Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Reindeer Macarons featuring delicate almond meringue shells filled with rich chocolate buttercream and decorated with colorful royal icing accents to resemble charming reindeer faces. Perfect for holiday gatherings or gifting, these macarons balance crisp outsides with chewy interiors and a creamy filling for a truly magical treat.
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 Filling
- ¼ cup salted butter (½ stick), softened
- 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 and set aside. Line sheet pans with silicone mats and prepare a 16 inch pastry bag with a piping tip.
- Make the meringue: Whisk egg whites on medium speed until small bubbles form, then gradually add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time, waiting about 10 seconds between additions. Continue whisking until you see trails in the mixture. Increase mixer speed and add remaining sugar gradually until stiff peaks form. Stop to scrape bowl sides, add vanilla extract and brown gel food coloring, and whisk for an additional 5 minutes.
- Combine ingredients: Fold in sifted powdered sugar and almond flour mixture in three parts gently until fully combined. Deflate some air by smearing batter on bowl sides and folding until batter is smooth, glossy, and runs down the spatula slowly in ribbons that sink back within 30 seconds. Transfer batter to the prepared pastry bag.
- Pipe the macarons: Holding the bag at a 90° angle, pipe ¾ inch circles onto prepared trays. Tap trays on counter several times to release air bubbles. Allow macarons to rest until a skin forms and they are no longer sticky to the touch. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 315°F.
- Bake macarons: Bake shells for 14-16 minutes until they no longer move when touched lightly. Cool completely on the tray for at least 30 minutes.
- Make royal icing: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water, adding drops of water gradually until icing consistency allows it to sink back into itself in about 20 seconds. Divide icing into three portions and color each with red, black, and brown gel food coloring respectively. Transfer each colored icing to separate piping bags with small openings.
- Decorate macarons: Use food coloring markers to mark antlers, eyes, and nose placement on shells before applying royal icing. Pipe colored royal icing on marked spots and allow icing to dry about one hour before assembling.
- Prepare chocolate buttercream: Whisk softened butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar in two batches, mixing well. Add heavy cream and cocoa powder and mix until creamy and smooth.
- Assemble macarons: Fill an 8 inch pastry bag with buttercream and pipe a ¼ inch opening swirl onto bottom shells. Sandwich each filled shell with a decorated shell. Refrigerate assembled macarons for at least 24 hours to mature flavors. Before serving, allow macarons to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
Notes
- Oven temperatures and baking times may vary; use these as a guide and monitor macarons closely.
- Ensure mixing bowls are clean and free of grease to achieve perfect meringue.
- Weigh all ingredients in grams for consistency and accuracy.
- Use room temperature egg whites for best meringue volume; to quickly warm, place eggs in warm water for 5 minutes.
- Sift almond flour with powdered sugar together to prevent clumping since almond flour alone may not sift well.
- Mix egg white powder with granulated sugar before adding to egg whites to fully dissolve.
- Whisk meringue until stiff peaks form to ensure proper macaron structure.
- Allow piped macarons to dry before baking to avoid cracking.
- Calories provided reflect macaron shells only, excluding fillings and decorations.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron shell
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
