Ultimate Guide to Making Christmas Macarons (Templates)

A comprehensive guide for making Christmas macarons successfully using my Best Macaron recipe, free Christmas macaron templates, homemade gift box, shopping list and more. Here is everything you need to know to make edible gifts for holiday gift giving.

'Tis the Season for Christmas Macarons

Christmas is the best time of the year to be baking macarons as gifts and party favours. Imagine just how much your loved ones will appreciate the time and effort you spent creating such cute creations for them. In addition, the "WOW" factor of receiving these beautiful French pastries just can't be beat. This is especially true when you take the time to pipe them into cute characters or fill them with special boozy macaron flavors that can't be bought in stores. I hope you enjoy this guide to making Christmas macarons and good luck with your holiday baking this winter season.

XOXO,
Mimi

Mimi's Best Macaron Recipe

To save time and make sure you achieve success with your Christmas macarons, you'll need a good reliable macaron recipe. If you don't have one yet, below is my Best Macaron Recipe. Make sure you do all the prep work below to ensure your macarons will turn out successfully the first time. It will help save valuable time for doing other important tasks during the Christmas holiday season.

Prep Work and Tips for Success

• Age egg whites. Age egg whites by separating out the egg whites at least 24 hours in advance. This will allow for the proteins to relax, helping it reach volume. Here's a detailed post on how to age egg whites.
• Wiping down the mixing bowls for the egg whites with lemon juice. The egg whites don't whip easily in the presence of yolk, oil or water.
• Smooth out parchment paper
• Print out the free Christmas macaron templates provided below.
• Setting out the piping bag. Here's a video showing how to set up a piping bag for macaron batter.
• Sifting the almond flour/sugar mixture.
• If this is your first time baking macarons, refer to the original Best Macaron Recipe for more visuals and explanations.
• If you already know how to bake macarons and need help making multiple colors in one batch of macaron batter, read this post.

Continue to Content

Yield: 12 macarons

Christmas Macarons

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Mimi's best macaron recipe for making non-hollow macarons successfully for beginners at home or in a commercial kitchen. Covering proper techniques: macaronage, aging the egg whites, making the meringue, figure-8 test, resting the shells and more. Step-by-step explanations, visuals, troubleshooting guide, free template and a how-to video are provided.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Macaron Ingredients - recipe can be doubled, tripled and so forth

• 65 grams – almond flour*
• 65 grams – powdered sugar
• 45 grams – castor sugar (a.k.a “berry” sugar or extra fine granulated sugar)**
• 50 grams – egg whites aged***
• ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar OR 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• GEL color of your choice****

Supplies

• Electronic scale
• 2 very clean and dry mixing bowls absolutely free of oil or water – preferably NOT plastic.
• Hand mixer
• Sifter
• Flexible spatula
• Piping bag
• Round piping tip*****
• Good quality baking pan
• Template with macaron outline
• Oven thermometer
• Parchment paper or Silpat mat******

Instructions

1. Complete all the Prep Work as listed in post.
2. Print out your favorite Christmas macaron template from the Christmas macaron guide.
3. Set aged egg whites out on counter to bring back to room temperature.
4. Whip room temperature egg whites with a handheld mixer until foamy, add cream of tartar. (Further reading: How to make perfect meringue for macarons.)
5. Once the beater starts leaving tracks in the egg whites and the bubbles have tightened up in size, add granulated sugar ⅓ at a time.
6. Once all the sugar has been fully incorporated and before reaching stiff peaks, add 1-3 drops of gel colour to your liking. Whip until Stiff Peaks.
7. Test meringue stiffness. Pull the whisk out, the points left in the egg whites should point upwards instead of drooping on itself.
8. Pour a third of the almond/powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold it into the egg whites. Then add the rest of the mixture and fold.
9. Stop folding once the dry ingredients have been fully incorporated and the batter has reached a “lava” like or honey consistency. The batter should pass the figure-8 test. (Watch video: How to Macaronage for No Hollows)
10. On a baking tray, place Christmas macaron templates underneath the parchment paper or silicone mats. Pipe the batter to the shape of the design. (Further reading: Proper macaron batter consistency while piping.)
11. Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper or mat.
12. Rap the tray several times on the counter to rid of excess bubbles.
13. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
14. Let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a firm “skin” has developed. This will prevent the shells from cracking during baking and it's especially important for character macarons. (Further reading: Resting the macaron shell.)
15. Preheat oven to 320 F. (Further reading: How to use your home oven for baking macarons.)
16. Place the tray on the middle shelf and bake for 12-14 minutes. Bake only one tray at a time.
17. Take them out and test doneness. The feet should not push back and the shell should not be wobbly.
18. Let them cool off on the pan (or off if they are overdone).
19. Fill with your favorite Christmas macaron filling.
20. Leave them in the fridge in an airtight container and let them mature for 24 hours. (If making ahead for a holiday party, read: can macaron shells be frozen and made in advance?)
21. After 24 hours of maturation in the fridge, bring them back to room temperature 30 min. before serving. ENJOY!

