I love macarons. What I don’t love is finishing a batch and realizing I now have a bowl of egg yolks staring at me, waiting for a plan I never had. I’d tell myself I’d use them later, slide them into the fridge, and… yeah. You already know how that usually ends. They end up going in the trash.
After doing this more times than I’d like to admit, I decided to develop a recipe that didn’t require me to pretend I wasn’t going to waste another round of egg yolks. That’s how these No-Waste Macarons came to be.
Ingredient Spotlight
Egg Whites (Pasteurized)
I use pasteurized egg whites (Bob Evans is my go to) so I can measure exactly what I need and move on. No separating eggs and no leftover yolks.
Granulated Sugar
Keeps the meringue stable and the shells structured.
Cream of Tartar
Just a little goes a long way in helping the egg whites whip up nicely.
Almond Flour (Super Fine)
Texture matters. The finer, the smoother your shells.
Powdered Sugar
Balances sweetness and keeps the batter silky.
Extract
Use whatever fits the vibe: vanilla, almond, or something fun!
Ingredients
- Egg whites – 80 g (pasteurized; Bob Evans is what I use)
- Granulated sugar – 80 g
- Cream of tartar – ½ tsp
- Super-fine almond flour – 75 g
- Powdered sugar – 70 g
- Extract of choice (oil free) – ½ tsp
- Gel food coloring (oil free)
- Food Scale
Instructions
Before you start, make sure everything is oil-free. Take a napkin with a little vinegar or lemon juice and wipe down your bowl, whisk, spatula, and anything else that might touch the meringue. If oil gets into the mix, the meringue won’t whip properly.
Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together and setting it aside. You can also grind it in the food processor and then sift to make sure its ground finely (but not necessary).
Place the egg whites and sugar into a heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and gently warm the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Stir continuously, but do not cook the egg whites. You’re not making scrambled eggs.
Next, add the cream of tartar and whip until firm peaks form. If firm peaks don’t form, add an additional ⅛ tsp of cream of tartar and keep whipping. You can add the extract and food coloring at this stage. Make sure there is no oil in your bowl, your tools, your extract, or food coloring.
Once the meringue is ready, fold in the dry ingredients until the batter flows smoothly and settles back into itself. Use the figure-8 test:
- If it holds its shape briefly and then blends in, you’re in the sweet spot.
- If it sinks immediately, it’s overmixed.
- If it sits on top, it’s undermixed.
The batter should be thick like lava but still flowy.
Pipe the shells onto a silicone mat or parchment paper. Tap the trays to release air bubbles or pop them with a toothpick.
Let the shells rest for 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on humidity, until they are dry and matte.
Bake at 300°F, or 325°F (convection), for 14 minutes. Do not place the trays directly in front of the oven fan — they will brown too quickly. The shells should be set with feet and smooth tops.
Ganache Filling
- Chocolate – 8 oz
- Heavy cream – ½ cup
Heat the cream, pour over chocolate in a heat safe bowl, stir until smooth, chill until pipe-able.
Tips for Success
- Make sure the sugar is fully dissolved before whipping
- Stop folding once the batter flows. Overmixing is the enemy
- Let shells rest until the tops are dry before baking
- Tap trays firmly to release air bubbles
Storage
- Unfilled shells: Airtight container at room temp for 24 hours or freeze up to 2 months
- Filled macarons: Refrigerate and bring to room temp before serving
Wrap-Up
These No-Waste Macarons are for when you want the treat without the extra cleanup, planning, or food waste. Same macaron joy — just baked in a way that makes sense.
No-Waste Macarons
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Before you start, make sure everything is oil-free. Take a napkin with a little vinegar or lemon juice and wipe down your bowl, whisk, spatula, and anything else that might touch the meringue. If oil gets into the mix, the meringue won’t whip properly.
- Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together and set aside. You can grind them in a food processor and sift if needed, but it’s not required.
- Place the egg whites and sugar into a heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and gently warm the mixture until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Do not cook the egg whites.
- Add the cream of tartar and whip until firm peaks form. If firm peaks don’t form, add an additional ⅛ tsp of cream of tartar and continue whipping. Add the extract and food coloring at this stage, making sure no oil is introduced.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until the batter flows smoothly and settles back into itself. Use the figure-8 test to check consistency. The batter should be thick like lava but still flowy.
- Pipe the batter onto a silicone mat or parchment paper. Tap the trays to release air bubbles or pop them with a toothpick.
- Let the shells rest for 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on humidity, until dry and matte.
- Bake at 300°F, or 325°F (convection), for 14 minutes. Avoid placing trays directly in front of the oven fan. Shells should be set with feet and smooth tops.
- Heat the cream, pour it over the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl, and stir until smooth. Chill until pipe-able.
- Once the shells are completely cool, match them up by size.Pipe a small amount of ganache onto the flat side of one shell, keeping it slightly away from the edges. Top with a second shell and gently press until the filling spreads to the edges.Repeat with remaining shells.
- Filled macarons are best after resting in the fridge for 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.
