2026

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Strawberry Macarons

These strawberry macarons bring strawberry flavor in two places. The shells are flavored with freeze dried strawberry powder, and the filling is a creamy strawberry cheesecake frosting. Because even a small amount of freeze dried fruit powder can affect shell structure, the amount matters, and this guide explains how much to use and how to get smooth, sturdy shells.

There is a simpler route as well. You can leave the strawberry powder out of the shells entirely and use a regular Swiss meringue macaron recipe instead, because the cheesecake frosting carries plenty of flavor on its own, especially when strawberry jam or strawberry sauce is added at the center.

This version is adapted from the original strawberry macaron shells recipe, which makes about 20 shells and lists 2 hours of prep and 40 minutes of cook time. If you enjoy the strawberry and cream cheese pairing, my strawberry cheesecake recipe takes those flavors into a larger dessert.

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Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Macarons

Strawberry appears in both the shells and the filling, and freeze dried strawberries do that work without adding fresh fruit moisture to the batter.

Cream cheese in the frosting gives a slight tang that balances the sweet shells.
For the most reliable shells, the recommended amount of strawberry powder is 2 grams, though up to 4 grams can be used.
Plain Swiss macaron shells are an option when you want a more predictable batter.
Strawberry jam or strawberry sauce can be added as a center for extra fruit flavor.

If you like baking with berries in other formats, my strawberry shortbread cookies are a simple way to use the same fruit.

Key Ingredients & Why I Use Them

Weigh everything in grams on a kitchen scale before you begin. The ingredient list is short, and every item has a job.

100 grams egg whites
100 grams white granulated sugar
105 grams almond flour
100 grams powdered sugar
2 to 4 grams freeze dried strawberry powder
Deep pink, fuchsia, or red gel food coloring, optional

Fresh egg whites are used here. If you are a few grams short, carton egg whites can top off the amount, but a carton only recipe is not recommended for these shells, because carton whites are less predictable and the strawberry powder adds another variable that can destabilize the batter.

Granulated sugar is heated with the egg whites to make the Swiss meringue, which stabilizes it and gives the shells their structure. Powdered sugar is part of the dry ingredients and helps create a smooth texture. Finely ground almond flour, such as Blue Diamond, matters for smoother shells and a consistent batter.

Strawberry Macarons, Key Ingredients & Why I Use Them

Whole freeze dried strawberries are preferred. Process them into powder and sift before use, since pre ground powder tends to absorb moisture and clump quickly once the bag is opened. Weigh the powder after sifting.

For pink shells, use gel or powdered food coloring, since strawberry powder alone bakes to a muted, peachy or brown tone. Avoid liquid coloring, which adds too much liquid and can affect shell structure.

How to Make Strawberry Macarons

The original recipe includes a full printable version along with the step by step method. The stages below follow that order, from grinding the strawberries to cooling the shells.

Prepare the Strawberry Powder

Grind the freeze dried strawberries until very fine in a small food processor, blender, or spice grinder.

Weigh the powder after sifting so no larger pieces end up in the batter. Start with 2 grams, since that smaller amount makes the shells more predictable, and use no more than 4 grams.

Sift the Dry Ingredients

Sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and strawberry powder together.

This spreads the strawberry powder evenly and removes larger bits that could leave bumps on the shells. Prepare this mixture before you start the meringue.

Make the Swiss Meringue

Put the egg whites and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, with the bottom of the bowl not touching the water.

Whisk until the sugar has fully melted, testing by rubbing a little of the mixture between your fingers, and keep whisking if you still feel sugar granules. Do not overheat.

Strawberry Macarons, Make the Swiss Meringue

The mixture should be slightly warm, around 115 to 120°F (46 to 49°C), then it goes into the stand mixer bowl.

Whip the Meringue

Mix on low for about 30 seconds, then increase to medium and whip for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture turns white.

Raise the speed to medium high and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form, which can take 6 to 10 minutes with a stand mixer and longer with a hand mixer.

