From Macarons to Milestones: The Sweet Rewards of Learning to Love Being a Beginner

Bonjour, mes amis!

 I love a good macaron. The kind of joy I get biting into one of those delicate, chewy, sweet little creations is unmatched. Whenever I’m in Paris, I hunt down the best ones and bring them back for my boys.

So, naturally, I thought, Why not learn to make these myself? After all, I’ve been baking for years. I’m the go-to roll-bringer for every family holiday. If I can knock out perfect cookies and pastries on the first try, how hard could macarons be?

Spoiler: very hard.

Macarons: The Little Drama Queens of Baking

Macarons are as finicky and complex as, well, the stereotypes about the French. They demand time, precision, and creativity, all at once. Want to express yourself with bold colors or flavors? Great—but don’t add too much liquid food coloring, or the whole batch will collapse into a sticky mess.

There are three main methods for making macarons—French, Swiss, and Italian. Each one is a step up in complexity. Then, you’ve got to choose your colors, flavors, and fillings. Buttercream? Ganache? Cream cheese? The filling’s not just where most of the flavor comes from; it’s also part of the macaron’s delicate personality.

And let’s not forget the 24-hour wait for the shells to absorb the filling’s moisture and flavor. Yes, macarons are the divas of the baking world, and they know it.

If you’re tempted to dive into the macaron world after this glowing review, I recommend this great site for recipes and learning all the tips and try starting with Pies and Tacos—a great resource for beginners (and fellow gluttons for punishment).

Beginner’s Luck—and the Fall from Grace

When I made my first batch, I nailed it. Absolute perfection. I walked into my kitchen with all the confidence of a contestant on The Great British Bake Off, and those macarons did not disappoint.

Naturally, I assumed I’d cracked the code. I was basically ready to open my own macaron shop in Paris. So I tried again. And again.

Batch after batch, failure after failure. I couldn’t replicate that first success no matter what I did. Everything affected them—oven temps, humidity, almond flour texture, the number of strokes during macaronage. I felt like I was solving a baking murder mystery, one crumb at a time.

I had to take a step back and reset my expectations. Why was I expecting myself to be perfect at this right away?

Permission to Be a Beginner

Here’s the thing: we don’t get mad at toddlers when they’re learning to walk. When they shuffle, crawl, or take one wobbly step and land on their tush, we cheer them on like they just won the Olympics.

So why don’t we do that for ourselves? Somewhere along the way, we decided that as adults, we have to be perfect right out of the gate. But learning is messy—whether it’s baking macarons, picking up a new hobby, or starting fresh in life.

Instead of expecting perfection, let’s give ourselves the same grace we give toddlers.

Techniques for Starting Something New

Here are a few things that helped me embrace being a beginner:

  1. Give Yourself Permission to Fail:
     You’re going to mess up. That’s part of the process. Embrace the awkwardness, the mistakes, and the moments you feel like a total newbie.
  1. Only Compare Yourself to Yourself:
     Keep track of your progress—record your first attempts, save your drafts, or journal about how you feel starting out. Looking back at those early steps will remind you how far you’ve come.
  1. Break It Down into Small Steps:
     You don’t go from beginner to expert overnight. Focus on digestible steps, like learning one aspect of the process at a time (in my case, mastering the shells before moving on to fillings).
  1. Practice, Practice, Practice:
     The more you practice, the more your brain learns and rewires itself. Give yourself as many opportunities as possible to try, fail, and improve.

Celebrate Every Win:
 Whether it’s a high-five in the mirror or a literal pat on the back, celebrate every step forward. Your brain doesn’t care if the praise comes from someone else or you—either way, it feels great.

From Macarons to Life Lessons

Am I ready to sell my macarons to French society or even the local farmer’s market? Absolutely not. I’m just starting to feel comfortable sharing them with friends.

But here’s what I’ve learned: there are a lot of sweet treats in life, both literal and metaphorical. When we stop expecting perfection and start celebrating the process, every small step becomes something to savor.

So, whether you’re learning to bake, trying something new, or stepping outside your comfort zone—remember to cheer yourself on. You’re doing great.

Bisous 💋,

Heidi