Problem: What it looks like: What Went Wrong:

Cracks Very often the result of under-mixing. In other words, too many bubbles — too much air — in the macaron. The meringue gets dried out in the oven and cracks appear. Steam escapes and little if any rise occurs. However cracks can also result if there is too much moisture in the batter. If the air is too humid, say, or the egg whites were a little too big. Try cutting your moisture back a bit, by maybe 15%.

No Feet This is very often the result of not allowing macarons to rest long enough before baking. If your Italian macarons don’t have feet, it could be that your oven temperature is too low. Another possibility, of course, is over-mixing. Too many bubbles popped and the macarons didn’t have the lift they needed.

Runny Batter A result of over-mixing. This isn’t necessarily a catastrophe. It might simply mean a thin cap with feet underneath. That’s well within the bounds of a successful macaron. Bake, cool, fill and declare victory.

Uncooked Insides/Sticky at the bottom

Keep on cooking. It’s best to bake at a lower temperature (285 to 315°F [140 to 160°C], depending on your oven) for a longer period of time to ensure the shells cook through.

Bumpy/Lumpy Shells

Almond/sugar mixture must be sifted.

Forgot to tap the pan against the countertop before resting (air bubbles stayed in).

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TROUBLESHOOTING: Common Problems to Encounter when Making Macarons Sourced: http://www.joepastry.com/category/desserts-and-cookies/macarons/