Notes

* Read this post on How to Make Your Own Almond Flour

** Regular granulated sugar can be used by castor sugar is preferable.

*** Measure out 50 grams of fresh egg whites and then age it before using. Read this post on how to age egg whites. Do NOT use meringue powder

**** DO NOT use liquid color.

*****Wilton #12 or Wilton #1A. I prefer Wilton #1A or Ateco #805 Plain Seamless Tip for regular round macarons or Wilton #12 for more control with character macarons.

****** I prefer the Macaron Silpat mat with macaron outline. DO NOT use wax paper

This recipe can be doubled, tripled, and so forth.

This recipe yields 12 assembled macarons.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Holly Berries and Leaves Sprinkles/Quins, 2.5 Ounces
• 
  Wilton Bulk Nonpareils Christmas Sprinkles
• 
  Manetti 23K Edible Gold | Semi-Loose Leaves | 3.4" x 3.4" Inches | 5 Leaves Booklet
• 
  Wilton White 6-Inch Lollipop Sticks, 100-Count
• 
  Callebaut White Chocolate Chunks 16 oz
• 
  Rainbow Dust Professional Cake Decorators Food Pen Jet Black
• 
  Cuisinart CTG-00-3MS Set of 3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers
• 
  Round Piping Tip #10
• 
  Regular Sized Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat
• 
  Cuisinart CTG-00-SMB Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Lids, Set of 3
• 
  Toaster Oven Size Silpat Non-stick Silicone Baking Mat
• 
  PaperChef Culinary Parchment Multipurpose Non-Stick Paper, 205 sq ft
• 
  USA Pan Rimless Baking Sheet for Better Airflow to Macaron Shells
• 
  Oven Thermometer 
• 
  Gel Food Coloring AmeriColor Junior Kit, 8 Colors.75 Ounce Bottles
• 
  Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Gluten Free Almond Flour, 3 Pound
• 
  Batter Piping Tool
• 
  Ateco Disposable Piping Bags, 12-Inch, Pack of 100
• 
  Kitchenaid Handheld Mixer
• 
  RYBACK Stainless Steel Egg White Yolk Filter Separator Cooking Tool Dishwasher Safe Chef Kitchen Gadget
• 
  Digital Scale

Nutrition Information

Yield

12 macarons

Serving Size

12
Amount Per Serving Calories 403Total Fat 40gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 36gCholesterol 0mgSodium 10mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 1gSugar 10gProtein 2g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Macaron Troubleshooting Guide

And if you run into problems with baking your Christmas macarons, below is a handy macaron troubleshooting guide. It will explain some of reasons behind wrinkly, cracked, hollow macarons and more.

Winter Macaron Recipe Flavours

After baking these festive macaron designs, it's time to fill them with flavours that evoke the spirit of the winter holidays. Think classic flavors like gingerbread, peppermint, Baileys Irish Cream...mmm... yum! Below are a few recipes for macaron fillings that are perfect for the holiday season.

Gingerbread Spice Macarons

These gingerbread spice macarons embodies the festive flavour of the holidays. Made with white chocolate, it's a good choice for Christmas parties or winter travel because it remains stable at room temperature. It's a filling that is also super easy to prepare. Save yourself the stress with this great holiday flavour.

Gingerbread Baileys Chocolate Macarons

Biting into this gingerbread Baileys chocolate macaron is like biting into a miniature chocolate liqueur bottle. The chocolate filling is liken to a boozy Frappuccino sandwiched in between two macaron shells that are infused with gingerbread spices.

Baileys Irish Cream Gingerbread Macarons

A bit creamier than the former and without the chocolate, Baileys Irish Cream Gingerbread Macarons allows more of the Irish whiskey, chocolate and coffee flavours to come through.

Candy Cane Peppermint Macarons

A cool peppermint candy cane flavour macaron is a must for the holiday season and this one is very easy to execute. If you're new to making macarons, this is one recipe which you should take a look at first.

Basic Chocolate Macaron Filling

This basic chocolate macaron filling is great for adapting your own Christmas macaron flavors. It uses 3 simple ingredients and is sturdy enough for filling macaron lollipops.

Here is the white chocolate version of basic chocolate macaron filling.

