Description
These festive Christmas Reindeer Macarons feature delicate almond meringue shells with rich chocolate buttercream filling, decorated with colorful royal icing to resemble adorable reindeer faces. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these macarons combine a crisp exterior with a chewy interior, making them a delightful and charming treat for the season.
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 using a whisk to break down any clumps. Set aside. Line sheet pans with silicone mats. Insert a piping tip into a 16 inch pastry bag.
- Make the meringue: Whisk egg whites on medium speed (speed 4) until small bubbles form, about 15 seconds. Slowly add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, one tablespoon at a time, waiting 10 seconds between additions. Whisk until meringue shows tracks. Increase speed to 6 and slowly add remaining granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. When soft peaks form, stop mixer, scrape the bowl, add vanilla extract and brown gel food coloring. Whisk for 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Combine ingredients: Fold the sifted powdered sugar and almond flour mixture into the meringue in three parts, folding each completely. Deflate the batter by smearing some along the bowl sides and folding repeatedly until batter is smooth, glossy, and flows in slow ribbons that sink back into themselves within 30 seconds. Transfer batter to prepared pastry bag.
- Pipe the macarons: Hold pastry bag at 90° angle and pipe 3/4 inch circles onto lined trays. Tap trays 7-8 times against counter to remove air bubbles. Let macaron shells rest until a skin forms and they are no longer sticky, about 20 minutes.
- Bake the macarons: Preheat oven to 315°F (157°C). Bake shells for 14-16 minutes. Macarons are done when tops no longer shift when touched. Cool completely on trays for at least 30 minutes before decorating.
- Make the royal icing: Combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and a few drops of water in a bowl and stir. Add more water dropwise until icing sinks back into itself in about 20 seconds. Divide into three bowls and tint with 1 drop red, 2 drops black, and 1 drop brown gel colorings respectively. Transfer to piping bags with small openings.
- Decorate the macarons: Mark where antlers, eyes, and nose will be placed. Pipe colored royal icing accordingly. Let icing dry for about 1 hour before filling macarons.
- Make the chocolate buttercream: Using a stand mixer, whisk butter until smooth. Add half powdered sugar and whisk until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add heavy cream and cocoa powder and continue mixing 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. Top with decorated shells to create sandwich macarons. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow flavors to mature. Before serving, remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
Notes
- Oven temperatures and baking times may vary; use as guidelines only.
- Ensure mixing bowls are clean and grease-free to achieve proper meringue stiff peaks.
- Weigh all ingredients in grams for accuracy.
- Use room temperature egg whites. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in hot water for 5 minutes.
- Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together because almond flour is moist and does not sift well alone.
- Mix egg white powder with granulated sugar before adding to egg whites to fully dissolve.
- Whisk meringue until stiff peaks form.
- Allow macarons to dry before baking to prevent cracking.
- Calorie information reflects macaron shells only, without filling or decoration.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron shell
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
