Description
Create festive Santa Claus macarons with vibrant red shells and rich sugar cookie buttercream. These delightful treats are perfect for holiday gatherings and gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Shells:
- 1 cup Domino® Golden Sugar or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Egg White Powder (optional)
- 3 large Egg Whites
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1 cup Domino® Powdered Sugar, sifted
- For the Royal Icing:
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Meringue Powder
- 4 tablespoons Water
- 1 teaspoon Black Gel Food Coloring
- 1 teaspoon Yellow Gel Food Coloring (optional)
- For the Sugar Cookie Buttercream:
- 1 cup All-purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 3 tablespoons Milk/Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Desiccated Coconut
Instructions
- Prepare your workspace: Gather ingredients and tools. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Prepare piping bags.
- Make the shells: Preheat oven to 300ºF. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together. Melt sugar and egg whites over simmering water, then whip to stiff peaks.
- Add color: Gently fold in the sifted almond mixture and gel food coloring until glossy. Perform the figure 8 test for consistency.
- Pipe and rest shells: Pipe macaron batter onto templates. Let rest until dry to the touch (about 2 hours).
- Bake shells: Bake one tray at a time for 15-20 minutes until firm with formed feet. Cool completely.
- Prepare royal icing: Mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water. Divide and color for decoration. Pipe Santa’s belt and buckle onto cooled shells.
- Make sugar cookie buttercream: Heat-treat flour. Mix with butter and sugar until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Assemble the macarons: Fill one macaron shell with buttercream, top with another shell, and roll edges in desiccated coconut.
Notes
- Optional: Dust with edible glitter for added holiday sparkle.
- For a nut-free version, substitute almond flour with finely ground sunflower seeds.
- Add peppermint extract to the buttercream for a minty twist.
- Use vegan butter and plant-based milk for a dairy-free option.
- Incorporate cocoa powder into the batter for a chocolate flavor.
- Enhance buttercream with cinnamon and nutmeg for gingerbread spice.
- Mix pureed freeze-dried strawberries into buttercream for a fruity surprise.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the meringue for a chili heat variation.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Macaron shells can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance.
- Sugar cookie buttercream can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg