Print

Christmas Tree Cake Macarons Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 119 reviews

Celebrate the holiday season with these delightful Christmas Tree Cake Macarons. Featuring crisp and shiny almond meringue shells tinted festive green and filled with a creamy vanilla buttercream, these macarons are decorated to bring a touch of Christmas magic to your dessert table. Perfectly chewy with a delicate crunch, they’re an impressive and delicious treat to bake for parties, gifts, or special winter gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Macaron Shells:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup almond flour (fine, blanched)
  • 2 large egg whites (room temperature)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Green gel food coloring
  • Gold and white sprinkles or edible stars (for decoration)

For the Buttercream Filling:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
  • Pinch of salt

Optional Filling Variation:

  • 2 tablespoons marshmallow fluff or white chocolate ganache

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dry ingredients: Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl to ensure a smooth, shiny macaron surface. Discard any large particles left in the sieve.
  2. Make the meringue: In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in vanilla extract and green gel food coloring until evenly colored.
  3. Combine the mixtures: Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the meringue. Gently fold with a silicone spatula by scraping around the sides and cutting through the center until the batter flows like thick lava and ribbons fall slowly.
  4. Pipe the macarons: Transfer batter to a piping bag with a round tip. Pipe 1 ½ inch circles on parchment-lined baking sheets, and optionally pipe some in tree shapes using a star tip and zigzag motion. Tap the trays on the counter to remove air bubbles.
  5. Rest the shells: Let piped shells rest at room temperature for 30–40 minutes until a dry skin forms and they do not stick to touch, which helps proper rising.
  6. Bake: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake one tray at a time for 15–18 minutes, rotating halfway for even baking. Macarons should develop feet and easily release from parchment. Cool completely.
  7. Make the buttercream filling: Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla, salt, and cream. Whip until light and fluffy. Optionally fold in marshmallow fluff or white chocolate ganache for extra flavor.
  8. Assemble: Match macaron shells by size. Pipe buttercream onto one shell, sandwich with another, and decorate tops with melted white chocolate drizzle, gold stars, or sprinkles.
  9. Chill before serving: Refrigerate assembled macarons for 24 hours to meld flavors and soften shells for perfect chewy texture.

Notes

  • Use aged egg whites (separated a day ahead and refrigerated loosely covered) for more stable meringue.
  • Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent flat, cracked macarons.
  • Decorate before baking with sprinkles or after filling with drizzles and edible stars.
  • Store filled macarons in airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days.
  • Freeze unfilled shells for up to 2 months; thaw before filling.
  • Add peppermint extract or crushed candy canes for a peppermint variation.
  • For eggnog flavor, add nutmeg and rum extract to buttercream.
  • Fill with chocolate ganache and dust with edible gold for a rich chocolate version.

Keywords: Christmas macarons, holiday desserts, Christmas tree macarons, almond meringue, buttercream filling, festive cookies, holiday baking

Find it online: https://cookwithlea.com/christmas-tree-cake-macarons-recipe-2/