Santa Claus Macarons
Santa Claus Macarons are delightful French confections, perfect for adding festive cheer to your holiday celebrations. These macarons feature vibrant red shells decorated to resemble Santa’s suit, complete with a black belt and yellow buckle, and are filled with a luscious sugar cookie buttercream.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Macaron Shells:
- 1 cup (100g) almond flour
- 1 ¾ cups (175g) powdered sugar
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- Red gel food coloring
For the Sugar Cookie Buttercream:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups (156g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (63g) all-purpose flour, heat-treated (see note)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- â…› teaspoon almond extract
- ½ tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- ¼ cup (25g) desiccated coconut (for rolling)
For the Royal Icing Decoration:
- 1 ½ cups (187g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon meringue powder
- 4 tablespoons water
- Black and yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare the Macaron Shells:
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar to remove lumps.
- In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Add red gel food coloring to achieve a vibrant red hue, then gently fold in the sifted dry ingredients until the batter flows like lava.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small circles onto the prepared baking sheets. Tap the sheets to release air bubbles.
- Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until a skin forms on the surface.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Bake the macarons for 15-20 minutes. Allow them to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Prepare the Sugar Cookie Buttercream:
- Heat-treat the all-purpose flour by spreading it on a baking sheet and baking at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes. Let it cool completely.
- In a bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the granulated and powdered sugars, and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the cooled flour, vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk or cream. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Macarons:
- Pair the macaron shells by size.
- Pipe a dollop of buttercream onto the flat side of one shell, then sandwich with another shell.
- Roll the edges of the filled macarons in desiccated coconut to resemble Santa’s fur trim.
- Decorate with Royal Icing:
- Prepare the royal icing by mixing powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth. Divide into two portions; color one black and the other yellow.
- Transfer each colored icing into separate piping bags fitted with small round tips.
- Pipe a black line across the center of each macaron to represent Santa’s belt. Allow it to set.
- Pipe a yellow square in the center of the black line to form the belt buckle. Let the icing dry completely before serving.
Notes
Heat-Treating Flour: To ensure safety when using raw flour in buttercream, spread the flour on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes, then let it cool completely before use.
Find it online: https://recipe.newsvks.com/santa-claus-macarons/