A lifted peak should stand straight up, possibly with a small bend at the tip, and the meringue at the base of the whisk should look like soft but defined clouds, not clumpy and not too loose.

Grab as much meringue as possible when testing, because a small amount can look too soft.

Add the Dry Ingredients

Fold the sifted almond flour, powdered sugar, and strawberry powder into the meringue. If you are coloring the macarons, add gel food coloring now, usually deep pink, fuchsia, or a very small amount of red.

Because strawberry powder can leave the baked shells muted or slightly brown, the raw batter may need to look brighter than the final color you want.

Macaronage

Fold the batter gently with a spatula using a J shaped motion, and press some batter against the side of the bowl now and then to knock out air. Because the strawberry powder adds an extra dry ingredient, focus on consistency rather than counting folds.

The batter is ready when it looks glossy and falls slowly but continuously from the spatula in a V shape.

The figure 8 test is another option: if you can draw several figure 8s with the falling batter without the stream breaking right away, the batter may be done. If you are still unsure, do the teaspoon test.

Place a small spoonful on the baking mat and wait about a minute. If it stays stiff with a point on top, fold a little more. If it slowly settles into a smooth circle, it is ready.

Pipe the Shells

Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip, such as a Wilton 12. A 16 inch piping bag is typically used for a single recipe.

Hold the bag straight above the baking mat at a 90 degree angle and pipe the shells. After piping, tap each tray firmly against the counter several times to release trapped air, then pop any remaining visible bubbles with a toothpick.

Rest the Macarons

Let the trays sit until the shells feel dry to the touch.

In humid conditions such as Florida, this resting stage can take a while. Running a dehumidifier can help, but shells can sometimes take up to 2 hours to dry.

Bake

Preheat the oven to 310ºF, ideally starting about an hour ahead so the oven stabilizes. If your oven holds temperature reliably, 30 minutes is enough.

Bake one tray at a time for roughly 20 to 25 minutes, rotating trays after 7 minutes only if your oven needs it, and begin checking at the 15 minute mark.

Convection ovens may bake the shells much faster, so judge doneness by touch rather than by time. The macarons are ready when they have feet and the tops stay put when gently touched. Let the shells cool completely before taking them off the mat.

How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Frosting

The strawberry cheesecake frosting supplies most of the strawberry flavor in these macarons, which is why the shells can stay lightly flavored or plain.

You will need 1/3 cup cream cheese, softened (75 grams), 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (42 grams), 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (188 grams), 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberry powder (14 grams), 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a little milk only if needed.

Beat the Cream Cheese and Butter

Place the softened cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, until fully combined and creamy.

Do this before adding anything else.

Add the Sugar & Strawberry Powder

Crush the freeze dried strawberries into a fine powder, then add the strawberry powder and powdered sugar to the bowl.

Mix on low first so the powdered ingredients stay in the bowl, then raise the speed once the mixture starts coming together. Beat until the filling is smooth and creamy.

Add Vanilla

Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly.

If the frosting is too thick to pipe comfortably, thin it with a small amount of milk, adding milk only as needed so the frosting stays thick enough to hold its shape inside the macarons. Then transfer it to a piping bag.

Assemble the Macarons & Decorate

Pair the cooled shells by size. Pipe the strawberry cheesecake frosting onto the bottom shells and top with another shell. You can fill the macarons entirely with frosting, or pipe a ring of frosting around the outer edge and add strawberry jam or strawberry sauce in the center.

For decoration, melt white chocolate until smooth. Lindt white chocolate is used in the original recipe and is not tempered. Drizzle it over the tops with a spoon or piping bag, or dip part of each assembled macaron into chocolate in a small bowl.

Strawberry Macarons, Assemble the Macarons & Decorate

If you dip, chill the filled macarons first so they are firm and stable and the filling does not soften or shift from contact with the warm chocolate.

While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on freeze dried strawberry powder or finely crushed freeze dried strawberries, and let the chocolate set before storing.

