Almond Macaroons – the English kind

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of almondy sweetness. Almond Macaroons are quick and easy to make.

These almond macaroons are the ones my mother has been making for 50 years. Unlike their elaborate French macaron cousins, English macaroons are quick and easy to make (I love quick and easy!) and taste just as good.

They don’t look quite as beautiful but, in my experience, that isn’t a problem because they won’t last long once your friends and family get started on them.

Key Ingredients

Rice Paper

Almond Macaroons do require a couple of special ingredients. The first is rice paper, which is an edible wafer paper (and is sometimes called that in the store). This is the base for the macaroons. It adds to the texture and for me is a real bonus because it means the baking sheet stays clean – less washing up! (Rice paper has a very long shelf life so, unless you hate these macaroons and never make them again, you can keep it until you need it.)

Semolina

The second ingredient is semolina, which you may have in your cupboard anyway. You can also use it to make semolina pudding if you like milk puddings. It’s pretty yummy with jam and especially good for children who need to increase their milk intake!

I use it in other recipes, such as shortbread, so you won’t get stuck with it unused until it reaches its use-by date when you throw it away (which is not in my everyday cooking philosophy).

How do you make the macaroons Gluten-Free?

My original recipe used ground rice, which would make the macaroons gluten-free and can be used in all the ways that semolina can. I couldn’t find any in my local supermarkets or online, so you might have to search for it.

How long will they keep?

Store the macaroons in an airtight container for up to 10 days. They don’t need to be kept in the fridge.

If you like this…

…Why don’t you try:

Almond Meringue Buns

Almond Meringue Buns have a slightly crumbly base with jam filling, topped with almond meringue.

Almond Shortbread

Almond Shortbread is a nutty version of a traditional teatime favourite. Add some icing to make this a special treat that's easy and quick to make.

Cherry and Almond Traybake

Quick and easy Cherry and Almond Traybake. Great for tea or pudding.

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Print Recipe

Almond Macaroons – the English kind

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of almondy sweetness. These Almond Macaroons are quick and easy to make.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Teatime

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Teatime treat

Servings: 20

Author: [email protected] Cooks

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• 250 g caster sugar
• 125 g ground almonds
• 30 g semolina or ground rice
• 1 teaspoon orange flower water (5ml)
• 20 split almonds
• Edible wafer paper, also called rice paper

Equipment

2 baking sheets

Instructions

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/ 150°C fan/ gas mark 3/ 325°F
• Put 2 sheets of rice paper on the baking sheets, making sure the smooth side is down

For the Almond Macaroons:

• Whisk the egg whites until fairly stiff
• Add the orange flower water. Add the caster sugar, ground almonds and semolina and fold in. You will end up with quite a stiff mixture
• Place small heaps, well-spaced, onto the rice paper. Put a flaked almond on top of each and slightly flatten with your hand
• Bake for 30-40 minutes until lightly coloured
• When the macaroons are cool enough to be handled, move them to a wire cooling rack, tearing off the excess rice paper as you go.

Notes

Storage:

These Almond Macaroons will keep for up to 10 days in an airtight container.