These strawberry rhubarb macarons have a light, French macaron shell filled with vanilla bean buttercream and homemade strawberry rhubarb jam filling! They're the perfect spring macaron flavor!
I'll walk you through how to make homemade French macarons and give you all my tips and tricks for success!
You might also like these tangy lemon macarons or these blackberry lavender macarons!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few ingredients to make these strawberry rhubarb macarons with vanilla bean buttercream!
Egg Whites - I've recently started "aging" my egg whites and I've found it helps with my consistency. This is absolutely not necessary, but it's super easy to do so I recommend trying it out. Weigh out 100 grams of egg whites into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours but up to 3 days. Make sure to remove the egg whites from the fridge at least an hour before baking.
Almond Flour - If you've ever seen macarons that look bumpy, it's usually because the almond flour isn't ground finely enough. I love using Bob's Red Mill for my almond flour because it's super fine. But if you have lumpy almond flour you can also just pulse it in a food processor for a few seconds to break it up further. Sifting your dry ingredients is also super important for ensuring smooth macarons.
Gel Food Coloring - Always use gel food coloring! Since macaron batter is so finicky, we don’t want to add any extra liquid to the batter. So gel food coloring is the way to go! The color is also even more concentrated so you need less. I used AmeriColor Deep Pink to get the color of these strawberry rhubarb macarons!
Vanilla Bean Paste - I like using vanilla bean paste because it has a much stronger, richer flavor! However, you can easily substitute pure vanilla extract.
Strawberries - I prefer fresh strawberries, but frozen will also work well for the filling! Just be sure to wash and hull the strawberries before cutting up for the filling.
Rhubarb - Rhubarb is a very tart spring vegetable that looks similar to celery and pairs beautifully with strawberries! The leaves of rhubarb are toxic so be sure to discard them, but luckily most of the rhubarb sold in stores already has the leaves removed. Choose rhubarb where the stalks are thin, crisp, and have a deep color.
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Special Equipment
These strawberry rhubarb macarons can be tricky so setting yourself up for success is key!
- Kitchen scale - Macarons are incredibly finicky, so weighing all your ingredients is super important!
- Sturdy baking sheet - You want to use a super sturdy baking sheet that won't warp and conducts heat evenly! These Cuisinart baking sheets are my favorite for macarons!
- Oven thermometer - We want the oven as close to 300°F degrees as possible to make perfect macarons but just because your oven says it's 300°F degrees, doesn't mean it actually is. For example, I often have to set my oven to 305°F in order for the thermometer to read 300°F.
- Silicone macaron mats - You can pipe your strawberry macarons on parchment paper, but I highly recommend silicone mats! I love these macaron mats that have small circles printed on them. The guide is super helpful for making sure all your macarons are the same size!
- French star piping tip (optional for filling)
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
Wash and hull the strawberries and dice into small pieces. Discard any rhubarb leaves, then wash and trim the ends. Dice the rhubarb stalks into small pieces as well.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the strawberries and rhubarb begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Then chill until ready to use.
How to Make French Macarons
Sift together almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until soft peaks form.
Add in the vanilla bean paste and 1-2 drops of pink food coloring, then continue to whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 13-15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
Match up your shells before piping, and then turn one side over.
On a small plate, mix together 1-2 drops of white food coloring with 1-2 drops of vodka to thin it out. Carefully paint streaks on the macarons using a small food safe paintbrush. Allow the food coloring to dry for at least 10-15 minutes before filling the macarons.
Pipe the vanilla bean buttercream around the edge of the macaron shell. Then add a small scoop of strawberry rhubarb jam in the center of the frosting (about ½ teaspoon) then top with the other shell.
Put the assembled strawberry rhubarb macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Hand Painted Macarons Tips & Tricks
This is a super easy and fun way to decorate your strawberry rhubarb macarons! You just need:
- White food coloring
- A couple drops of vodka
- Small food safe paintbrush
- On a small plate, mix together 1-2 drops of white food coloring with 1-2 drops of vodka to thin it out.
- Once the macarons are fully cooled, carefully paint streaks on the macarons using a small food safe paintbrush.
- Allow the food coloring to dry for at least 10-15 minutes before filling the macarons.
Recipe FAQ's
Unless you have experience baking macarons, I don't recommend making any changes to the macaron shells. But you can make substitutions to the filling or frosting recipes!
Most macaron issues can be traced to either oven temperature (both too hot or too cold) or improperly mixing the batter. This is why it's so important to use an oven thermometer and only mix your batter until it starts to flow like lava and then stopping.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Strawberry Rhubarb Macarons
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- 72 grams fresh strawberries, finely chopped (4-6 medium strawberries)
- 61 grams fresh rhubarb, finely chopped (about 1 large stalk)
- 24 grams granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Macarons
- 100 grams egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 60 grams granulated sugar
- 110 grams almond flour, sifted
- 200 grams powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste, optional
- 2-4 drops pink food coloring, optional
Vanilla Bean Buttercream
- 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 180 grams powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, substitute vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed
Instructions
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- Wash and hull the strawberries and dice into small pieces. Discard any rhubarb leaves, then wash and trim the ends. Dice the rhubarb stalks into small pieces as well.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the strawberries and rhubarb begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Then chill until ready to use.
Macarons
- Sift together almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until soft peaks form.
- Add in the vanilla bean paste and 1-2 drops of pink food coloring, then continue to whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
- Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
- Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
- While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 13-15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
- Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
- Match up your shells before piping, and then turn one side over.
- On a small plate, mix together 1-2 drops of white food coloring with 1-2 drops of vodka to thin it out. Carefully paint streaks on the macarons using a small food safe paintbrush.
- Allow the food coloring to dry for at least 10-15 minutes before filling the macarons.
Vanilla Bean Buttercream
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla bean paste and heavy cream and beat the buttercream on high for 3-4 minutes until super light and fluffy.
- Pipe the vanilla bean buttercream around the edge of the macaron shell. Then add a small scoop of strawberry rhubarb jam in the center of the frosting (about ½ teaspoon) then top with the other shell.
- Put the assembled strawberry rhubarb macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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