Description
Celebrate the holidays with these festive Christmas Reindeer Macarons. Delicately crafted with almond flour and powdered sugar, these light and airy French macarons are flavored with a hint of vanilla and tinted with brown gel food coloring. Filled with rich chocolate buttercream and decorated with colorful royal icing to create adorable reindeer faces, these macarons make a charming and delicious holiday treat perfect for parties or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 90 grams powdered sugar
- 80 grams almond flour
- 70 grams egg whites (room temperature)
- 70 grams granulated sugar
- 2 grams egg white powder (optional)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 4 drops brown gel food coloring
Chocolate Buttercream
- ¼ cup salted butter (½ stick)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp heavy whipping cream
- ½ tsp cocoa powder
Royal Icing
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp meringue powder
- ½ tsp water (room temperature)
- 1 drop brown gel food coloring
- 1 drop red gel food coloring
- 2 drops black gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare dry ingredients: Sift powdered sugar and almond flour together using a whisk to break down any clumps. Set this mixture aside. Line sheet pans with silicone mats and prepare a 16 inch pastry bag fitted with a piping tip.
- Make the meringue: Whisk the room temperature egg whites on medium speed until small bubbles form. Gradually add granulated sugar in increments, starting with 3 tbsp (1 tbsp at a time, waiting 10 seconds between each), whisking until tracks appear. Increase mixer speed and add the rest of the sugar slowly until soft peaks form. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, add vanilla extract and brown gel food coloring, then whisk for about 5 more minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Combine ingredients: Fold the sifted powdered sugar and almond flour mixture into the meringue in three parts, folding each fully before adding the next. Avoid overfolding. Deflate the batter slightly by smearing it on the bowl sides and folding until smooth, glossy, and falling in ribbons that sink back within 30 seconds when lifted with a spatula.
- Pipe the macarons: Transfer the batter to the pastry bag. Pipe ¾ inch circles onto lined sheet pans holding the bag at 90 degrees. Tap the trays against the counter several times to release air bubbles. Let the shells rest until they form a skin and are no longer sticky to the touch.
- Bake the macarons: Preheat the oven to 315°F. Bake the shells for 14-16 minutes until they no longer shift when touched on top. Allow to cool completely on the trays, about 30 minutes.
- Make the royal icing: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water, adding water slowly until the icing sinks back in about 20 seconds when lifted with a spoon. Divide icing into three portions and tint with red, black, and brown gel food coloring respectively. Transfer each to piping bags with very small openings.
- Decorate the macarons: Using food coloring markers, mark spots for antlers, eyes, and nose on the macarons. Pipe the royal icing accordingly and let dry about an hour before filling.
- Prepare chocolate buttercream: Beat butter in a bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar in two parts, mixing well. Add heavy cream and cocoa powder, whisking until creamy and smooth.
- Assemble the macarons: Fill an 8 inch pastry bag with chocolate buttercream and cut a ¼ inch tip. Pipe buttercream onto the bottom shells, then sandwich with decorated top shells. Refrigerate assembled macarons at least 24 hours to mature flavor and texture.
- Serve: Before serving, bring macarons to room temperature for 20-30 minutes for the best flavor and texture experience.
Notes
- All ovens vary; adjust temperature and baking times as needed.
- Use a clean, grease-free mixing bowl for best meringue results.
- Weigh ingredients in grams for accuracy, especially almond flour and sugars.
- Use room temperature egg whites; warm eggs quickly by placing in hot water for 5 minutes.
- Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together as almond flour tends to be moist.
- If using egg white powder, mix it with granulated sugar before adding to the egg whites to ensure proper dissolution.
- Whisk the meringue until stiff peaks form for correct macaron texture.
- Allow piped macarons to dry before baking to prevent cracking.
- *Nutrition facts apply to macaron shells only; filling adds additional calories.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
