Can You Freeze Macarons?

Yes, you can freeze macarons for up to 1 month. It might be surprising to hear that many of the big, global names in baking actually prepare and freeze macarons to transport them safely to their retail destination.

How To Freeze Macarons

You can choose to freeze macarons either filled and fully prepared or unfilled so that you can add the final delicious touches on the day you need the macarons.

How to Freeze Macaron Shells

Macaron shells are delicate, so you do need to be a little careful to ensure they don’t get crushed in the freezer, but you can freeze them well if you follow this method.

1. Prepare Airtight Container
   You will need to grab an airtight container. You could use freezer bags, but you run the risk of damaging the shells while they are in the freezer.
   
   To ensure you don’t have this problem, it is best to pick a container with a tight-fitting lid.
2. Cool
   Let the baked macaron shells cool completely before freezing.
3. Stack
   Once the shells have cooled then stack them gently into the container. If you want to ensure they don’t stick together, then you can place a small square of parchment in between each shell.
4. Seal
   Pop the lid on and label the container with the date and the contents of the container.
5. Freeze
   Put the macaron shells into the freezer and freeze until you need them.

How to Freeze Macarons with Filling

If you want to freeze macarons fully prepared with filling, then you can do this too. Some fillings will freeze better than others so check your chosen fillings to see if they can be frozen or not.

Fillings might include ganache, lemon curd or just whipped cream. If you are ready to freeze your filled macarons, here is how!

1. Allow Them to Cool
   Once your macaron shells have been baked, leave them to stand on the countertop until they’ve cooled to room temperature. 
2. Fill and Refrigerate for 24 Hours
   Bring your macaron together by filling the central layer with your desired filling (most cream and coconut-based fillings freeze well). Place your assembled macaron in the refrigerator for 24 hours to allow it to set.
   
   Wrap it in cling film before placing it in the refrigerator to best preserve it. 
3. Remove from Refrigerator and Wrap
   Once your macaron has set in the refrigerator, take it out and unwrap it. You should then re-wrap in cling film and transfer to a freezer-safe box. If you’re freezing more than one macaron, always wrap them individually.
   
   You can freeze them in the same box as long as they’re not touching. It’s vital to store them in a box to prevent them from breaking.
4. Label and Freeze
   Write the date that you prepared your macaron/s on the top of the freezer-safe box, and place them in the freezer.
   
   Make sure you have placed them on a flat surface, and don’t put them on top of other foods. Macarons are delicate and can easily break if you’re not careful with how you store them. 

3 Tips for Freezing Macarons

Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing macarons to have the best results:

Decorate After Freezing
We would advise you to decorate your macarons after they’ve been frozen. While it’s safe to freeze most toppings, your macarons can easily get damaged when you move them in and out of the freezer, so it’s best to decorate them once they have already thawed. 

Try Freezing Shells Only
If you would prefer, it’s perfectly fine to freeze your macaron shells only. This is the best option if you have fillings like jelly that don’t freeze well or if you’re making a macaron cake that needs to be decorated on the day it is served. 

Shells Will Keep Longer
If you’re storing macaron shells only in the freezer, you may be able to keep them slightly longer than one month, with other sources online suggesting they’ll be good for two or even three months.

So, if you want to preserve your macarons for longer, consider assembling them (including the filling) after they have been frozen. 

How Long Can You Freeze Macarons?

You can ensure that your macarons taste at their very best once they have been defrosted by thawing and eating them within a month. After this time, the delicate flavours and texture can degrade.

You could even end up with freezer burnt macaron’s which would destroy the delicious flavours and light, fluffy textures.

If you need to, you could get away with freezing safely for up to three months, but the taste may change slightly after a month.

You Can Freeze Macarons for Around 1 Month

How Do You Defrost Macarons?

Defrosting macarons is super easy, but it will take a few hours to thaw completely. All you need to do is take them out of the freezer and then pop them into the fridge, keeping them in the same container they were frozen in.

Then let them thaw out overnight or for a few hours before serving.

This same thawing method can be used for both filled macarons and the shells only.

Can You Refreeze Macarons?

We wouldn’t recommend that this is a treat you try and refreeze. Macarons are delicate and can be quite finicky to work with!

Whilst they freeze the first time brilliantly around if you attempt to freeze more than once then you may find that the texture degrades too much to be enjoyable.

Do Macarons Freeze Well?

Macarons are one of those wonderful baked goods that freeze beautifully, and if you have a batch made and ready to serve to guests, you are sure to impress. Nobody will know the difference between fresh and frozen!

You can freeze these fully prepared with filling, although this will depend on your chosen filling. The best fillings to choose from are ganaches or buttercreams. Fresh creams will not freeze as well.

If you want to use fillings that don’t freeze well, then this is no problem. You can prepare the macaron shells in advance and then freeze them. Then when you defrost, assemble with your filling and decorations and server! Delicious and impressive!

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing macarons or macarons in general, then these may help: