These conversation heart macarons look just like your favorite Valentine’s Day candy, complete with adorable sayings!

Making These Conversation Macarons with the French Method

There are a few different ways to make macarons. French macarons are considered the easiest to make while the Italian and Swiss methods use a few more steps but are more structurally sound.

French macarons also require less equipment. While I love Italian macarons, I like to keep things simple and use the French method for this recipe.

Equipment You’ll Need to Make These Conversation Heart Macarons

I’ve made quite a few batches of macarons, and they definitely turn out best when the ingredients are weighed, and the macarons are baked on a silpat mat.

These are the tools I like to use when I make these macarons:

• Kitchen scale
• Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
• 5 Small (12″) piping bags (for the batter and frosting)
• 4 Small round piping tips like a Wilton 10 (for the batter)
• 1 Very small round piping tip like a Wilton 5 (for the frosting)
• Large, flat baking sheets
• Silpat Mats (or parchment paper)
• Fine-tipped edible marker
• Gel food coloring

How to Make These Conversation Heart Macarons: Step-by-Step Process

While the recipe below is quite detailed, I find visual cues to be super helpful! Below are some photos of the process to help guide you through this recipe.

Step #1: Make the French Meringue

The first step is to make the French meringue. Whisk the room-temperature egg whites on a medium-low speed until the surface is covered in small bubbles.

Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to mix until the whisk begins to leave tracks.

Gradually add the granulated sugar over a few minutes white mixing on a medium-low speed. Then increase the mixing speed to a medium high speed.

Mix until stiff peaks form like in the photo below. Keep a close eye on your mixer to avoid over-mixing the meringue.  It should be smooth and glossy, not lumpy.

Step #2: Sift and Fold the Dry Ingredients into the Meringue

Sift the superfine almond flour and powdered sugar into the meringue.

Then fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula.

Use a circular motion that sweeps around the edge of the bowl and then pulls through the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed together.

As soon as the dry ingredients seem mostly incorporated, divide the batter evenly between four bowls (about 115g per bowl).

Add gel food coloring to the bowls of batter to make blue, pink, yellow, and purple batter. Fold the batter in each bowl until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it’s lifted.

You should be able to draw a couple of figure 8’s with the batter running off your spatula in a continuous stream when it’s the right consistency.

If the stream of batter breaks before you’re able to do this, you may need to stir it a bit more.

Step #3: Pipe the Mini Heart Shaped Macaron Shells

Pour each batter into a small piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip like a Wilton 10.

If you don’t have that size of piping tip, cut a 1 cm opening at the base of each bag.

Pipe small hearts on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 cm apart.

The hearts I piped were roughly 1 1/2 cm, and I was able to fit about 125 hearts per baking sheet.

Gently tap the pans on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then use a scribe or toothpick to pop any visible bubbles and reshape any hearts that need a little extra love.

Step #4: Rest the Mini Macaron Shells

Let the macarons rest for about 30 minutes, or until they form a skin. On rainy days this can take up to an hour where I live!

They should be mostly dry to the touch and look matte once they’re ready to be baked. While the shells rest, preheat your oven.

Step #5: Bake the Macaron Shells

Bake one tray of macarons at a time and place the tray in the middle rack of your oven.

Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.

Place a large piece of foil over the pan halfway through the baking process when you rotate the pan to prevent the shells from browning. Take care that the foil doesn’t touch any of the shells.

Let the macarons cool fully on the pan. If they’re properly baked, they should peel off the mat cleanly.

Step #6: Assemble These Conversation Heart Macarons

While the macaron shells bake and cool, make the buttercream.

Place the frosting in a piping bag fit with a very small round piping tip (like a Wilton 5) and set aside.

Once the shells have cooled, use a red edible marker to write cute little messages on half of the shells.

Then pair up the macaron shells and pipe frosting onto the bottom macaron shell.

Gently press a second shell on top of the filling to create a sandwich.

Place the macarons in an airtight container and store them in the fridge to let them mature overnight.

Letting the filled macarons rest overnight softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavor to develop.

Troubleshooting These Conversation Heart Macarons

While I’d love to think everyone’s first batch of these macarons will turn out perfectly, my own experience has taught me that’s not how things usually go.

Macarons are incredibly temperamental, and it might take a few tries to get them just right. If you run into any issues, check out my macaron troubleshooting guide!

How Many Macarons Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe makes about 500 mini heart macaron shells, which can be used to make 250 macarons.

You can double or halve this recipe as needed.

The yield and bake time will vary based on the size of the macarons you pipe. I piped these shells with a diameter of about 1 1/2 centimeters.

Tips for Making the Best Conversation Heart Macarons

• Wipe your mixing bowl and mats and whisk with lemon juice or vinegar to remove any traces of grease before making the meringue. It will help your egg whites whip up better!
• Separate your own eggs and age them if possible. Do not use egg whites from a carton.
• Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale. You really need to be precise with this recipe.
• Let your baked and filled macarons mature! This softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
• If your macarons don’t turn out, check out my macaron troubleshooting guide!

Making These Conversation Heart Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

• These macarons need to mature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge in an airtight container before being eaten. This gives them time to develop the best texture and flavor.
• Refrigerate these filled macarons for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
• Freeze filled macarons for up to a month in an airtight container.
• Freeze unfilled macaron shells for up to a month in an airtight container.
• The frosting can be made ahead of time too or save any leftovers! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for conversation heart macarons, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and comment below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!

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