Christmas Macaron Inspiration and FREE Templates for Newsletter Subscribers

Here are some Christmas macaron inspiration for you. All of these projects have an accompanying macaron template which you can download and use to pipe with. They are available exclusively for Newsletter Subscribers. Just sign up for the newsletter and wait for the double opt-in confirmation email. Confirm your subscription and you’ll be sent the password to the Subscriber’s Only Area.

All the different Christmas macaron designs build upon the techniques that are discussed in this first foundation tutorial. Take a look at it first if you are unfamiliar with making macaron art.

Bear in Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Full tutorial on how to make Christmas Macaron Art. Read this post first if you don't know how to make macaron art.

Bear on Christmas Tree Macarons

Piping order:

1. Pipe tree with green batter.
2. Add Christmas holly sprinkles onto the tree before it fully dries. Let a light skin develop before moving onto next part.
3. Pipe bear head with brown batter.
4. Pipe tree stump with brown batter.
5. Once a light skin develops on the bear head, pipe snout, ears and paws in that order.
6. Once the macaron art develops a thick strong skin, bake and let cool.
7. Once baked and completely cooled, draw in eyes and nose with edible pen.

Bear with Winter Cap Macarons

Piping order:

1. Pipe the bear's face with brown macaron matter. Wait until a thin skin develops.
2. Pipe the bear's ears. Wait until a thin skin develops.
3. Pipe the bear's cap with red macaron batter.
4. Carefully add a round green sprinkle on the top of the hat in the center.
5. Lightly sprinkle white nonpareil sprinkle onto the cap.
6. Add snout onto the bear's face.
7. Add a row of red batter underneath the cap for the visor.
8. Once the macaron art develops a thick strong skin, bake and let cool.
9. Use edible pen to draw in nose and eyes.

Christmas Bears Hanging Onto Candy Canes

Piping order:

1. Pipe the candy cane with red macaron batter.
2. Add a thin white stripe on the candy cane with white batter.
3. Gently add the Christmas sprinkles onto the candy cane.
4. Pipe the bears head with brown batter.
5. Gently add the holly sprinkle onto the side of the bear's head.
6. Pipe the bears snout with the white batter.
7. Once a thin skin develops on the bears head, pipe the bear's ear and paws.
8. Once the macaron art develops a thick strong skin, bake and let cool.
9. Use an edible pen to draw in the eyes, nose and mouth.

Winter Holiday Puppy Dog Macaron Pops

Piping order:

1. Pipe dog's face with brown batter.
2. Gently add holly sprinkles to the side of the dog's face.
3. Once a thin skin develops on the face, pipe the dog's ears and feet.
4. Pipe the nose and eyes with black batter.
5. Once the macaron art develops a thick strong skin, bake and let cool.
6. Use some edible glue/royal icing to add pink confetti sprinkles onto the face for rosy cheeks. (Recipe for royal icing here.)
7. Draw in the mouth with edible pen.
8. Pipe a dollop of filling on the center of the shells, add lollipop stick, assemble 2 shells together.
9. Let set in fridge before packaging.

Multi-color Christmas Macarons 

Full tutorial for these tri-color macarons here.

Various Designs Using Simple Bear Template

Gingerbread Men Macarons

These gingerbread men macarons are decorated with Bailey's royal icing and edible gold flakes and silver flakes. You can also make the gingerbread men and allow your children to decorate them with cute faces and maybe some clothing for the gingerbread men.

Full tutorial for Gingerbread Men Macarons here.

Dacshund Puppy Macarons

Everyone loves a sweet puppy dog and these sweet dacshunds are wrapped in ugly Christmas sweaters! Full tutorial on Dacshund Puppy Dog Macarons here.

Gingerbread House Macaron

Gift Box for Packaging Christmas Macarons

Once you're done with piping your macaron art and filling them, you'll also want to package them beautifully so they have a certain "WOW" factor when you present them to the receiver. Here is a tutorial that will teach you how to make this flat box which has a window for visibility and is shallow enough to show off the beautiful macaron art inside.

Full tutorial on DIY Macaron Gift Box here.

Making Macarons in Advance of Christmas

This guide on How to Make Macarons in Advance will come in handy for the holiday season. It will teach you how to make and store macarons well in advance of Christmas Day so you can focus on other things like shopping, decorating and entertaining.

Shopping List for X-mas Macarons

• Christmas nonpareils sprinkles
• Christmas holly sprinkles
• Edible pen
• White chocolate for room-temperature stable filling
• Lolllipop stick for macaron pops
• Edible gold flakes

Note: This post was originally published on December 17, 2017