How to Make Raspberry Macarons With White Chocolate Ganache

These pretty raspberry white chocolate macarons are one of my absolute favourites. With delicate pink shells made using freeze-dried raspberries, a creamy white chocolate ganache, and a surprise centre of raspberry jam, they’re just as elegant as they are delicious.

Whether you’re baking for a girly-themed party, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or just craving a “pink fix,” these naturally gluten-free treats are always a showstopper. If you’ve tackled my giant meringue cookies or pavlova, you’re more than ready to try these.

💡New to macaron-making? My guide to Perfecting Macarons walks you through the basics.

❤️ Why You'll Love Them

• Real raspberry flavour in both the shells and filling
• Easy to make with store-bought ingredients
• Naturally gluten-free
• They freeze beautifully, so you can make them in advance

🧾 Key Ingredients

You don’t need anything fancy or hard to find!

• Almond meal or almond flour – finely ground for smooth shells

• Freeze-dried raspberry powder – adds colour and real raspberry flavour

• Good white chocolate – go for one with cocoa butter (not compound)

• Pure icing sugar – sifted, or blitzed with almonds in a food processor

• Egg whites – aged whites whip better for a stable meringue

• Raspberry jam – for that sweet surprise inside

• Optional: a drop of pink food colouring if you want extra pop.
  

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

I have tried to make these steps as thorough as possible, so you can make perfect macarons every time.  It may look like a lot of steps, but believe me, it's easier than you think!

Step 1:  Make The Ganache First

Warm the cream in a small saucepan over low to medium heat, until it just starts to come to a boil, then pour the hot cream over the white chocolate, glucose and butter and let it sit for a minute

Step 2:

Use a stick blender to emulsify the chocolate and cream, until it's a smooth and silky ganache

Step 3:

Pour the mixture into a slice tray and cover it with plastic wrap directly touching the surface of the ganache.  Leave mixture to thicken for a few hours at room temperature.  On a hot day, place in the fridge for 10 minutes at a time, stirring occasionally, until it's at a consistency ready for piping

Step 4:  Make the Macaron Shells

Heat your oven to 150°C or 300℉ conventional.   If using a fan oven, reduce the temperature to 135℃ or 275℉.  

Line 3 or 4 large cookie sheets with Silicone macaron mats and set aside

Place the almond meal, icing sugar and raspberry powder in a food processor and blitz until well combined and there are no visible lumps.  If you're using almond flour and don't want to use the food processor, just go ahead and sift it 3 times with the icing sugar.  I find a food processor will give me a fine powder that doesn't need sifting.

Step 5:

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar into a large bowl of a stand mixer.  Ensure it's a clean bowl, without any residue that could prevent the meringue from whipping.  Use the whisk attachment to whisk on low-medium until frothy

Step 6:

Gradually add the caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Mix for 30 seconds until adding the next spoonful.  After adding the last spoonful, continue to whisk on medium-high for another 5 minutes.  Mixture should be thick and glossy and form stiff peaks.  This is your French Meringue

Step 7:

Add optional food colour and whisk again to combine, or just fold it through with a rubber spatula

Step 8:

Remove the bowl from the mixer, then add the dry ingredients.  Use a large rubber spatula to fold the mixture through and be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as you go.  Continue to fold the mixture until it is glossy and can form a smooth ribbon figure 8.   The figure 8 should slowly melt back into the rest of the mixture -the macaron batter is now ready to pipe

Step 9:

Place a 1cm round piping tip into a large piping bag or pastry bag. Twist the the bag and tip to stop the mixture coming out when you pour it into the bag.  Place the bag into a tall narrow jug or cup and fold the ends of the bag over to open the bag.  Pour the batter into the bag.  Pipe small circles onto the tray, to about ⅔ to filling the circles on the mat.  I count to 2, then twist and flick the piping bag.  Once the shells have all been piped, gently tap the trays onto a covered bench.  Rotate the tray to tap both sides.  Use a toothpick to pop any remaining air bubbles, then set the trays aside to rest for 30 minutes 

Step 10:

Bake the macarons for 18 minutes.  Before removing them from the oven, check  one of the middle macarons by giving it a wiggle.  If it clearly wiggles, give it another 1-2 minutes of baking.  

Once baked, slide the macaron mats onto a bench and leave to cool completely, before gently lifting them from the mat.  Match up even macaron shells and place into pairs

Step 11: How To Assemble Your Macarons

Place the ganache into a disposable piping bag, fitted with a piping tip -I use an open star tip.  Pipe the ganache in a loop onto the underside of half of the macaron shells, leaving the centre free for the raspberry filling

Step 12:

Give the jam a stir to loosen it, then add it to a small snaplock bag and snip off a corner.  Fill the centre of the ganache circle with raspberry jam and sandwich the shells together with their matching half.  Macarons are best served the next day, to allow the flavors to absorb and the shells to become chewy. They are best stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3 months. 

💡 Expert Baking Tips

• Accuracy is key when making macarons, which is why I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale
• I love using a silicone mat with a macaron stencil to pipe my shells on.  The guide is a great way to keep your shells the same size and silicone is far superior to parchment paper.  I just find the paper can cause my shells to go wonky.  
• Use aged egg whites when making macarons.  This is egg whites that have been separated from the yolks at least a day before, then brought to room temperature.  This allows the proteins to relax, creating a more stable meringue.  

🔄 Variations & Substitutions

• Strawberry White Chocolate Macarons: Swap freeze-dried raspberries for strawberries and use strawberry jam

• Chocolate Macarons with Raspberry Filling: Use cocoa in the shells and fill with raspberry ganache

• Buttercream instead of ganache: If you're short on time, use chocolate buttercream or flavour with raspberry jam

❓ FAQs

Do I need to sift the almond meal and icing sugar?

If you use a food processor to combine the dry ingredients, then no.  The most important thing is that there are no big lumps (you want smooth, shiny shells).  If you don't have a food processor, sift the dry ingredients a few times.

Can I freeze macarons?

Absolutely!  In fact I always freeze my macarons and just take out what I need about 30 minutes before.  This is why Macarons are one of my go-to Christmas Desserts!

What’s the difference between macarons and macaroons?

Macarons are delicate French sandwich cookies made with almond flour, egg whites, and sugar, with a crisp shell and a soft, chewy interior, often filled with ganache or buttercream. Macaroons, on the other hand, are dense, chewy coconut-based cookies, typically made with shredded coconut and egg whites, sometimes dipped in chocolate.

Why do my macarons crack?
Usually from under-mixing or not letting the shells rest before baking. Also, double check your oven temperature.

🧊 Storage Suggestions

Room Temperature:  because these Raspberry Macarons are filled with a Chocolate Ganache, you shouldn't leave them at room temperature for too long.  30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the weather.  Unfilled shells can be left at room temperature, in an airtight container for up to 3 days

Refrigerator:  If I'm storing my filled macarons in the fridge, I will keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer:  This is my preferred way of storing macarons.  Use an airtight container and separate each layer with parchment paper if necessary.  They will last up to 3 months 

💌 Sweet Connections

Tried this recipe?

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