Description
Christmas macarons are elegant, festive cookies perfect for holiday baking. They feature crisp shells with chewy centers, filled with sweet buttercream or rich ganache. Decorate them with sprinkles, edible glitter, or stencils for a dazzling holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 120g almond flour
- 120g powdered sugar
- 90g egg whites (aged)
- 100g granulated sugar
- Gel food coloring (red, green, white)
- Optional: edible glitter, stencils, royal icing
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 250g powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or peppermint extract
Instructions
- Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together. Discard coarse bits.
- Beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Add gel food coloring and mix gently.
- Gently fold the almond flour mixture into the meringue until the batter flows like a ribbon.
- Transfer batter to a piping bag and pipe 1.5-inch rounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Tap the tray firmly to release air bubbles. Rest for 30-60 minutes until a dry skin forms.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the tray halfway. Cool completely.
- Beat softened butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and cream/milk until desired consistency. Mix in extract if using.
- Match macaron shells, pipe filling onto one shell, and sandwich with another.
- Decorate as desired. Refrigerate filled macarons for 24 hours before serving.
Notes
- Bake on a dry day if possible due to humidity sensitivity.
- Aging egg whites creates a more stable meringue.
- Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Christmas Desserts
- Method: Baking and Assembling
- Cuisine: French-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 183
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 16mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg