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Santa's Festive Macarons 🎅

Whip up some holiday magic with these delightful Santa's Festive Macarons! Featuring vibrant red shells, a cheerful Santa belt decoration, and a comforting sugar cookie buttercream filling, these treats are sure to be the star of your festive table. A perfect project for festive baking!
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings 22 macarons
Calories 90 kcal

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Piping Bags
  • Round Tip
  • Baking Sheets
  • Parchment Paper or Silicone Mats

Ingredients
  

Macaron Shells

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon egg white powder optional, for humid climates
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons almond flour
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon red gel food coloring for that iconic Santa shade!

Royal Icing

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon meringue powder
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 2 drops black gel food coloring
  • 1 drop yellow gel food coloring

Sugar Cookie Buttercream

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour heat-treated
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup), softened
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup shredded desiccated coconut for rolling

Instructions
 

  • Crafting Your Macaron Shells:

    Get Organized: Lay out all your ingredients and prep your baking area. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats (templates are super helpful here!).
  • Sift Smoothness: Combine your powdered sugar and almond flour by sifting them together. This step is key for ultra-smooth macaron shells!
  • Gentle Warm-Up: Place your egg whites in a heatproof bowl over a pan with gently simmering water. Add the light brown sugar and egg white powder (if you're using it). Whisk continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture feels smooth – no grainy bits! Ensure the bowl doesn't touch the water.
  • Whip to Perfection: Transfer the warm egg white mixture to your stand mixer. Start whipping on low for about 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed for 2 minutes. Finally, crank it up to medium-high and whip until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks that hold their shape straight up with a slight curl at the very top. This usually takes 13-15 minutes, but focus on the visual cues!
  • Fold in Flavor & Color: Gently pour the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar into your stiff meringue. Now, add that vibrant red gel food coloring! Carefully fold the mixture using a "J" motion, pressing lightly against the sides of the bowl to release any air.
  • Master the "Macaronage": Continue folding until your batter is glossy and flows like warm lava. When you lift your spatula, the batter should drip off slowly and continuously, allowing you to draw a figure "8" several times before it breaks. It should take about 10-15 seconds for the dripping batter to melt back into the bowl.
  • Pipe Perfect Circles: Transfer your festive red batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip (about 1/4-inch diameter). Pipe uniform circles onto your prepared baking sheets, following any templates if you have them.
  • Tap & Rest: Firmly tap your baking sheets against the counter several times to release any hidden air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any tiny bubbles that remain on the surface. Now, let your piped shells rest in a dry, undisturbed spot for about 2 hours, or until they form a completely dry, firm skin. This resting period is essential for those iconic macaron "feet"!
  • Bake Beautifully: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). If you have a convection oven, try lowering the temperature to 270°F (130°C). Bake one tray at a time for 15-20 minutes. The macarons are done when they have developed lovely "feet" and no longer jiggle when gently touched. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet before moving.

  • Simple Royal Icing for Santa's Belt:

    Mix & Whip: In a mixer bowl, combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder. While mixing on low, gradually add the water. Once combined, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for a few minutes until the icing becomes glossy, fluffy, and has a consistency similar to sweetened condensed milk. Adjust with more water if too stiff, or more powdered sugar if too runny.
  • Color & Bag It: Divide the icing into two small bowls. Color one portion black and the other yellow (you'll need less yellow). Transfer the black icing to a piping bag fitted with a size 3 tip, and the yellow icing to a bag with a size 2 tip. Keep any unused icing covered to prevent it from drying out.
  • Decorate Santa's Look: Pipe a neat black line horizontally across the middle of about half of your cooled red macaron shells to create Santa's belt. Let the black icing dry for a few minutes (a quick chill in the fridge can speed this up!). Then, pipe a small yellow square in the center of the black belt to form the buckle.

  • Wholesome Sugar Cookie Buttercream:

    Heat-Treat Your Flour: To ensure your flour is safe to enjoy raw, spread the all-purpose flour on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes, stirring once, until it's warm to the touch. Let it cool completely before using.
  • Creamy Base: In your mixer, beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, and powdered sugar for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is wonderfully creamy and smooth.
  • Infuse Flavors: Add the cooled, heat-treated flour, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix on low until everything is just combined. If the frosting is a bit too thick, add the milk or heavy cream a little at a time until you reach your desired creamy consistency. If it's too thin, a spoonful more powdered sugar will help!

  • Assemble Your Jolly Macarons:

    Fill 'Em Up: Transfer your delicious sugar cookie buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe a generous dollop of buttercream onto the flat side of an undecorated macaron shell.
  • Santa Sandwich: Gently place a decorated macaron shell on top, creating your adorable Santa Macaron sandwich!
  • Snowy Touch: For that extra festive "snow" effect, carefully roll the sides of each filled macaron in the shredded desiccated coconut.
  • Chill & Enjoy: These delightful Santa Macarons taste even better after chilling in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight) to allow the flavors to deepen and meld. Enjoy this festive treat in moderation!
  • Storage: Store any leftover macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze them for 1-2 months to extend the holiday cheer!

Notes

Enjoy these delightful Santa Macarons! They taste even better after chilling in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight) to allow the flavors to deepen and meld. Store any leftover macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze them for 1-2 months to extend the holiday cheer! Enjoy this festive treat in moderation!

Nutrition Information per macaron:

  • Calories: 90 kcal
  • Total Carbohydrates: 12g
  • Net Carbs: 10g
  • Fats: 4g
  • Protein: 2g
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