Description
These festive Christmas macarons are delicate, colorful, and perfect for holiday gifting or entertaining. With crisp shells, soft interiors, and luscious fillings, each bite is a holiday celebration. Infuse your macarons with peppermint, chocolate, or cranberry cream cheese for a truly seasonal treat. Perfect for displaying on dessert trays, gifting in decorative boxes, or enjoying with a cup of cocoa, this recipe combines elegance with the warmth of homemade baking.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup almond flour, finely ground
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon peppermint or almond extract
- Food coloring, optional
- Filling of choice: buttercream, ganache, or cream cheese-based
Instructions
- Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together to remove lumps.
- Whip egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form; gradually add granulated sugar until stiff peaks appear.
- Fold almond flour mixture into meringue until batter flows slowly off spatula.
- Pipe small circles onto parchment-lined baking sheets; tap to remove air bubbles.
- Rest at room temperature 30–45 minutes until thin skin forms.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 15–20 minutes; cool completely.
- Prepare filling and sandwich shells; refrigerate 24 hours for best results.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements.
- Avoid opening the oven early to prevent collapsed shells.
- Resting the shells is crucial for developing feet.
- Macarons can be colored or flavored according to preference.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 10mg