Macarons are one of the most glorious desserts around. They melt in your mouth. And while these delightful French cookies may seem daunting to make, if you can follow a recipe, you can make macarons! I have made a handful of different recipes so far, so I’ll share with you my favorite recipe, along with a few tips to help you ease in to the process.
Feel free to play with the flavors and colors of your macarons. This recipe can be easily modified, just omit the cocoa powder and food coloring and substitute whatever flavoring and colors you want!
Check out my Chocolate Peanut Butter Macarons for another fool-proof recipe and my macaron tips!
Red Velvet Macaron Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup almond flour
2 large egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 cup superfine sugar (regular granulated sugar pulsed in a food processor for about 1 minute will work)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 pinch fine salt
1 teaspoon red food coloring
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
4 ounces fat free cream cheese, room temperature
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Pulse confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2
times.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Farenheit. Whisk egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low then add superfine sugar.
Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Add the food coloring and mix to combine. Sift flour mixture over the egg whites, and gently fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined or silicon mat-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes.
Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
Prepare the frosting. Beat the cream cheese in an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, then add the vanilla. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until just combined. Add more confectioners’ sugar if desired for a thicker, sweeter frosting.
Match up like-sized cookies and pipe about 1 teaspoon of frosting on one macaron, and gently press another macaron on top to make a sandwich.
Red Velvet Macaron Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup almond flour
2 large egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 cup superfine sugar (regular granulated sugar pulsed in a food processor for about 1 minute will work)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 pinch fine salt
1 teaspoon red food coloring
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
4 ounces fat free cream cheese, room temperature
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Pulse confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2
times.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Farenheit. Whisk egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low then add superfine sugar.
Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Add the food coloring and mix to combine. Sift flour mixture over the egg whites, and gently fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined or silicon mat-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes.
Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
Prepare the frosting. Beat the cream cheese in an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, then add the vanilla. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until just combined. Add more confectioners’ sugar if desired for a thicker, sweeter frosting.
Match up like-sized cookies and pipe about 1 teaspoon of frosting on one macaron, and gently press another macaron on top to make a sandwich.