Storage

Keep assembled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them mature for about 24 hours before serving, during which the filling slightly softens the centers of the shells and improves the texture. They keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and filled macarons can also be frozen for 1 to 2 months.

Because the filling is a cream cheese frosting, keep these macarons refrigerated rather than at room temperature for extended periods. The source recipe lists approximately 120 calories per serving.

Strawberry Shells

Adding strawberry powder to the shells is optional. Freeze dried fruit powder is one of the better ways to flavor macaron shells because it avoids the moisture that strawberry puree or fresh strawberries would bring, but it still affects the delicate shells, so this recipe does not try to pack a large amount of strawberry flavor into them.

The original recipe used the full 4 grams more often in the past and now recommends starting with 2 grams for more reliable shells.

Going up to 4 grams may add a little strawberry flavor, and it also raises the chance of soft shells, wrinkles, hollows, or fragile tops.

Many successful shells have been made with 4 grams, but it can sometimes throw off the balance, especially with another issue such as a slightly overbeaten meringue or an especially humid day.

The frosting is where strawberry flavor can be built without risking the macaron structure.

Add a Strawberry Jam Center

For a more intense strawberry flavor, add strawberry jam or strawberry sauce at the center. Pipe a ring of strawberry cheesecake frosting around the outer edge of a bottom shell, place a small amount of strawberry jam in the middle, then add the second shell. Strawberry sauce can be used instead of jam.

Use only enough to fill the center of the frosting ring. Overfilling can cause jam to squeeze out during assembly and can make the shells soften faster.

Oven Temperature

Macarons are very sensitive to oven temperature, and no single temperature works perfectly for every oven. The original recipe bakes these at 310ºF in a conventional oven and 290ºF in a countertop Ninja oven, but the right setting for your oven may be different.

If you are working with a conventional oven and do not yet know its best setting, start around 300ºF and test from there.

Use the same batch of batter to bake different trays a few degrees below and above that starting point so you can compare the results.

An oven thermometer is worth treating as mandatory here, because home ovens are often inaccurate or fluctuate, and even a small temperature difference can change how the shells rise, form feet, and bake through.

Drying and Resting the Macarons

In Florida’s very high humidity, these macarons can take a long time to dry, sometimes close to 2 hours, and shaped macarons are usually planned for around 3 hours of resting because they tend to need even longer.

Swiss method macaron batter is sturdy enough for a longer rest, and the shells often benefit from it. The goal is not a barely dry surface but a noticeable skin on top before baking.

Strawberry Macarons, Drying and Resting the Macarons

Some bakers make macarons successfully without resting at all, and whether that works depends on the batch and the oven.

With less food coloring and a convection oven, little to no resting is sometimes possible, while a conventional oven is much less forgiving and unrested shells are much more likely to crack or bake without feet.

If you have already tested the no rest approach and it works with your setup, a long rest may not be needed.

FAQs

What is the secret to strawberry flavor in macarons?

The secret is using freeze-dried strawberry powder in both the shells and the filling. Grinding whole freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder provides concentrated flavor and color without adding moisture. This prevents the batter from becoming too wet, which would compromise the structure of the delicate French macaron shells.

Why did my strawberry macarons turn brown?

Freeze-dried strawberry powder can make the baked shells look brown or muted. Adding a small amount of deep pink, fuchsia, or red gel food coloring to the batter helps achieve the desired pink color. The strawberry powder provides the flavor, while the gel coloring ensures visually appealing pink macarons.

How do you add freeze-dried strawberry powder to macarons?

First, process whole freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder and sift it. For the shells, sift 2 to 4 grams of the powder together with the almond flour and powdered sugar. It is recommended to start with 2 grams for the most reliable shells, as more powder can lead to softer or hollow shells.

What is the best filling for strawberry macarons?

A strawberry cheesecake frosting is an excellent choice. It is made by beating softened cream cheese and butter, then mixing in powdered sugar, freeze-dried strawberry powder, and vanilla extract. For an extra burst of fruit flavor, you can add a small center of strawberry jam or sauce inside a ring of the frosting before assembling the macarons.