How to make macarons without a thermometer?

Macarons are a pain without a thermometer, I get it. So actually the main thing isn't really the final batter temperature, it's more about getting your meringue right. You gotta whip your egg whites until they're really stiff and shiny, like when you flip the bowl they don't fall out. Most people say it takes like 5-10 minutes with an electric mixer depending on your equipment. Then you add your sugar gradually and keep going. The trick to knowing if it's good without a thermometer is to take a bit of meringue with a spatula and see if it forms peaks that hold up well. If it falls back down soft it's not ready yet.

For your batter that's spreading everywhere, it's usually because you didn't macaronage it enough or didn't work the mix enough. After you've folded in your almond flour and everything else, you gotta really stir the batter so it's smooth and fluid. I know it's dumb but that's really what changes everything. You need to get to something that flows slowly when you pipe it out. Test on parchment paper first before baking, see how it spreads. If it stays in a little mound or if it makes tails it's not ready yet, you gotta keep stirring.

And then the other thing is your oven, obviously. All ovens are different so you gotta test it out. Try 150-160 degrees (well on your thermostat) and see what happens. Maybe you need to turn it down or up depending on your machine. Baking usually takes like 12-15 minutes. If your macarons don't have little feet (the things sticking out at the bottom) it means it's not cooked or didn't rest long enough before baking.