Easy Almond Macaroons

These are the classic French almond macaroons (not the meringue sandwich macarons, which is a different cookie entirely). Four ingredients, no flour, no butter, no leavening agents. Just ground almonds, sugar, almond extract, and egg whites piped into rounds and baked.

The lack of flour means these are naturally gluten-free, which makes them a useful holiday cookie when you’ve got dietary restrictions at the table. The chew comes from the egg whites and the moisture they bring to the almond flour mixture.

Finely ground almonds are non-negotiable. Whole almonds or coarsely ground meal won’t bind into the smooth batter that pipes through a bag. Most stores sell almond meal or almond flour, and either works. The flour is finer and produces smoother macaroons.

A pastry bag is the easiest way to get uniform half-dollar drops, but a spoon and a clean finger work in a pinch. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, watching for pale-gold tops. Browning hard means overdone and dry.

Pro Tips

• Use room temperature egg whites. Cold whites resist incorporating with the dry ingredients.
• Pure almond extract makes a huge difference over imitation. The flavor is the whole point.
• Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper, not just greased. These stick.
• Don’t pack the batter into the bag. Air pockets help piping go smoothly.

Variations

• Press a whole almond into the top of each cookie before baking for traditional almond-topped macaroons.
• Dip the cooled cookies halfway in melted dark chocolate for a fancier finish.
• Stir a tablespoon of cocoa powder into the dry mix for chocolate almond macaroons.